MN · mn6
If One Would Wish
0.1Majjhima Nikāya 6
The Middle Length Discourses 6
0.2Ākaṅkheyyasutta
If One Would Wish
1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
Thus have I heard—
1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Bhagavā was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
1.3Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Bhagavā addressed the bhikkhus:
1.4“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Bhikkhus.”
1.5“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied to the Bhagavā.
1.6Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Bhagavā said this:
2.1“Sampannasīlā, bhikkhave, viharatha sampannapātimokkhā; pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvino; samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesu.
“Dwell accomplished in ethical conduct, bhikkhus, accomplished in the monastic code; dwell restrained by the restraint of the monastic code, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken the training rules, train in them.
3.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca assaṁ manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be dear and agreeable to my companions in the holy life, respected and esteemed,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment, devoted inwardly to settling [samatha] of the mind [cetosamathamanuyutto], not neglecting meditation [anirākatajjhāno], endowed with insight [vipassanāya samannāgato], and should frequent empty huts.
4.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘lābhī assaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment, devoted inwardly to settling [samatha] of the mind [cetosamathamanuyutto], not neglecting meditation [anirākatajjhāno], endowed with insight [vipassanāya samannāgato], and should frequent empty huts.
5.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘yesāhaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjāmi tesaṁ te kārā mahapphalā assu mahānisaṁsā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘For those whose robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick I make use of, may what they do be of great fruit and great benefit to them,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment, devoted inwardly to settling [samatha] of the mind [cetosamathamanuyutto], not neglecting meditation [anirākatajjhāno], endowed with insight [vipassanāya samannāgato], and should frequent empty huts.
6.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘ye maṁ ñātī sālohitā petā kālaṅkatā pasannacittā anussaranti tesaṁ taṁ mahapphalaṁ assa mahānisaṁsan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘For my relatives and blood relations who are dead and departed, and who recollect me with a confident mind, may that be of great fruit and great benefit to them,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment, devoted inwardly to settling [samatha] of the mind [cetosamathamanuyutto], not neglecting meditation [anirākatajjhāno], endowed with insight [vipassanāya samannāgato], and should frequent empty huts.
7.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘aratiratisaho assaṁ, na ca maṁ arati saheyya, uppannaṁ aratiṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be able to bear discontent and delight, and may discontent not overpower me; having overcome arisen discontent again and again, may I dwell,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
8.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘bhayabheravasaho assaṁ, na ca maṁ bhayabheravaṁ saheyya, uppannaṁ bhayabheravaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be able to bear fear and dread, and may fear and dread not overpower me; having overcome arisen fear and dread again and again, may I dwell,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
9.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī assaṁ akicchalābhī akasiralābhī’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I obtain at will, without trouble and without difficulty, the four jhānas, which belong to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
10.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘ye te santā vimokkhā atikkamma rūpe āruppā, te kāyena phusitvā vihareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I dwell touching with the body those peaceful liberations that, transcending rūpa, are formless,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
11.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno assaṁ avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘With the destruction of three fetters, may I be a stream-enterer, no longer liable to downfall, fixed, headed for full awakening,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
12.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī assaṁ sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ kareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘With the destruction of three fetters, and with passion, aversion, and delusion thinned out, may I be a once-returner, who, after coming back to this world just once, would make an end of dukkha,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
13.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko assaṁ tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘With the destruction of the five lower fetters, may I be one who is spontaneously reborn, there to attain final nibbāna, not liable to return from that world,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
14.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhaveyyaṁ—ekopi hutvā bahudhā assaṁ, bahudhāpi hutvā eko assaṁ; āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gaccheyyaṁ, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ kareyyaṁ, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gaccheyyaṁ, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kameyyaṁ, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parāmaseyyaṁ parimajjeyyaṁ; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I experience manifold kinds of supernormal power: having been one, may I become many; having been many, may I become one; appearance and disappearance; may I go unhindered through walls, ramparts, and mountains as though through space; may I dive in and out of the earth as though in water; may I walk on water without sinking as though on earth; may I travel cross-legged through the sky like a winged bird; may I touch and stroke with my hand even this moon and sun, so mighty and powerful; may I exercise mastery with the body as far as the Brahmā world,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
15.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇeyyaṁ—dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘With the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human, may I hear both kinds of sounds, divine and human, those far and near,’ he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
16.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajāneyyaṁ—
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I understand the mind of other beings and other persons by encompassing it with my own mind—
