Anuttariyasutta — Reader

Unsurpassable

Anuttariyasutta

“Mendicants, these six things are unsurpassable. What six? The unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, service, and recollection. And what is the unsurpassable seeing?

“Chayimāni, bhikkhave, anuttariyāni. Katamāni cha? Dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ, sikkhānuttariyaṁ, pāricariyānuttariyaṁ, anussatānuttariyanti. Katamañca, bhikkhave, dassanānuttariyaṁ?

Some people go to see an elephant-treasure, a horse-treasure, a jewel-treasure, or a diverse spectrum of sights; or ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a seeing, I don’t deny it.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco hatthiratanampi dassanāya gacchati, assaratanampi dassanāya gacchati, maṇiratanampi dassanāya gacchati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana dassanāya gacchati, samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā micchādiṭṭhikaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ dassanāya gacchati. Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, dassanaṁ; netaṁ natthīti vadāmi.

That seeing is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. The unsurpassable seeing is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, goes to see a Realized One or their disciple. This is in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.

Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dassanaṁ hīnaṁ gammaṁ pothujjanikaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā dassanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, dassanānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā dassanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno.

This is called the unsurpassable seeing. Such is the unsurpassable seeing. But what of the unsurpassable hearing? Some people go to hear the sound of drums, arched harps, singing, or a diverse spectrum of sounds; or ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dassanānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ. Savanānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bherisaddampi savanāya gacchati, vīṇāsaddampi savanāya gacchati, gītasaddampi savanāya gacchati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana savanāya gacchati, samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā micchādiṭṭhikassa micchāpaṭipannassa dhammassavanāya gacchati.

There is such a hearing, I don’t deny it. That hearing … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable hearing is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, goes to hear the teaching of a Realized One or one of his disciples. …

Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, savanaṁ; netaṁ natthīti vadāmi. Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, savanaṁ hīnaṁ gammaṁ pothujjanikaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā dhammassavanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, savanānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgatassa vā tathāgatasāvakassa vā dhammassavanāya gacchati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno.

This is called the unsurpassable hearing. Such is the unsurpassable seeing and hearing. But what of the unsurpassable acquisition? Some people acquire a child, a wife, wealth, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they acquire faith in an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, savanānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ. Lābhānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puttalābhampi labhati, dāralābhampi labhati, dhanalābhampi labhati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana lābhaṁ labhati, samaṇe vā brāhmaṇe vā micchādiṭṭhike micchāpaṭipanne saddhaṁ paṭilabhati.

There is such an acquisition, I don’t deny it. That acquisition … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable acquisition is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, acquires faith in a Realized One or their disciple. …

Attheso, bhikkhave, lābho; neso natthīti vadāmi. So ca kho eso, bhikkhave, lābho hīno gammo pothujjaniko anariyo anatthasaṁhito, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgate vā tathāgatasāvake vā saddhaṁ paṭilabhati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, lābhānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgate vā tathāgatasāvake vā saddhaṁ paṭilabhati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno.

This is called the unsurpassable acquisition. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, hearing, and acquisition. But what of the unsurpassable training? Some people train in elephant riding, horse riding, chariot driving, archery, swordsmanship, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they train under an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, lābhānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ. Sikkhānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco hatthismimpi sikkhati, assasmimpi sikkhati, rathasmimpi sikkhati, dhanusmimpi sikkhati, tharusmimpi sikkhati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana sikkhati, samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā micchādiṭṭhikassa micchāpaṭipannassa sikkhati.

There is such a training, I don’t deny it. That training … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable training is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, trains in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom in the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. …

Atthesā, bhikkhave, sikkhā; nesā natthīti vadāmi. Sā ca kho esā, bhikkhave, sikkhā hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye adhisīlampi sikkhati, adhicittampi sikkhati, adhipaññampi sikkhati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye adhisīlampi sikkhati, adhicittampi sikkhati, adhipaññampi sikkhati, niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno.

This is called the unsurpassable training. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, hearing, acquisition, and training. But what of the unsurpassable service? Some people serve an aristocrat, a brahmin, a householder, or a diverse spectrum of people; or they serve ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sikkhānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ, sikkhānuttariyaṁ. Pāricariyānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco khattiyampi paricarati, brāhmaṇampi paricarati, gahapatimpi paricarati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana paricarati, samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā micchādiṭṭhikaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ paricarati.

There is such service, I don’t deny it. That service … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable service is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, serves a Realized One or their disciple. …

Atthesā, bhikkhave, pāricariyā; nesā natthīti vadāmi. Sā ca kho esā, bhikkhave, pāricariyā hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā, na nibbidāya …pe… na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā paricarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, pāricariyānaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā paricarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno.

This is called the unsurpassable service. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, and service. But what of the unsurpassable recollection? Some people recollect a child, a wife, wealth, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they recollect an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāricariyānuttariyaṁ. Iti dassanānuttariyaṁ, savanānuttariyaṁ, lābhānuttariyaṁ, sikkhānuttariyaṁ, pāricariyānuttariyaṁ. Anussatānuttariyañca kathaṁ hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puttalābhampi anussarati, dāralābhampi anussarati, dhanalābhampi anussarati, uccāvacaṁ vā pana lābhaṁ anussarati, samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā micchādiṭṭhikaṁ micchāpaṭipannaṁ anussarati.

There is such recollection, I don’t deny it. That recollection is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. The unsurpassable recollection is when someone with settled faith and fondness, sure and devoted, recollects a Realized One or their disciple. …

Atthesā, bhikkhave, anussati; nesā natthīti vadāmi. Sā ca kho esā, bhikkhave, anussati hīnā gammā pothujjanikā anariyā anatthasaṁhitā, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā anussarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno, etadānuttariyaṁ, bhikkhave, anussatīnaṁ sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ tathāgataṁ vā tathāgatasāvakaṁ vā anussarati niviṭṭhasaddho niviṭṭhapemo ekantagato abhippasanno.

This is called the unsurpassable recollection. These are the six unsurpassable things. They’ve gained the unsurpassed seeing, the unsurpassed hearing,

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anussatānuttariyaṁ. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cha anuttariyānīti. Ye dassanānuttaraṁ laddhā, savanañca anuttaraṁ;

and the unsurpassable acquisition. They enjoy the unsurpassable training and serve with care. Then they develop recollection

Lābhānuttariyaṁ laddhā, sikkhānuttariye ratā. Upaṭṭhitā pāricariyā, bhāvayanti anussatiṁ;

connected with seclusion, which is safe, and leads to freedom from death. They rejoice in diligence, alert and ethically restrained.

Vivekappaṭisaṁyuttaṁ, khemaṁ amatagāminiṁ. Appamāde pamuditā, nipakā sīlasaṁvutā;

And in time they arrive at the place where suffering ceases.”

Te ve kālena paccenti, yattha dukkhaṁ nirujjhatī”ti. Dasamaṁ. Anuttariyavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ Sāmako aparihāniyo, Bhayaṁ himavānussati; Kaccāno dve ca samayā,

Udāyī anuttariyenāti.