Aṅguttara Nikāya 11.1 1.

Kimatthiyasutta

Nissayavagga Kimatthiyasutta Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, having paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī”ti?

Sitting at one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: For what purpose, master, are wholesome virtues?

What is their benefit?

“Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī”ti.

For the purpose of non-remorse, Ānanda, wholesome virtues are for the benefit of non-remorse.

“Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?

But, master, for what purpose is non-remorse?

What is its benefit?

“Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso”.

Non-remorse, Ānanda, is for the purpose of joy, for the benefit of joy.

“Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?

And joy, master, for what purpose? What is its benefit?

“Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ”.

Joy, Ānanda, is for the purpose of pīti, for the benefit of pīti.

“Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?

And pīti, master, for what purpose?

What is its benefit?

“Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā”.

Pīti, Ānanda, is for the purpose of tranquility, for the benefit of tranquility.

“Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”?

And tranquility, master, for what purpose?

What is its benefit?

“Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā”.

Tranquility, Ānanda, is for the purpose of happiness, for the benefit of happiness.

“Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?

And happiness, master, for what purpose?

What is its benefit?

“Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ”.

Happiness, Ānanda, is for the purpose of concentration, for the benefit of concentration.

“Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?

And concentration, master, for what purpose?

“Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso”. “Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”?

What is its benefit? Concentration, Ānanda, is for the purpose of knowing and vision of things as they really are, for the benefit of knowing and vision of things as they really are.

“Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ”.

And knowing and vision of things as they really are, master, for what purpose?

“Nibbidā pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”? “Nibbidā kho, ānanda, virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā”.

What is its benefit? Knowing and vision of things as they really are, Ānanda, is for the purpose of disenchantment, for the benefit of disenchantment.

“Virāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”?

And disenchantment, master, for what purpose?

What is its benefit?

“Virāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.

Disenchantment, Ānanda, is for the purpose of dispassion, for the benefit of dispassion.

Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni, avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso, pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ, pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā, passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā, sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ, samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso, yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ, nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā, virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī”ti. Paṭhamaṁ.

And dispassion, master, for what purpose? What is its benefit? Dispassion, Ānanda, is for the purpose of knowing and vision of liberation, for the benefit of knowing and vision of liberation.

Thus, Ānanda, wholesome virtues gradually lead to non-remorse, joy, pīti, tranquility, happiness, concentration, knowing and vision of things as they really are, disenchantment, dispassion, and finally knowing and vision of liberation.