AN 9.6

Sevanāsutta

Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:

Association

There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:

“Puggalopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopi. Cīvarampi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbaṁ— sevitabbampi asevitabbampi. Piṇḍapātopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopi. Senāsanampi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbaṁ— sevitabbampi asevitabbampi. Gāmanigamopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopi. Janapadapadesopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopi.

“Reverends, you should distinguish two two kinds of individual: those you should associate with, and those you shouldn’t associate with. You should distinguish two kinds of robes: those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear. You should distinguish two kinds of almsfood: that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat. You should distinguish two kinds of lodging: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent. You should distinguish two kinds of village or town: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent. You should distinguish two kinds of country: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.

‘Puggalopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tattha yaṁ jaññā puggalaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti; ye ca kho me pabbajitena jīvitaparikkhārā samudānetabbā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārā te ca kasirena samudāgacchanti; yassa camhi atthāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito so ca me sāmaññattho na bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchatī’ti, tenāvuso, puggalena so puggalo rattibhāgaṁ vā divasabhāgaṁ vā saṅkhāpi anāpucchā pakkamitabbaṁ nānubandhitabbo.

‘You should distinguish two two kinds of individual: those you should associate with, and those you shouldn’t associate with.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Well, should you know of an individual: ‘When I associate with this individual, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline. And the necessities of life that a renunciate requires—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—are hard to come by. And the goal of the ascetic life for which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness is not being fully developed.’ In this case you should leave that individual at that very time of the day or night, without asking. You shouldn’t follow them.

Tattha yaṁ jaññā puggalaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti; ye ca kho me pabbajitena jīvitaparikkhārā samudānetabbā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārā te ca appakasirena samudāgacchanti; yassa camhi atthāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito so ca me sāmaññattho na bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchatī’ti, tenāvuso, puggalena so puggalo saṅkhāpi anāpucchā pakkamitabbaṁ nānubandhitabbo.

Whereas, should you know of an individual: ‘When I associate with this individual, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline. But the necessities of life that a renunciate requires—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—are easy to come by. However, the goal of the ascetic life for which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness is not being fully developed.’ In this case you should leave that individual after reflecting, without asking. You shouldn’t follow them.

Tattha yaṁ jaññā puggalaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti; ye ca kho me pabbajitena jīvitaparikkhārā samudānetabbā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārā te ca kasirena samudāgacchanti; yassa camhi atthāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito so ca me sāmaññattho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchatī’ti, tenāvuso, puggalena so puggalo saṅkhāpi anubandhitabbo na pakkamitabbaṁ.

Well, should you know of an individual: ‘When I associate with this individual, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow. And the necessities of life that a renunciate requires—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—are hard to come by. But the goal of the ascetic life for which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness is being fully developed.’ In this case you should follow that individual after appraisal. You shouldn’t leave them.

Tattha yaṁ jaññā puggalaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti; ye ca kho me pabbajitena jīvitaparikkhārā samudānetabbā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārā te ca appakasirena samudāgacchanti; yassa camhi atthāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito so ca me sāmaññattho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchatī’ti, tenāvuso, puggalena so puggalo yāvajīvaṁ anubandhitabbo na pakkamitabbaṁ api panujjamānena. ‘Puggalopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

Whereas, should you know of an individual: ‘When I associate with this individual, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow. And the necessities of life that a renunciate requires—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—are easy to come by. And the goal of the ascetic life for which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness is being fully developed.’ In this case you should follow that individual. You shouldn’t leave them, even if they send you away. ‘You should distinguish two kinds of individual: those you should associate with, and those you shouldn’t associate with.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Cīvarampi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbaṁ— sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tattha yaṁ jaññā cīvaraṁ: ‘idaṁ kho me cīvaraṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṁ cīvaraṁ na sevitabbaṁ. Tattha yaṁ jaññā cīvaraṁ: ‘idaṁ kho me cīvaraṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṁ cīvaraṁ sevitabbaṁ. ‘Cīvarampi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbaṁ— sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘You should distinguish two kinds of robes: those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Well, should you know of a robe: ‘When I wear this robe, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not wear that kind of robe. Whereas, should you know of a robe: ‘When I wear this robe, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should wear that kind of robe. ‘You should distinguish two kinds of robes: those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Piṇḍapātopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tattha yaṁ jaññā piṇḍapātaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me piṇḍapātaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo piṇḍapāto na sevitabbo. Tattha yaṁ jaññā piṇḍapātaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me piṇḍapātaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo piṇḍapāto sevitabbo. ‘Piṇḍapātopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘You should distinguish two kinds of almsfood: that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Well, should you know of almsfood: ‘When I eat this almsfood, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not eat that kind of almsfood. Whereas, should you know of almsfood: ‘When I eat this almsfood, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should eat that kind of almsfood. ‘You should distinguish two kinds of almsfood: that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Senāsanampi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbaṁ— sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tattha yaṁ jaññā senāsanaṁ: ‘idaṁ kho me senāsanaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṁ senāsanaṁ na sevitabbaṁ. Tattha yaṁ jaññā senāsanaṁ: ‘idaṁ kho me senāsanaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṁ senāsanaṁ sevitabbaṁ. ‘Senāsanampi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbaṁ— sevitabbampi asevitabbampī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘You should distinguish two kinds of lodging: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Well, should you know of a lodging: ‘When I frequent this lodging, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of lodging. Whereas, should you know of a lodging: ‘When I frequent this lodging, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of lodging. ‘You should distinguish two kinds of lodging: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Gāmanigamopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tattha yaṁ jaññā gāmanigamaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me gāmanigamaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo gāmanigamo na sevitabbo. Tattha yaṁ jaññā gāmanigamaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me gāmanigamaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo gāmanigamo sevitabbo. ‘Gāmanigamopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘You should distinguish two kinds of village or town: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Well, should you know of a village or town: ‘When I frequent this village or town, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of village or town. Whereas, should you know of a village or town: ‘When I frequent this village or town, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of village or town. ‘You should distinguish two kinds of village or town: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Janapadapadesopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tattha yaṁ jaññā janapadapadesaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me janapadapadesaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpo janapadapadeso na sevitabbo. Tattha yaṁ jaññā janapadapadesaṁ: ‘imaṁ kho me janapadapadesaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpo janapadapadeso sevitabbo. ‘Janapadapadesopi, āvuso, duvidhena veditabbo— sevitabbopi asevitabbopī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

‘You should distinguish two kinds of country: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Well, should you know of a country: ‘When I frequent this country, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of country. Whereas, should you know of a country: ‘When I frequent this country, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of country. ‘You should distinguish two kinds of country: those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”