• Numbered Discourses 9.5 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 9.5
  • 1. Awakening 1. Sambodhivagga

Powers Balasutta

ā€œMendicants, there are these four powers. ā€œCattārimāni, bhikkhave, balāni. What four? Katamāni cattāri? The powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness. PaƱƱābalaṁ, vÄ«riyabalaṁ, anavajjabalaṁ, saį¹…gāhabalaṁ.

And what is the power of wisdom? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, paƱƱābalaṁ? One has clearly seen and clearly contemplated with wisdom those qualities that are skillful and considered to be skillful; those that are unskillful … blameworthy … blameless … dark … bright … to be cultivated … not to be cultivated … not worthy of the noble ones … worthy of the noble ones and considered to be worthy of the noble ones. Ye dhammā kusalā kusalasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā akusalā akusalasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā sāvajjā sāvajjasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā anavajjā anavajjasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā kaṇhā kaṇhasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā sukkā sukkasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā sevitabbā sevitabbasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā asevitabbā asevitabbasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā nālamariyā nālamariyasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā alamariyā alamariyasaį¹…khātā, tyassa dhammā paƱƱāya vodiį¹­į¹­hā honti vocaritā. This is called the power of wisdom. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, paƱƱābalaṁ.

And what is the power of energy? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, vÄ«riyabalaṁ? One generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives to give up those qualities that are unskillful and considered to be unskillful; those that are blameworthy … dark … not to be cultivated … not worthy of the noble ones and considered to be not worthy of the noble ones. Ye dhammā akusalā akusalasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā sāvajjā sāvajjasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā kaṇhā kaṇhasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā asevitabbā asevitabbasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā nālamariyā nālamariyasaį¹…khātā, tesaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vÄ«riyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. One generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives to gain those qualities that are skillful and considered to be skillful; those that are blameless … bright … to be cultivated … worthy of the noble ones and considered to be worthy of the noble ones. Ye dhammā kusalā kusalasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā anavajjā anavajjasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā sukkā sukkasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā sevitabbā sevitabbasaį¹…khātā ye dhammā alamariyā alamariyasaį¹…khātā, tesaṁ dhammānaṁ paį¹­ilābhāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vÄ«riyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. This is called the power of energy. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, vÄ«riyabalaṁ.

And what is the power of blamelessness? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, anavajjabalaṁ? It’s when a noble disciple has blameless conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako anavajjena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, anavajjena vacÄ«kammena samannāgato hoti, anavajjena manokammena samannāgato hoti. This is called the power of blamelessness. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anavajjabalaṁ.

And what is the power of inclusiveness? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, saį¹…gāhabalaṁ? There are these four ways of being inclusive. Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, saį¹…gahavatthÅ«ni—Giving, kindly words, taking care, and equality. dānaṁ, peyyavajjaṁ, atthacariyā, samānattatā. The best of gifts is the gift of the teaching. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, dānānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammadānaṁ. The best sort of kindly speech is to teach the Dhamma again and again to someone who is engaged and who actively listens. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, peyyavajjānaṁ yadidaṁ atthikassa ohitasotassa punappunaṁ dhammaṁ deseti. The best way of taking care is to encourage, settle, and ground the unfaithful in faith, the unethical in ethics, the stingy in generosity, and the ignorant in wisdom. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, atthacariyānaṁ yadidaṁ assaddhaṁ saddhāsampadāya samādapeti niveseti patiį¹­į¹­hāpeti, dussÄ«laṁ sÄ«lasampadāya … macchariṁ cāgasampadāya … duppaƱƱaṁ paƱƱāsampadāya samādapeti niveseti patiį¹­į¹­hāpeti. The best kind of equality is the equality of a stream-enterer with another stream-enterer, a once-returner with another once-returner, a non-returner with another non-returner, and a perfected one with another perfected one. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, samānattatānaṁ yadidaṁ sotāpanno sotāpannassa samānatto, sakadāgāmÄ« sakadāgāmissa samānatto, anāgāmÄ« anāgāmissa samānatto, arahā arahato samānatto. This is called the power of inclusiveness. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saį¹…gāhabalaṁ. These are the four powers. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri balāni.

A noble disciple who has these four powers has got past five fears. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catÅ«hi balehi samannāgato ariyasāvako paƱca bhayāni samatikkanto hoti. What five? Katamāni paƱca? Fear regarding livelihood, disrepute, feeling insecure in an assembly, death, and bad rebirth. ĀjÄ«vikabhayaṁ, asilokabhayaṁ, parisasārajjabhayaṁ, maraṇabhayaṁ, duggatibhayaṁ.

Then that noble disciple reflects: Sa kho so, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paį¹­isaƱcikkhati: ā€˜I have no fear regarding livelihood. ā€˜nāhaṁ ājÄ«vikabhayassa bhāyāmi. Why would I be afraid of that? Kissāhaṁ ājÄ«vikabhayassa bhāyissāmi? I have these four powers: Atthi me cattāri balāni—the powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness. paƱƱābalaṁ, vÄ«riyabalaṁ, anavajjabalaṁ, saį¹…gāhabalaṁ. A witless person might fear for their livelihood. DuppaƱƱo kho ājÄ«vikabhayassa bhāyeyya. A lazy person might fear for their livelihood. KusÄ«to ājÄ«vikabhayassa bhāyeyya. Someone who does blameworthy things by way of body, speech, and mind might fear for their livelihood. SāvajjakāyakammantavacÄ«kammantamanokammanto ājÄ«vikabhayassa bhāyeyya. Someone who does not include others might fear for their livelihood. Asaį¹…gāhako ājÄ«vikabhayassa bhāyeyya. I have no fear of disrepute … Nāhaṁ asilokabhayassa bhāyāmi …pe… I have no fear about feeling insecure in an assembly … nāhaṁ parisasārajjabhayassa bhāyāmi …pe… I have no fear of death … nāhaṁ maraṇabhayassa bhāyāmi …pe… I have no fear of a bad rebirth. nāhaṁ duggatibhayassa bhāyāmi. Why would I be afraid of that? Kissāhaṁ duggatibhayassa bhāyissāmi? I have these four powers: Atthi me cattāri balāni—the powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness. paƱƱābalaṁ, vÄ«riyabalaṁ, anavajjabalaṁ, saį¹…gāhabalaṁ. A witless person might be afraid of a bad rebirth. DuppaƱƱo kho duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya. A lazy person might be afraid of a bad rebirth. KusÄ«to duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya. Someone who does blameworthy things by way of body, speech, and mind might be afraid of a bad rebirth. SāvajjakāyakammantavacÄ«kammantamanokammanto duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya. Someone who does not include others might be afraid of a bad rebirth.’ Asaį¹…gāhako duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya’.

A noble disciple who has these four powers has got past these five fears.ā€ Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catÅ«hi balehi samannāgato ariyasāvako imāni paƱca bhayāni samatikkanto hotÄ«ā€ti.

Pañcamaṁ.