16.2sarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ sarāgaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a mind [citta] with passion as “a mind [citta] with passion,”
16.3vītarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ vītarāgaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand a mind [citta] free from passion as “a mind [citta] free from passion”;
16.4sadosaṁ vā cittaṁ sadosaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a mind [citta] with aversion as “a mind [citta] with aversion,”
16.5vītadosaṁ vā cittaṁ vītadosaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand a mind [citta] free from aversion as “a mind [citta] free from aversion”;
16.6samohaṁ vā cittaṁ samohaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a mind [citta] with delusion as “a mind [citta] with delusion,”
16.7vītamohaṁ vā cittaṁ vītamohaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand a mind [citta] free from delusion as “a mind [citta] free from delusion”;
16.8saṅkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ saṅkhittaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a contracted mind [citta] as “a contracted mind [citta],”
16.9vikkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ vikkhittaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand a scattered mind [citta] as “a scattered mind [citta]”;
16.10mahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ mahaggataṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand an expansive mind [citta] as “an expansive mind [citta],”
16.11amahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ amahaggataṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand an unexpansive mind [citta] as “an unexpansive mind [citta]”;
16.12sauttaraṁ vā cittaṁ sauttaraṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a surpassable mind [citta] as “a surpassable mind [citta],”
16.13anuttaraṁ vā cittaṁ anuttaraṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand an unsurpassed mind [citta] as “an unsurpassed mind [citta]”;
16.14samāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ samāhitaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a mind [citta] endowed with samādhi [samāhitaṁ] as “a mind [citta] endowed with samādhi [samāhitaṁ],”
16.15asamāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ asamāhitaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;
and may I understand a mind [citta] not endowed with samādhi [asamāhitaṁ] as “a mind [citta] not endowed with samādhi [asamāhitaṁ]”;
16.16vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,
may I understand a liberated mind [citta] as “a liberated mind [citta],”
16.17avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ avimuttaṁ cittanti pajāneyyan’ti,
and may I understand an unliberated mind [citta] as “an unliberated mind [citta].”’
16.18sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
He should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
17.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussareyyaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jāti satasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe—amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapannoti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussareyyan’ti,
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives, that is: one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many eons of contraction, many eons of expansion, many eons of contraction and expansion: “There I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of sukha and dukkha, such the limit of my life. Passing away from there, I arose elsewhere; there too I was so named, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of sukha and dukkha, such the limit of my life. Passing away from there, I arose here.” Thus, with aspects and particulars, may I recollect many kinds of past lives,’
17.2sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment … and should frequent empty huts.
18.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passeyyaṁ cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajāneyyaṁ—ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā; ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannāti, iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passeyyaṁ cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajāneyyan’ti,
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘With the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, may I see beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good destinations and bad destinations; and may I understand beings as they fare according to their kamma: “These beings were endowed with bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, and mental misconduct; revilers of the noble ones, they held wrong view and undertook actions based on wrong view. With the breakup of the body, after death, they have arisen in a state of loss, a bad destination, ruin, hell. But these beings were endowed with bodily good conduct, verbal good conduct, and mental good conduct; not revilers of the noble ones, they held right view and undertook actions based on right view. With the breakup of the body, after death, they have arisen in a good destination, a heavenly world.” Thus with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, may I see beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good destinations and bad destinations; and may I understand beings as they fare according to their kamma,’
18.2sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment, devoted inwardly to settling [samatha] of the mind [cetosamathamanuyutto], not neglecting meditation [anirākatajjhāno], endowed with insight [vipassanāya samannāgato], and should frequent empty huts.
19.1Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti,
If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu should wish: ‘With the destruction of the āsavas, may I dwell having entered upon the āsava-free [anāsavaṁ] liberation of mind [cetovimuttiṁ] and liberation by discernment [paññāvimuttiṁ], having directly known and realized it for myself here and now,’
19.2sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ.
he should be one who brings ethical conduct to fulfillment, devoted inwardly to settling [samatha] of the mind [cetosamathamanuyutto], not neglecting meditation [anirākatajjhāno], endowed with insight [vipassanāya samannāgato], and should frequent empty huts.
20.1‘Sampannasīlā, bhikkhave, viharatha sampannapātimokkhā; pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvino; samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesū’ti—
‘Dwell accomplished in ethical conduct, bhikkhus, accomplished in the monastic code; dwell restrained by the restraint of the monastic code, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; having undertaken the training rules, train in them’—
20.2iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.
when this was said, it was said with reference to this.”
20.3Idamavoca bhagavā.
The Bhagavā said this.
20.4Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Those bhikkhus were glad and delighted in what the Bhagavā had said.
20.5Ākaṅkheyyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.
The sixth, If One Would Wish, is finished.