Lawfulness of Progress

AN 10:2 Lawfulness of Progress

Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi

For one who is virtuous and endowed with virtue, there is no need for an act of will: “May non-remorse arise in me!” It is a natural law, monks, that non-remorse will arise in one who is virtuous.

For one free of remorse, there is no need for an act of will: “May gladness arise in me!” It is a natural law that gladness will arise in one who is free from remorse.

For one who is glad at heart, there is no need for an act of will: “May joy arise in me!” It is a natural law that joy will arise in one who is glad at heart.

For one who is joyful, there is no need for an act of will: “May my body be serene!” It is a natural law that the body will be serene for one who is joyful.

For one of serene body, there is no need for an act of will: “May I feel happiness!” It is a natural law that one who is serene will feel happiness.

For one who is happy, there is no need for an act of will: “May my mind be concentrated!” It is a natural law for one who is happy that the mind will be concentrated.

For one who is concentrated, there is no need for an act of will: “May I know and see things as they really are!” It is a natural law for one with a concentrated mind to know and see things as they really are.

For one who knows and see things as they really are, there is no need for an act of will: “May I experience revulsion and dispassion!” It is a natural law for one who knows and sees things as they really are to experience revulsion and dispassion.

For one who experiences revulsion and dispassion, there is no need for an act of will: “May I realise the knowledge and vision of liberation!” It is a natural law for one who experiences revulsion and dispassion to realise the knowledge and vision of liberation.

Thus, monks, revulsion and dispassion have knowledge and vision of liberation as their benefit and reward … (continued in conformity with the above, back to) … virtuous ways of conduct have non-remorse as their benefit and reward.

Thus, monks, the preceding qualities flow into the succeeding qualities; the succeeding qualities bring the preceding qualities to perfection, for going from the near shore to the far shore.