Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.61 7.

Avijjāsutta

Yamakavagga Avijjāsutta “Purimā, bhikkhave, koṭi na paññāyati avijjāya: ‘ito pubbe avijjā nāhosi, atha pacchā samabhavī’ti. Evañcetaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati, atha ca pana paññāyati: ‘idappaccayā avijjā’ti.

Disciples, the prior end of ignorance is not discernible. Thus it is said, but it is discernible.

Avijjampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that ignorance has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro avijjāya?

And what is the nutriment for ignorance?

‘Pañca nīvaraṇā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

The five hindrances, should be the answer.

Pañcapāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nīvaraṇe sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre.

I say that the five hindrances have their nutriment, they do not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro pañcannaṁ nīvaraṇānaṁ?

And what is the nutriment for the five hindrances?

‘Tīṇi duccaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

The three kinds of misconduct, should be the answer.

Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, duccaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni.

I say that the three kinds of misconduct have their nutriment, they do not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro tiṇṇaṁ duccaritānaṁ?

And what is the nutriment for the three kinds of misconduct?

‘Indriyaasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Sense restraint, should be the answer.

Indriyaasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that sense restraint has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro indriyaasaṁvarassa?

And what is the nutriment for sense restraint?

‘Asatāsampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Mindfulness and clear knowing, should be the answer.

Asatāsampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that mindfulness and clear knowing have their nutriment, they do not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro asatāsampajaññassa?

And what is the nutriment for mindfulness and clear knowing?

‘Ayonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Unwise attention, should be the answer.

Ayonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that unwise attention has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro ayonisomanasikārassa?

And what is the nutriment for unwise attention?

‘Assaddhiyan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Faithlessness, should be the answer.

Assaddhiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that faithlessness has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro assaddhiyassa?

And what is the nutriment for faithlessness?

‘Asaddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Not hearing the true Dhamma, should be the answer.

Asaddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that not hearing the true Dhamma has its nutriment, it does not lack nutriment.

Ko cāhāro asaddhammassavanassa?

And what is the nutriment for not hearing the true Dhamma?

‘Asappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

Association with bad people, should be the answer.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, asappurisasaṁsevo paripūro asaddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, asaddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ assaddhiyaṁ paripūreti, assaddhiyaṁ paripūraṁ ayonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, ayonisomanasikāro paripūro asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūreti, asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyaasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyaasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi duccaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi duccaritāni paripūrāni pañca nīvaraṇe paripūrenti, pañca nīvaraṇā paripūrā avijjaṁ paripūrenti; evametissā avijjāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

Thus association with bad people fulfills not hearing the true Dhamma, not hearing the true Dhamma fulfills faithlessness, faithlessness fulfills unwise attention, unwise attention fulfills mindfulness and clear knowing, mindfulness and clear knowing fulfill sense restraint, sense restraint fulfills the three kinds of misconduct, the three kinds of misconduct fulfill the five hindrances, the five hindrances fulfill ignorance; thus, this is the nutriment for ignorance, and thus it is fulfilled.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante (…)

Just as when thick clouds rain heavily on the upper mountains (...)

taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti, pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti. Kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti, mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti, kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti, mahānadiyo paripūrā mahāsamuddaṁ sāgaraṁ paripūrenti; evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

that water, flowing down according to its slope, fills the mountain clefts, crevices, and gullies, the filled mountain clefts, crevices, and gullies fill the small pools, the filled small pools fill the large pools, the filled large pools fill the small rivers, the filled small rivers fill the large rivers, the filled large rivers fill the great ocean;

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asappurisasaṁsevo paripūro asaddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, asaddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ assaddhiyaṁ paripūreti, assaddhiyaṁ paripūraṁ ayonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, ayonisomanasikāro paripūro asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūreti, asatāsampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyaasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyaasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi duccaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi duccaritāni paripūrāni pañca nīvaraṇe paripūrenti, pañca nīvaraṇā paripūrā avijjaṁ paripūrenti; evametissā avijjāya āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

Just as the great ocean, the sea, has its nourishment and fulfillment, so too associating with bad people fulfills the hearing of wrong teachings, the hearing of wrong teachings fulfills lack of faith, lack of faith fulfills unwise attention, unwise attention fulfills lack of mindfulness and clear knowing, lack of mindfulness and clear knowing fulfills lack of restraint of the senses, lack of restraint of the senses fulfills the three kinds of misconduct, the three kinds of misconduct fulfill the five hindrances, the five hindrances fulfill ignorance; thus ignorance has its nourishment and fulfillment.

Vijjāvimuttimpāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that knowing and liberation have nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro vijjāvimuttiyā?

And what is the nourishment for knowing and liberation?

‘Satta bojjhaṅgā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: the seven factors of enlightenment.

Sattapāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bojjhaṅge sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre.

I say that the seven factors of enlightenment have nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro sattannaṁ bojjhaṅgānaṁ?

And what is the nourishment for the seven factors of enlightenment?

