- Numbered Discourses 9.5 Aį¹ guttara NikÄya 9.5
- 1. Awakening 1. Sambodhivagga
Powers Balasutta
āMendicants, there are these four powers. āCattÄrimÄni, bhikkhave, balÄni. What four? KatamÄni cattÄri? The powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness. PaƱƱÄbalaį¹, vÄ«riyabalaį¹, anavajjabalaį¹, saį¹ gÄhabalaį¹.
And what is the power of wisdom? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, paƱƱÄbalaį¹? 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 dhammÄ kusalÄ kusalasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ akusalÄ akusalasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ sÄvajjÄ sÄvajjasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ anavajjÄ anavajjasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ kaį¹hÄ kaį¹hasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ sukkÄ sukkasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ sevitabbÄ sevitabbasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ asevitabbÄ asevitabbasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ nÄlamariyÄ nÄlamariyasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ alamariyÄ alamariyasaį¹ khÄtÄ, tyassa dhammÄ paƱƱÄya vodiį¹į¹hÄ honti vocaritÄ. This is called the power of wisdom. Idaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, paƱƱÄbalaį¹.
And what is the power of energy? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, vÄ«riyabalaį¹? 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 dhammÄ akusalÄ akusalasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ sÄvajjÄ sÄvajjasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ kaį¹hÄ kaį¹hasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ asevitabbÄ asevitabbasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ nÄlamariyÄ nÄlamariyasaį¹ khÄtÄ, tesaį¹ dhammÄnaį¹ pahÄnÄya chandaį¹ janeti vÄyamati vÄ«riyaį¹ Ärabhati cittaį¹ paggaį¹hÄti 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 dhammÄ kusalÄ kusalasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ anavajjÄ anavajjasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ sukkÄ sukkasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ sevitabbÄ sevitabbasaį¹ khÄtÄ ye dhammÄ alamariyÄ alamariyasaį¹ khÄtÄ, tesaį¹ dhammÄnaį¹ paį¹ilÄbhÄya chandaį¹ janeti vÄyamati vÄ«riyaį¹ Ärabhati cittaį¹ paggaį¹hÄti padahati. This is called the power of energy. Idaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, vÄ«riyabalaį¹.
And what is the power of blamelessness? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, anavajjabalaį¹? Itās when a noble disciple has blameless conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasÄvako anavajjena kÄyakammena samannÄgato hoti, anavajjena vacÄ«kammena samannÄgato hoti, anavajjena manokammena samannÄgato hoti. This is called the power of blamelessness. Idaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, anavajjabalaį¹.
And what is the power of inclusiveness? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, saį¹ gÄhabalaį¹? There are these four ways of being inclusive. CattÄrimÄni, bhikkhave, saį¹ gahavatthÅ«niāGiving, kindly words, taking care, and equality. dÄnaį¹, peyyavajjaį¹, atthacariyÄ, samÄnattatÄ. The best of gifts is the gift of the teaching. Etadaggaį¹, bhikkhave, dÄnÄnaį¹ yadidaį¹ dhammadÄnaį¹. The best sort of kindly speech is to teach the Dhamma again and again to someone who is engaged and who actively listens. Etadaggaį¹, bhikkhave, peyyavajjÄnaį¹ yadidaį¹ atthikassa ohitasotassa punappunaį¹ dhammaį¹ 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. Etadaggaį¹, bhikkhave, atthacariyÄnaį¹ yadidaį¹ assaddhaį¹ saddhÄsampadÄya samÄdapeti niveseti patiį¹į¹hÄpeti, dussÄ«laį¹ sÄ«lasampadÄya ⦠macchariį¹ cÄgasampadÄya ⦠duppaƱƱaį¹ paƱƱÄsampadÄya samÄdapeti niveseti patiį¹į¹hÄpeti. 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. Etadaggaį¹, bhikkhave, samÄnattatÄnaį¹ yadidaį¹ sotÄpanno sotÄpannassa samÄnatto, sakadÄgÄmÄ« sakadÄgÄmissa samÄnatto, anÄgÄmÄ« anÄgÄmissa samÄnatto, arahÄ arahato samÄnatto. This is called the power of inclusiveness. Idaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, saį¹ gÄhabalaį¹. These are the four powers. ImÄni kho, bhikkhave, cattÄri balÄni.
A noble disciple who has these four powers has got past five fears. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catÅ«hi balehi samannÄgato ariyasÄvako paƱca bhayÄni samatikkanto hoti. What five? KatamÄni paƱca? Fear regarding livelihood, disrepute, feeling insecure in an assembly, death, and bad rebirth. ÄjÄ«vikabhayaį¹, asilokabhayaį¹, parisasÄrajjabhayaį¹, maraį¹abhayaį¹, duggatibhayaį¹.
Then that noble disciple reflects: Sa kho so, bhikkhave, ariyasÄvako iti paį¹isaƱcikkhati: āI have no fear regarding livelihood. ānÄhaį¹ ÄjÄ«vikabhayassa bhÄyÄmi. Why would I be afraid of that? KissÄhaį¹ ÄjÄ«vikabhayassa bhÄyissÄmi? I have these four powers: Atthi me cattÄri balÄniāthe powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness. paƱƱÄbalaį¹, vÄ«riyabalaį¹, anavajjabalaį¹, saį¹ gÄhabalaį¹. A witless person might fear for their livelihood. DuppaƱƱo kho ÄjÄ«vikabhayassa bhÄyeyya. A lazy person might fear for their livelihood. KusÄ«to ÄjÄ«vikabhayassa bhÄyeyya. Someone who does blameworthy things by way of body, speech, and mind might fear for their livelihood. SÄvajjakÄyakammantavacÄ«kammantamanokammanto ÄjÄ«vikabhayassa bhÄyeyya. Someone who does not include others might fear for their livelihood. Asaį¹ gÄhako ÄjÄ«vikabhayassa bhÄyeyya. I have no fear of disrepute ⦠NÄhaį¹ asilokabhayassa bhÄyÄmi ā¦pe⦠I have no fear about feeling insecure in an assembly ⦠nÄhaį¹ parisasÄrajjabhayassa bhÄyÄmi ā¦pe⦠I have no fear of death ⦠nÄhaį¹ maraį¹abhayassa bhÄyÄmi ā¦pe⦠I have no fear of a bad rebirth. nÄhaį¹ duggatibhayassa bhÄyÄmi. Why would I be afraid of that? KissÄhaį¹ duggatibhayassa bhÄyissÄmi? I have these four powers: Atthi me cattÄri balÄniāthe powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness. paƱƱÄbalaį¹, vÄ«riyabalaį¹, anavajjabalaį¹, saį¹ gÄhabalaį¹. A witless person might be afraid of a bad rebirth. DuppaƱƱo kho duggatibhayassa bhÄyeyya. A lazy person might be afraid of a bad rebirth. KusÄ«to duggatibhayassa bhÄyeyya. Someone who does blameworthy things by way of body, speech, and mind might be afraid of a bad rebirth. SÄvajjakÄyakammantavacÄ«kammantamanokammanto duggatibhayassa bhÄyeyya. Someone who does not include others might be afraid of a bad rebirth.ā Asaį¹ gÄhako duggatibhayassa bhÄyeyyaā.
A noble disciple who has these four powers has got past these five fears.ā Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catÅ«hi balehi samannÄgato ariyasÄvako imÄni paƱca bhayÄni samatikkanto hotÄ«āti.
PaƱcamaį¹.
