Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.86

Numbered Discourses 10.86

9. Theravagga

9. Senior Bhikkhus

Adhimānasutta

Overestimation

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākassapo rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tatra kho āyasmā mahākassapo bhikkhū āmantesi: “āvuso bhikkhave”ti.

At one time Venerable Mahākassapa was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. There he addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, bhikkhus!”

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahākassapassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahākassapo etadavoca:

“Friend,” they replied. Venerable Mahākassapa said this:

“Idhāvuso, bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti. Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo samanuyuñjati samanuggāhati samanubhāsati. So tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā jhāyinā samāpattikusalena paracittakusalena paracittapariyāyakusalena samanuyuñjiyamāno samanuggāhiyamāno samanubhāsiyamāno irīṇaṁ āpajjati vicinaṁ āpajjati anayaṁ āpajjati byasanaṁ āpajjati anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.

“Take a bhikkhu who declares enlightenment: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’ They’re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples who has the jhānas, and is skilled in attainments, in the minds of others, and in the ways of another’s mind. Grilled in this way they get stuck or lose their way. They fall to ruin and disaster.

Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti: ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā aññaṁ byākaroti—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

The Realized One or one of his disciples comprehends their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable declare enlightenment, saying, “I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’?”’

Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti: ‘Adhimāniko kho ayamāyasmā adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti—

They understand, ‘This venerable overestimates themselves and takes that to be the truth. They perceive that they’ve attained what they haven’t attained, done what they haven’t done, and achieved what they haven’t achieved. And they declare enlightenment out of overestimation:

khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

“I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”’

Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti: ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā nissāya adhimāniko adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti—

The Realized One or one of his disciples comprehends their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable overestimate themselves and take that to be the truth? Why do they perceive that they’ve attained what they haven’t attained, done what they haven’t done, and achieved what they haven’t achieved? And why do they declare enlightenment out of overestimation:

khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

“I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”’

Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti: ‘Bahussuto kho pana ayamāyasmā sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā. Tasmā ayamāyasmā adhimāniko adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.

They understand, ‘This venerable is very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reinforcing them by recitation, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically. Therefore this venerable overestimates themselves and takes that to be the truth. …’

Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti: ‘Abhijjhālu kho pana ayamāyasmā; abhijjhāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Abhijjhāpariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

They understand, ‘This venerable is covetous, and often lives with a heart full covetousness. Being full of covetousness means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.

Byāpanno kho pana ayamāyasmā; byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Byāpādapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

This venerable has ill will …

Thinamiddho kho pana ayamāyasmā; thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

dullness and drowsiness …

Uddhato kho pana ayamāyasmā; uddhaccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Uddhaccapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

restlessness …

Vicikiccho kho pana ayamāyasmā; vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

doubt …

Kammārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā kammarato kammārāmataṁ anuyutto. Kammārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

This venerable relishes work. They love it and like to relish it …

Bhassārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā bhassarato bhassārāmataṁ anuyutto. Bhassārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

This venerable relishes talk …

Niddārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā niddārato niddārāmataṁ anuyutto. Niddārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

sleep …

Saṅgaṇikārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā saṅgaṇikarato saṅgaṇikārāmataṁ anuyutto. Saṅgaṇikārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ.

company …

Sati kho pana ayamāyasmā uttari karaṇīye oramattakena visesādhigamena antarā vosānaṁ āpanno. Antarā vosānagamanaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ’.

When there is still more to be done, this venerable stopped half-way after achieving some insignificant distinction. Stopping half-way means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.’

So vatāvuso, bhikkhu ‘ime dasa dhamme appahāya imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. So vatāvuso, bhikkhu ‘ime dasa dhamme pahāya imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.

It’s quite impossible for a bhikkhu to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training without giving up these ten qualities. It is quite possible for a bhikkhu to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training after giving up these ten qualities.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.