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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

Declaration

AN 10.84 · Byākaraṇasutta

Small alpine flowers growing among dark stones.

There Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the mendicants: “Reverends, mendicants!”

“Reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

“Take a mendicant who declares enlightenment: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’ They’re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples who is a meditator skilled in attainments, in the minds of others, and in encompassing another’s mind. Grilled in this way they get stuck or lose their way. They fall to ruin and disaster.

The Realized One or one of his disciples encompasses their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable declare enlightenment, saying:

“I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place’”?’

They understand:

‘This venerable gets irritable, and often lives with a heart full of anger. But being full of anger means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.

This venerable is acrimonious …

prone to disdain …

contemptuous …

jealous …

stingy …

devious …

deceitful …

This venerable has corrupt wishes, and often lives with a heart full of desire. But being full of desire means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.

When there is still more to be done, this venerable stopped half-way after achieving some trifling distinction. But stopping half-way means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.’

It is quite impossible for a mendicant to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training without giving up these ten qualities. It is quite possible for a mendicant to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training after giving up these ten qualities.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.