{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an10.86/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an10.86","id":"suttacentral_an10.86","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an10.86/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time Venerable Mah\u0101kassapa was staying near R\u0101jagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels\u2019 feeding ground. There he addressed the mendicants: \u201cReverends, mendicants!\u201d \u201cReverend,\u201d they replied. Venerable Mah\u0101kassapa said this: \u201cTake a mendicant who declares enlightenment: \u2018I understand: \u201cRebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u201d\u2019 They\u2019re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples who has the absorptions, and is skilled in attainments, in the minds of others, and in encompassing another\u2019s 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: \u2018Why does this venerable declare enlightenment, saying, \u201cI understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place\u2019\u201d?\u2019 They understand, \u2018This venerable overestimates themselves and takes that to be the truth. They perceive that they\u2019ve attained what they haven\u2019t attained, done what they haven\u2019t done, and achieved what they haven\u2019t achieved. And they declare enlightenment out of overestimation: \u201cI understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u2019\u201d\u2019 The Realized One or one of his disciples encompasses their mind and investigates: \u2018Why does this venerable overestimate themselves and take that to be the truth? Why do they perceive that they\u2019ve attained what they haven\u2019t attained, done what they haven\u2019t done, and achieved what they haven\u2019t achieved? And why do they declare enlightenment out of overestimation: \u201cI understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u2019\u201d\u2019 They understand, \u2018This venerable is very learned, remembering and keeping what they\u2019ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that\u2019s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically. Therefore this venerable overestimates themselves and takes that to be the truth. \u2026\u2019 They understand, \u2018This venerable is covetous, and often lives with a heart full of covetousness. But being full of covetousness means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One. This venerable has ill will \u2026 dullness and drowsiness \u2026 restlessness \u2026 doubt \u2026 This venerable relishes work. They love it and like to relish it \u2026 This venerable relishes talk \u2026 sleep \u2026 company \u2026 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.\u2019 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.\u201d","title":"Overestimation","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":529}