AN 10.73  Iṭṭhadhamma sutta - Wished For

“Dasayime, bhikkhave, dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ. Katame dasa?

“Bhikkhus, there are these ten things that are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world. What ten?

Bhogā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ;
vaṇṇo iṭṭho kanto manāpo dullabho lokasmiṁ;
ārogyaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ;
sīlaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ;
brahmacariyaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ;
mittā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ;
bāhusaccaṁ iṭṭhaṁ kantaṁ manāpaṁ dullabhaṁ lokasmiṁ;
paññā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ;
dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ;
saggā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā dullabhā lokasmiṁ.

1.) |Wealth::possessions, property, riches [bhoga]| is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
2.) |Beauty::good looks [vaṇṇa]| is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
3.) |Health::freedom from disease [ārogya]| is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
4.) |Virtue::moral conduct, ethical behavior [sīla]| is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
5.) |Spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]| is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
6.) Friendships are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
7.) Having profound knowledge is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
8.) |Wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [paññā]| is wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
9.) Good qualities are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world;
10.) The heavens are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dasannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ dasa dhammā paripanthā—

There are ten [other] things, bhikkhus, that are obstructions to these ten things that are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.

ālasyaṁ anuṭṭhānaṁ bhogānaṁ paripantho,
amaṇḍanā avibhūsanā vaṇṇassa paripantho,
asappāyakiriyā ārogyassa paripantho,
pāpamittatā sīlānaṁ paripantho,
indriyaasaṁvaro brahmacariyassa paripantho,
visaṁvādanā mittānaṁ paripantho,
asajjhāyakiriyā bāhusaccassa paripantho,
asussūsā aparipucchā paññāya paripantho,
ananuyogo apaccavekkhaṇā dhammānaṁ paripantho,
micchāpaṭipatti saggānaṁ paripantho.

1.) |Laziness::A mental quality characterized by unwillingness, aversion, or lack of motivation to exert effort in wholesome activities. It reflects an inner resistance to energy and discipline, the seed from which idleness arises. It leads to stagnation, missed opportunities for growth, and failure to cultivate beneficial states. [ālasya]| and |not making effort::inaction, lack of energy to do work [anuṭṭhāna]| are obstructions to the acquisition of wealth;
2.) Not adorning and beautifying oneself are obstructions to beauty;
3.) Doing what is unbeneficial is an obstruction to health;
4.) |Bad friendship::friendship with unwholesome persons [pāpamittatā]| is an obstruction to virtue;
5.) Lack of sense restraint is an obstruction to spiritual life;
6.) |Not keeping one’s word::not keeping agreements [visaṁvādana]| is an obstruction to friendships;
7.) Not rehearsing is an obstruction to profound knowledge;
8.) Not wanting to listen and not inquiring are obstructions to wisdom;
9.) |Non-practice::not pursuing [ananuyoga]| and |not reviewing::not reflecting, not contemplating, not thinking about [apaccavekkhaṇā]| are obstructions to good qualities;
10.) Wrong practice is an obstruction to the heavens.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dasannaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ ime dasa dhammā paripanthā.

These ten things, bhikkhus, are obstructions to these ten things that are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dasannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ dasa dhammā āhārā—

And there are ten [other] things, bhikkhus, that are |nutriments::fuels, nourishments, sustenance [āhārā]| for these ten things that are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.

uṭṭhānaṁ anālasyaṁ bhogānaṁ āhāro,
maṇḍanā vibhūsanā vaṇṇassa āhāro,
sappāyakiriyā ārogyassa āhāro,
kalyāṇamittatā sīlānaṁ āhāro,
indriyasaṁvaro brahmacariyassa āhāro,
avisaṁvādanā mittānaṁ āhāro,
sajjhāyakiriyā bāhusaccassa āhāro,
sussūsā paripucchā paññāya āhāro,
anuyogo paccavekkhaṇā dhammānaṁ āhāro,
sammāpaṭipatti saggānaṁ āhāro.

1.) Initiative and effort are nutriments for [the acquisition of] wealth;
2.) Adorning and beautifying oneself are nutriments for beauty;
3.) Doing what is beneficial is a nutriment for health;
4.) Good friendship is a nutriment for virtue;
5.) |Sense restraint::guarding the sense faculties [indriyasaṁvara]| is a nutriment for spiritual life;
6.) Not breaking one’s word is a nutriment for friendships;
7.) Rehearsing is a nutriment for profound knowledge;
8.) Wanting to listen and inquiring are nutriments for wisdom;
9.) Practicing and reviewing are nutriments for good qualities;
10.) Right practice is a nutriment for the heavens.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dasannaṁ dhammānaṁ iṭṭhānaṁ kantānaṁ manāpānaṁ dullabhānaṁ lokasmiṁ ime dasa dhammā āhārā”ti.

These ten things, bhikkhus, are nutriments for these ten things that are wished for, desirable, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.”