Kimatthiyasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.1

Numbered Discourses 10.1

1. Ānisaṁsavagga

1. Benefits

Kimatthiyasutta

What’s the Goal?

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī”ti?

“Sir, what is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics?”

“Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī”ti.

“Ānanda, having no regrets is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics.”

“Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of having no regrets?”

“Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso”ti.

“Joy is the goal and benefit of having no regrets.”

“Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of joy?”

“Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsan”ti.

“Rapture …”

“Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of rapture?”

“Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā”ti.

“Tranquility …”

“Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of tranquility?”

“Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā”ti.

“Bliss …”

“Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of bliss?”

“Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsan”ti.

“Immersion …”

“Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of immersion?”

“Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso”ti.

“Truly knowing and seeing …”

“Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing?”

“Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsan”ti.

“Disillusionment and dispassion …”

“Nibbidāvirāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”ti?

“But what is the goal and benefit of disillusionment and dispassion?”

“Nibbidāvirāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.

“Knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of disillusionment and dispassion.

Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni;

So, Ānanda, the goal and benefit of skillful ethics is not having regrets.

avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso;

Joy is the goal and benefit of not having regrets.

pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ;

Rapture is the goal and benefit of joy.

pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā;

Tranquility is the goal and benefit of rapture.

passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā;

Bliss is the goal and benefit of tranquility.

sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ;

Immersion is the goal and benefit of bliss.

samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso;

Truly knowing and seeing is the goal and benefit of immersion.

yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsaṁ;

Disillusionment and dispassion is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing.

nibbidāvirāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.

Knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of disillusionment and dispassion.

Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī”ti.

So, Ānanda, skillful ethics progressively lead up to the highest.”

Paṭhamaṁ.