The Chapter on Deities

AN 7.32 Respect for Diligence Appamādagāravasutta

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta's Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

"Sir, these seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for immersion, for diligence, and for hospitality. These seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee."

That's what that deity said, and the teacher approved. Then that deity, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened, adding:

"Respect for the Teacher and the teaching,
and keen respect for the Saṅgha;
respect for immersion, being energetic,
and keen respect for the training.

A mendicant who respects diligence
and hospitality
can't decline,
and has drawn near to extinguishment."

AN 7.33 Respect for Conscience Hirigāravasutta

"Mendicants, tonight, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta's Grove, came to me, bowed, stood to one side, and said to me: 'Sir, these seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for immersion, for conscience, and for prudence. These seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.'

That is what that deity said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there.

One respectful of the Teacher and the teaching,
keenly respecting the Saṅgha;
respecting immersion, being energetic,
and keenly respecting the training;

endowed with conscience and prudence,
reverential and respectful---
it is impossible for them to decline;
they have drawn near to extinguishment."

AN 7.34 Easy to Admonish (1st) Paṭhamasovacassatāsutta

"Mendicants, tonight a deity ... said to me: 'Sir, these seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for immersion; being easy to admonish, and good friendship. These seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.'

That is what that deity said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there.

Respect for the Teacher and the teaching,
and keen respect for the Saṅgha;
respect for immersion, being energetic,
and keen respect for the training.

One with good friends, easy to admonish,
reverential and respectful,
can't decline,
and has drawn near to extinguishment."

AN 7.35 Easy to Admonish (2nd) Dutiyasovacassatāsutta

"Mendicants, tonight a deity ... said to me: 'Sir, these seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What seven? Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for immersion; being easy to admonish, and good friendship. These seven things don't lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.'

That is what that deity said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there."

When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Buddha:

"Sir, this is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha's brief statement.

It's when a mendicant personally respects the Teacher and praises such respect. And they encourage other mendicants who lack such respect to respect the Teacher. And they praise other mendicants who respect the Teacher at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

They personally respect the teaching ...

They personally respect the Saṅgha ...

They personally respect the training ...

They personally respect immersion ...

They are personally easy to admonish ...

They personally have good friends, and praise such friendship. And they encourage other mendicants who lack good friends to develop good friendship. And they praise other mendicants who have good friends at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

That's how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha's brief statement."

"Good, good, Sāriputta! It's good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I've said in brief like this.

It's when a mendicant personally respects the Teacher ... And they encourage other mendicants who lack such respect to respect the Teacher. And they praise other mendicants who respect the Teacher at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

They personally respect the teaching ...

They personally respect the Saṅgha ...

They personally respect the training ...

They personally respect immersion ...

They are personally easy to admonish ...

They personally have good friends, and praise such friendship. And they encourage other mendicants who lack good friends to develop good friendship. And they praise other mendicants who have good friends at the right time, truthfully and correctly.

This is how to understand the detailed meaning of what I said in brief."

AN 7.36 A Friend (1st) Paṭhamamittasutta

"Mendicants, you should associate with a friend who has seven factors. What seven? They give what is hard to give. They do what is hard to do. They endure what is hard to endure. They reveal their secrets to you. They keep your secrets. They don't abandon you in times of trouble. They don't look down on you in times of loss. You should associate with a friend who has these seven factors.

A friend gives what is hard to give,
and does what's hard to do.
They put up with your harsh words,
and with things hard to endure.

They tell you their secrets,
and keep your secrets for you.
They don't abandon you in times of trouble,
or look down on you in times of loss.

The person in whom
these things are found is your friend.
If you want to have a friend,
you should keep company with such a person."

AN 7.37 A Friend (2nd) Dutiyamittasutta

"Mendicants, when a friend has seven qualities you should associate with, accompany, and attend them, even if they send you away. What seven? They're likable, agreeable, respected, and admired. They admonish you and they accept admonishment. They speak on deep matters. And they don't urge you to do bad things. When a friend has these seven qualities you should associate with, accompany, and attend them, even if they send you away.

They're liked, respected, and admired,
an admonisher who accepts admonishment,
speaks on deep matters,
and doesn't urge you to do bad.

The person in whom
these things are found is your friend.
If you want to have a friend,
benevolent and sympathetic,
you should keep company with such a person,
even if they send you away."

AN 7.38 Textual Analysis (1st) Paṭhamapaṭisambhidāsutta

"Mendicants, a mendicant with seven qualities will soon realize the four kinds of textual analysis and live having achieved them with their own insight. What seven?

It's when a mendicant truly understands: 'This is mental sluggishness'.

They truly understand internally constricted mind as 'internally constricted mind'.

