The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Page 93
“If, friends, one who enters and dwells amidst wholesome states would dwell in suffering in this very life, with vexation, [9] despair, and fever, and if, with the breakup of the body, after death, he could expect a bad destination, then the Blessed One would not praise the acquisition of wholesome states. But because one who enters and dwells amidst wholesome states dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, despair, and fever, and because he can expect a good destination with the breakup of the body, after death, the Blessed One praises the acquisition of wholesome states.”
This is what the Venerable Sāriputta said. Elated, those bhikkhus delighted in the Venerable Sāriputta’s statement.
3 (3) Hāliddakāni (1)
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Mahākaccāna was dwelling among the people of Avantī on Mount Papāta at Kuraraghara.16 Then the householder Hāliddakāni approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Venerable sir, this was said by the Blessed One in ‘The Questions of Māgandiya’ of the Aṭṭhakavagga:17 ‘Having left home to roam without abode,
In the village the sage is intimate with none;
Rid of sensual pleasures, without expectations,
He would not engage people in dispute.’
How, venerable sir, should the meaning of this, stated by the Blessed One in brief, be understood in detail?”
“The form element, householder, is the home of consciousness; one whose consciousness is shackled by lust for the form element is called one who roams about in a home.18 The feeling element is the home of consciousness … [10] The perception element is the home of consciousness … The volitional formations element is the home of consciousness; one whose consciousness is shackled by lust for the volitional formations element is called one who roams about in a home. It is in such a way that one roams about in a home. 19
“And how, householder, does one roam about homeless? The desire, lust, delight, and craving, the engagement and clinging, the mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies regarding the form element: these have been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising.20 Therefore the Tathāgata is called one who roams about homeless. The desire, lust, delight, and craving, the engagement and clinging, the mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies regarding the feeling element … the perception element … the volitional formations element … the consciousness element:21 these have been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising. Therefore the Tathāgata is called one who roams about homeless. It is in such a way that one roams about homeless.
“And how, householder, does one roam about in an abode? By diffusion and confinement in the abode [consisting in] the sign of forms, one is called one who roams about in an abode.22 By diffusion and confinement in the abode [consisting in] the sign of sounds … the sign of odours … the sign of tastes … the sign of tactile objects … the sign of mental phenomena, one is called one who roams about in an abode.
“And how, householder, does one roam about without abode? Diffusion and confinement in the abode [consisting in] the sign of forms: these have been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising. Therefore the Tathāgata is called one who roams about without abode. Diffusion and confinement in the abode [consisting in] the sign of sounds … the sign of odours … the sign of tastes … the sign of tactile objects … the sign of mental phenomena: these have been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, [11] obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising. Therefore the Tathāgata is called one who roams about without abode. It is in such a way that one roams about without abode.23
“And how, householder, is one intimate in the village? Here, householder, someone lives in association with laypeople: he rejoices with them and sorrows with them, he is happy when they are happy and sad when they are sad, and he involves himself in their affairs and duties.24 It is in such a way that one is intimate in the village.
“And how, householder, is one intimate with none in the village? Here, householder, a bhikkhu does not live in association with laypeople. He does not rejoice with them or sorrow with them, he is not happy when they are happy and sad when they are sad, and he does not involve himself in their affairs and duties. It is in such a way that one is intimate with none in the village.
“And how, householder, is one not rid of sensual pleasures? Here, householder, someone is not devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to sensual pleasures. It is in such a way that one is not rid of sensual pleasures.
“And how, householder, is one rid of sensual pleasures? Here, householder, someone is devoid of lust, desire, affection, thirst, passion, and craving in regard to sensual pleasures. It is in such a way that one is rid of sensual pleasures.
“And how, householder, does one entertain expectations?25 Here, householder, someone thinks: ‘May I have such form in the future! May I have such feeling in the future! May I have such perception in the future! May I have such volitional formations in the future! May I have such consciousness in the future!’ It is in such a way that one entertains expectations.
“And how, householder, is one without expectations? Here, householder, someone does not think: ‘May I have such form in the future!… [12] May I have such consciousness in the future!’ It is in such a way that one is without expectations.
“And how, householder, does one engage people in dispute? Here, householder, someone engages in such talk as this:26 ‘You don’t understand this Dhamma and Discipline. I understand this Dhamma and Discipline. What, you understand this Dhamma and Discipline! You’re practising wrongly, I’m practising rightly. What should have been said before you said after; what should have been said after you said before. I’m consistent, you’re inconsistent. What you took so long to think out has been overturned. Your thesis has been refuted. Go off to rescue your thesis, for you’re defeated, or disentangle yourself if you can.’ It is in such a way that one engages people in dispute.
“And how, householder, does one not engage people in dispute? Here, householder, someone does not engage in such talk as this: ‘You don’t understand this Dhamma and Discipline…. ‘ It is in such a way that one does not engage people in dispute.
“Thus, householder, when it was said by the Blessed One in ‘The Questions of Māgandiya’ of the Aṭṭhakavagga:‘Having left home to roam without abode,
In the village the sage is intimate with none;
Rid of sensual pleasures, without expectations,
He would not engage people in dispute’—
it is in such a way that the meaning of this, stated in brief by the Blessed One, should be understood in detail.”
4 (4) Hāliddakāni (2)
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Mahākaccāna was dwelling among the people of Avantī on Mount Papāta at Kuraraghara. [13] Then the householder Hāliddakāni approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Venerable sir, this was said by the Blessed One in ‘The Questions of Sakka’:27 ‘Those ascetics and brahmins who are liberated in the extinction of craving are those who have reached the ultimate end, the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the ultimate goal, and are best among devas and humans.’28 How, venerable sir, should the meaning of this, stated in brief by the Blessed One, be understood in detail?”
