Itivuttaka - As it was Said

The Buddha describes the abandoning of greed as a security for non-returning.

The Buddha describes the abandoning of aversion as a security for non-returning.

The Buddha describes the abandoning of delusion as a security for non-returning.

The Buddha describes the abandoning of anger as a security for non-returning.

The Buddha describes the abandoning of contempt as a security for non-returning.

The Buddha describes the abandoning of conceit as a security for non-returning.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending everything, without the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing and completely comprehending everything, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending conceit, without the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing and completely comprehending conceit, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending greed, without the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing and completely comprehending greed, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending aversion, without the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing and completely comprehending aversion, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending delusion, without the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing and completely comprehending delusion, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending anger, without the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing and completely comprehending anger, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

One is incapable of ending suffering without directly knowing and completely comprehending contempt, with the mind detaching from it and without abandoning it. One is capable of ending suffering by directly knowing, by completely comprehending contempt, with the mind detaching from it, and by abandoning it.

The Buddha describes the barrier of ignorance as the most significant obstruction, by which beings continue wandering on in cyclic existence.

The Buddha describes the fetter of craving as the most significant bond, bound by which, beings continue wandering on in cyclic existence.

There is no other single internal factor as helpful as radical attention for a trainee bhikkhu who is aspiring for the highest goal.

There is no other single external factor as helpful as good friendship for a trainee bhikkhu who is aspiring for the highest goal.

The Buddha shares the consequences of causing division within the Saṅgha.

The Buddha shares the benefits of harmony within the Saṅgha.

The Buddha shares the consequences for a person acting with a corrupted mind.

The Buddha shares the consequences for a person acting with a settled mind.

The Buddha shares the results of developing a mind of loving-kindness based on his recollection of past lives.

Developing and cultivating diligence in wholesome states secures both benefits—those pertaining to the present life and those pertaining to the hereafter.

The Buddha describes the vast accumulation of bones that would result from wandering on and undergoing repeated existence for an aeon.

One who has transgressed the principle of intentional lying is capable of committing any evil deed.

If sentient beings knew the fruit of giving and sharing, they would not eat without first sharing, nor would the stain of stinginess occupy their minds.

The Buddha uses similes to illustrate the benefits of developing loving-kindness. The liberation of mind by loving-kindness surpasses all other forms of merit-making associated with acquisitions by far.

A person endowed with the two qualities of guarding the sense doors and moderation in eating lives with discontentedness in this very life and after death, a bad destination is to be expected.

A person endowed with the two qualities of guarding the sense doors and moderation in eating lives happily in this very life and after death, a good destination is to be expected.

A person who has not done good, has not done what is wholesome, has not protected others from fear, but has done evil, cruelty, and misdeeds, feels remorse.

One who has done good, acted wholesomely, protected others from fear, avoided evil and cruelty, and refrained from misdeeds does not feel remorse.

Possessing the mental qualities of harmful conduct and views, one is reborn in hell.

Endowed with the mental qualities of auspicious conduct and views, one is reborn in heaven.

A person who is lacking continuous effort and is without concern is incapable of attaining full awakening, Nibbāna, and the unsurpassed safety from bondage.

The spiritual life is not lived for the purpose of deceiving people, nor for the purpose of winning favor with people, nor for the sake of acquisitions, respect, and popularity, nor for the thought ‘Let people know me thus.’ But rather, this spiritual life is lived for the purpose of restraint and for the purpose of letting go.

The spiritual life is not lived for the purpose of deceiving people, nor for the purpose of winning favor with people, nor for the sake of acquisitions, respect, and popularity, nor for the thought ‘Let people know me thus.’ But rather, this spiritual life is lived for the purpose of direct knowledge and full understanding.

A bhikkhu endowed with two qualities of being moved on occasions that inspire a sense of urgency and by radically striving when aroused with urgency, dwells in the here and now with abundant ease and joy, and his mind is directed towards the wearing away of the taints.

The Blessed One explains the two thoughts that frequently arise in him - the thought of safety for beings and the thought of seclusion.

The Blessed One outlines two sequential teachings of the Dhamma: first, see harm as harm; second, become dispassionate and detached from it.

Ignorance is the forerunner in the arising of unwholesome qualities, and true knowledge is the forerunner in the arising of wholesome qualities.

The Buddha describes the sentient beings who lack in wisdom as truly deprived, dwelling in suffering, annoyance, hardship, and distress.

These two bright qualities protect the world - 1) sense of right and wrong and 2) moral dread.

The Buddha shares on the state that is unborn, unbecome, unmade, and unconditioned, which is beyond the realm of thought and enduring.

