Kimatthiyasutta — Reader

What’s the Goal?

Kimatthiyasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, what is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics?”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī”ti?

“Ānanda, having no regrets is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics.” “But what is the goal and benefit of having no regrets?” “Joy is the goal and benefit of having no regrets.” “But what is the goal and benefit of joy?”

“Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī”ti. “Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”? “Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso”. “Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?

“Rapture …” “But what is the goal and benefit of rapture?” “Tranquility …” “But what is the goal and benefit of tranquility?”

“Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ”. “Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”? “Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā”. “Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?

“Bliss …” “But what is the goal and benefit of bliss?” “Immersion …” “But what is the goal and benefit of immersion?”

“Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā”. “Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”? “Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ”. “Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?

“Truly knowing and seeing …” “But what is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing?” “Disillusionment …” “But what is the goal and benefit of disillusionment?”

“Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso”. “Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”? “Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ”. “Nibbidā pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?

“Dispassion …” “But what is the goal and benefit of dispassion?” “Knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of dispassion. So, Ānanda, the goal and benefit of skillful ethics is not having regrets.

“Nibbidā kho, ānanda, virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā”. “Virāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”? “Virāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni,

Joy is the goal and benefit of not having regrets. Rapture is the goal and benefit of joy. Tranquility is the goal and benefit of rapture. Bliss is the goal and benefit of tranquility.

avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso, pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ, pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā, passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā,

Immersion is the goal and benefit of bliss. Truly knowing and seeing is the goal and benefit of immersion. Disillusionment is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing. Dispassion is the goal and benefit of disillusionment.

sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ, samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso, yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ, nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā,

And knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of dispassion. So, Ānanda, skillful ethics progressively lead up to the highest.”

virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī”ti. Paṭhamaṁ.