“Householder, through the destruction, fading away, cessation, giving up, and relinquishment of desire, lust, delight, craving, engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies towards the form element, the mind is said to be well liberated.
“Through the destruction, fa
ding away, cessation, giving up, and relinquishment of desire, lust, delight, craving, engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies towards the feeling element … the perception element … the volitional formations element … the consciousness element, the mind is said to be well liberated.
“Thus, householder, when it was said by the Blessed One in ‘The Questions of Sakka’: ‘Those ascetics and brahmins who are liberated in the extinction of craving are those who have reached the ultimate end, the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the ultimate goal, and are best among devas and humans’—it is in such a way that the meaning of this, stated in brief by the Blessed One, should be understood in detail.”
5 (5) Concentration
Thus have I heard. At Sāvatthī…. There the Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, develop concentration. A bhikkhu who is concentrated understands things as they really are.
“And what does he understand as it really is? The origin and passing away of form; the origin and passing away of feeling; [14] the origin and passing away of perception; the origin and passing away of volitional formations; the origin and passing away of consciousness.29
“And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of form? What is the origin of feeling? What is the origin of perception? What is the origin of volitional formations? What is the origin of consciousness?
“Here, bhikkhus, one seeks delight, one welcomes, one remains holding. And what is it that one seeks delight in, what does one welcome, to what does one remain holding? One seeks delight in form, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight arises. Delight in form is clinging. With one’s clinging as condition, existence [comes to be]; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
“One seeks delight in feeling … in perception … in volitional formations … in consciousness, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight arises…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.
“This, bhikkhus, is the origin of form; this is the origin of feeling; this is the origin of perception; this is the origin of volitional formations; this is the origin of consciousness.30
“And what, bhikkhus, is the passing away of form? What is the passing away of feeling? What is the passing away of perception? What is the passing away of volitional formations? What is the passing away of consciousness?
“Here, bhikkhus, one does not seek delight, one does not welcome, one does not remain holding. And what is it that one does not seek delight in? What doesn’t one welcome? To what doesn’t one remain holding? One does not seek delight in form, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight in form ceases. With the cessation of delight comes cessation of clinging; with cessation of clinging, cessation of existence…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
“One does not seek delight in feeling … [15] … in perception … in volitional formations … in consciousness, does not welcome it, does not remain holding to it. As a consequence of this, delight in consciousness ceases…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
“This, bhikkhus, is the passing away of form; this is the passing away of feeling; this is the passing away of perception; this is the passing away of volitional formations; this is the passing away of consciousness.”
6 (6) Seclusion
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, make an exertion in seclusion.31 A bhikkhu who is secluded understands things as they really are.
“And what does he understand as it really is? The origin and passing away of form; the origin and passing away of feeling; the origin and passing away of perception; the origin and passing away of volitional formations; the origin and passing away of consciousness.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the origin of form?…”
(The rest of this sutta is identical with the preceding one.)
7 (7) Agitation through Clinging (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you agitation through clinging and nonagitation through nonclinging.32 Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak.” [16]
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“And how, bhikkhus, is there agitation through clinging? Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling, who is not a seer of the noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who is not a seer of superior persons and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. That form of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of form, his consciousness becomes preoccupied with the change of form. Agitation and a constellation of mental states born of preoccupation with the change of form remain obsessing his mind.33 Because his mind is obsessed, he is frightened, distressed, and anxious, and through clinging he becomes agitated.
“He regards feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That consciousness of his changes and alters. [17] With the change and alteration of consciousness, his consciousness becomes preoccupied with the change of consciousness. Agitation and a constellation of mental states born of preoccupation with the change of consciousness remain obsessing his mind. Because his mind is obsessed, he is frightened, distressed, and anxious, and through clinging he becomes agitated.
“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that there is agitation through clinging.
“And how, bhikkhus, is there nonagitation through nonclinging? Here, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple, who is a seer of the noble ones and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who is a seer of superior persons and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. That form of his changes and alters. Despite the change and alteration of form, his consciousness does not become preoccupied with the change of form. No agitation and constellation of mental states born of preoccupation with the change of form remain obsessing his mind. Because his mind is not obsessed, he is not frightened, distressed, or anxious, and through nonclinging he does not become agitated.
“He does not regard feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … [18] … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That consciousness of his changes and alters. Despite the change and alteration of consciousness, his consciousness does not become preoccupied with the change of consciousness. No agitation and constellation of mental states born of preoccupation with the change of consciousness remain obsessing his mind. Because his mind is not obsessed, he is not frightened, distressed, or anxious, and through nonclinging he does not become agitated.
“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that there is nonagitation through nonclinging.”
8 (8) Agitation through Clinging (2)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you agitation through clinging and nonagitation through nonclinging. Listen to that and attend closely….
“And how, bhikkhus, is there agitation through clinging? Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling regards form thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’34 That form of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of form, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
“He regards feeling thus … perception thus … volitional formations thus … consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ That consciousness of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of consciousness, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
“It is in such a way, bhikkhus, that there is agitation through clinging.
“And how, bhikkhus, is there nonagitation through nonclinging? [19] Here, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple does not regard form thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ That form of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of form, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
“He does not regard feeling thus … perception thus … volitional formations thus … consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ That consciousness of his changes and alters. With the change and alteration of consciousness, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.