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9. Aṭṭhaka (Eights)

· 81 min read

The eight-item lists of the Saṅgītisutta: the wrongnesses and rightnesses, the persons worthy of gifts, the grounds for laziness and for effort, the grounds for giving and the reappearances it brings, the assemblies, the worldly matters, the bases of mastery and the liberations. Translated from the Dīgha Nikāya.

Original text: 8D/10.8 Aṭṭhaka 1034–1077 in the World Tipitaka Edition

The ninth part of the Saṅgītisutta: āyasmā Sāriputta recites to the bhikkhū the eleven sets of eight Dhammas well proclaimed by the Bhagavā. They run from the eightfold path and its inverse (the eight kinds of rightness and wrongness) and the eight kinds of persons worthy of gifts, through the eight grounds for laziness and the eight for starting effort, the eight grounds for giving and the eight kinds of reappearance through giving, the eight assemblies and the eight worldly matters, to the eight bases of mastery and the eight liberations.

flowchart LR
    E["the Eights"] --> g1
    E --> g2
    E --> g3
    E --> g4
    E --> g5
    subgraph g1 ["the path and its fruits"]
        P1["eight kinds of wrongness"]
        P2["eight kinds of rightness"]
        P3["eight kinds of persons worthy of gifts"]
    end
    subgraph g2 ["effort"]
        F1["eight grounds for laziness"]
        F2["eight grounds for starting effort"]
    end
    subgraph g3 ["giving"]
        G1["eight grounds for giving"]
        G2["eight kinds of reappearance through giving"]
    end
    subgraph g4 ["the world"]
        W1["eight assemblies"]
        W2["eight worldly matters"]
    end
    subgraph g5 ["meditation"]
        M1["eight bases of mastery"]
        M2["eight liberations"]
    end

(333.)

1034. Āvuso, there are eight Dhammas well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the liberated one, the perfectly awakened one, who knows and sees. Therein all should recite in harmony, not quarrel, so that this optimal life may endure long and last for a long time, which would be for the welfare and happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. What eight?

1035. Eight kinds of wrongness: wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong awareness, and wrong focus. (1)

1036. Eight kinds of rightness: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness, and right focus. (2)

1037. Eight kinds of persons worthy of gifts: the stream-enterer, the one practising for the realisation of the fruit of stream-entry; the once-returner, the one practising for the realisation of the fruit of once-returning; the non-returner, the one practising for the realisation of the fruit of non-returning; the liberated one, the one practising for the realisation of the fruit of the liberated state. (3)

(334.)

1038. Eight grounds for laziness. Here, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has work to do. It occurs to him: ‘I will have work to do, but while I am doing the work my body will get tired; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. This is the first ground for laziness.

1039. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has done work. It occurs to him: ‘I have done work, but while I was doing the work my body got tired; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort … and so on … this is the second ground for laziness.

1040. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has a road to travel. It occurs to him: ‘I will have a road to travel, but while I am travelling the road my body will get tired; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort … this is the third ground for laziness.

1041. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has travelled a road. It occurs to him: ‘I have travelled a road, but while I was travelling the road my body got tired; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort … this is the fourth ground for laziness.

1042. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu, going for alms to a village or a town, does not get his fill of coarse or fine food, as much as he likes. It occurs to him: ‘Going for alms to a village or a town, I did not get my fill of coarse or fine food, as much as I like; that body of mine is tired and unfit for work; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort … this is the fifth ground for laziness.

1043. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu, going for alms to a village or a town, gets his fill of coarse or fine food, as much as he likes. It occurs to him: ‘Going for alms to a village or a town, I got my fill of coarse or fine food, as much as I like; that body of mine is heavy and unfit for work, a heap of beans, as it were; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort … this is the sixth ground for laziness.

1044. Again, Āvuso, a trifling illness has arisen in a bhikkhu. It occurs to him: ‘This trifling illness has arisen in me; it is fitting to lie down; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort … this is the seventh ground for laziness.

1045. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has recovered from sickness, recently recovered from illness. It occurs to him: ‘I have recovered from sickness, recently recovered from illness; that body of mine is weak and unfit for work; come, let me lie down.’ He lies down; he does not start effort for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. This is the eighth ground for laziness. (4)

(335.)

1046. Eight grounds for starting effort. Here, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has work to do. It occurs to him: ‘I will have work to do, but while I am doing the work it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; come, let me start effort for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised.’ He starts effort for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. This is the first ground for starting effort.

1047. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has done work. It occurs to him: ‘I have done work, but while I was doing the work I was not able to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; come, let me start effort … and so on … he starts effort … this is the second ground for starting effort.

1048. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has a road to travel. It occurs to him: ‘I will have a road to travel, but while I am travelling the road it is not easy to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas. Come, let me start effort … and so on … he starts effort … this is the third ground for starting effort.

