SN12.41 — The Discourse on the Five Dangers and Hostilities
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī.
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. While sitting to one side, the Blessed One said to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika:
When the noble disciple has calmed the five dangers and hostilities, is endowed with the four factors of stream-entry, and has clearly seen and thoroughly penetrated with wisdom the noble method, he may, if he wishes, declare of himself: I am one who has destroyed hell, destroyed the animal realm, destroyed the realm of ghosts, destroyed the plane of misery, the bad destinations, the lower realms; I am a stream-enterer, no longer subject to perdition, certain, bound for full awakening.
What are the five dangers and hostilities that are calmed?
Householder, when one kills living beings, because of killing living beings, one generates danger and hostility in this very life, and danger and hostility in the future life, and experiences mental pain and distress. For one who abstains from killing living beings, this danger and hostility is calmed.
Householder, when one takes what is not given, because of taking what is not given, one generates danger and hostility in this very life, and danger and hostility in the future life, and experiences mental pain and distress. For one who abstains from taking what is not given, this danger and hostility is calmed.
Householder, when one engages in sexual misconduct, because of engaging in sexual misconduct, one generates danger and hostility in this very life, and danger and hostility in the future life, and experiences mental pain and distress. For one who abstains from sexual misconduct, this danger and hostility is calmed.
Householder, when one speaks falsely, because of speaking falsely, one generates danger and hostility in this very life, and danger and hostility in the future life, and experiences mental pain and distress. For one who abstains from speaking falsely, this danger and hostility is calmed.
Householder, when one indulges in intoxicants that cause heedlessness, because of indulging in intoxicants that cause heedlessness, one generates danger and hostility in this very life, and danger and hostility in the future life, and experiences mental pain and distress. For one who abstains from intoxicants that cause heedlessness, this danger and hostility is calmed.
These are the five dangers and hostilities that are calmed.
With what four factors of stream-entry is one endowed?
Here a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha: The Blessed One is indeed the worthy one, the perfectly enlightened one, accomplished in true knowing and conduct, the well-gone one, the knower of the worlds, the incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, the teacher of gods and humans, the enlightened one, the blessed one.
He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Dhamma: The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, visible here and now, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading onwards, to be personally experienced by the wise.
He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Sangha: The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the straight way, practicing the true way, practicing the proper way, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
He is endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unblotched, liberating, praised by the wise, not misapprehended, leading to concentration.
He is endowed with these four factors of stream-entry.
And what is the noble method that is seen and penetrated by wisdom?
Here a noble disciple carefully and wisely attends to dependent origination itself: When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases. That is, with ignorance as condition, formations arise; with formations as condition, consciousness arises... and so on... thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of formations; with the cessation of formations, the cessation of consciousness... and so on... thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
This is the noble method that is seen and penetrated by wisdom.
When a noble disciple has calmed these five fears and hostilities, is endowed with these four factors of stream-entry, and has seen and penetrated this noble method by wisdom, he could, if he wished, declare of himself: I am one who has destroyed hell, destroyed the animal realm, destroyed the realm of ghosts, destroyed the plane of misery, the bad destinations, the lower realms. I am a stream-enterer, no longer subject to rebirth in the lower realms, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as my destination.