AN 10.1 - Kimatthiya Sutta

AN 10.1 - Kimatthiya Sutta (What is the Purpose?)

In this sutta, the Buddha (or Sariputta/Ananda in the full context) explains the progressive sequence of spiritual development, showing how skillful ethics naturally lead step-by-step to the knowledge and vision of liberation.

I. The Progressive Sequence of Ethics to Liberation

Pali

किमत्थियसुत्तं इति खो, आनन्द, कुसलानि सीलानि अविप्पटिसारत्थानि अविप्पटिसारानिसंसानि; अविप्पटिसारो पामोज्जत्थो पामोज्जानिसंसो; पामोज्जं पीतत्थं पीतानिसंसं; पीति पस्सद्धत्था पस्सद्धानिसंसा; पस्सद्धि सुखत्था सुखानिसंसा; सुखं समाधत्थं समाधानिसंसं; समाधि यथाभूतञाणदस्सनत्थो यथाभूतञाणदस्सनानिसंसो; यथाभूतञाणदस्सनं निब्बिदाविरागत्थं निब्बिदाविरागानिसंसं; निब्बिदाविरागो विमुत्तिञाणदस्सनत्थो विमुत्तिञाणदस्सनानिसंसो। इति खो, आनन्द, कुसलानि सीलानि अनुपुब्बेन अग्गाय परेन्ती”ति।

Sanskrit (Chaya)

किमर्थीयसूत्रम् इति खलु, आनन्द, कुशलानि शीलानि अविप्रतिसारार्थानि अविप्रतिसारानृशंसानि; अविप्रतिसारः प्रामोद्यार्थः प्रामोद्यानृशंसः; प्रामोद्यं प्रीत्यर्थं प्रीत्यानृशंसम्; प्रीतिः प्रस्रब्ध्यर्था प्रस्रब्ध्यानृशंस; प्रस्रब्धिः सुखार्था सुखानृशंसा; सुखं समाध्यर्थं समाध्यानृशंसम्; समाधिः यथाभूतज्ञानदर्शनार्थः यथाभूतज्ञानदर्शनानृशंसः; यथाभूतज्ञानदर्शनं निर्विदारविरागार्थं निर्विदारविरागानृशंसम्; निर्विदारविरागः विमुक्तिज्ञानदर्शनार्थः विमुक्तिज्ञानदर्शनानृशंसः। इति खलु, आनन्द, कुशलानि शीलानि अनुपूर्वेण अग्राय पर्यवस्यन्ति (परं नयन्ति) इति।

English Translation

The Discourse on ‘What is the Purpose?‘. “Thus, Ananda, the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics is lack of remorse; the purpose and benefit of lack of remorse is joy; the purpose and benefit of joy is rapture; the purpose and benefit of rapture is tranquility; the purpose and benefit of tranquility is happiness; the purpose and benefit of happiness is concentration; the purpose and benefit of concentration is the knowledge and vision of things as they are; the purpose and benefit of the knowledge and vision of things as they are is disenchantment and dispassion; the purpose and benefit of disenchantment and dispassion is the knowledge and vision of liberation. Thus, Ananda, skillful ethics lead step-by-step to the highest.”