Three Chapters on the Impossible

AN 1.268--277 Paṭhamavagga

268. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to take any condition as permanent. That is not possible. But it is possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as permanent. That is possible."

269. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to take any condition as pleasant. But it is possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as pleasant."

270. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to take anything as self. But it is possible for an ordinary person to take something as self."

271. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to murder their mother. But it is possible for an ordinary person to murder their mother."

272. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to murder their father. But it is possible for an ordinary person to murder their father."

273. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to murder a perfected one. But it is possible for an ordinary person to murder a perfected one."

274. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to injure a Realized One with malicious intent. But it is possible for an ordinary person to injure a Realized One with malicious intent."

275. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to cause a schism in the Saṅgha. . But it is possible for an ordinary person to cause a schism in the Saṅgha. ."

276. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a person accomplished in view to dedicate themselves to another teacher. But it is possible for an ordinary person to dedicate themselves to another teacher."

277. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas to arise in the same solar system at the same time. But it is possible for just one perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, to arise in one solar system."

AN 1.278--286 Dutiyavagga

278. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for two wheel-turning monarchs to arise in the same solar system at the same time. But it is possible for just one wheel-turning monarch to arise in one solar system."

279. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a woman to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. But it is possible for a man to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha."

280. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a woman to be a wheel-turning monarch. But it is possible for a man to be a wheel-turning monarch."

281--283. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a woman to perform the role of Sakka, Māra. , or the Divinity. But it is possible for a man to perform the role of Sakka, Māra. , or the Divinity."

284. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a likable, desirable, agreeable result to come from bad bodily conduct. But it is possible for an unlikable, undesirable, disagreeable result to come from bad bodily conduct."

285--286. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for a likable, desirable, agreeable result to come from bad verbal ... bad mental conduct. But it is possible for an unlikable, undesirable, disagreeable result to come from bad verbal ... bad mental conduct."

AN 1.287--295 Tatiyavagga

287. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for an unlikable, undesirable, disagreeable result to come from good bodily conduct. But it is possible for a likable, desirable, agreeable result to come from good bodily conduct."

288--289. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen for an unlikable, undesirable, disagreeable result to come from good verbal ... good mental conduct. But it is possible for a likable, desirable, agreeable result to come from good verbal ... good mental conduct."

290. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen that someone who has engaged in bad bodily conduct, could for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. But it is possible that someone who has engaged in bad bodily conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell."

291--292. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen that someone who has engaged in bad verbal ... bad mental conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. But it is possible that someone who has engaged in bad verbal ... bad mental conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell."

293. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen that someone who has engaged in good bodily conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. But it is possible that someone who has engaged in good bodily conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm."

294--295. "It is impossible, mendicants, it cannot happen that someone who has engaged in good verbal ... good mental conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. But it is possible that someone who has engaged in good verbal ... good mental conduct could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, heavenly realm."