The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha
Page 72
10. “What are unwholesome habits? They are unwholesome bodily actions, unwholesome verbal actions, and evil livelihood. These are called unwholesome habits.
“And what do these unwholesome habits originate from? Their origin is stated: they should be said to originate from mind. What mind? Though mind is multiple, varied, and of different aspects, there is mind affected by lust, by hate, and by delusion. Unwholesome habits originate from this.
“And where do these unwholesome habits cease without remainder? Their cessation is stated: here a bhikkhu abandons bodily misconduct and develops good bodily conduct; he abandons verbal misconduct and develops good verbal conduct; he abandons mental misconduct and develops good mental conduct; he abandons wrong livelihood and gains a living by right livelihood. 773 It is here that unwholesome habits cease without remainder.
“And how practising does he practise the way to the cessation of unwholesome habits? Here a bhikkhu awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. He awakens zeal for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states…He awakens zeal for the arising of unarisen wholesome states…He awakens zeal for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfilment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. [27] One so practising practises the way to the cessation of unwholesome habits.774
11. “What are wholesome habits? They are wholesome bodily actions, wholesome verbal actions, and purification of livelihood. These are called wholesome habits.
“And what do these wholesome habits originate from? Their origin is stated: they should be said to originate from mind. What mind? Though mind is multiple, varied, and of different aspects, there is mind unaffected by lust, by hate, or by delusion. Wholesome habits originate from this.
“And where do these wholesome habits cease without remainder? Their cessation is stated: here a bhikkhu is virtuous, but he does not identify with his virtue, and he understands as it actually is that deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom where these wholesome habits cease without remainder.775
“And how practising does he practise the way to the cessation of wholesome habits? Here a bhikkhu awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states…for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfilment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. One so practising practises the way to the cessation of wholesome habits.776
12. “What are unwholesome intentions? They are the intention of sensual desire, the intention of ill will, and the intention of cruelty. These are called unwholesome intentions.
“And what do these unwholesome intentions originate from? Their origin is stated: they should be said to originate from perception. What perception? Though perception is multiple, varied, and of different aspects, there is perception of sensual desire, perception of ill will, and perception of cruelty. Unwholesome intentions originate from this.
“And where do these unwholesome intentions cease without remainder? Their cessation is stated: here, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from [28] unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. It is here that unwholesome intentions cease without remainder .777
“And how practising does he practise the way to the cessation of unwholesome intentions? Here a bhikkhu awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states…for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfilment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. One so practising practises the way to the cessation of unwholesome intentions.778
13. “What are wholesome intentions? They are the intention of renunciation, the intention of non-ill will, and the intention of non-cruelty. These are called wholesome intentions.
“And what do these wholesome intentions originate from? Their origin is stated: they should be said to originate from perception. What perception? Though perception is multiple, varied, and of different aspects, there is perception of renunciation, perception of non-ill will, and perception of non-cruelty. Wholesome intentions originate from this.
“And where do these wholesome intentions cease without remainder? Their cessation is stated: here with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhāna, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind without applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. It is here that these wholesome intentions cease without remainder.779
“And how practising does he practise the way to the cessation of wholesome intentions? Here a bhikkhu awakens zeal for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome states…for the continuance, non-disappearance, strengthening, increase, and fulfilment by development of arisen wholesome states, and he makes effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives. One so practising practises the way to the cessation of wholesome intentions.780
14. “Now, carpenter, when a man possesses what ten qualities [29] do I describe him as accomplished in what is wholesome, perfected in what is wholesome, an ascetic invincible attained to the supreme attainment? Here a bhikkhu possesses the right view of one beyond training,781 the right intention of one beyond training, the right speech of one beyond training, the right action of one beyond training, the right livelihood of one beyond training, the right effort of one beyond training, the right mindfulness of one beyond training, the right concentration of one beyond training, the right knowledge of one beyond training, and the right deliverance of one beyond training. When a man possesses these ten qualities, I describe him as accomplished in what is wholesome, perfected in what is wholesome, an ascetic invincible attained to the supreme attainment.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The carpenter Pañcakanga was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Cūḷasakuludāyi Sutta
The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludāyin
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Now on that occasion the wanderer Sakuludāyin was staying in the Peacocks’ Sanctuary, the wanderers’ park, with a large assembly of wanderers.
