15. (vi) “If anyone says, ‘The mind is self,’ that is not tenable. The rise and fall of the mind are discerned, and since its rise and fall are discerned, it would follow: ‘My self rises and falls.’ That is why it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘The mind is self.’ Thus the mind is not self.
“If anyone says, ‘Mind-objects are self,’…‘Mind-consciousness is self,’…‘Mind-contact is self,’…‘Feeling is self,’…[284]… ‘Craving is self’…That is why it is not tenable for anyone to say, ‘Craving is self.’ Thus the mind is not self, mind-objects are not self, mind-consciousness is not self, mind-contact is not self, feeling is not self, craving is not self.
(THE ORIGINATION OF IDENTITY)
16. “Now, bhikkhus, this is the way leading to the origination of identity.1333 (i) One regards the eye thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ One regards forms thus…One regards eye-consciousness thus...One regards eye-contact thus...One regards feeling thus...One regards craving thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’
17–21. (ii–vi) “One regards the ear thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’…One regards the nose thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’…One regards the tongue thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’…One regards the body thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’…One regards the mind thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ One regards mind-objects thus…One regards mind-consciousness thus…One regards mind-contact thus…One regards feeling thus…One regards craving thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’
(THE CESSATION OF IDENTITY)
22. “Now, bhikkhus, this is the way leading to the cessation of identity.1334 (i) One regards the eye thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ One regards forms thus…One regards eye-consciousness thus...One regards eye-contact thus…One regards feeling thus…One regards craving thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
23–27. (ii–vi) “One regards the ear thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’…One regards the nose thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’…One regards the tongue thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’…One regards the body thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’…One regards the mind thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ One regards mind-objects thus…One regards mind-consciousness thus…One regards mind-contact thus…One regards feeling [285] thus…One regards craving thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
(THE UNDERLYING TENDENCIES)
28. (i) “Bhikkhus, dependent on the eye and forms,1335 eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant feeling, if one delights in it, welcomes it, and remains holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust lies within one. When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one sorrows, grieves and laments, weeps beating one’s breast and becomes distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion lies within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, if one does not understand as it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance lies within one. Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering without abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feeling, without abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful feeling, without extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, without abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge1336—this is impossible.
29–33. (ii–vi) “Bhikkhus, dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises…Dependent on the mind and mind-objects, mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant…Bhikkhus, that one should here and now make an end of suffering without abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feeling…without abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge—this is impossible. [286]
(THE ABANDONMENT OF THE UNDERLYING TENDENCIES)
34. (i) “Bhikkhus, dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remain holding to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within one. When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one does not sorrow, grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and become distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, if one understands as it actually is the origination, the disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard to that feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie within one. Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feeling, by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards painful feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, by abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge—this is possible.
35–39. (ii–vi) “Bhikkhus, dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises…Dependent on the mind and mind-objects, mind-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there arises [a feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant…Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant feeling…by abandoning ignorance and arousing true knowledge—this is possible.
(LIBERATION)
40. “Seeing thus, bhikkhus, a well-taught noble disciple becomes disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with eye-consciousness, disenchanted with eye-contact, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with craving.
“He becomes disenchanted with the ear…He becomes disenchanted with the nose…He becomes disenchanted with the tongue...Hebecomes disenchanted with the body...He becomes disenchanted with the mind, disenchanted with mind-objects, disenchanted with mind-consciousness, disenchanted with mind-contact, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with craving.
41. “Being disenchanted, [287] he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion [his mind] is liberated. 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.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words. Now while this discourse was being spoken, through not clinging the minds of sixty bhikkhus were liberated from the taints.1337
Mahāsaḷāyatanika Sutta
The Great Sixfold Base
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:
2. “Bhikkhus, I shall teach you a discourse on the great sixfold base. Listen and attend closely to what I shall say.”—“Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
3. “Bhikkhus, when one does not know and see the eye as it actually is,1338 when one does not know and see forms as they actually are, when one does not know and see eye-consciousness as it actually is, when one does not know and see eye-contact as it actually is, when one does not know and see as it actually is [the feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-conta
ct as condition, then one is inflamed by lust for the eye, for forms, for eye-consciousness, for eye-contact, for [the feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact as condition.
“When one abides inflamed by lust, fettered, infatuated, contemplating gratification, then the five aggregates affected by clinging are built up for oneself in the future;1339 and one’s craving—which brings renewal of being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delights in this and that—increases. One’s bodily and [288] mental troubles increase, one’s bodily and mental torments increase, one’s bodily and mental fevers increase, and one experiences bodily and mental suffering.
4–8. “When one does not know and see the ear as it actually is…When one does not know and see the nose as it actually is…When one does not know and see the tongue as it actually is…When one does not know and see the body as it actually is… When one does not know and see the mind as it actually is…one experiences bodily and mental suffering.
9. “Bhikkhus, when one knows and sees the eye as it actually is,1340 when one knows and sees forms as they actually are, when one knows and sees eye-consciousness as it actually is, when one knows and sees eye-contact as it actually is, when one knows and sees as it actually is [the feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact as condition, then one is not inflamed by lust for the eye, for forms, for eye-consciousness, for eye-contact, for [the feeling] felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact as condition.
