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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

5: The Book of the Fives

VIII. Warriors — AN 5.78: Future Perils (2nd)

1“Mendicants, seeing these five future perils is quite enough for a wilderness mendicant to meditate diligently, keenly, and resolutely for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. What five?

An offending mendicant reflects: ‘Currently I’m a youth, young, black-haired, blessed with youth, in the prime of life. But there will come a time when this body is struck with old age. When you’re old, overcome by old age, it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas, and it’s not easy to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Before that unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable thing happens, I’d better preempt it by rousing up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. That way, when it happens, I’ll live comfortably even though I’m old.’ This is the first future peril …

2Furthermore, a wilderness mendicant reflects: ‘Currently, I’m rarely ill or unwell. My stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and fit for meditation. But there will come a time when this body is struck with sickness. When you’re sick, overcome by sickness, it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas, and it’s not easy to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Before that unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable thing happens, I’d better preempt it by rousing up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. That way, when it happens, I’ll live comfortably even though I’m sick.’ This is the second future peril …

3Furthermore, a wilderness mendicant reflects: ‘Currently, there’s plenty of food, a good harvest, so it’s easy to get alms-food, and easy to keep going by collecting alms. But there will come a time of famine, a bad harvest, when it’s hard to get alms-food, and not easy to keep going by collecting alms. In a time of famine, people move to where there’s plenty of food, where they live crowded and cramped together. When you live crowded and cramped together, it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas, and it’s not easy to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Before that unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable thing happens, I’d better preempt it by rousing up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. That way, when it happens, I’ll live comfortably even though there’s a famine.’ This is the third future peril …

4Furthermore, a wilderness mendicant reflects: ‘Currently, people live in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes. But there will come a time of peril from wild savages, when the countryfolk mount their vehicles and flee everywhere. In a time of peril, people move to where there’s sanctuary, where they live crowded and cramped together. When you live crowded and cramped together, it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas, and it’s not easy to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Before that unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable thing happens, I’d better preempt it by rousing up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. That way, when it happens, I’ll live comfortably even in a time of peril.’ This is the fourth future peril …

5Furthermore, a wilderness mendicant reflects: ‘Currently, the Saṅgha lives comfortably, in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, with one recitation. But there will come a time of schism in the Saṅgha. When there is schism in the Saṅgha, it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas, and it’s not easy to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. Before that unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable thing happens, I’d better preempt it by rousing up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. That way, when it happens, I’ll live comfortably even though there’s schism in the Saṅgha.’ This is the fifth future peril …

6These are the five future perils, seeing which is quite enough for a wilderness mendicant to meditate diligently, keenly, and resolutely for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.”

1"Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, anāgatabhayāni sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Katamāni pañca?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘Ahaṁ kho etarahi daharo yuvā susukāḷakeso bhadrena yobbanena samannāgato paṭhamena vayasā. Hoti kho pana so samayo yaṁ imaṁ kāyaṁ jarā phusati. Jiṇṇena kho pana jarāya abhibhūtena na sukaraṁ buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ manasi kātuṁ, na sukarāni araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ. Purā maṁ so dhammo āgacchati aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo; handāhaṁ paṭikacceva vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, yenāhaṁ dhammena samannāgato jiṇṇakopi phāsuṁ viharissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘Ahaṁ kho etarahi appābādho appātaṅko samavepākiniyā gahaṇiyā samannāgato nātisītāya nāccuṇhāya majjhimāya padhānakkhamāya. Hoti kho pana so samayo yaṁ imaṁ kāyaṁ byādhi phusati. Byādhitena kho pana byādhinā abhibhūtena na sukaraṁ buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ manasi kātuṁ, na sukarāni araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ. Purā maṁ so dhammo āgacchati aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo; handāhaṁ paṭikacceva vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, yenāhaṁ dhammena samannāgato byādhitopi phāsuṁ viharissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘etarahi kho subhikkhaṁ susassaṁ sulabhapiṇḍaṁ, sukaraṁ uñchena paggahena yāpetuṁ. Hoti kho pana so samayo yaṁ dubbhikkhaṁ hoti dussassaṁ dullabhapiṇḍaṁ, na sukaraṁ uñchena paggahena yāpetuṁ. Dubbhikkhe kho pana manussā yena subhikkhaṁ tena saṅkamanti. Tattha saṅgaṇikavihāro hoti ākiṇṇavihāro. Saṅgaṇikavihāre kho pana sati ākiṇṇavihāre na sukaraṁ buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ manasi kātuṁ, na sukarāni araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ. Purā maṁ so dhammo āgacchati aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo; handāhaṁ paṭikacceva vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, yenāhaṁ dhammena samannāgato dubbhikkhepi phāsu viharissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘etarahi kho manussā samaggā sammodamānā avivadamānā khīrodakībhūtā aññamaññaṁ piyacakkhūhi sampassantā viharanti. Hoti kho pana so samayo yaṁ bhayaṁ hoti aṭavisaṅkopo, cakkasamārūḷhā jānapadā pariyāyanti. Bhaye kho pana sati manussā yena khemaṁ tena saṅkamanti. Tattha saṅgaṇikavihāro hoti ākiṇṇavihāro. Saṅgaṇikavihāre kho pana sati ākiṇṇavihāre na sukaraṁ buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ manasi kātuṁ, na sukarāni araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ. Purā maṁ so dhammo āgacchati aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo; handāhaṁ paṭikacceva vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, yenāhaṁ dhammena samannāgato bhayepi phāsuṁ viharissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:  ‘etarahi kho saṅgho samaggo sammodamāno avivadamāno ekuddeso phāsu viharati. Hoti kho pana so samayo yaṁ saṅgho bhijjati. Saṅghe kho pana bhinne na sukaraṁ buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ manasi kātuṁ, na sukarāni araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevituṁ. Purā maṁ so dhammo āgacchati aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo; handāhaṁ paṭikacceva vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya, yenāhaṁ dhammena samannāgato bhinnepi saṅghe phāsuṁ viharissāmī’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

6Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca anāgatabhayāni sampassamānena alameva bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.