Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.41

The Related Suttas Collection 12.41

5. Gahapativagga

5. Householders

Pañcaverabhayasutta

Dangers and Threats

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Buddha said to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika:

“Yato kho, gahapati, ariyasāvakassa pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, catūhi ca sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ariyo cassa ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’ti.

“Householder, when a noble disciple has quelled five dangers and threats, has the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and comprehended the noble system with wisdom, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves: ‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am bound for awakening.’

Katamāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti? Yaṁ, gahapati, pāṇātipātī pāṇātipātapaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati, pāṇātipātā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti.

What are the five dangers and threats they have quelled? Anyone who kills living creatures creates dangers and threats both in the present life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. That danger and threat is quelled for anyone who refrains from killing living creatures.

Yaṁ, gahapati, adinnādāyī adinnādānapaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati, adinnādānā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti.

Anyone who steals creates dangers and threats both in the present life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. That danger and threat is quelled for anyone who refrains from stealing.

Yaṁ, gahapati, kāmesumicchācārī kāmesumicchācārapaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati, kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti.

Anyone who commits sexual misconduct creates dangers and threats both in the present life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. That danger and threat is quelled for anyone who refrains from committing sexual misconduct.

Yaṁ, gahapati, musāvādī musāvādapaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati, musāvādā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti.

Anyone who lies creates dangers and threats both in the present life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. That danger and threat is quelled for anyone who refrains from lying.

Yaṁ, gahapati, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhāyī surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānapaccayā diṭṭhadhammikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, samparāyikampi bhayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, cetasikampi dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭiviratassa evaṁ taṁ bhayaṁ veraṁ vūpasantaṁ hoti. Imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti.

Anyone who uses alcoholic drinks that cause negligence creates dangers and threats both in the present life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. That danger and threat is quelled for anyone who refrains from using alcoholic drinks that cause negligence. These are the five dangers and threats they have quelled.

Katamehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.

What are the four factors of stream-entry that they have? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

Dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.

They have experiential confidence in the teaching: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’

Saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti.

They have experiential confidence in the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’

Ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi acchiddehi asabalehi akammāsehi bhujissehi viññuppasatthehi aparāmaṭṭhehi samādhisaṁvattanikehi. Imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti.

And a noble disciple’s ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. These are the four factors of stream-entry that they have.

Katamo cassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho? Idha, gahapati, ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaññeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti: ‘iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti; imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati. Yadidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;

And what is the noble system that they have clearly seen and comprehended with wisdom? A noble disciple carefully and rationally applies the mind to dependent origination itself: ‘When this exists, that is; when this doesn’t exist, that is not. Due to the arising of this, that arises; due to the cessation of this, that ceases. Ignorance is a condition for choices.

saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe… evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti. Ayamassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho.

Choices are a condition for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’ This is the noble system that they have clearly seen and comprehended with wisdom.

Yato kho, gahapati, ariyasāvakassa imāni pañca bhayāni verāni vūpasantāni honti, imehi catūhi sotāpattiyaṅgehi samannāgato hoti, ayañcassa ariyo ñāyo paññāya sudiṭṭho hoti suppaṭividdho, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano’”ti.

When a noble disciple has quelled five dangers and threats, has the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and comprehended the noble system with wisdom, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves: ‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am bound for awakening.’”

Paṭhamaṁ.