1049. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has travelled a road. It occurs to him: ‘I have travelled a road, but while I was travelling the road I was not able to attend to the teaching of the Buddhas; come, let me start effort … and so on … he starts effort … this is the fourth ground for starting effort.

1050. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu, going for alms to a village or a town, does not get his fill of coarse or fine food, as much as he likes. It occurs to him: ‘Going for alms to a village or a town, I did not get my fill of coarse or fine food, as much as I like; that body of mine is light and fit for work; come, let me start effort … and so on … he starts effort … this is the fifth ground for starting effort.

1051. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu, going for alms to a village or a town, gets his fill of coarse or fine food, as much as he likes. It occurs to him: ‘Going for alms to a village or a town, I got my fill of coarse or fine food, as much as I like; that body of mine is strong and fit for work; come, let me start effort … and so on … he starts effort … this is the sixth ground for starting effort.

1052. Again, Āvuso, a trifling illness has arisen in a bhikkhu. It occurs to him: ‘This trifling illness has arisen in me, and it is indeed possible that my illness might get worse; come, let me start effort … and so on … he starts effort … this is the seventh ground for starting effort.

1053. Again, Āvuso, a bhikkhu has recovered from sickness, recently recovered from illness. It occurs to him: ‘I have recovered from sickness, recently recovered from illness, and it is indeed possible that my illness might relapse; come, let me start effort for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised.’ He starts effort for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. This is the eighth ground for starting effort. (5)

(336.)

1054. Eight grounds for giving. One gives a gift when approached; one gives a gift from fear; one gives a gift thinking, ‘He gave to me’; one gives a gift thinking, ‘He will give to me’; one gives a gift thinking, ‘Giving is good’; one gives a gift thinking, ‘I cook, these do not cook; I, who cook, should not fail to give a gift to those who do not cook’; one gives a gift thinking, ‘When I am giving this gift, a good reputation spreads’. One gives a gift for the sake of adorning the mind, of equipping the mind. (6)

(337.)

1055. Eight kinds of reappearance through giving. Here, Āvuso, a certain person gives a gift to a wanderer or a brahmin: food, drink, clothing, a vehicle, garlands, perfumes and oils, bedding, housing and lighting. Whatever he gives, that he expects [in return]. He sees a wealthy man of the ruling caste, a wealthy brahmin, or a wealthy householder furnished and endowed with the five strands of sensual pleasure and being entertained. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, indeed! With the breakup of the body, after death, may I reappear in the company of wealthy men of the ruling caste, wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders.’ He sets that thought, focuses and cultivates it; that thought of his, set on the inferior and not cultivated further, leads to reappearance there. And that, indeed, I say of one who is virtuous, not of one who is immoral. The mental aspiration of one who is virtuous succeeds, Āvuso, because of its purity. (7.1)

1056. And furthermore, Āvuso, here someone gives a gift to a wanderer or a brahmin: food, drink … and so on … bedding, housing and lighting. Whatever he gives, he hopes for that. He has heard: ‘The Cātumahārājika gods are long-lived, beautiful, and abounding in happiness.’ It occurs to him: ‘Oh, indeed! After the breakup of the body at death, may I be reborn in the company of the Cātumahārājika gods.’ He sets that thought, focuses that thought, and cultivates that thought; that thought of his, fixed on the inferior and not cultivated further, leads to rearising there. And that, I say, is for one who is virtuous, not for one who is unprincipled. Āvuso, the mental aspiration of one who is virtuous succeeds because of purity. (7.2)

1057. And furthermore, Āvuso, here someone gives a gift to a wanderer or a brahmin: food, drink … and so on … bedding, housing and lighting. Whatever he gives, he hopes for that. He has heard: ‘The Tāvatiṃsa gods … and so on … the Yāma gods … and so on … the Tusita gods … and so on … the Nimmānaratī gods … and so on … the Paranimmitavasavattī gods are long-lived, beautiful, and abounding in happiness.’ It occurs to him: ‘Oh, indeed! After the breakup of the body at death, may I be reborn in the company of the Paranimmitavasavattī gods.’ He sets that thought, focuses that thought, and cultivates that thought; that thought of his, fixed on the inferior and not cultivated further, leads to rearising there. And that, I say, is for one who is virtuous, not for one who is unprincipled. Āvuso, the mental aspiration of one who is virtuous succeeds because of purity. (7.3–7)

1058. And furthermore, Āvuso, here someone gives a gift to a wanderer or a brahmin: food, drink, clothing, a vehicle, garlands, perfumes and oils, bedding, housing and lighting. Whatever he gives, he hopes for that. He has heard: ‘The Brahmakāyika gods are long-lived, beautiful, and abounding in happiness.’ It occurs to him: ‘Oh, indeed! After the breakup of the body at death, may I be reborn in the company of the Brahmakāyika gods.’ He sets that thought, focuses that thought, and cultivates that thought; that thought of his, fixed on the inferior and not cultivated further, leads to rearising there. And that, I say, is for one who is virtuous, not for one who is unprincipled; for one free from passion, not for one with passion. Āvuso, the mental aspiration of one who is virtuous succeeds because of freedom from passion. (7.8)

1059. Eight assemblies: of khattiyas, of brahmins, of householders, of wanderers, of the Cātumahārājika gods, of the Tāvatiṃsa gods, of Māra, and of Brahmā. (8)

1060. Eight worldly matters: gain, loss, fame, infamy, blame, praise, happiness, and suffering. (9)

(338.)