2. Then, when it was morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went to Rājagaha for alms. Then he thought: “It is still too early to wander for alms in Rājagaha. Suppose I went to the wanderer Sakuludāyin in the Peacocks’ Sanctuary, the wanderers’ park.”
3–4. Then the Blessed One went to the Peacocks’ Sanctuary, thewanderers’park. Now on that occasion the wanderer Sakuludāyin was seated with a large assembly of wanderers who were making an uproar…(as Sutta 77, §§4–5) [30]…“For what discussion are you sitting together here now, Udāyin? And what was your discussion that was interrupted?”
5. “Venerable sir, let be the discussion for which we are now sitting together here. The Blessed One can well hear about it later. Venerable sir, when I do not come to this assembly, then it sits talking many kinds of pointless talk. But when I have come to this assembly, then it sits looking up to me, thinking: ‘We shall hear the Dhamma that the recluse Udāyin will expound to us.’ However, when [31] the Blessed One comes, then both I and this assembly sit looking up to the Blessed One, thinking: ‘We shall hear the Dhamma that the Blessed one will expound to us.’”
6. “Then, Udāyin, suggest something that I should speak about.”
“Venerable sir, in recent days there was one claiming to be omniscient and all-seeing, to have complete knowledge and vision thus: ‘Whether I am walking or standing or sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision are continuously and uninterruptedly present to me.’ When I asked him a question about the past, he prevaricated, led the talk asi
de, and showed anger, hate, and bitterness. Then rapture regarding the Blessed One arose in me thus: ‘Ah, surely it is the Blessed One, surely it is the Sublime One who is skilled in these things.’”
“But, Udāyin, who was it that claimed to be omniscient and allseeing…yet when asked a question by you about the past, prevaricated, led the talk aside, and showed anger, hate, and bitterness?”
“It was the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, venerable sir.”
7. “Udāyin, if someone should recollect his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births…thus, with their aspects and particulars, should he recollect his manifold past lives, then either he might ask me a question about the past or I might ask him a question about the past, and he might satisfy my mind with his answer to my question or I might satisfy his mind with my answer to his question. If someone with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, should see beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate…and understand how beings pass on according to their actions, then either he might ask me a question about the future [32] or I might ask him a question about the future, and he might satisfy my mind with his answer to my question or I might satisfy his mind with my answer to his question. But let be the past, Udāyin, let be the future. I shall teach you the Dhamma: 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.”782
8. “Venerable sir, I cannot even recollect with their aspects and particulars all that I have experienced within this present existence, so how should I recollect my manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births…with their aspects and particulars, as the Blessed One does? And I cannot now even see a mud-goblin, so how should I with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, see beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate…and understand how beings pass on according to their actions, as the Blessed One does? But, venerable sir, when the Blessed One told me: ‘But let be the past, Udāyin, let be the future. I shall teach you the Dhamma: 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 even more unclear to me. Perhaps, venerable sir, I might satisfy the Blessed One’s mind by answering a question about our own teachers’ doctrine.”
9. “Well, Udāyin, what is taught in your own teachers’ doctrine?”
“Venerable sir, it is taught that in our own teachers’ doctrine: ‘This is the perfect splendour, this is the perfect splendour!’”
“But, Udāyin, since it is taught in your own teachers’ doctrine: ‘This is the perfect splendour, this is the perfect splendour!’—what is that perfect splendour?”
“Venerable sir, that splendour is the perfect splendour which is unsurpassed by any other splendour higher or more sublime.”
“But, Udāyin, what is that splendour which is unsurpassed by any other splendour higher or more sublime?” [33]
“Venerable sir, that splendour is the perfect splendour which is unsurpassed by any other splendour higher or more sublime.”
