Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.65

Numbered Discourses 7.65

7. Mahāvagga

7. The Great Chapter

Hirīottappasutta

Conscience and Prudence

“Hirottappe, bhikkhave, asati hirottappavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

“Bhikkhus, when there is no conscience and prudence, one who lacks conscience and prudence has destroyed a vital condition for sense restraint. When there is no sense restraint, one who lacks sense restraint has destroyed a vital condition for ethical conduct. When there is no ethical conduct, one who lacks ethics has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion. When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsavipanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi na pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pheggupi sāropi na pāripūriṁ gacchati.

Suppose there was a tree that lacked branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would not grow to fullness.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, hirottappe asati hirottappavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare asati indriyasaṁvaravipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle asati sīlavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi asati sammāsamādhivipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane asati yathābhūtañāṇadassanavipannassa hatūpaniso hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge asati nibbidāvirāgavipannassa hatūpanisaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

In the same way, when there is no conscience and prudence, a person who lacks conscience and prudence has destroyed a vital condition for sense restraint. When there is no sense restraint, one who lacks sense restraint has destroyed a vital condition for ethical conduct. When there is no ethical conduct, one who lacks ethics has destroyed a vital condition for right immersion. When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is no true knowledge and vision, one who lacks true knowledge and vision has destroyed a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is no disillusionment and dispassion, one who lacks disillusionment and dispassion has destroyed a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

Hirottappe, bhikkhave, sati hirottappasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti indriyasaṁvaro; indriyasaṁvare sati indriyasaṁvarasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti sīlaṁ; sīle sati sīlasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti sammāsamādhi; sammāsamādhimhi sati sammāsamādhisampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ; yathābhūtañāṇadassane sati yathābhūtañāṇadassanasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti nibbidāvirāgo; nibbidāvirāge sati nibbidāvirāgasampannassa upanisasampannaṁ hoti vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ.

When there is conscience and prudence, a person who has fulfilled conscience and prudence has fulfilled a vital condition for sense restraint. When there is sense restraint, one who has fulfilled sense restraint has fulfilled a vital condition for ethical conduct. When there is ethical conduct, one who has fulfilled ethical conduct has fulfilled a vital condition for right immersion. When there is right immersion, one who has fulfilled right immersion has fulfilled a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. When there is true knowledge and vision, one who has fulfilled true knowledge and vision has fulfilled a vital condition for disillusionment and dispassion. When there is disillusionment and dispassion, one who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho sākhāpalāsasampanno. Tassa papaṭikāpi pāripūriṁ gacchati, tacopi pheggupi sāropi pāripūriṁ gacchati.

Suppose there was a tree that was complete with branches and foliage. Its shoots, bark, softwood, and heartwood would grow to fullness.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, hirottappe sati hirottappasampannassa upanisasampanno hoti …pe… vimuttiñāṇadassanan”ti.

In the same way, when there is conscience and prudence, a person who has fulfilled conscience and prudence has fulfilled a vital condition for sense restraint. … One who has fulfilled disillusionment and dispassion has fulfilled a vital condition for knowledge and vision of freedom.”

Paṭhamaṁ.