{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an3.40/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an3.40","id":"suttacentral_an3.40","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an3.40/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"\u201cThere are, mendicants, these three things to put in charge. What three? Putting oneself, the world, or the teaching in charge. And what, mendicants, is putting oneself in charge? It\u2019s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: \u2018I didn\u2019t 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, \u201cHopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.\u201d But it would not be appropriate for me to seek sensual pleasures like those I abandoned when I went forth, or even worse.\u2019 Then they reflect: \u2018My 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 sam\u0101dhi.\u2019 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. And what, mendicants, is putting the world in charge? It\u2019s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: \u2018I didn\u2019t 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, \u201cHopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.\u201d And now, since I\u2019ve 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\u2014they\u2019re 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: \u201cLook at this gentleman; he\u2019s gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but he\u2019s living mixed up with bad, unskillful qualities.\u201d And there are deities, too, who have psychic power\u2014they\u2019re 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: \u201cLook at this gentleman; he\u2019s gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, but he\u2019s living mixed up with bad, unskillful qualities.\u201d\u2019 Then they reflect: \u2018My 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 sam\u0101dhi.\u2019 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. And what, mendicants, is putting the teaching in charge? It\u2019s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: \u2018I didn\u2019t 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, \u201cHopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.\u201d The teaching is well explained by the Buddha\u2014apparent 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\u2019ve gone forth in this well explained teaching and training, it would not be appropriate for me to live lazy and heedless.\u2019 Then they reflect: \u2018My 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 sam\u0101dhi.\u2019 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. These are the three things to put in charge. There\u2019s no privacy in the world, for someone who does bad deeds. You\u2019ll know for yourself, whether you\u2019ve lied or told the truth. When you witness your good self, you despise it; while you disguise your bad self inside yourself. 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\u2019t deteriorate. M\u0101ra\u2019s conquered; the terminator\u2019s overcome: one who strives reaches the end of rebirth. Unaffected, intelligent, knowing the world\u2014 that sage is determined by nothing at all.\u201d","title":"In Charge","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":878}