AN 3.87 Training (2nd)

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Mendicants, each fortnight over a hundred and fifty training rules come up for recitation, in which gentlemen who desire self-knowledge train.

These are all included in the three trainings.

What three?

The training in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom.

These are the three trainings that include them all.

Take the case of a mendicant who has fulfilled their ethics, but has limited immersion and wisdom.

They break some lesser and minor training rules, but are restored.

Why is that?

Because I don’t say they’re incapable of that.

But they’re constant and steady in their precepts regarding the training rules that are fundamental, befitting the spiritual life. They keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

With the ending of three fetters they have at most seven rebirths.

They will transmigrate at most seven times among gods and humans and then make an end of suffering.

With the ending of three fetters, they go from family to family. They will transmigrate between two or three families and then make an end of suffering.

With the ending of three fetters, they’re a one-seeder. They will be reborn just one time in a human existence, then make an end of suffering.

With the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, they’re a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.

Take another case of a mendicant who has fulfilled their ethics and immersion, but has limited wisdom.

They break some lesser and minor training rules, but are restored.

Why is that?

Because I don’t say they’re incapable of that.

But they’re constant and steady in their precepts regarding the training rules that are fundamental, befitting the spiritual path. They keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

With the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort.

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort.

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing.

With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Take another case of a mendicant who has fulfilled their ethics, immersion, and wisdom.

They break some lesser and minor training rules, but are restored.

Why is that?

Because I don’t say they’re incapable of that.

But they’re constant and steady in their precepts regarding the training rules that are fundamental, befitting the spiritual path. They keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

So, mendicants, if you practice partially you succeed partially. If you practice fully you succeed fully. But in any case, these training rules are not barren, I say.”

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“Sādhikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchati yattha attakāmā kulaputtā sikkhanti.

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.

Katamā tisso?

Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā, adhipaññāsikkhā—

imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ mattaso kārī paññāya mattaso kārī.

So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā.

Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sattakkhattuparamo hoti.

Sattakkhattuparamaṁ deve ca manusse ca sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā kolaṅkolo hoti, dve vā tīṇi vā kulāni sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā ekabījī hoti, ekaṁyeva mānusakaṁ bhavaṁ nibbattetvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

So tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ paripūrakārī paññāya mattaso kārī.

So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā.

Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto akaniṭṭhagāmī.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ paripūrakārī paññāya paripūrakārī.

So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā.

Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni, tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, padesaṁ padesakārī ārādheti, paripūraṁ paripūrakārī, avañjhāni tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhāpadāni vadāmī”ti.

Sattamaṁ.