Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Each of the ten unskillful acts is the near shore, and its skillful opposite is the far shore; few cross from the near shore to the far.
The third narrative-then-bare pair in this chapter
This discourse and AN 10.169 form this chapter's third such pairing, after 167/168's ceremony of descent — a structural device this chapter uses more often than any single chapter so far in this project, running the same move three times across its own eleven discourses.
Everything kept, only the questioner removed
Unlike AN 10.168, which dropped both the brahmin narrative and any closing response, this discourse keeps the full seven verses intact — only Saṅgārava's own opening question and the exchange framing it are removed, replaced by the Buddha's standard direct announcement to the mendicants.
Announced with the formal preparatory address
As with several other bare-repeat discourses in this nipāta, this discourse opens with the Buddha's full formal address (“listen and apply your mind well”), even though the content that follows is identical to what a brahmin's simple question already drew out in the previous discourse.
Key terms
The text
The near shore, and the far shore
§1“Mendicants, I will teach you the near shore and the far shore. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak. … And what, mendicants, is the near shore? What is the far shore? Killing living creatures is the near shore, mendicants, and not killing living creatures is the far shore. Stealing is the near shore, and not stealing is the far shore. Sexual misconduct is the near shore, and avoiding sexual misconduct is the far shore. Lying is the near shore, and not lying is the far shore. Backbiting is the near shore, and avoiding backbiting is the far shore. Harsh speech is the near shore, and avoiding harsh speech is the far shore. Talking nonsense is the near shore, and avoiding talking nonsense is the far shore. Covetousness is the near shore, and contentment is the far shore. Ill will is the near shore, and good will is the far shore. Wrong view is the near shore, and right view is the far shore. This is the near shore, and this is the far shore.
Seven verses
§2Few are those among humans who cross to the far shore. The rest just run around on the near shore. When the teaching is well explained, those who practice accordingly are the ones who will cross over Death’s dominion so hard to pass. Rid of dark qualities, an astute person should develop the bright. Leaving home behind for the seclusion so hard to enjoy, try to find satisfaction there, having left behind sensual pleasures. Owning nothing, an astute person should cleanse themselves of mental corruptions. And those whose minds are rightly developed in the awakening factors; letting go of attachments, they delight in not grasping. With defilements ended, brilliant, they are quenched in this world.”
Self-check quiz
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