The Connected Discourses of the Buddha

by Bhikkhu Bodhi

  “Some feelings, Sı̄vaka, arise here originating from phlegm disorders ... originating from wind disorders … originating from an imbalance [of the three] … produced by change of climate ... produced by careless behaviour … caused by assault … [231] produced as the result of kamma: that some feelings arise here produced as the result of kamma one can know for oneself, and that is considered to be true in the world.253 Now when those ascetics and brahmins hold such a doctrine and view as this, ‘Whatever a person experiences, whether it be pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, all that is caused by what was done in the past,’ they overshoot what one knows by oneself and they overshoot what is considered to be true in the world. Therefore I say that this is wrong on the part of those ascetics and brahmins.”

  When this was said, the wanderer Moḷiyası̄vaka said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama!… From today let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

  Bile, phlegm, and also wind,

  Imbalance and climate too,

  Carelessness and assault,

  With kamma result as the eighth.

  22 (2) The Theme of the Hundred and Eight

  “Bhikkhus, I will teach you a Dhamma exposition on the theme of the hundred and eight. Listen to that….

  “And what, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of the hundred and eight? I have spoken of two kinds of feelings by [one] method of exposition; I have spoken of three kinds of feelings by [another] method of exposition; I have spoken of five kinds of feelings … six kinds of feelings … eighteen kinds of feelings … thirty-six kinds of feelings by [another] method of exposition; and I have spoken of one hundred and eight kinds of feelings by [still another] method of exposition.

  “And what, bhikkhus, are the two kinds of feelings? Bodily and mental. These are called the two kinds of feelings. [232]

  “And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of feelings? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These are called the three kinds of feelings.

  And what, bhikkhus, are the five kinds of feelings? The pleasure faculty, the pain faculty, the joy faculty, the displeasure faculty, the equanimity faculty. These are called the five kinds of feelings. 254

  “And what, bhikkhus, are the six kinds of feelings? Feeling born of eye-contact … feeling born of mind-contact. These are called the six kinds of feeling.

  “And what, bhikkhus, are the eighteen kinds of feelings? Six examinations accompanied by joy, six examinations accompanied by displeasure, six examinations accompanied by equanimity. These are called the eighteen kinds of feelings.255

  “And what, bhikkhus, are the thirty-six kinds of feelings? Six types of joy based on the household life, six types of joy based on renunciation; six types of displeasure based on the household life, six types of displeasure based on renunciation; six types of equanimity based on the household life, six types of equanimity based on renunciation. These are called the thirty-six kinds of feelings.256 “And what, bhikkhus, are the hundred and eight kinds of feelings? The [above] thirty-six feelings in the past, the [above] thirty-six feelings in the future, the [above] thirty-six feelings at present. These are called the hundred and eight kinds of feelings.

  “This, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma exposition on the theme of the hundred and eight.”

  23 (3) A Certain Bhikkhu

  Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, what now is feeling? What is the origin of feeling? What is the way leading to the origination of feeling? What is the cessation of feeling? What is the way leading to the cessation of feeling? What is the gratification in feeling? What is the danger? What is the escape?” [233]

  “There are, bhikkhu, these three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. This is called feeling. With the arising of contact there is the arising of feeling. Craving is the way leading to the origination of feeling. With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of feeling. This Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of feeling; that is, right view … right concentration.

  “The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on feeling: this is the gratification in feeling. That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in feeling. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for feeling: this is the escape from feeling.”

  24 (4) Before

  “Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, it occurred to me: “What now is feeling? What is the origin of feeling? What is the way leading to the origination of feeling? What is the cessation of feeling? What is the way leading to the cessation of feeling? What is the gratification in feeling? What is the danger? What is the escape?”

  “Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘There are these three feelings … (all as in preceding sutta) ... this is the escape from feeling.’”

  25 (5) Knowledge257

  “‘These are feelings’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.

  “‘This is the origin of feeling’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision … and light.

  “‘This is the way leading to the origination of feeling’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision … and light.

  “‘This is the cessation of feeling’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision ... and light. [234]

  “‘This is the way leading to the cessation of feeling’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision ... and light.

  “‘This is the gratification in feeling’ … ‘This is the danger in feeling’ … ‘This is the escape from feeling’: thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.”

  26 (6) A Number of Bhikkhus

  (Identical with §23 except that “a number of bhikkhus” are the interlocutors rather than “a certain bhikkhu.”)

  27 (7) Ascetics and Brahmins (1)

  “Bhikkhus, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.

  “Those ascetics or brahmins, bhikkhus, who do not understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these three feelings:258 these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones do not, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood.

  “But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things as they really are: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.” [235]

  28 (8) Ascetics and Brahmins (2)

  “Those ascetics or brahmins, bhikkhus, who do not understand as they really are the origination and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these three feelings: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones do not, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood.

  “But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things as they really are: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”

  29 (9) Ascetics and Brahmins (3)

  “Those ascetics or brahmins, bhik
khus, who do not understand feeling, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics … nor do they enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood.