They truly understand externally scattered mind as 'externally scattered mind'.

They know feelings as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

They know perceptions as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

They know thoughts as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.

The patterns of qualities---suitable or unsuitable, inferior or superior, or those on the side of dark or bright---are properly grasped, focused on, borne in mind, and comprehended with wisdom.

A mendicant with these seven qualities will soon realize the four kinds of textual analysis and live having achieved them with their own insight."

AN 7.39 Textual Analysis (2nd) Dutiyapaṭisambhidāsutta

"Mendicants, having seven qualities, Sāriputta realized the four kinds of textual analysis and lives having achieved them with his own insight. What seven?

It's when Sāriputta truly understood: 'This is mental sluggishness'.

He truly understood internally constricted mind as 'internally constricted mind'.

He truly understood externally scattered mind as 'externally scattered mind'.

He knew feelings, perceptions, and thoughts as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.

The patterns of qualities---suitable or unsuitable, inferior or superior, or those on the side of dark or bright---were properly grasped, focused on, borne in mind, and comprehended with wisdom.

Having these seven qualities, Sāriputta realized the four kinds of textual analysis and lives having achieved them with his own insight."

AN 7.40 Mastery of the Mind (1st) Paṭhamavasasutta

"Mendicants, a mendicant with seven qualities masters their mind and is not mastered by it. What seven? It's when a mendicant is skilled at immersion, skilled in entering immersion, skilled in remaining in immersion, skilled in emerging from immersion, skilled in gladdening the mind for immersion, skilled in the meditation subjects for immersion, and skilled in projecting the mind purified by immersion. A mendicant with these seven qualities masters their mind and is not mastered by it."

AN 7.41 Mastery of the Mind (2nd) Dutiyavasasutta

"Mendicants, having seven qualities Sāriputta has mastered his mind and is not mastered by it. What seven? Sāriputta is skilled at immersion, skilled in entering immersion, skilled in remaining in immersion, skilled in emerging from immersion, skilled in gladdening the mind for immersion, skilled in the meditation subjects for immersion, and skilled in projecting the mind purified by immersion. Having these seven qualities Sāriputta has mastered his mind and is not mastered by it."

AN 7.42 Graduation (1st) Paṭhamaniddasasutta

Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then it occurred to him, "It's too early to wander for alms in Sāvatthī. Why don't I visit the monastery of the wanderers of other religions?"

Then he went to the monastery of the wanderers of other religions and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side.

Now at that time while those wanderers of other religions were sitting together this discussion came up among them, "Reverends, anyone who lives the full and pure spiritual life for twelve years is qualified to be called a 'graduate mendicant'."

Sāriputta neither approved nor dismissed that statement of the wanderers of other religions. He got up from his seat, thinking, "I will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself."

Then Sāriputta wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding:

"Sir, in this teaching and training can we describe a mendicant as a 'graduate' solely because they have completed a certain number of years?"

"No, Sāriputta, we cannot. I make known these seven qualifications for graduation after realizing them with my own insight.

What seven? It's when a mendicant has a keen enthusiasm to undertake the training ... to examine the teachings ... to get rid of desires ... for retreat ... to rouse up energy ... for mindfulness and alertness ... to penetrate theoretically. And they don't lose these desires in the future. These are the seven qualifications for graduation that I make known after realizing them with my own insight. A mendicant who has these seven qualifications for graduation is qualified to be called a 'graduate mendicant'. This is so whether they have lived the full and pure spiritual life for twelve years, twenty-four years, thirty-six years, or forty-eight years."

AN 7.43 Graduation (2nd) Dutiyaniddasasutta

SO I HAVE HEARD. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita's Monastery.

Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosambī for alms. Then it occurred to him, "It's too early to wander for alms in Kosambī. Why don't I visit the monastery of the wanderers of other religions?"

Then he went to the monastery of the wanderers of other religions and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side.

Now at that time while those wanderers of other religions were sitting together this discussion came up among them, "Reverends, anyone who lives the full and pure spiritual life for twelve years is qualified to be called a 'graduate mendicant'."

Ānanda neither approved nor dismissed that statement of the wanderers of other religions. He got up from his seat, thinking, "I will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself."

Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Kosambī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding:

"Sir, in this teaching and training can we describe a mendicant as a 'graduate' solely because they have completed a certain number of years?"

"No, Ānanda, we cannot. These are the seven qualifications for graduation that I make known after realizing them with my own insight.

What seven? It's when someone is faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise. These are the seven qualifications for graduation that I make known after realizing them with my own insight. A mendicant who has these seven qualifications for graduation is qualified to be called a 'graduate mendicant'. This is so whether they have lived the full and pure spiritual life for twelve years, twenty-four years, thirty-six years, or forty-eight years."