AN 6.30

Anuttariyasutta

“Chayimāni, bhikkhave, anuttariyāni. Katamāni cha? Dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ, sikkhānuttariyaṁ, pāricariyānuttariyaṁ, anussatānuttariyanti.

Unsurpassable

“Mendicants, these six things are unsurpassable. What six? The unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, service, and recollection.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dassanānuttariyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco hatthiratanampi dassanāya gacchati, assaratanampi dassanāya gacchati, maṇiratanampi dassanāya gacchati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana dassanāya gacchati, samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā micchādiṭṭhikaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ dassanāya gacchati. Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, dassanaṁ; netaṁ natthīti vadāmi. Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dassanaṁ hīnaṁ gammaṁ pothujjanikaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā dassanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, dassanānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā dassanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dassanānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ.

And what is the unsurpassable seeing? Some people go to see an elephant-treasure, a horse-treasure, a jewel-treasure, or a diverse spectrum of sights; or ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a seeing, I don’t deny it. That seeing is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. The unsurpassable seeing is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, goes to see a Realized One or their disciple. This is in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment. This is called the unsurpassable seeing. Such is the unsurpassable seeing.

Savanānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bherisaddampi savanāya gacchati, vīṇāsaddampi savanāya gacchati, gītasaddampi savanāya gacchati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana savanāya gacchati, samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā micchādiṭṭhikassa micchāpaṭipannassa dhammassavanāya gacchati. Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, savanaṁ; netaṁ natthīti vadāmi. Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, savanaṁ hīnaṁ gammaṁ pothujjanikaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā dhammassavanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, savanānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā dhammassavanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, savanānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ.

But what of the unsurpassable hearing? Some people go to hear the sound of drums, arched harps, singing, or a diverse spectrum of sounds; or ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a hearing, I don’t deny it. That hearing … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable hearing is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, goes to hear the teaching of a Realized One or one of his disciples. … This is called the unsurpassable hearing. Such is the unsurpassable seeing and hearing.

Lābhānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puttalābhampi labhati, dāralābhampi labhati, dhanalābhampi labhati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana lābhaṁ labhati, samaṇe vā brāhmaṇe vā micchādiṭṭhike micchāpaṭipanne saddhaṁ paṭilabhati. Attheso, bhikkhave, lābho; neso natthīti vadāmi. So ca kho eso, bhikkhave, lābho hīno gammo pothujjaniko anariyo anatthasaṁhito, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgate vā tathāgatasāvake vā saddhaṁ paṭilabhati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, lābhānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgate vā tathāgatasāvake vā saddhaṁ paṭilabhati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, lābhānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ.

But what of the unsurpassable acquisition? Some people acquire a child, a wife, wealth, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they acquire faith in an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such an acquisition, I don’t deny it. That acquisition … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable acquisition is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, acquires faith in a Realized One or their disciple. … This is called the unsurpassable acquisition. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, hearing, and acquisition.

Sikkhānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco hatthismimpi sikkhati, assasmimpi sikkhati, rathasmimpi sikkhati, dhanusmimpi sikkhati, tharusmimpi sikkhati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana sikkhati, samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā micchādiṭṭhikassa micchāpaṭipannassa sikkhati. Atthesā, bhikkhave, sikkhā; nesā natthīti vadāmi. Sā ca kho esā, bhikkhave, sikkhā hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye adhisīlampi sikkhati, adhicittampi sikkhati, adhipaññampi sikkhati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye adhisīlampi sikkhati, adhicittampi sikkhati, adhipaññampi sikkhati, niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sikkhānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ, sikkhānuttariyaṁ.

But what of the unsurpassable training? Some people train in elephant riding, horse riding, chariot driving, archery, swordsmanship, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they train under an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a training, I don’t deny it. That training … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable training is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, trains in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom in the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. … This is called the unsurpassable training. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, hearing, acquisition, and training.

Pāricariyānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco khattiyampi paricarati, brāhmaṇampi paricarati, gahapatimpi paricarati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana paricarati, samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā micchādiṭṭhikaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ paricarati. Atthesā, bhikkhave, pāricariyā; nesā natthīti vadāmi. Sā ca kho esā, bhikkhave, pāricariyā hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā, na nibbidāya …pe… na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā paricarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, pāricariyānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā paricarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāricariyānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ, sikkhānuttariyaṁ, pāricariyānuttariyaṁ.

But what of the unsurpassable service? Some people serve an aristocrat, a brahmin, a householder, or a diverse spectrum of people; or they serve ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such service, I don’t deny it. That service … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable service is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, serves a Realized One or their disciple. … This is called the unsurpassable service. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, and service.

Anussatānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puttalābhampi anussarati, dāralābhampi anussarati, dhanalābhampi anussarati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana lābhaṁ anussarati, samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā micchādiṭṭhikaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ anussarati. Atthesā, bhikkhave, anussati; nesā natthīti vadāmi. Sā ca kho esā, bhikkhave, anussati hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā anussarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, anussatīnaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā anussarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anussatānuttariyaṁ.

But what of the unsurpassable recollection? Some people recollect a child, a wife, wealth, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they recollect an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such recollection, I don’t deny it. That recollection is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. The unsurpassable recollection is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, recollects a Realized One or their disciple. … This is called the unsurpassable recollection.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cha anuttariyānīti.

These are the six unsurpassable things.

Ye dassanānuttaraṁ laddhā, savanañca anuttaraṁ; Lābhānuttariyaṁ laddhā, sikkhānuttariye ratā.

They’ve gained the unsurpassed seeing, the unsurpassed hearing, and the unsurpassable acquisition. They enjoy the unsurpassable training

Upaṭṭhitā pāricariyā, bhāvayanti anussatiṁ; Vivekappaṭisaṁyuttaṁ, khemaṁ amatagāminiṁ.

and serve with care. Then they develop recollection connected with seclusion, which is safe, and leads to freedom from death.

Appamāde pamuditā, nipakā sīlasaṁvutā; Te ve kālena paccenti, yattha dukkhaṁ nirujjhatī”ti.

They rejoice in diligence, alert and ethically restrained. And in time they arrive at the place where suffering ceases.”