Itivuttaka (So It Was Said)

“Mendicants, a mendicant with three qualities has slipped free of Māra’s dominion and dazzles like the sun. What three? It’s when they have the entire spectrum of the adept’s ethics, immersion, and wisdom. A mendicant with these three qualities has slipped free of Māra’s dominion and dazzles like the sun.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Whoever has well developed ethics, immersion, and wisdom has slipped free of Māra’s dominion and dazzles like the sun.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three grounds for making merit. What three? Giving, ethical conduct, and meditation are all grounds for making merit. These are the three grounds for making merit.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“One should practice only good deeds, whose happy outcome stretches ahead. Giving and moral conduct, developing a mind of love:

having developed these three things yielding happiness, that astute one is reborn in a happy, pleasing world.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three eyes. What three? The eye of the flesh, the eye of clairvoyance, and the eye of wisdom. These are the three eyes.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“The eye of flesh, the clairvoyant eye, the supreme eye of wisdom: these three eyes were taught by the supreme person.

The arising of the eye of flesh is the path to the clairvoyant eye. When knowledge arises— the supreme eye of wisdom— one who gains that eye is released from all suffering.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three faculties. What three? The faculty of understanding that enlightenment is imminent. The faculty of enlightenment. The faculty of one who is enlightened. These are the three faculties.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“As a trainee trains, following the straight road, first they know about ending; enlightenment follows without delay.

Then the knowledge comes to such a one, freed through enlightenment, with the end of the fetters of continued existence: ‘My freedom is unshakable.’

Accomplished in the faculties, peaceful, in love with the state of peace, they bear their final body, having vanquished Māra with his legions.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three periods. What three? Past, future, and present. These are the three periods.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Sentient beings who perceive the communicable, become established in the communicable. Not understanding the communicable, they fall under the yoke of Death.

But having fully understood the communicable, they don’t conceive a communicator, as they’ve touched liberation with their mind, the supreme state of peace.

Accomplished in the communicable, peaceful, in love with the state of peace; one who makes use after appraisal, firm in principle, a knowledge master cannot be reckoned.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three kinds of bad conduct. What three? Bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. These are the three kinds of bad conduct.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Having done bad things by way of body, speech, and mind, and whatever else is corrupt;

not having done good deeds, and having done many bad, when their body breaks up, that witless person is reborn in hell.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these kinds of good conduct. What three? Good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. These are the three kinds of good conduct.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Having given up bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and whatever else is corrupt;

not having done bad deeds, and having done many good, when their body breaks up, that wise person is reborn in heaven.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three kinds of purity. What three? Purity of body, speech, and mind. These are the three kinds of purity.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Purity of body, purity of speech, and undefiled purity of heart. A pure one, blessed with purity, has given up everything, they say.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three kinds of sagacity. What three? Sagacity of body, speech, and mind. These are the three kinds of sagacity.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“A sage in body, a sage in speech, a sage undefiled in mind; a sage, blessed with sagacity, has washed off all bad things, they say.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Whoever has not given up greed, hate, and delusion is said to be trapped. They’re caught in Māra’s snare, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants. Whoever has given up greed, hate, and delusion is said to be free. They’re released from Māra’s snare, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Those in whom greed, hate, and ignorance have faded away, belong with those who are evolved; A manifestation of divinity, realized, awakened, beyond enmities and fears, they’ve given up everything, they say.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Whoever has not given up greed, hate, and delusion is said to have not crossed over the ocean with its waves and whirlpools, its saltwater crocodiles and monsters. Whoever has given up greed, hate, and delusion is said to have crossed over the ocean with its waves and whirlpools, its saltwater crocodiles and monsters. Crossed over and gone to the far shore, that brahmin stands on solid ground.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Those in whom greed, hate, and ignorance have faded away, have crossed the ocean so hard to cross, with its saltwater crocodiles and monsters, <j>its waves and dangers.

