Khuddaka Nikaya- Suththanipatha Pali- Attahka Waggaya
Remember, this Suthra shows the exercise that has remained the same since ancient times and must be followed to attain higher discipline.
“What knowledge, what discipline should a person possess to be called a calm, appeased person?
Gautama the Great, please answer and explain my question, as I need to achieve that nobleness”.
Henceforth, the Buddha’s counsel.
In the past, those sages eradicated defilements and banished cravings by following the dharma preached by those past Buddhas.
The one who wants to achieve a calm, appeased life will not be able to achieve it if he doesn’t lead a moderate celibate life by not getting rid of the two extremes of the lay life that is vain and miserable, addicting to inferior sensual pleasure- lust and the useless monastic life that gives excessive suffering to the body as a virtue.
A person who possesses these attributes,
is free from fear and is not terrified because of not antagonising or provoking others,
not condemning others by boasting about one’s own qualities,
not regretting the sins committed or the meritorious deeds that he was unable to do so far.
not being arrogant by following the dharma facts that he had heard,
not using those dhamma facts to inflate one’s own image in front of others,
is definitely called a ‘Sage’.
A wise man who does not dream of an uncertain future and does not lament the past that has already passed by wisely contemplating with the awareness that he has gained, having rested his body and mind, does not become deluded.
He does not conceal his inferior qualities in order to deceive others, nor does he pretend to have superior qualities that he lacks.
He is not miserly, having eliminated the ‘Craving’ for everything.
He is not arrogant due to his lack of dimension, and he is not repulsive to others due to his disciplined word-body.
He does not gossip.
He is also not arrogant because of his excess opulence, which may prevent him from being appeased.
The person who possesses the aforementioned characteristics,
fully comprehends the solemn Four Noble Truths and the ‘Patichcha Samuppada’ (How Birth coincides with willing attachment), which he hears through good association, abandons the beliefs and careless practices that he had previously followed, and lives according to the Dhamma.
He who does not cling to the taste of sensual pleasure with a greedy mind because he has nothing to desire and does not become angry or not become shocked by what he lacks, has no adversaries.
Because he is always conscious, that serene sage who is not burdened with defilements does not see anything as special or to be ignored because he does not form notions or deceptive thoughts based on willingness and reluctance by wisely realising that nothing is equal in this world.
He who does not live with attachment that he wants or does not want and who does not seek refuge in external things possesses no greed.
I call the one who is free from Craving and is not attached to anything because of not having any expectation of lust “a calm, appeased” one.
This wise man does not accept or be shocked by inappropriate words spoken by ignorant lay or monastic people.
He is not attached to anything that says “mine”, such as sons and daughters, lands, or property that he owns.
Thus, when there is nothing to grasp as “mine”, no attachment as “I”, or “There is oneself”, or “There is no oneself” arises.
It should be said that this wise man, who covets nothing because of banished Craving, does not accumulate anything for himself.
He does not compare or degrade anyone, nor does he focus on inappropriate arguments.
Since he has nothing to claim as “mine”, there is no reason for clinging or conflict.
Because of this, no reasons arise in him to grieve over anything.
Just as he has nothing to claim as ‘mine’ in this world, he also has nothing more to seek in Dhamma.
Because of this, this person is called “a calm, appeased one”.
Aaryasathya 