‘Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: the four dwellings of mindfulness.

Cattāropāhaṁ, bhikkhave, satipaṭṭhāne sāhāre vadāmi, no anāhāre.

I say that the four dwellings of mindfulness have nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ?

And what is the nourishment for the four dwellings of mindfulness?

‘Tīṇi sucaritānī’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: the three kinds of good conduct.

Tīṇipāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sucaritāni sāhārāni vadāmi, no anāhārāni.

I say that the three kinds of good conduct have nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro tiṇṇaṁ sucaritānaṁ?

And what is the nourishment for the three kinds of good conduct?

‘Indriyasaṁvaro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: restraint of the senses.

Indriyasaṁvarampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that restraint of the senses has nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro indriyasaṁvarassa?

And what is the nourishment for restraint of the senses?

‘Satisampajaññan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: mindfulness and clear knowing.

Satisampajaññampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that mindfulness and clear knowing have nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro satisampajaññassa?

And what is the nourishment for mindfulness and clear knowing?

‘Yonisomanasikāro’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: wise attention.

Yonisomanasikārampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that wise attention has nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro yonisomanasikārassa?

And what is the nourishment for wise attention?

‘Saddhā’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: faith.

Saddhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that faith has nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro saddhāya?

And what is the nourishment for faith?

‘Saddhammassavanan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: hearing the true teachings.

Saddhammassavanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sāhāraṁ vadāmi, no anāhāraṁ.

I say that hearing the true teachings has nourishment, not without nourishment.

Ko cāhāro saddhammassavanassa?

And what is the nourishment for hearing the true teachings?

‘Sappurisasaṁsevo’tissa vacanīyaṁ.

It should be said: associating with good people.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, saddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ saddhaṁ paripūreti, saddhā paripūrā yonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, yonisomanasikāro paripūro satisampajaññaṁ paripūreti, satisampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi sucaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi sucaritāni paripūrāni cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūrenti, cattāro satipaṭṭhānā paripūrā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti, satta bojjhaṅgā paripūrā vijjāvimuttiṁ paripūrenti; evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri.

Thus associating with good people fulfills the hearing of the true teachings, the hearing of the true teachings fulfills faith, faith fulfills wise attention, wise attention fulfills mindfulness and clear knowing, mindfulness and clear knowing fulfill restraint of the senses, restraint of the senses fulfills the three kinds of good conduct, the three kinds of good conduct fulfill the four dwellings of mindfulness, the four dwellings of mindfulness fulfill the seven factors of enlightenment, the seven factors of enlightenment fulfill knowing and liberation.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, uparipabbate thullaphusitake deve vassante taṁ udakaṁ yathāninnaṁ pavattamānaṁ pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūreti, pabbatakandarapadarasākhā paripūrā kusobbhe paripūrenti, kusobbhā paripūrā mahāsobbhe paripūrenti, mahāsobbhā paripūrā kunnadiyo paripūrenti, kunnadiyo paripūrā mahānadiyo paripūrenti, mahānadiyo paripūrā mahāsamuddaṁ sāgaraṁ paripūrenti; evametassa mahāsamuddassa sāgarassa āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūri. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sappurisasaṁsevo paripūro saddhammassavanaṁ paripūreti, saddhammassavanaṁ paripūraṁ saddhaṁ paripūreti, saddhā paripūrā yonisomanasikāraṁ paripūreti, yonisomanasikāro paripūro satisampajaññaṁ paripūreti, satisampajaññaṁ paripūraṁ indriyasaṁvaraṁ paripūreti, indriyasaṁvaro paripūro tīṇi sucaritāni paripūreti, tīṇi sucaritāni paripūrāni cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūrenti, cattāro satipaṭṭhānā paripūrā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti, satta bojjhaṅgā paripūrā vijjāvimuttiṁ paripūrenti; evametissā vijjāvimuttiyā āhāro hoti, evañca pāripūrī”ti. Paṭhamaṁ.

Just as when heavy rain pours down on the mountain top, the water flows down along the slope and fills the mountain clefts, crevices, and gullies; these filled clefts, crevices, and gullies fill the small pools; the small pools, being filled, fill the large pools; the large pools, being filled, fill the small rivers; the small rivers, being filled, fill the large rivers; the large rivers, being filled, fill the great ocean;

In the same way, the great ocean gets its nourishment and is filled.

In the same way associating with good persons fills up hearing the true Dhamma; hearing the true Dhamma fills up faith; faith, being filled, fills up careful attention; careful attention, being filled, fills up mindfulness and clear knowing; mindfulness and clear knowing, being filled, fill up restraint of the sense faculties; restraint of the sense faculties, being filled, fills up the three kinds of good conduct; the three kinds of good conduct, being filled, fill up the four dwellings of mindfulness; the four dwellings of mindfulness, being filled, fill up the seven factors of enlightenment; the seven factors of enlightenment, being filled, fill up true knowing and liberation;

In this way, true knowing and liberation get their nourishment and are filled.