The Buddha describes the distinction between the two Nibbāna elements - 1.) one with residue remaining pertaining to this life, and 2.) one with no residue remaining and of relevance to the hereafter.

The Buddha instructs to dwell in seclusion, enjoying solitude, being devoted to tranquility of mind, meditating with diligence, being endowed with penetrative vision, practicing in an empty dwelling.

The Buddha advises to live with training as the benefit, wisdom as the north star, liberation as the essence, ruled by mindfulness.

One of two results is to be expected for a bhikkhu who dwells wakeful, mindful, clearly aware, collected, joyful, tranquil, and discerning with clarity at a suitable occasion in regard to the wholesome mental qualities — 1.) full awakening here and now, or 2.) the state of non-returning.

The Buddha describes the two behaviors that lead to suffering and rebirth in hell if not abandoned.

Overcome by two kinds of wrong views, some get stuck, while others overreach. But those with vision see.

The Buddha lists the three roots of the unwholesome - greed, aversion, and delusion, and explain their effect on the mind with a simile.

The Buddha describes the three elements - 1.) form element, 2.) formless element, and 3.) element of cessation.

The Buddha describes the three experiences that are felt on contact through the sense doors: pleasant, painful, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant.

The Buddha describes how to see the three felt experiences that are experienced on contact through the sense doors - pleasant, painful, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant.

The Buddha describes the three quests of sensual pleasure, renewed existence, and spiritual life.

The Buddha describes the three quests of sensual pleasure, renewed existence, and spiritual life as the result of holding tight to the thought ‘This is the truth’ and the accumulation of bases for views.

The Buddha describes the three taints - the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, and the taint of ignorance, and the way of practice leading to their cessation.

The Buddha describes the three taints - the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, and the taint of ignorance, and the one who is free from them.

The Buddha describes the three kinds of craving - 1.) craving for sensual pleasures, 2.) craving for existence, and 3.) craving for non-becoming.

The Buddha describes the three qualities that a bhikkhu should be endowed with to transcend Māra’s domain and shine like the sun.

The Buddha shares the three bases for making merit through 1.) giving, 2.) ethical conduct, and 3.) cultivating a mind of loving-kindness.

The Buddha declares the three types of eyesight - 1.) the physical eye, 2.) the divine eye, and 3.) the eye of wisdom. The eye of wisdom is unsurpassed of the three.

The Buddha describes the three mental faculties - 1.) the faculty that senses ‘I will know the unknown,’ 2.) the faculty of awakening, and 3.) the faculty of one who is awakened.

The Buddha speaks on how beings cling to what can be expressed—concepts and designations, including the three time periods of past, future, and present. Not fully understanding these, they fall under the yoke of death.

The Buddha describes the three kinds of misconduct - by body, speech and mind.

The Buddha describes the three kinds of good conduct - by body, speech and mind.

The Buddha describes the three kinds of purity - by body, speech and mind.

The Buddha describes the three kinds of sagacity - by body, speech and mind.

Whoever has not let go of passion, aversion, and delusion is said to be bound by Māra, ensnared by Māra’s trap, and subject to the will of the Evil One.

Whoever has let go of passion, aversion, and delusion is called one who has crossed beyond the ocean—with its waves, currents, whirlpools, fierce beasts, and monsters.

The Buddha shares the consequences of holding on to wrong views and acting upon them based on his direct knowledge.

The Buddha shares the consequences of holding on to right views and acting upon them based on his direct knowledge.

The Buddha describes the three elements of escape - renunciation, formless element and cessation.

Cessation is more peaceful than the form or formless realms. Beings attached to these states face renewed existence.

Three kinds of children - 1.) one who surpasses their parents, 2.) one who follows in their footsteps, and 3.) one who falls below them.

Three kinds of persons are found in the world - 1.) One like a rainless cloud, 2.) one like a cloud that rains in a certain area, and 3.) one like a cloud that rains everywhere.

The Buddha teaches that a wise person aspiring for the three kinds of happiness - of 1.) praise, 2.) wealth, and 3.) good rebirth - should safeguard their virtue.

The body is fragile, consciousness is of a fading nature. All substrates of existence are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and subject to change.

Beings come together and associate with other beings according to their disposition. Therefore one should avoid associating with those that are lazy and keep company with the wise.

The Buddha describes three things that lead to the decline of a trainee bhikkhu and three things that lead to non-decline.

The Buddha shares the three unwholesome thoughts - 1) concerning one’s reputation, 2) concerning acquisitions, respect, and popularity, and 3) associated with inappropriate concern for others.

The Blessed One describes beings who are overcome by respect or by disrespect or by both, and their rebirth. The true person is one who is collected, detached, and delights in the wearing away of grasping.