1061. Eight bases of mastery. One with rūpasaññā (apperception of form) internally sees forms externally, limited, beautiful and ugly; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the first base of mastery.

1062. One with apperception of form internally sees forms externally, unlimited, beautiful and ugly; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the second base of mastery.

1063. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, limited, beautiful and ugly; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the third base of mastery.

1064. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, unlimited, beautiful and ugly; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the fourth base of mastery.

1065. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, blue, blue in colour, blue in appearance, radiating blue. Just as a flax flower is blue, blue in colour, blue in appearance, radiating blue, or just as that cloth from Bārāṇasī, smoothed on both sides, is blue, blue in colour, blue in appearance, radiating blue; even so, one without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, blue, blue in colour, blue in appearance, radiating blue; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the fifth base of mastery.

1066. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, yellow, yellow in colour, yellow in appearance, radiating yellow. Just as a kaṇikāra flower is yellow, yellow in colour, yellow in appearance, radiating yellow, or just as that cloth from Bārāṇasī, smoothed on both sides, is yellow, yellow in colour, yellow in appearance, radiating yellow; even so, one without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, yellow, yellow in colour, yellow in appearance, radiating yellow; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the sixth base of mastery.

1067. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, red, red in colour, red in appearance, radiating red. Just as a bandhujīvaka flower is red, red in colour, red in appearance, radiating red, or just as that cloth from Bārāṇasī, smoothed on both sides, is red, red in colour, red in appearance, radiating red; even so, one without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, red, red in colour, red in appearance, radiating red; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the seventh base of mastery.

1068. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, white, white in colour, white in appearance, radiating white. Just as the morning star is white, white in colour, white in appearance, radiating white, or just as that cloth from Bārāṇasī, smoothed on both sides, is white, white in colour, white in appearance, radiating white; even so, one without apperception of form internally sees forms externally, white, white in colour, white in appearance, radiating white; one has this apperception: ‘Having mastered them, I know, I see.’ This is the eighth base of mastery. (10)

(339.)

1069. Eight liberations. One having form sees forms. This is the first liberation.

1070. One without apperception of form internally sees forms externally. This is the second liberation.

1071. One is intent only on the beautiful. This is the third liberation.

1072. Going beyond rūpasaññā (apperceptions of form) altogether, with the disappearance of apperceptions of sense impressions, ignoring the apperceptions of diversity, thinking: ‘Space is infinite,’ he enters and remains in the base of the infinity of space. This is the fourth liberation.

1073. Going beyond the base of the infinity of space altogether, thinking: ‘Consciousness is infinite,’ he enters and remains in the base of the infinity of consciousness. This is the fifth liberation.

1074. Going beyond the base of the infinity of consciousness altogether, thinking: ‘There is nothing,’ he enters and remains in the base of nothingness. This is the sixth liberation.

1075. Going beyond the base of nothingness altogether, he enters and remains in the base of neither apperception nor non-apperception. This is the seventh liberation.

1076. Going beyond the base of neither apperception nor non-apperception altogether, he enters and remains in the cessation of apperception and feeling. This is the eighth liberation. (11)

1077. Āvuso, these are the eight Dhammas well proclaimed by the Bhagavā, the liberated one, the perfectly awakened one, who knows and sees. Therein all should recite in harmony, not quarrel, so that this optimal life may endure long and last for a long time, which would be for the welfare and happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.

  • The ninth list of the Saṅgītisutta, eleven sets of eight in the frame of the Threes; the sutta’s lists as a whole are discussed on the sutta’s index page.
  • The eight kinds of wrongness and rightness are the eightfold path and its inverse, in the renderings of https://buddhavacana.github.io/sutta/eightfold/ (right resolve, right awareness, right focus).
  • The grounds for laziness and for starting effort are the same eight occasions read two ways; vīriyaṃ ārabhati is “starts effort”, as the right exertions have it at https://buddhavacana.github.io/sutta/exertions/.
  • The reappearances through giving run from wealthy families to the Brahmā gods, a scale of aspiration the text itself calls “set on the inferior”; the formula is that of the 11M/2.10 Saṅkhārupapattisutta (the textbook’s bonus chapter), where upapajjeyyaṃ is “be reborn” against “reappear” here.
  • The eight liberations end in the cessation of apperception and feeling, discussed at https://buddhavacana.github.io/articles/enlightenment/.

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