They’ve slipped their chains, given up death, and have no attachments. They’ve given up suffering, <j>so there are no more future lives. They’ve disappeared and cannot be defined; they’ve confounded the King of Death, I say.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, I’ve seen beings who engaged in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, who denounced the noble ones, who had wrong views and acted accordingly. At the breaking up of the body, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Now, I don’t say this because I’ve heard it from some other ascetic or brahmin. I only say it because I’ve known, seen, and realized it for myself.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“When the mind has been misdirected, and words wrongly spoken, and wrong bodily deeds have been done, an individual here

unlearned, doer of bad deeds, though their life may be short, when their body breaks up, that witless person is reborn in hell.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, I’ve seen beings who engaged in good conduct of body, speech, and mind, who did not denounce the noble ones, who held right view and acted accordingly. At the breaking up of the body, after death, they were reborn in a good destination, a heavenly realm.

Now, I don’t say this because I’ve heard it from some other ascetic or brahmin. I only say it because I’ve known, seen, and realized it for myself.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“When the mind has been directed right, and words rightly spoken, and right bodily deeds have been done, an individual here

learned, doer of good deeds, though their life may be short, when their body breaks up, that wise person is reborn in heaven.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three elements of escape. What three? Renunciation is the escape from sensual pleasures. Formlessness is the escape from form. Cessation is the escape from whatever is created, conditioned, and dependently originated. These are the three elements of escape.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Knowing the escape from sensuality, and form’s transcendence, one always keen touches the stilling of all activities.

That mendicant sees rightly, and when freed in regards to that, that peaceful sage, with perfect insight, has truly slipped their yoke.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, formless states are more peaceful than states of form; cessation is more peaceful than formless states.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“There are beings in the realm of luminous form, and others stuck in the formless. Not understanding cessation, they return in future lives.

But the people who completely understand form, not stuck in the formless, released in cessation— they are conquerors of death.

Having directly experienced <j>the element free of death, free of attachments; having realized relinquishment of attachments, the undefiled fully awakened Buddha teaches the sorrowless, stainless state.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“These three kinds of children are found in the world. What three? One who betters their birth, one who equals their birth, one who fails their birth.

And how does a child better their birth? It’s when a child’s parents have not gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, and consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re immoral, of bad character. But their child has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re ethical, of good character. That’s how a child betters their birth.

And how does a child equal their birth? It’s when a child’s parents have gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re ethical, of good character. And their child has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re ethical, of good character. That’s how a child equals their birth.

And how does a child fail their birth? It’s when a child’s parents have gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re ethical, of good character. But their child has not gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, and consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re immoral, of bad character. That’s how a child fails their birth. These are the three kinds of children found in the world.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“The astute wish for a child who betters or equals their birth; not one who fails their birth, disgracing their family.

These are the children in the world who become lay devotees; faithful, accomplished in ethics, bountiful, rid of stinginess. Like the moon freed from clouds, they dazzle in the assemblies.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, these three individuals are found in the world. What three? One like a rainless cloud, one who rains locally, one who rains all over.

And how is an individual like a rainless cloud? It’s when an individual doesn’t give to anyone at all—whether ascetics and brahmins, paupers, vagrants, supplicants, or beggars—such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. That’s how an individual is like a rainless cloud.

And how does an individual rain locally? It’s when an individual gives to some but not to others—whether ascetics and brahmins, paupers, vagrants, supplicants, or beggars—such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. That’s how an individual rains locally.

And how does an individual rain all over? It’s when an individual gives to everyone—whether ascetics and brahmins, paupers, vagrants, supplicants, or beggars—such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting. That’s how an individual rains all over. These are the three individuals found in the world.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“They don’t share the food and drink they have acquired with ascetics or brahmins, with paupers, vagrants, or supplicants. They’re like a rainless cloud, they say, the meanest of men.

They don’t give to some, to some they provide. They rain locally, so say the wise.

Compassionate for all beings, that person distributes abundant food upon request, saying, ‘Give! Give!’

The rain cloud rains forth, having thundered and roared, drenching the earth with water, soaking the uplands and valleys.

Even so, such an individual, having accumulated wealth by legitimate means, through their own hard work, rightly satisfies with food and drink those who have become supplicants.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, an astute person who wishes for three kinds of happiness should take care of their ethics. What three? ‘May I be praised!’ ‘May I become rich!’ ‘When my body breaks up, after death, may I be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm!’ An astute person who wishes for these three kinds of happiness should protect their precepts.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Wishing for three kinds of happiness— praise, prosperity, and to delight in heaven after passing away— the wise would take care of their ethics.

Though you do no wrong, if you associate with one who does, you’re suspected of wrong, and your disrepute grows.