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The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha

Page 41

by Bhikkhu Nanamoli


  18. “Again, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. He sits pervading this body with a pure bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body unpervaded by the pure bright mind. Just as though a man were sitting covered from the head down with a white cloth, so that there would be no part of his whole [278] body unpervaded by the white cloth; so too, a bhikkhu sits pervading this body with a pure bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body unpervaded by the pure bright mind.

  (THE THREE TRUE KNOWLEDGES)

  19. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births…(as Sutta 4, §27)…Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. Just as a man might go from his own village to another village and then back again to his own village, he might think: ‘I went from my own village to that village, and there I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, spoke in such a way, kept silent in such a way; and from that village I went to that other village, and there I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, spoke in such a way, kept silent in such a way; and from that village I came back again to my own village.’ So too, a bhikkhu recollects his manifold past lives…Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives.

  20. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings…(as Sutta 4, §29) [279]…Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions. Just as though there were two houses with doors and a man with good sight standing there between them saw people entering the houses and coming out and passing to and fro, so too, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu sees beings passing away and reappearing…and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions.he understands how beings pass on according to their actions.

  21. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He understands as it actually is: ‘This is suffering’;…‘This is the origin of suffering’;…‘This is the cessation of suffering’;…‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’;…‘These are the taints’;…‘This is the origin of the taints’;…‘This is the cessation of the taints’;…‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.’

  “When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’

  “Just as if there were a lake in a mountain recess, clear, limpid, and undisturbed, so that a man with good sight standing on the bank could see shells, gravel, and pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about and resting, he might think: ‘There is this lake, clear, limpid, and undisturbed, and there are these [280] shells, gravel, and pebbles, and also these shoals of fish swimming about and resting.’ So too, a bhikkhu understands as it actually is: ‘This is suffering.’…He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’

  (THE ARAHANT)

  22. “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu such as this is called a recluse, a brahmin, one who has been washed, one who has attained to knowledge, a holy scholar, a noble one, an arahant.419

  23. “And how is a bhikkhu a recluse? He has quieted down evil unwholesome states that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and lead to future birth, ageing, and death. That is how a bhikkhu is a recluse.

  24. “And how is a bhikkhu a brahmin? He has expelled evil unwholesome states that defile…and lead to future birth, ageing, and death. That is how a bhikkhu is a brahmin.

  25. “And how is a bhikkhu one who has been washed?420 He has washed off evil unwholesome states that defile…and lead to future birth, ageing, and death. That is how a bhikkhu is one who has been washed.

  26. “And how is a bhikkhu one who has attained to knowledge? He has known evil unwholesome states that defile…and lead to future birth, ageing, and death. That is how a bhikkhu is one who has attained to knowledge.

  27. “And how is a bhikkhu a holy scholar?421 The evil unwholesome states that defile…and lead to future birth, ageing, and death, have streamed away from him. That is how a bhikkhu is a holy scholar.

  28. “And how is a bhikkhu a noble one? Evil unwholesome states that defile…and lead to future birth, ageing, and death, are far away from him. That is how a bhikkhu is a noble one.

  29. “And how is a bhikkhu an arahant? Evil unwholesome states that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and lead to future birth, ageing, and death, are far away from him. That is how a bhikkhu is an arahant.”

  That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

  Cūḷa-Assapura Sutta

  The Shorter Discourse at Assapura

  [281] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Angan country at a town of the Angans named Assapura. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

  2. “‘Recluses, recluses,’ bhikkhus, that is how people perceive you. And when you are asked, ‘What are you?’ you claim that you are recluses. Since that is what you are designated and what you claim to be, you should train thus: ‘We will practise the way proper to the recluse422 so that our designations may be true and our claims genuine, and so that the services of those whose robes, almsfood, resting place, and medicinal requisites we use shall bring them great fruit and benefit, and so that our going forth shall not be in vain but fruitful and fertile.’

  3. “How, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu not practise the way proper to the recluse? For so long as a bhikkhu who is covetous has not abandoned covetousness, who has a mind of ill will has not abandoned ill will, who is angry has not abandoned anger, who is resentful has not abandoned resentment, who is contemptuous has not abandoned contempt, who is insolent has not abandoned insolence, who is envious has not abandoned envy, who is avaricious has not abandoned avarice, who is fraudulent has not abandoned fraud, who is deceitful has not abandoned deceit, who has evil wishes has not abandoned evil wishes, who has wrong view has not abandoned wrong view,423 for so long he does not practise the way proper to the recluse, I say, because of his failure to abandon these stains for the recluse, these faults for the recluse, these dregs for the recluse, which are grounds for rebirth in a state of deprivation and whose results are to be experienced in an unhappy destination.

  4. “Suppose the weapon called a mataja, well whetted on both edges, were enclosed and encased in a patchwork sheath. I say that such a bhikkhu’s going forth is comparable to that.

  5. “I do not say that the recluse’s status comes about in a patchwork-cloak wearer through the mere wearing of the patchwork cloak, nor in a naked ascetic through mere nakedness, nor in one caked with dust and dirt through being caked with dust and dirt, nor in a ritualistic bather through mere ritualistic bathing, nor in a tree-root dweller through mere [282] dwelling at the root of a tree, nor in an open-air dweller through mere dwe
lling in the open air, nor in a practitioner of continuous standing through mere continuous standing, nor in a taker of food at stated intervals through mere taking of food at stated intervals, nor in a reciter of incantations through mere recitation of incantations; nor do I say that the recluse’s status comes about in a matted-hair ascetic through mere wearing of the hair matted.

