AN 9.30, AN 10.80 Buddha seems to be telling you to commit a crime of omission

 Why does this sutta make no sense?

Because it involves all 3 times, past, present, and future.

If it were only past events of harm, then of course it makes sense for a person to NOT attempt to get involved physically or emotionally in a situation that has already happened.

But if something harmful were being done right now in the present, 

or one knew that harm was actively being prepared to act upon in near future,

the sutta seems to suggest inaction, apathy, to do nothing to interfere or warn others of danger.

Even in worldly Dhamma for a civilized society, 

it's considered a "crime of omission" 

to do nothing to help if one is aware there is harm being done to someone in the present or near future.

AN 9.30  and AN 10.80 the Buddha seems to be telling you to commit a crime of omission,

simply to selfishly rid your mind of thoughts of resentment. 

If we follow the sutta instructions, 

the Buddha seems to be saying,

do nothing while a victim is being mugged at gunpoint by two assailants.

Anattha = harm

anattha: masc. harm; misfortune; damage; injury; hurt [na + √ar + tha] ✓

kutettha

sandhi. how in this matter?; what in this regard?; lit. from where here [kuto + ettha] ✓

sutta (on removing resentment)  makes no sense.

Even assuming the suttas are only talking about monastics, and their relationship to each other,
are you really supposed to stand by and do absolutely nothing 
while they are are actively harming you or your fellow monastics?

AN 10.80 is same as AN 9.30 with one addition.

AN 10.80 Āghātapaṭivinaya: Getting Rid of Resentment (Sujato trans.)

80. Āghātapaṭivinayasutta	80. Getting Rid of Resentment
“Dasayime, bhikkhave, āghātapaṭivinayā.	“monks, there are these ten methods to get rid of resentment.
Katame dasa?	What ten?
‘Anatthaṃ me acari, taṃ kutettha labbhā’ti āghātaṃ paṭivineti,	Thinking: ‘They harmed me, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment.
‘anatthaṃ me carati, taṃ kutettha labbhā’ti āghātaṃ paṭivineti,	Thinking: ‘They are harming me …’ …
‘anatthaṃ me carissati, taṃ kutettha labbhā’ti āghātaṃ paṭivineti,	‘They will harm me …’ …
piyassa me manāpassa anatthaṃ acari … pe …	‘They harmed someone I love …’ …
carati … pe …	‘They are harming someone I love …’
carissati, taṃ kutettha labbhāti āghātaṃ paṭivineti, appiyassa me amanāpassa atthaṃ acari … pe …	‘They will harm someone I love …’ … They helped someone I dislike …’ …
atthaṃ carati … pe …	‘They are helping someone I dislike …’ …
atthaṃ carissati, taṃ kutettha labbhāti āghātaṃ paṭivineti,	Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment.
aṭṭhāne ca na kuppati—	And you don’t get angry for no reason.
ime kho, bhikkhave, dasa āghātapaṭivinayā”ti.	These are the ten ways of getting rid of resentment.”

(B. Bodhi trans.)

AN 9.29 gives context for AN 9.30

9.29 – AN 9.29 (9) Resentment (1)

“Bhikkhus, there are these nine grounds for resentment.
What nine?
(1) [Thinking:
] ‘He acted for my harm,’ one harbors resentment.
(2) [Thinking:
] ‘He is acting for my harm,’ one harbors resentment.
(3) [Thinking:
] ‘He will act for my harm,’ one harbors resentment.
(4) [Thinking:
] ‘He acted for the harm of one pleasing and agreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment.
(5) [Thinking:
] ‘He is acting for the harm of one pleasing and agreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment.
(6) [Thinking:
] ‘He will act for the harm of one pleasing and agreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment.
(7) [Thinking:
] ‘He acted for the benefit of one displeasing and disagreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment.
(8) [Thinking:
] ‘He is acting for the benefit of one displeasing and disagreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment.
(9) [Thinking:
] ‘He will act for the benefit of one displeasing and disagreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment.
These, bhikkhus, are the nine grounds for resentment.”

9.30 – AN 9.30 (10) Resentment (2)

“Bhikkhus, there are these nine ways of removing resentment.
What nine?
(1) [Thinking:
] ‘He acted for my harm, but what can be done about it?’
1899 one removes resentment.
(2) [Thinking:
] ‘He is acting for my harm, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
(3) [Thinking:
] ‘He will act for my harm, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
(4) [Thinking:
] ‘He acted for the harm of one who is pleasing and agreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
(5) [Thinking:
] ‘He is acting for the harm of one who is pleasing and agreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
[409] (6) [Thinking:
] ‘He will act for the harm of one who is pleasing and agreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment (7) [Thinking:
] ‘He acted for the benefit of one who is displeasing and disagreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
(8) [Thinking:
] ‘He is acting for the benefit of one who is displeasing and disagreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
(9) [Thinking:
] ‘He will act for the benefit of one who is displeasing and disagreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’
one removes resentment.
These, bhikkhus, are the nine ways of removing resentment.”

(Thanissaro trans.)

Hatred, Āghāta Sutta  (AN 10:80)

“There are these ten ways of subduing hatred. Which ten?