  “But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand feeling, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics … and they enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”

  30 (10) Simple version

  “Bhikkhus, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.”259

  31 (11) Spiritual

  “Bhikkhus, there is carnal rapture, there is spiritual rapture, there is rapture more spiritual than the spiritual. There is carnal happiness, there is spiritual happiness, there is happiness more spiritual than the spiritual. There is carnal equanimity, there is spiritual equanimity, there is equanimity more spiritual than the spiritual. There is carnal deliverance, there is spiritual deliverance, there is deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is carnal rapture? There are, bhikkhus, these five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable by the eye ... tactile objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. The rapture that arises in dependence on these five cords of sensual pleasure: this is called carnal rapture. [236]

  “And what, bhikkhus, is spiritual rapture? Here, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. With the subsiding of thought and examination, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and examination, and has rapture and happiness born of concentration. This is called spiritual rapture.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is rapture more spiritual than the spiritual? When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, liberated from delusion, there arises rapture. This is called rapture more spiritual than the spiritual.260

  “And what, bhikkhus, is carnal happiness? There are, bhikkhus, these five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable by the eye ... tactile objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. The happiness that arises in dependence on these five cords of sensual pleasure: this is called carnal happiness.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is spiritual happiness? Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna … the second jhāna…. With the fading away as well of rapture, he dwells equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, he experiences happiness with the body; he enters and dwells in the third jhāna of which the noble ones declare: ‘He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily.’ This is called spiritual happiness.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is happiness more spiritual than the spiritual? When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, [237] liberated from delusion, there arises happiness. This is called happiness more spiritual than the spiritual.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is carnal equanimity? There are, bhikkhus, these five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable by the eye ... tactile objects cognizable by the body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. The equanimity that arises in dependence on these five cords of sensual pleasure: this is called carnal equanimity.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is spiritual equanimity? With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and displeasure, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and includes the purification of mindfulness by equanimity.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is equanimity more spiritual than the spiritual? When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, liberated from delusion, there arises equanimity. This is called equanimity more spiritual than the spiritual.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is carnal deliverance? Deliverance connected with the form sphere is carnal deliverance.

  “And what, bhikkhus, is spiritual deliverance? Deliverance connected with the formless sphere is spiritual deliverance.261 “And what, bhikkhus, is deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual? When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, liberated from delusion, there arises deliverance. This is called deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual.”

  [238]

  Chapter III

  37 Mātugāmasaṃyutta

  Connected Discourses on Women

  I. FIRST REPETITION SERIES (Women)

  1 (1) Agreeable and Dsagreeable (1)

  “Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses five factors she is extremely disagreeable to a man. What five? She is not beautiful, not wealthy, not virtuous; she is lethargic; and she does not beget children. When a woman possesses these five factors she is extremely disagreeable to a man.

  “Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses five factors she is extremely agreeable to a man. What five? She is beautiful, wealthy, and virtuous; she is clever and industrious; and she begets children. When a woman possesses these five factors she is extremely agreeable to a man.”

  2 (2) Agreeable and Disagreeable (2)

  “Bhikkhus, when a man possesses five factors he is extremely disagreeable to a woman. What five? He is not handsome, not wealthy, not virtuous; he is lethargic; and he does not beget children. [239] When a man possesses these five factors he is extremely disagreeable to a woman.

  “Bhikkhus, when a man possesses five factors he is extremely agreeable to a woman. What five? He is handsome, wealthy, and virtuous; he is clever and industrious; and he begets children. When a man possesses these five factors he is extremely agreeable to a woman.”

  (The same as the above.)

  3 (3) Peculiar

  “Bhikkhus, there are five kinds of suffering peculiar to women,262 which women experience but not men. What five?

  “Here, bhikkhus, even when young, a woman goes to live with her husband’s family and is separated from her relatives. This is the first kind of suffering peculiar to women….

  “Again, a woman is subject to menstruation. This is the second kind of suffering peculiar to women….

  “Again, a woman becomes pregnant. This is the third kind of suffering peculiar to women….

  “Again, a woman gives birth. This is the fourth kind of suffering peculiar to women….

  “Again, a woman is made to serve a man. This is the fifth kind of suffering peculiar to women….

  “These, bhikkhus, are the five kinds of suffering peculiar to women, which women experience but not men.” [240]

  4 (4) Three Qualities

  “Bhikkhus, when a woman possesses three qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is generally reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. What are the three? Here, bhikkhus, in the morning a woman dwells at home with her heart obsessed by the taint of selfishness; at noon she dwells at home with her heart obsessed by envy; in the evening she dwells at home with her heart obsessed by sensual lust. When a woman possesses these three qualities … she is generally reborn in a state of misery … in hell.”

  (Anuruddha: (i) The Dark Side)

  5 (5) Angry

  Then the Venerable Anuruddha approached the Blessed One … and said to him:263 “Here, venerable sir, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I see women, with the breakup of the body, after death, being reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. When a woman po
ssesses how many qualities, venerable sir, is she reborn thus?”

  “When, Anuruddha, a woman possesses five qualities, with the breakup of the body, after death, she is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. What five?

  “She is without faith, shameless, unafraid of wrongdoing, angry, unwise. When a woman possesses these five qualities [241] she is reborn in a state of misery ... in hell.”