4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

4👑☸MN‍MN 15    🔝
 MN 15 – MN 15 Anumāna: Measuring Up
    MN 15.1 - (Moggallana gives talk on what dharma [qualities] some monks possess that prevent them from taking constructive criticism/admonishment?)
    MN 15.2 - (And what are the dharmas that make them easy to admonish?)
    MN 15.3 - (‘I will not fall under the sway of wicked desires.’)
    MN 15.4 - (‘Do I have wicked desires?)
    MN 15.5 - (simile of looking in mirror looking for blemish)

detailed TOC

 MN 15 – MN 15 Anumāna: Measuring Up
    MN 15.1 - (Moggallana gives talk on what dharma [qualities] some monks possess that prevent them from taking constructive criticism/admonishment?)
    MN 15.2 - (And what are the dharmas that make them easy to admonish?)
    MN 15.3 - (‘I will not fall under the sway of wicked desires.’)
    MN 15.4 - (‘Do I have wicked desires?)
    MN 15.5 - (simile of looking in mirror looking for blemish)

15 – MN 15 Anumāna: Measuring Up


(derived from B. Sujato 2018/12)
Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​
So I have heard.
ekaṃ samayaṃ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.
At one time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was staying in the land of the Bhaggas on Crocodile Hill, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood.
Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi:
There Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the monks:
“āvuso bhikkhavo”ti.
“Reverends, monks!”
“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṃ.
“Reverend,” they replied.
Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:
Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:
“Pavāreti cepi, āvuso, bhikkhu:
“Suppose a monk invites
‘vadantu maṃ āyasmanto, vacanīyomhi āyasmantehī’ti, so ca hoti dubbaco, dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgato, akkhamo appadakkhiṇaggāhī anusāsaniṃ, atha kho naṃ sabrahmacārī na ceva vattabbaṃ maññanti, na ca anusāsitabbaṃ maññanti, na ca tasmiṃ puggale vissāsaṃ āpajjitabbaṃ maññanti.
other monks to admonish them. But they’re hard to admonish, having dharmas that make them hard to admonish. They're impatient, and don't take instruction respectfully. So their spiritual companions don’t think it’s worth advising and instructing them, and that person doesn’t gain their trust.

15.1 - (Moggallana gives talk on what dharma [qualities] some monks possess that prevent them from taking constructive criticism/admonishment?)


Katame cāvuso, dovacassakaraṇā dhammā?
And what are the dharma [qualities] that make them hard to admonish?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu pāpiccho hoti, pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato.
Firstly, a monk has wicked desires, having fallen under the sway of wicked desires.
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu pāpiccho hoti, pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (1)
This is a quality that makes them difficult to admonish.
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu attukkaṃsako hoti paravambhī.
Furthermore, a monk glorifies themselves and puts others down. …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu attukkaṃsako hoti paravambhī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (2)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhābhibhūto.
They’re angry, overcome by anger …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhābhibhūto—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (3)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhahetu upanāhī.
They’re angry, and hostile due to anger …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhahetu upanāhī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (4)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhahetu abhisaṅgī.
They’re angry, and stubborn due to anger …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhahetu abhisaṅgī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (5)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhasāmantā vācaṃ nicchāretā.
They’re angry, and blurt out words bordering on anger …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu kodhano hoti kodhasāmantā vācaṃ nicchāretā—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (6)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena codakaṃ paṭippharati.
When accused, they object to the accuser …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena codakaṃ paṭippharati—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (7)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena codakaṃ apasādeti.
When accused, they rebuke the accuser …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena codakaṃ apasādeti—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (8)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena codakassa paccāropeti.
When accused, they retort to the accuser …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena codakassa paccāropeti—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (9)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena aññenaññaṃ paṭicarati, bahiddhā kathaṃ apanāmeti, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti.
When accused, they dodge the issue, distract the discussion with irrelevant points, and display irritation, hate, and bitterness …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena aññenaññaṃ paṭicarati, bahiddhā kathaṃ apanāmeti, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātukaroti—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (10)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena apadāne na sampāyati.
When accused, they don’t accept the consequences of their deeds …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu codito codakena apadāne na sampāyati—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (11)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu makkhī hoti paḷāsī.
They are offensive and contemptuous …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu makkhī hoti paḷāsī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (12)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu issukī hoti maccharī.
They’re envious and stingy …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu issukī hoti maccharī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (13)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu saṭho hoti māyāvī.
They’re devious and deceitful …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu saṭho hoti māyāvī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (14)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu thaddho hoti atimānī.
They’re obstinate and vain …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu thaddho hoti atimānī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (15)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu sandiṭṭhiparāmāsī hoti ādhānaggāhī duppaṭinissaggī.
Furthermore, a monk is attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go.
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu sandiṭṭhiparāmāsī hoti ādhānaggāhī duppaṭinissaggī—
ayampi dhammo dovacassakaraṇo. (16)
This too is a quality that makes them difficult to admonish.
Ime vuccantāvuso, dovacassakaraṇā dhammā.
These are the dharmas that make them hard to admonish.
No cepi, āvuso, bhikkhu pavāreti:
Suppose a monk doesn’t invite
‘vadantu maṃ āyasmanto, vacanīyomhi āyasmantehī’ti, so ca hoti suvaco, sovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgato, khamo padakkhiṇaggāhī anusāsaniṃ, atha kho naṃ sabrahmacārī vattabbañceva maññanti, anusāsitabbañca maññanti, tasmiñca puggale vissāsaṃ āpajjitabbaṃ maññanti.
other monks to admonish them. But they’re easy to admonish, having dharmas that make them easy to admonish. They're accepting, and take instruction respectfully. So their spiritual companions think it’s worth advising and instructing them, and that person gains their trust.