10. “Udāyin, you might continue for a long time in this way. You say: ‘Venerable sir, that splendour is the perfect splendour which is unsurpassed by any other splendour higher or more sublime,’ yet you do not indicate what that splendour is. Suppose a man were to say: ‘I am in love with the most beautiful girl in this country.’ Then they would ask him: ‘Good man, that most beautiful girl in this country with whom you are in love—do you know whether she is from the noble class or the brahmin class or the merchant class or the worker class?’ and he would reply: ‘No.’ Then they would ask him: ‘Good man, that most beautiful girl in this country with whom you are in love—do you know her name and clan?…Whether she is tall or short or of middle height?…Whether she is dark or brown or golden-skinned? …What village or town or city she lives in?’ and he would reply: ‘No.’ And then they would ask him: ‘Good man, do you then love a girl you have never known or seen?’ and he would reply: ‘Yes.’ What do you think, Udāyin, that being so, would not that man’s talk amount to nonsense?”
“Surely, venerable sir, that being so, that man’s talk would amount to nonsense.”
“But in the same way, Udāyin, you say thus: ‘That splendour is the perfect splendour which is unsurpassed by any other splendour higher or more sublime,’ yet you do not indicate what that splendour is.”
11. “Venerable sir, just as a beautiful beryl gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, lying on red brocade, glows, radiates, and shines, of such splendour is the self [surviving] unimpaired after death.”783
12. “What do you think, Udāyin? This beautiful beryl gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, lying on red brocade, [34] which glows, radiates, and shines, or a glowworm in the thick darkness of the night—of these two, which gives off the splendour that is more excellent and sublime?”—“The glowworm in the thick darkness of the night, venerable sir.”
13. “What do you think, Udāyin? This glowworm in the thick darkness of the night or an oil-lamp in the thick darkness of the night—of these two, which gives off the splendour that is more excellent and sublime?”—“The oil-lamp, venerable sir.”
14. “What do you think, Udāyin? This oil-lamp in the thick darkness of the night or a great bonfire in the thick darkness of the night—of these two, which gives off the splendour that is more excellent and sublime?”—“The great bonfire, venerable sir.”
15. “What do you think, Udāyin? This great bonfire in the thick darkness of the night or the morning star towards dawn in a clear cloudless sky—of these two, which gives off the splendour that is more excellent and sublime?”—“The morning star towards dawn in a clear cloudless sky, venerable sir.”
16. “What do you think, Udāyin? The morning star towards dawn in a clear cloudless sky or the full moon at midnight in a clear cloudless sky on the Uposatha day of the fifteenth—of these two, which gives off the splendour that is more excellent and sublime?”—“The full moon at midnight in a clear cloudless sky on the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, venerable sir.” [35]
17. “What do you think, Udāyin? The full moon at midnight in a clear cloudless sky on the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, or the full disk of the sun at midday in a clear cloudless sky in autumn in the last month of the rainy season—of these two, which gives off the splendour that is more excellent and sublime?”—“The full disk of the sun at midday in a clear cloudless sky in autumn in the last month of the rainy season, venerable sir.”
18. “Beyond this, Udāyin, I know of very many gods [whose splendour] the radiance of the sun and moon does not match, yet I do not say that there is no other splendour higher or more sublime than that splendour. But you, Udāyin, say of that splendour which is lower and meaner than a glowworm’s: ‘This is the perfect splendour,’ yet you do not indicate what that splendour is.”
19. “The Blessed One has terminated the discussion; the Sublime One has terminated the discussion.”
“But, Udāyin, why do you say that?”
“Venerable sir, it is taught in our own teachers’ doctrine: ‘This is the perfect splendour, this is the perfect splendour.’ But on being pressed and questioned and cross-questioned about our own teachers’ doctrine by the Blessed One, we are found empty, hollow, and mistaken.”
20. “How is it, Udāyin, is there an exclusively pleasant world? Is there a practical way to realise an exclusively pleasant world?”
“Venerable sir, it is taught in our own teachers’ doctrine: ‘There is an exclusively pleasant world; there is a practical way to realise an exclusively pleasant world.’”
21. “But, Udāyin, what is that practical way to realise an exclusively pleasant world?”
“Here, venerable sir, abandoning the killing of living beings, someone abstains from killing
living beings; abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given; abandoning misconduct in sensual pleasures, he abstains from misconduct in sensual pleasures; [36] abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech; or else he undertakes and practises some kind of asceticism. This is the practical way to realise an exclusively pleasant world.”