  6. “Bhikkhus, if through the mere wearing of the patchwork cloak a patchwork-cloak wearer who was covetous abandoned covetousness, who had a mind of ill will abandoned ill will… who had wrong view abandoned wrong view, then his friends and companions, his kinsmen and relatives, would make him a patchwork-cloak wearer as soon as he was born and have him undertake the patchwork-cloak wearing thus: ‘Come, my dear, be a patchwork-cloak wearer so that, by the mere wearing of the patchwork-cloak, when you are covetous you will abandon covetousness, when you have a mind of ill will you will abandon ill will…when you have wrong view you will abandon wrong view.’ But I see here a patchwork-cloak wearer who is covetous, who has a mind of ill will…who has wrong view; and that is why I do not say that the recluse’s status comes about in a patchwork-cloak wearer through the mere wearing of the patchwork cloak.

  “If through mere nakedness a naked ascetic who was covetous abandoned covetousness…If through mere dust and dirt…If through mere ritualistic bathing…If through mere dwelling at the root of a tree…If through mere dwelling in the open air…If through mere continuous standing…If through mere taking of food at stated intervals…If through mere recitation of incantations…If through mere wearing of the hair matted…[283]…and that is why I do not say that the recluse’s status comes about in a matted-hair ascetic through the mere wearing of the hair matted.

  7. “How, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu practise the way proper to the recluse? When any bhikkhu who was covetous has abandoned covetousness, who had a mind of ill will has abandoned ill will, who was angry has abandoned anger, who was resentful has abandoned resentment, who was contemptuous has abandoned contempt, who was insolent has abandoned insolence, who was envious has abandoned envy, who was avaricious has abandoned avarice, who was fraudulent has abandoned fraud, who was deceitful has abandoned deceit, who had evil wishes has abandoned evil wishes, who had wrong view has abandoned wrong view, then he practises the way proper to the recluse, I say, because of his abandoning these stains for the recluse, these faults for the recluse, these dregs for the recluse, which are grounds for rebirth in a state of deprivation and whose results are to be experienced in an unhappy destination.

  8. “He sees himself purified of all these evil unwholesome states, he sees himself liberated from them. When he sees this, gladness is born in him. When he is glad, rapture is born in him; in one who is rapturous, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels pleasure; in one who feels pleasure, the mind becomes concentrated.

  9. “He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.

  10-12. “He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion…with a mind imbued with altruistic joy…with a mind imbued with equanimity…abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.

  13. “Suppose there were a pond with clear, agreeable cool water, transparent, with smooth banks, delightful. [284] If a man, scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came from the east or from the west or from the north or from the south or from where you will, having come upon the pond he would quench his thirst and his hot-weather fever. So too, bhikkhus, if anyone from a clan of nobles goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and after encountering the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, develops loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity, and thereby gains internal peace, then because of that internal peace he practises the way proper to the recluse, I say. And if anyone from a clan of brahmins goes forth…If anyone from a clan of merchants goes forth…If anyone from a clan of workers goes forth…If anyone from any clan goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and after encountering the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, develops loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity, and thereby gains internal peace, then because of that internal peace he practises the way proper to the recluse, I say.

  14. “Bhikkhus, if anyone from a clan of nobles goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and by realising for himself with direct knowledge here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints, then he is already a recluse because of the destruction of the taints.424 And if anyone from a clan of brahmins goes forth…If anyone from a clan of merchants goes forth…If anyone from a clan of workers goes forth…If anyone from any clan goes forth from the home life into homelessness, and by realising for himself with direct knowledge here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints, then he is already a recluse because of the destruction of the taints.”

  That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

  5

  The Shorter Division of Pairs

  (Cūḷayamakavagga)

  Sāleyyaka Sutta

  The Brahmins of Sālā

  [285] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering by stages in the Kosalan Country with a large Sangha of bhikkhus, and eventually he arrived at a Kosalan brahmin village named Sālā.

  2. The brahmin householders of Sālā heard: “The recluse Gotama, the son of the Sakyans who went forth from a Sakyan clan, has been wandering in the Kosalan country with a large Sangha of bhikkhus and has come to Sālā. Now a good report of Master Gotama has been spread to this effect: ‘That Blessed One is accomplished, fully enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed. He declares this world with its gods, its Māras, and its Brahmās, this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its princes and its people, which he has himself realised with direct knowledge. He teaches the Dhamma good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and he reveals a holy life that is utterly perfect and pure.’ Now it is good to see such arahants.”

  3. Then the brahmin householders of Sālā went to the Blessed One. Some paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down at one side; some exchanged greetings with him, and when this courteous and amiable talk was finished, sat down at one side; some extended their hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One and sat down at one side; some pronounced their name and clan in the Blessed One’s presence and sat down at one side; some kept silent and sat down at one side.

  4. When they were seated, they said to the Blessed One: “Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell? And what is the cause and condition why some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world?”

  5. “Householders, it is by reason of conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, by reason of unrighteous conduct that some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in states of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. It is by reason of conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, by reason of righteous conduct that some beings here, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world.” [286]

  6. “We do not understand the detailed meaning of M
aster Gotama’s utterance, which he has spoken in brief without expounding the detailed meaning. It would be good if Master Gotama would teach us the Dhamma so that we might understand the detailed meaning of his utterance.”

  “Then, householders, listen and attend closely to what I shall say.”

  “Yes, venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

  7. “Householders, there are three kinds of bodily conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct. There are four kinds of verbal conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct. There are three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct.

  8. “And how, householders, are there three kinds of bodily conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct? Here someone kills living beings; he is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. He takes what is not given; he takes by way of theft the wealth and property of others in the village or forest. He misconducts himself in sensual pleasures; he has intercourse with women who are protected by their mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, or relatives, who have a husband, who are protected by law, and even with those who are garlanded in token of betrothal. That is how there are three kinds of bodily conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct.

 

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