15.2 - (And what are the dharmas that make them easy to admonish?)


Katame cāvuso, sovacassakaraṇā dhammā?
And what are the dharmas that make them easy to admonish?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu na pāpiccho hoti, na pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato.
Firstly, a monk doesn’t have wicked desires …
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu na pāpiccho hoti na pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato—
ayampi dhammo sovacassakaraṇo. (1)
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhu asandiṭṭhiparāmāsī hoti anādhānaggāhī suppaṭinissaggī.
Furthermore, a monk isn’t attached to their own views, not holding them tight, but letting them go easily.
Yaṃpāvuso, bhikkhu asandiṭṭhiparāmāsī hoti, anādhānaggāhī suppaṭinissaggī—
ayampi dhammo sovacassakaraṇo. (16)
Ime vuccantāvuso, sovacassakaraṇā dhammā.
These are the dharmas that make them easy to admonish.

15.3 - (‘I will not fall under the sway of wicked desires.’)


Tatrāvuso, bhikkhunā attanāva attānaṃ evaṃ anuminitabbaṃ:
In such a case, a monk should measure themselves against another like this.
‘yo khvāyaṃ puggalo pāpiccho, pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato, ayaṃ me puggalo appiyo amanāpo;
‘This person has wicked desires, having fallen under the sway of wicked desires. And I don’t like or approve of this person.
ahañceva kho panassaṃ pāpiccho pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato, ahampāssaṃ paresaṃ appiyo amanāpo’ti.
And if I were to fall under the sway of wicked desires, others wouldn’t like or approve of me.’
Evaṃ jānantenāvuso, bhikkhunā ‘na pāpiccho bhavissāmi, na pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato’ti cittaṃ uppādetabbaṃ. (1)
A monk who knows this should give rise to the thought: ‘I will not fall under the sway of wicked desires.’ …
‘Yo khvāyaṃ puggalo sandiṭṭhiparāmāsī ādhānaggāhī duppaṭinissaggī, ayaṃ me puggalo appiyo amanāpo;
‘This person is attached to their own views, holding them tight and refusing to let go. And I don’t like or approve of this person.
ahañceva kho panassaṃ sandiṭṭhiparāmāsī ādhānaggāhī duppaṭinissaggī, ahampāssaṃ paresaṃ appiyo amanāpo’ti.
And if I were to be attached to my own views, holding them tight and refusing to let go, others wouldn’t like or approve of me.’
Evaṃ jānantenāvuso, bhikkhunā ‘asandiṭṭhiparāmāsī bhavissāmi anādhānaggāhī suppaṭinissaggī’ti cittaṃ uppādetabbaṃ. (16)
A monk who knows this should give rise to the thought: ‘I will not be attached to my own views, holding them tight, but will let them go easily.’

15.4 - (‘Do I have wicked desires?)