The Buddha describes three occasions when divine sounds arise among the gods.

The Buddha describes the five signs that appear when a deity is about to pass away, and the three blessings that the gods give to the deity.

Three individuals arise for the world’s welfare: the Buddha, the Arahant, and the trainee disciple. Out of compassion, all three teach the pure Dhamma, opening the door to the deathless and helping diligent followers make an end of suffering.

The Buddha advises to 1.) dwell contemplating the unattractive nature of the body, 2.) establish mindfulness as the primary focal point while breathing in and out, and 3.) observe impermanence in all conditioned phenomena.

It is natural for a practitioner practicing in accordance with the Dhamma to speak and think only in terms of the Dhamma, not in terms of what is not the Dhamma.

The three unwholesome thoughts are blinding, produce lack of vision, cause ignorance, obstruct wisdom, and are troublesome and not conducive to Nibbāna. The three wholesome thoughts give sight, produce vision and create insight, grow wisdom, and are trouble-free and conducive to Nibbāna.

Greed, aversion, and delusion are internal impurities that act as one’s internal enemies. Though they obscure clarity and injure one from within, most people fail to recognize their true nature.

The Buddha explains how Devadatta, overcome by evil desires, bad friendship, and abandoning the training, arrived at a state of prolonged suffering. Though once esteemed, his envy led to ruin. The wise should associate with those whose path leads to the cessation of suffering.

The Buddha shares the three kinds of best confidence - 1.) in the Buddha, 2.) in the mental quality of fading of desire, and 3.) in the community of the Blessed One’s disciples.

The Buddha explains how the livelihood of subsisting on alms, although the lowest of livelihoods, is a sensible choice for those who hope to discern a complete end to this entire heap of suffering.

The Buddha teaches that one could be far from him despite being physically close, and one could be near to him despite being physically far. When one sees the Dhamma, one sees the Buddha.

The Buddha describes the fires of passion, hatred, and delusion which consume beings who cling to a self. The wise cool these flames with wisdom, loving-kindness, and perceiving unattractiveness.

The Buddha instructs that one should examine experience in such a way that consciousness does not become scattered among external sense objects, fixated internally, or entangled through grasping.

The Buddha describes three kinds of beings who partake in sensual pleasures - 1.) those who enjoy what is presently available, 2.) those who delight in their own creations, and 3.) those who wield power over the creations of others.

The Buddha classifies beings according to their attachment or detachment from sensual pleasures and conditioned existence. Those entangled in both are returners; those detached from sensual pleasures but still bound to existence are non-returners; and those freed from both are arahants who have ended the taints.

The Buddha defines the perfected person as one who is virtuous in conduct, devoted to the cultivation of the seven sets of qualities that lead to awakening, and possessing wisdom of the cessation of suffering—complete in training and free from the taints.

The Buddha declares that giving, sharing, and assisting with the Dhamma is vastly superior to material gifts. By diligently speaking and listening to the Accomplished One's instruction with a settled mind, practitioners realize the ultimate goal.

The Buddha describes a brahmin possessing the three true knowledges through the Dhamma, not through mere repetition of what is said. This includes the recollection of past lives, the divine eye seeing beings’ rebirths according to kamma, and the realization of liberation through the wearing away of the taints.

The Buddha shares the importance of giving, sharing, assisting and making an offering of the Dhamma.

Being content with what is trifling, easily obtained, and blameless when it comes to robes, alms food, lodging, and medicine is one of the factors of the spiritual life.

When one knows and sees the four noble truths, there is the wearing away of the taints.

The Buddha describes the true ascetic and brahmin as one who understands the four noble truths.

The Buddha describes the benefits of associating with bhikkhus who are accomplished in virtue, collectedness, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation.

The Buddha describes the four uprisings of craving that can arise in a bhikkhu - 1.) for a robe, 2.) alms food, 3.) lodging, and 4.) for this or that state of existence.

Where children honor their mother and father, those families are said to dwell with Brahmā.

The Buddha describes how the spiritual life is lived in mutual dependence between monastics and householders for the sake of crossing over the flood and for the complete cessation of suffering.

The Buddha describes the qualities of true disciples, and those who do not grow in the Dhamma.

The Buddha uses the simile of a person being carried down by a lovely and alluring river current to illustrate the painful results of craving and indulgence in the internal sense bases.

The Buddha describes two types of bhikkhus based on how they deal with thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and harming while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, and which one is capable of reaching the highest awakening.

The Buddha describes the subsequent training guideline to virtuous conduct - to practice being free of the unwholesome states craving, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and worry, and doubt while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down.

The Buddha explains why he is called the Tathāgata, the one who has perfectly understood the world, its arising, cessation, and the way of practice leading to its cessation.