Ariyavaṁsika Sutta
Traditions of the Noble Ones
[Evam-me sutaṁ,] Ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā, Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati, Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa, ārāme. Tatra kho Bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi “Bhikkhavo ti.” “Bhadante ti” te bhikkhū Bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etad-avoca.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. There he addressed the monks: “Monks.” “Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him. The Blessed One said,
“Cattāro’me bhikkhave ariyavaṁsā, aggaññā rattaññā vaṁsaññā porāṇā asaṅkiṇṇā asaṅkiṇṇapubbā, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti appaṭikuṭṭhā samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Katame cattāro?
“These four traditions of the noble ones—original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning—are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans. Which four?
Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu santuṭṭho hoti itaritarena cīvarena, itaritara-cīvara-santuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī, na ca cīvara-hetu anesanaṁ appaṭirūpaṁ āpajjati. Aladdhā ca cīvaraṁ na paritassati. Laddhā ca cīvaraṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnava-dassāvī nissaraṇa-pañño paribhuñjati. Tāya ca pana itaritara-cīvara-santuṭṭhiyā, n’ev’attānukkaṅseti no paraṁ vambheti, yo hi tattha dakkho analaso sampajāno patissato. Ayam vuccati bhikkhave bhikkhu porāṇe aggaññe ariyavaṁse ṭhito.
“There is the case where a monk is content with any old robe cloth at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old robe cloth at all. He doesn’t, for the sake of robe cloth, do anything unseemly or inappropriate. Not getting cloth, he isn’t agitated. Getting cloth, he uses it unattached to it, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks (of attachment to it), and discerning the escape from them. He doesn’t, on account of his contentment with any old robe cloth at all, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.
Puna ca paraṁ bhikkhave bhikkhu santuṭṭho hoti itaritarena piṇḍapātena, itaritara-piṇḍapāta- santuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī, na ca piṇḍapāta-hetu anesanaṁ appaṭirūpaṁ āpajjati. Aladdhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ na paritassati. Laddhā ca piṇḍapātaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnava-dassāvī nissaraṇa-pañño paribhuñjati. Tāya ca pana itaritara- piṇḍapāta-santuṭṭhiyā, n’ev’attānukkaṅseti no paraṁ vambheti, yo hi tattha dakkho analaso sampajāno patissato. Ayam vuccati bhikkhave bhikkhu porāṇe aggaññe ariyavaṁse ṭhito.
“And further, the monk is content with any old almsfood at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old almsfood at all. He doesn’t, for the sake of almsfood, do anything unseemly or inappropriate. Not getting almsfood, he isn’t agitated. Getting almsfood, he uses it unattached to it, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks (of attachment to it), and discerning the escape from them. He doesn’t, on account of his contentment with any old almsfood at all, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.
Puna ca paraṁ bhikkhave bhikkhu santuṭṭho hoti itaritarena senāsanena, itaritara-senāsana-santuṭṭhiyā ca vaṇṇavādī, na ca senāsana-hetu anesanaṁ appaṭirūpaṁ āpajjati. Aladdhā ca senāsanaṁ na paritassati. Laddhā ca senāsanaṁ agadhito amucchito anajjhāpanno ādīnava-dassāvī nissaraṇa-pañño paribhuñjati. Tāya ca pana itaritara-senāsana-santuṭṭhiyā, n’ev’attānukkaṅseti no paraṁ vambheti, yo hi tattha dakkho analaso sampajāno patissato. Ayam vuccati bhikkhave bhikkhu porāṇe aggaññe ariyavaṁse ṭhito.
“And further, the monk is content with any old lodging at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old lodging at all. He doesn’t, for the sake of lodging, do anything unseemly or inappropriate. Not getting lodging, he isn’t agitated. Getting lodging, he uses it unattached to it, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks (of attachment to it), and discerning the escape from them. He doesn’t, on account of his contentment with any old lodging at all, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.
Puna ca paraṁ bhikkhave bhikkhu bhāvanā-rāmo hoti bhāvanā-rato, pahānā-rāmo hoti pahānā-rato. Tāya ca pana bhāvanā-rāmatāya bhāvanā-ratiyā, pahānā-rāmatāya pahānā-ratiyā, n’ev’attānukkaṅseti no paraṁ vambheti, yo hi tattha dakkho analaso sampajāno patissato. Ayam vuccati bhikkhave bhikkhu porāṇe aggaññe ariyavaṁse ṭhito.
“And further, the monk finds pleasure & delight in developing (skillful qualities), finds pleasure & delight in abandoning (unskillful qualities). He doesn’t, on account of his pleasure & delight in developing & abandoning, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.
Ime kho bhikkhave cattāro ariyavaṁsā, aggaññā rattaññā vaṁsaññā porāṇā asaṅkiṇṇā asaṅkiṇṇapubbā, na saṅkiyanti na saṅkiyissanti appaṭikuṭṭhā samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.
“These are the four traditions of the noble ones—original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning—which are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans.
Imehi ca pana bhikkhave catūhi ariyavaṁsehi samannāgato bhikkhu, puratthimāya ce’pi disāya viharati, sv’eva aratiṁ sahati na taṁ arati sahati, pacchimāya ce’pi disāya viharati, sv’eva aratiṁ sahati na taṁ arati sahati, uttarāya ce’pi disāya viharati, sv’eva aratiṁ sahati na taṁ arati sahati, dakkhiṇāya ce’pi disāya viharati, sv’eva aratiṁ sahati na taṁ arati sahati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Arati-rati-saho hi bhikkhave dhīro ti.”
“And further, a monk endowed with these four traditions of the noble ones, if he lives in the east, conquers displeasure and is not conquered by displeasure. If he lives in the west… the north… the south, he conquers displeasure and is not conquered by displeasure. Why is that? Because the enlightened one endures both delight & displeasure.”
Idam-avoca Bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato, athāparaṁ etad-avoca Satthā.
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, he said further:
Nāratī sahatī dhīraṁ
Nāratī dhīra saṁhati.
Dhīro ca aratī sahati
Dhīro hi aratiṁ-saho.
Sabba-kamma-vihāyinaṁ
Panuṇṇaṁ ko nivāraye.
N’ekkhaṁ jambonadasseva
Ko taṁ ninditum-arahati.
Devāpi nam pasaṁsanti
Brahmunāpi pasaṁsitoti.
Displeasure doesn’t conquer the enlightened one.
Displeasure doesn’t suppress the enlightened one.
The enlightened one conquers displeasure
because the enlightened one endures it.
Having cast away all deeds:
Who could obstruct him?
Like an ornament of finest gold:
Who is fit to find fault with him?
Even the devas praise him.
Even by Brahmā he’s praised.
