---
title: "Numbered Discourses: The Threes · Aṅguttara Nikāya · Tikanipāta"
author: "The Buddha"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 7 of 28
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-3/7/
cite: "The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Numbered Discourses: The Threes · Aṅguttara Nikāya · Tikanipāta, section 7. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-3/7/"
---

# Numbered Discourses: The Threes · Aṅguttara Nikāya · Tikanipāta

*The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato*

Teachings grouped in threes: the Kālāma discourse on what to believe, the three fires, the messengers of the gods.

> Pali: the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka (Buddha Jayanti edition, 2500), from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0).

> English: Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the segment numbers the two texts share, gathered into paragraphs; verse keeps its lines.

## 7. Messengers from the Gods · AN 3.40

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-3/7/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-anguttara-nikaya-3/7/#p-N

[¶0] AN 3.40 · In Charge

> Pali: AN 3.40 · Ādhipateyyasutta

[¶1] “There are, mendicants, these three things to put in charge. What three? Putting oneself, the world, or the teaching in charge.

> Pali: “Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, ādhipateyyāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Attādhipateyyaṁ, lokādhipateyyaṁ, dhammādhipateyyaṁ.

[¶2] And what, mendicants, is putting oneself in charge? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘I didn’t go forth from the lay life to homelessness for the sake of a robe, almsfood, lodgings, or rebirth in this or that state. But I was swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I was swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. And I thought, “Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.” But it would not be appropriate for me to seek sensual pleasures like those I abandoned when I went forth, or even worse.’ Then they reflect: ‘My energy shall be roused up and unflagging, mindfulness shall be established and lucid, my body shall be tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind shall be immersed in samādhi.’ Putting themselves in charge, they give up the unskillful and develop the skillful, they give up the blameworthy and develop the blameless, and they keep themselves pure. This is called putting oneself in charge.

> Pali: Katamañca, bhikkhave, attādhipateyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘na kho panāhaṁ cīvarahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Na piṇḍapātahetu, na senāsanahetu, na itibhavābhavahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Api ca khomhi otiṇṇo jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto. Appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethāti. Ahañceva kho pana yādisake kāme ohāya agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito tādisake vā kāme pariyeseyyaṁ tato vā pāpiṭṭhatare, na metaṁ patirūpan’ti. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ bhavissati asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti. So attānaṁyeva adhipatiṁ karitvā akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhaṁ attānaṁ pariharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, attādhipateyyaṁ.

[¶3] And what, mendicants, is putting the world in charge? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘I didn’t go forth from the lay life to homelessness for the sake of a robe, almsfood, lodgings, or rebirth in this or that state. But I was swamped by rebirth, old age, and death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I was swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. And I thought, “Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.” And now, since I’ve now gone forth, I might have sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts. But the population of the world is large, and there are ascetics and brahmins who have psychic power—they’re clairvoyant, and can read the minds of others. They see far without being seen, even by those close; and they understand the minds of others. They would know me:

> Pali: Katamañca, bhikkhave, lokādhipateyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘na kho panāhaṁ cīvarahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Na piṇḍapātahetu, na senāsanahetu, na itibhavābhavahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Api ca khomhi otiṇṇo jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto. Appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. Ahañceva kho pana evaṁ pabbajito samāno kāmavitakkaṁ vā vitakkeyyaṁ, byāpādavitakkaṁ vā vitakkeyyaṁ, vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ vā vitakkeyyaṁ, mahā kho panāyaṁ lokasannivāso. Mahantasmiṁ kho pana lokasannivāse santi samaṇabrāhmaṇā iddhimanto dibbacakkhukā paracittaviduno. Te dūratopi passanti, āsannāpi na dissanti, cetasāpi cittaṁ pajānanti. Tepi maṁ evaṁ jāneyyuṁ:

[¶4] “Look at this gentleman; he’s gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but he’s living mixed up with bad, unskillful qualities.” And there are deities, too, who have psychic power—they’re clairvoyant, and can read the minds of others. They see far without being seen, even by those close; and they understand the minds of others. They would know me:

> Pali: ‘passatha, bho, imaṁ kulaputtaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno vokiṇṇo viharati pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehī’ti. devatāpi kho santi iddhimantiniyo dibbacakkhukā paracittaviduniyo. Tā dūratopi passanti, āsannāpi na dissanti, cetasāpi cittaṁ jānanti. Tāpi maṁ evaṁ jāneyyuṁ:

[¶5] “Look at this gentleman; he’s gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but he’s living mixed up with bad, unskillful qualities.”’ Then they reflect: ‘My energy shall be roused up and unflagging, mindfulness shall be established and lucid, my body shall be tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind shall be immersed in samādhi.’ Putting the world in charge, they give up the unskillful and develop the skillful, they give up the blameworthy and develop the blameless, and they keep themselves pure. This is called putting the world in charge.

