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### Anguttara Nikaya X.17

# Natha Sutta

# Protectors

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

"Live with a protector, monks, and not without a protector. He suffers, one who lives without a protector. And these ten are qualities creating a protector. Which ten?

"There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. And the fact that he is virtuous... seeing danger in the slightest faults, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk has heard much, has retained what he has heard, has stored what he has heard. Whatever teachings are admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end, that -- in their meaning & expression -- proclaim the holy life that is entirely complete & pure: those he has listened to often, retained, discussed, accumulated, examined with his mind, & well-penetrated in terms of his views. And the fact that he has heard much... well-penetrated in terms of his views, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk has admirable friends, admirable comrades, admirable companions. And the fact that he has admirable friends, admirable comrades, admirable companions is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk is easy to speak to, endowed with qualities that make him easy to speak to, patient, respectful to instruction. And the fact that he is easy to speak to... respectful to instruction, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk is adept at the various affairs involving his fellows in the holy life; is vigorous, quick-witted in the techniques involved in them, is up to doing them or arranging to get them done. And the fact that he is adept at... doing them or arranging to get them done is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk is one who desires the Dhamma, endearing in his conversation, greatly rejoicing in the higher Dhamma & higher Discipline. And the fact that he is one who desires the Dhamma, endearing in his conversation, greatly rejoicing in the higher Dhamma & higher Discipline, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful qualities and for taking on skillful qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful qualities. And the fact that he keeps his persistence aroused... not shirking his duties with regard to skillful qualities, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk is content with any old robe cloth at all, any old alms food, any old lodging, any old medicinal requisites for curing sickness at all. And the fact that he is content with any old robe cloth at all, any old alms food, any old lodging, any old medicinal requisites for curing sickness at all, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk is mindful, highly meticulous, remembering & able to call to mind even things that were done & said long ago. And the fact that he is mindful, highly meticulous, remembering & able to call to mind even things that were done & said long ago, is a quality creating a protector.

"Then again, the monk is discerning, endowed with discernment of arising & passing away -- noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress. And the fact that the monk is discerning, endowed with discernment of arising & passing away -- noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress, is a quality creating a protector.

"Live with a protector, monks, and not without a protector. He suffers, one who lives without a protector. These are the ten qualities creating a protector."

Revised: Mon 10 September 2001