Tatrāvuso, bhikkhunā attanāva attānaṃ evaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ:
In such a case, a monk should reflect on themselves like this:
‘kiṃ nu khomhi pāpiccho, pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato’ti?
‘Do I have wicked desires? Have I fallen under the sway of wicked desires?’
Sace, āvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti:
Suppose that, upon reflection, a monk knows that
‘pāpiccho khomhi, pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato’ti, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā tesaṃyeva pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya vāyamitabbaṃ.
they have fallen under the sway of wicked desires. Then they should make an effort to give up those bad, unskillful dharmas.
Sace panāvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti:
But suppose that, upon reflection, a monk knows that
‘na khomhi pāpiccho, na pāpikānaṃ icchānaṃ vasaṃ gato’ti, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṃ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu. (1)
they haven’t fallen under the sway of wicked desires. Then they should meditate with rapture and joy, training day and night in skillful dharmas. …
Puna caparaṃ, āvuso, bhikkhunā attanāva attānaṃ evaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ:
‘kiṃ nu khomhi sandiṭṭhiparāmāsī ādhānaggāhī duppaṭinissaggī’ti?
Sace, āvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti:
Suppose that, upon reflection, a monk knows that
‘sandiṭṭhiparāmāsī khomhi ādhānaggāhī duppaṭinissaggī’ti, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā tesaṃyeva pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya vāyamitabbaṃ.
they are attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go. Then they should make an effort to give up those bad, unskillful dharmas.
Sace panāvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṃ jānāti:
Suppose that, upon reflection, a monk knows that
‘asandiṭṭhiparāmāsī khomhi anādhānaggāhī suppaṭinissaggī’ti, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṃ ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu. (16)
they’re not attached to their own views, holding them tight, but let them go easily. Then they should meditate with rapture and joy, training day and night in skillful dharmas.
Sace, āvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno sabbepime pāpake akusale dhamme appahīne attani samanupassati, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā sabbesaṃyeva imesaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya vāyamitabbaṃ.
Suppose that, upon reflection, a monk sees that they haven’t given up all these bad, unskillful dharmas. Then they should make an effort to give them all up.
Sace panāvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno sabbepime pāpake akusale dhamme pahīne attani samanupassati, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṃ, ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesu.
But suppose that, upon reflection, a monk sees that they have given up all these bad, unskillful dharmas. Then they should meditate with rapture and joy, training day and night in skillful dharmas.

15.5 - (simile of looking in mirror looking for blemish)


Seyyathāpi, āvuso, itthī vā puriso vā, daharo yuvā maṇḍanajātiko, ādāse vā parisuddhe pariyodāte, acche vā udakapatte, sakaṃ mukhanimittaṃ paccavekkhamāno, sace tattha passati rajaṃ vā aṅgaṇaṃ vā, tasseva rajassa vā aṅgaṇassa vā pahānāya vāyamati;
Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and they check their own reflection in a clean bright mirror or a clear bowl of water. If they see any dirt or blemish there, they’d try to remove it.
no ce tattha passati rajaṃ vā aṅgaṇaṃ vā, teneva attamano hoti:
But if they don’t see any dirt or blemish there, they’re happy, thinking:
‘lābhā vata me, parisuddhaṃ vata me’ti.
‘How fortunate that I’m clean!’
Evameva kho, āvuso, sace bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno sabbepime pāpake akusale dhamme appahīne attani samanupassati, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā sabbesaṃyeva imesaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya vāyamitabbaṃ.
In the same way, suppose that, upon reflection, a monk sees that they haven’t given up all these bad, unskillful dharmas. Then they should make an effort to give them all up.
Sace panāvuso, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno sabbepime pāpake akusale dhamme pahīne attani samanupassati, tenāvuso, bhikkhunā teneva pītipāmojjena vihātabbaṃ, ahorattānusikkhinā kusalesu dhammesū”ti.
But suppose that, upon reflection, a monk sees that they have given up all these bad, unskillful dharmas. Then they should meditate with rapture and joy, training day and night in skillful dharmas.”
Idamavocāyasmā mahāmoggallāno.
This is what Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said.
Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa bhāsitaṃ abhinandunti.
Satisfied, the monks were happy with what Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said.
(end of sutta⏹️)


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