> Pali: ‘passatha, bho, imaṁ kulaputtaṁ saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno vokiṇṇo viharati pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehī’ti. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ bhavissati asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti. So lokaṁyeva adhipatiṁ karitvā akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhaṁ attānaṁ pariharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, lokādhipateyyaṁ.

[¶6] And what, mendicants, is putting the teaching in charge? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘I didn’t go forth from the lay life to homelessness for the sake of a robe, almsfood, lodgings, or rebirth in this or that state. But I was swamped by rebirth, old age, and death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I was swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. And I thought, “Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.” The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves. I have spiritual companions who live knowing and seeing. Now that I’ve gone forth in this well explained teaching and training, it would not be appropriate for me to live lazy and heedless.’ Then they reflect: ‘My energy shall be roused up and unflagging, mindfulness shall be established and lucid, my body shall be tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind shall be immersed in samādhi.’ Putting the teaching in charge, they give up the unskillful and develop the skillful, they give up the blameworthy and develop the blameless, and they keep themselves pure. This is called putting the teaching in charge.

> Pali: Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammādhipateyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘na kho panāhaṁ cīvarahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Na piṇḍapātahetu, na senāsanahetu, na itibhavābhavahetu agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito. Api ca khomhi otiṇṇo jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto. Appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethāti. Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti. Santi kho pana me sabrahmacārī jānaṁ passaṁ viharanti. Ahañceva kho pana evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajito samāno kusīto vihareyyaṁ pamatto, na metaṁ assa patirūpan’ti. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ bhavissati asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti. So dhammaṁyeva adhipatiṁ karitvā akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāveti, sāvajjaṁ pajahati, anavajjaṁ bhāveti, suddhaṁ attānaṁ pariharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammādhipateyyaṁ.

[¶7] These are the three things to put in charge.

> Pali: Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi ādhipateyyānīti.

[¶8] There’s no privacy in the world,
for someone who does bad deeds.
You’ll know for yourself,
whether you’ve lied or told the truth.

> Pali: Natthi loke raho nāma,
pāpakammaṁ pakubbato;
Attā te purisa jānāti,
saccaṁ vā yadi vā musā.

[¶9] When you witness your good self,
you despise it;
while you disguise
your bad self inside yourself.

> Pali: Kalyāṇaṁ vata bho sakkhi,
attānaṁ atimaññasi;
Yo santaṁ attani pāpaṁ,
attānaṁ parigūhasi.

[¶10] The gods and the Realized One see
the fool who lives unjustly in the world.
So with yourself in charge, live mindfully;
with the world in charge, <j>be alert and practice absorption;
with the teaching in charge, <j>live in line with that teaching:
a sage who tries for the truth doesn’t deteriorate.

> Pali: Passanti devā ca tathāgatā ca,
Lokasmiṁ bālaṁ visamaṁ carantaṁ;
Tasmā hi attādhipateyyako ca,
Lokādhipo ca nipako ca jhāyī;
Dhammādhipo ca anudhammacārī,
Na hīyati saccaparakkamo muni.

[¶11] Māra’s conquered; the terminator’s overcome:
one who strives reaches the end of rebirth.
Unaffected, intelligent, knowing the world—
that sage is determined by nothing at all.”

> Pali: Pasayha māraṁ abhibhuyya antakaṁ,
Yo ca phusī jātikkhayaṁ padhānavā;
So tādiso lokavidū sumedho,
Sabbesu dhammesu atammayo munī”ti.

[¶12] > Pali: Dasamaṁ.

[¶13] > Pali: Devadūtavaggo catuttho.

[¶14] > Pali: Tassuddānaṁ

[¶15] > Pali: Brahma ānanda sāriputto,
Nidānaṁ hatthakena ca;
Dūtā duve ca rājāno,
Sukhumālādhipateyyena cāti.