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Homage to that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. Suttanta Piṭaka In the Aṅguttara Nikāya Questions and Answers on the Recitation Question – At the time of the First Great Recitation, friend, the Dhamma-reciting great elder monks, Mahākassapa and others, the ancient reciters, having first recited the Vinaya Piṭaka, and having recited the three Nikāyas in the Suttanta Piṭaka, namely Dīgha, Majjhima, and Saṃyutta, what teaching did they recite next? Answer – At the time of the First Great Recitation, venerable sir, the Dhamma-reciting great elder monks, Mahākassapa and others, the ancient reciters, having first recited the Vinaya, and having recited the three Nikāyas in the Suttanta Piṭaka, namely Dīgha, Majjhima, and Saṃyutta, next recited the teaching called Aṅguttara Nikāya, adorned with nine thousand, five hundred and fifty-seven suttas, amounting to one hundred and twenty recitations (bhāṇavāras). Question – In the Aṅguttara Nikāya too, friend, there are eleven divisions according to the sections of nipātas, such as the Book of Ones, the Book of Twos, the Book of Threes, and so on. Which section of nipātas did they recite there? Answer – In the Aṅguttara Nikāya, venerable sir, among the eleven divisions of nipāta sections, they first recited the Book of Ones. 1. The Chapter on Forms and so on Question – In the Book of Ones too, friend, there are many kinds of chapters according to the divisions of vaggas, such as the Chapter on Forms and so on, the Chapter on Abandoning Hindrances, the Chapter on Inaction, and so on. Which chapter did they recite first there? Answer – In the Book of Ones, venerable sir, among the twenty chapters such as the Chapter on Forms and so on, the Chapter on Abandoning Hindrances, and so on, they first recited the Chapter on Forms and so on. Question – Good, good, friend! Now, friend, we too shall begin to carry out the preliminary duties of Dhamma-questioning and answering for the purpose of recitation, starting from that point. Therefore, friend, where did the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, teach the first five suttas in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, in the Book of Ones, in the Chapter on Forms and so on? and concerning whom, and how were they spoken? Answer – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, and according to the disposition of five men who were attached to forms and so on, the Blessed One spoke thus: “Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single form that so seizes and occupies a man’s mind, as this, bhikkhus, is the form of a woman. The form of a woman, bhikkhus, seizes and occupies a man’s mind.” “Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single form that so seizes and occupies a man’s mind, as this, bhikkhus, is the form of a woman. The form of a woman, bhikkhus, seizes and occupies a man’s mind.” Question – There, friend, the last five suttas, where, concerning whom, and how were they spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In that very Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, and according to the disposition of five women who were attached to forms and so on, the Blessed One spoke thus: “Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single form that so seizes and occupies a woman’s mind, as this, bhikkhus, is the form of a man. The form of a man, bhikkhus, seizes and occupies a woman’s mind.” “Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single form that so seizes and occupies a woman’s mind, as this, bhikkhus, is the form of a man. The form of a man, bhikkhus, seizes and occupies a woman’s mind.” In terms of definitive meaning, in terms of inferable meaning. Question – In this chapter on forms and so on, friend, what was stated by the Blessed One in terms of definitive meaning, and what was made known in terms of inferable meaning? Answer – In this chapter on forms and so on, venerable sir, the Blessed One stated the round of existence (saṃsāra) in terms of definitive meaning. And the cessation of the round (nibbāna) was made known in terms of inferable meaning. 2. Chapter on the Abandonment of Hindrances Question – And the second chapter, friend, on the abandonment of hindrances, where and how was it spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, “Bhikkhus, I do not see…” I, monks, do not see any other single thing whereby unarisen sensual desire arises, or arisen sensual desire grows and increases, as this, monks, is the sign of beauty. For one, monks, who attends unwisely to the sign of beauty, unarisen sensual desire arises, and arisen sensual desire grows and increases. Thus was it spoken by the Blessed One. Question – But in this second section on abandoning hindrances, friend, what was taught by the Blessed One? Answer – But in this second section on abandoning hindrances, venerable sir, the Blessed One taught both the cycle of existence and its cessation. 3. The Section on Unworkability Question – By that, friend... (and so on)... Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, in the Anguttara Nikaya, Eka Nipata, third section on Unworkability, what kind of teachings were given? Answer – In the third section on Unworkability, venerable sir, the Blessed One gave teachings such as: "I, monks, do not see any other single thing that, undeveloped, is unworkable, as this, monks, is the mind. The mind, monks, undeveloped, is unworkable. I, monks, do not see any other single thing that, developed, is workable, as this, monks, is the mind. The mind, monks, developed, is workable." 4. The Section on the Undisciplined Question – But in the fourth section on the Undisciplined, friend, what kind of teachings were given by the Blessed One? Answer – In the fourth section on the Undisciplined, venerable sir, the Blessed One gave teachings such as: "I, monks, do not see any other single thing that, undisciplined, leads to great harm, as this, monks, is the mind. The mind, monks, undisciplined, leads to great harm. I, monks, do not see any other single thing that, disciplined, leads to great benefit, as this, monks, is the mind. The mind, monks, disciplined, leads to great benefit." discourses were taught. 5. The Chapter on Ill-Directed Aspiration Question – In the fifth chapter, friends, the Chapter on Ill-Directed Aspiration, what kind of Dhamma discourses were taught by the Blessed One? Answer – In the fifth chapter, venerable sirs, the Chapter on Ill-Directed Aspiration, the Blessed One taught Dhamma discourses such as this: “Just as, monks, if a rice husk or a barley husk, ill-directed, were trodden upon by hand or foot, that it would pierce the hand or foot, or draw blood, that is not possible. For what reason? Because the husk, monks, is ill-directed. Even so, monks, that a monk, with an ill-directed mind, would pierce ignorance, produce knowledge, realize Nibbāna, that is not possible. For what reason? Because the mind, monks, is ill-directed.” 6. The Chapter on a Finger Snap Question – In the Chapter on a Finger Snap, friends, how were the first and second suttas spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In the Chapter on a Finger Snap, venerable sirs, the Blessed One spoke thus: “This mind, monks, is luminous, but it is defiled by adventitious defilements. The uninstructed ordinary person does not understand this as it really is. Therefore, I say that ‘for the uninstructed ordinary person, there is no development of mind.’ This mind, monks, is luminous, and it is freed from adventitious defilements. The instructed noble disciple understands this as it really is. Therefore, I say that ‘for the instructed noble disciple, there is development of mind.’” Thus were they spoken by the Blessed One. The Third Sutta Question – Therein, friends, how were the third sutta and so on spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Therein, venerable sirs, the third sutta and so on, five suttas, were spoken thus: “If, monks, a monk cultivates, develops, attends to a mind of loving-kindness even for the duration of a finger snap. This monk, monks, is called one who dwells with unempty jhāna, one who acts according to the Teacher’s instruction, one who responds to advice, one who eats the country’s alms-food not in vain. What then of those who much they defile. Whatever, monks, are unwholesome states, partaking of unwholesome, belonging to the unwholesome side, all these are mind-foremost. Mind first arises for these states, then unwholesome states follow. Whatever, monks, are wholesome states, partaking of wholesome, belonging to the wholesome side, all these are mind-foremost. Mind first arises for these states, then wholesome states follow. Thus, indeed, venerable sir, were these spoken by the Blessed One. Eighth Discourse Question – Therein, friend, the eighth, ninth, and tenth discourses, and the ten discourses in the group beginning with 'exertion', and the first discourse in the group beginning with 'good friendship', how were they spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Therein, venerable sir, the eighth, ninth, and tenth discourses, and the ten discourses in the group beginning with 'exertion', and the first discourse in the group beginning with 'good friendship', "Monks, I do not see any other single state, by which unarisen unwholesome states arise, or arisen wholesome states decline, as this, monks, is heedlessness. For the heedless, monks, unarisen unwholesome states arise, and arisen wholesome states decline." Thus, venerable sir, beginning with this, were they spoken by the Blessed One. Second Discourse Question – In the group beginning with 'good friendship', friend, the second and third discourses, how were they spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In the group beginning with 'good friendship', venerable sir, the second and third discourses, "Monks, I do not see any other single state, by which unarisen unwholesome states arise, or arisen wholesome states decline, as this, monks, is devotion to unwholesome states and non-devotion to wholesome states."