“When one abides uninflamed by lust, unfettered, uninfatuated, contemplating danger, then the five aggregates affected by clinging are diminished for oneself in the future; and one’s craving—which brings renewal of being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delights in this or that—is abandoned. One’s bodily and mental troubles are abandoned, one’s bodily and mental torments are abandoned, one’s bodily and mental fevers are abandoned, [289] and one experiences bodily and mental pleasure.
10. “The view of a person such as this is right view. His intention is right intention, his effort is right effort, his mindfulness is right mindfulness, his concentration is right concentration. But his bodily action, his verbal action, and his livelihood have already been well purified earlier.1341 Thus this Noble Eightfold Path comes to fulfilment in him by development. When he develops this Noble Eightfold Path, the four foundations of mindfulness also come to fulfilment in him by development; the four right kinds of striving also come to fulfilment in him by development; the four bases for spiritual power also come to fulfilment in him by development; the five faculties also come to fulfilment in him by development; the five powers also come to fulfilment in him by development; the seven enlightenment factors also come to fulfilment in him by development. These two things—serenity and insight—occur in him yoked evenly together.1342 He fully understands by direct knowledge those things that should be fully understood by direct knowledge. He abandons by direct knowledge those things that should be abandoned by direct knowledge. He develops by direct knowledge those things that should be developed by direct knowledge. He realises by direct knowledge those things that should be realised by direct knowledge.1343
11. “And what things should be fully understood by direct knowledge? The answer to that is: the five aggregates affected by clinging, that is, the material form aggregate affected by clinging, the feeling aggregate affected by clinging, the perception aggregate affected by clinging, the formations aggregate affected by clinging, the consciousness aggregate affected by clinging. These are the things that should be fully understood by direct knowledge.
“And what things should be abandoned by direct knowledge? Ignorance and craving for being. These are the things that should be abandoned by direct knowledge.
“And what things should be developed by direct knowledge? Serenity and insight.1344 These are the things that should be developed by direct knowledge. [290]
“And what things should be realised by direct knowledge? True knowledge and deliverance.1345 These are the things that should be realised by direct knowledge.
12–14. “When one knows and sees the ear as it actually is… These are the things that should be realised by direct knowledge.1346
15–17. “When one knows and sees the nose as it actually is… These are the things that should be realised by direct knowledge.
18–20. “When one knows and sees the tongue as it actually is...These are the things that should be realised by direct knowledge.
21–23. “When one knows and sees the body as it actually is… These are the things that should be realised by direct knowledge.
24–26. “When one knows and sees the mind as it actually is… These are the things that should be realised by direct knowledge.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Nagaravindeyya Sutta
To the Nagaravindans
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosalan country with a large Sangha of bhikkhus, and eventually arrived at a Kosalan village named Nagaravinda.
2. The brahmin householders of Nagaravinda 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 [291] and has come to Nagaravinda. Now a good report of Master Gotama has been spread to this effect: ‘That Blessed One is accomplished, fully enlightened…(as Sutta 41, §2)...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 Nagaravinda 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. When they were seated, the Blessed One said to them:
4. “Householders, if wanderers of other sects ask you thus: ‘Householders, what kind of recluses and brahmins should not be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated?’ you should answer them thus: ‘Those recluses and brahmins who are not rid of lust, hate, and delusion regarding forms cognizable by the eye, whose minds are not inwardly peaceful, and who conduct themselves now righteously, now unrighteously in body, speech, and mind—such recluses and brahmins should not be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated. Why is that? Because we ourselves are not rid of lust, hate, and delusion regarding forms cognizable by the eye, our minds are not inwardly peaceful, and we conduct ourselves now righteously, now unrighteously in body, speech, and mind. Since we do not see any higher righteous conduct on the part of those good recluses and brahmins, they should not be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated.
“‘Those recluses and brahmins who are not rid of lust, hate, and delusion regarding sounds cognizable by the ear…regarding odours cognizable by the nose…regarding flavours cognizable by the tongue... regarding tangibles cognizable by the body…regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind, whose minds are not inwardly peaceful, and who conduct themselves now righteously, now unrighteously in body, speech, and mind…should not be honoured…[292]…Since we do not see any higher righteous conduct on the part of those good recluses and brahmins, they should not be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated.’ Being thus asked, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.
5. “But, householders, if wanderers of other sects ask you thus: ‘Householders, what kind of recluses and brahmins should be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated?’ you should answer them thus: ‘Those recluses and brahmins who are rid of lust, hate, and delusion regarding forms cognizable by the eye, whose minds are inwardly peaceful, and who conduct themselves righteously in
body, speech, and mind—such recluses and brahmins should be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated. Why is that? Because we ourselves are not rid of lust, hate, and delusion regarding forms cognizable by the eye, our minds are not inwardly peaceful, and we conduct ourselves now righteously, now unrighteously, in body, speech, and mind. Since we see higher righteous conduct on the part of those good recluses and brahmins, they should be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated.
“‘Those recluses and brahmins who are rid of lust, hate, and delusion regarding sounds cognizable by the ear…regarding odours cognizable by the nose…regarding flavours cognizable by the tongue…regarding tangibles cognizable by the body…regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind, whose minds are inwardly peaceful, and who conduct themselves righteously in body, speech, and mind…should be honoured… Since we see higher righteous conduct on the part of those good recluses and brahmins, they should be honoured, respected, revered, and venerated.’ Being thus asked, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.
The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha Page 125