[1] “Thinking, ‘He has done me harm. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[2] “Thinking, ‘He is doing me harm. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[3] “Thinking, ‘He is going to do me harm. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[4] “Thinking, ‘He has done harm to people who are dear & pleasing to me. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[5] “Thinking, ‘He is doing harm to people who are dear & pleasing to me. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[6] “Thinking, ‘He is going to do harm to people who are dear & pleasing to me. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[7] “Thinking, ‘He has aided people who are not dear or pleasing to me. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[8] “Thinking, ‘He is aiding people who are not dear or pleasing to me. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[9] “Thinking, ‘He is going to aid people who are not dear or pleasing to me. But what should I expect?’ one subdues hatred.

[10] “One does not get worked up over impossibilities.

“These are ten ways of subduing hatred.”

Commentary and Subcommentary

AN 9.30 MA

Aṅguttara Nikāya
,
navakanipāta-aṭṭhakathā
,
1. paṭhamapaṇṇāsakaṃ
,
3. sattāvāsavaggo
n
,
10-11. āghātapaṭivinayasuttādivaṇṇanā
♦ 30-31. dasame āghātapaṭivinayāti āghātassa paṭivinayakāraṇāni.
taṃ kutettha labbhāti “taṃ anatthacaraṇaṃ mā ahosī”ti etasmiṃ puggale kuto labbhā, kena kāraṇena sakkā laddhuṃ, “paro nāma parassa attano cittaruciyā anatthaṃ karotī”ti evaṃ cintetvā āghātaṃ paṭivineti.
atha vā sacāhaṃ kopaṃ kareyyaṃ, taṃ kopakaraṇaṃ ettha puggale kuto labbhā, kena kāraṇena laddhabbanti attho.
kuto lābhātipi pāṭho.
sacāhaṃ ettha kopaṃ kareyyaṃ, tasmiṃ me kopakaraṇe kuto lābhā lābhā, nāma ke siyunti attho.
imasmiñca atthe tanti nipātamattameva hoti.
ekādasame anupubbanirodhāti anupaṭipāṭinirodhā.
sesaṃ sabbattha uttānatthamevāti.

♦ sattāvāsavaggo tatiyo.

AN 9.30 tika

Aṅguttara Nikāya
,
Navakanipāta-ṭīkā
,
1. Paṭhamapaṇṇāsakaṃ
,
3. Sattāvāsavaggo
,
10. Āghātapaṭivinayasuttavaṇṇanā
♦ 30. Dasame taṃ kutettha labbhāti ettha tanti kiriyāparāmasanaṃ.
Padajjhāhārena ca attho veditabboti ‘‘taṃ anatthacaraṇaṃ mā ahosī’ ’tiādimāha.
Kena kāraṇena laddhabbaṃ niratthakabhāvato.
Kammassakā hi sattā.
Te kassa ruciyā dukkhitā sukhitā vā bhavanti, tasmā kevalaṃ tasmiṃ mayhaṃ anatthacaraṇaṃ, taṃ kutettha labbhāti adhippāyo.
Atha vā taṃ kopakāraṇaṃ ettha puggale kuto labbhā paramatthato kujjhitabbassa kujjhanakassa ca abhāvato.
Saṅkhāramattañhetaṃ, yadidaṃ khandhapañcakaṃ yaṃ ‘‘satto’ti vuccati, te saṅkhārā ittarakhaṇikā, kassa ko kujjhatīti attho.
Lābhā nāma ke siyuṃ aññatra anatthuppattito.

♦ Āghātapaṭivinayasuttavaṇṇanā niṭṭhitā.

SN 8.1 for example of how 'kutettha' is used

Atha kho sambahulā itthiyo samalaṅkaritvā yena aggāḷavako ārāmo tenupasaṅkamiṃsu vihārapekkhikāyo.	Then several women dressed in all their finery went to the monastery at Aggāḷava in order to inspect the dwelling.
Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa tā itthiyo disvā anabhirati uppajjati, rāgo cittaṃ anuddhaṃseti.	When Vaṅgīsa saw them he became dissatisfied, with lust infecting his mind.
Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:	Then he thought:
“alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṃ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṃ;	“It’s my loss, my misfortune,
yassa me anabhirati uppannā, rāgo cittaṃ anuddhaṃseti, taṃ kutettha labbhā, yaṃ me paro anabhiratiṃ vinodetvā abhiratiṃ uppādeyya.	that I’ve become dissatisfied, with lust infecting my mind. How is it possible for someone else to dispel my discontent and give rise to satisfaction?
Yannūnāhaṃ attanāva attano anabhiratiṃ vinodetvā abhiratiṃ uppādeyyan”ti.	Why don’t I do it myself?”

Possible explanations (to make sense of sutta)

1.  Now if the "harm" is only from hearing harsh speech which makes one unhappy,

for example person A speaking vocally to attempt to (verbally) "harm" person B,

I could see how that would warrant dismissing it with something like,

  "That's to be expected, what can I do, person A has strong defilements and has problems with malicious speech." 

But that's making a lot of assumptions to make this narrow interpretation.

Nothing in the sutta suggests "harm" can not be delivered from speech, body, or mind (for those with psychic powers),

"harm" that could deliver severe injury or death. 

 

My solution, a new translation

AN 9.30, AN 10.80: a new translation that eliminates misunderstanding