The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Page 183
“Thus, bhikkhus, due to a difference in the faculties there is a difference in the fruits; due to a difference in the fruits there is a difference among persons.” [202]
17 (7) In Detail (3)
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom. These are the five faculties.
“One who has completed and fulfilled these five faculties is an arahant. If they are weaker than that, one is an attainer of Nibbāna in the interval … (as in §15) … if still weaker, a faith-follower.
“Thus, bhikkhus, one who activates them fully succeeds fully; one who activates them partly succeeds partly. The five faculties, bhikkhus, are not barren, so I say.”
18 (8) Practising
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom. These are the five faculties.
“One who has completed and fulfilled these five faculties is an arahant. If they are weaker than that, one is practising for the realization of the fruit of arahantship; if still weaker, one is a nonreturner; if still weaker, one is practising for the realization of the fruit of nonreturning; if still weaker, one is a once-returner; if still weaker, one is practising for the realization of the fruit of once-returning; if still weaker, one is a stream-enterer; if still weaker, one is practising for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry.
“But, bhikkhus, I say that one in whom these five faculties are completely and totally absent is ‘an outsider, one who stands in the faction of worldlings.’” 202
19 (9) Equipped
Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘one equipped with faculties, one equipped with faculties.’203 In what way, venerable sir, is one equipped with faculties?” [203]
“Here, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu develops the faculty of faith, which leads to peace, leads to enlightenment. He develops the faculty of energy … the faculty of mindfulness … the faculty of concentration … the faculty of wisdom, which leads to peace, leads to enlightenment.
“It is in this way, bhikkhu, that one is equipped with faculties.”
20 (10) Destruction of the Taints
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom. These are the five faculties.
“It is, bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated these five faculties that a bhikkhu, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge.”
III. THE SIX FACULTIES
21 (1) Renewed Existence204
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom.
“So long, bhikkhus, as I did not directly know as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five faculties, [204] I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans. But when I directly knew all this as it really is, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with … its devas and humans.
“The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is my liberation of mind; this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence.’”
22 (2) The Life Faculty
“Bhikkhus, there are these three faculties. What three? The femininity faculty, the masculinity faculty, the life faculty. These are the three faculties.”205
23 (3) The Faculty of Final Knowledge
“Bhikkhus, there are these three faculties. What three? The faculty ‘I shall know the as-yet-unknown,’ the faculty of final knowledge, the faculty of one endowed with final knowledge. These are the three faculties.”206
24 (4) One-Seeder
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom. These are the five faculties.
“One, bhikkhus, who has completed and fulfilled these five faculties is an arahant. If they are weaker than that, one is an attainer of Nibbāna in the interval; if still weaker, an attainer of Nibbāna upon landing; if still weaker, an attainer of Nibbāna without exertion; [205] if still weaker, an attainer of Nibbāna with exertion; if still weaker, one who is bound upstream, heading towards the Akaniṭṭha realm; if still weaker, a once-returner; if still weaker, a one-seeder; if still weaker, a clan-to-clanner; if still weaker, a seven-lives-at-moster; if still weaker, a Dhamma-follower; if still weaker, a faith-follower.”207
25 (5) Simple Version
“Bhikkhus, there are these six faculties. What six? The eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty, the mind faculty. These are the six faculties.”208
26 (6) Stream-Enterer
“Bhikkhus, there are these six faculties. What six? The eye faculty … the mind faculty.
“When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple understands as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these six faculties, then he is called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as his destination.”
27 (7) Arahant
“Bhikkhus, there are these six faculties. What six? The eye faculty … the mind faculty.
“When, bhikkhus, having understood as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these six faculties, a bhikkhu is liberated by nonclinging,209 then he is called a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, one completely liberated through final knowledge.”
28 (8) Buddha
“Bhikkhus, there are these six faculties. What six? The eye faculty … the mind faculty. [206]
“So long, bhikkhus, as I did not directly know as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these six faculties, I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with … its devas and humans. But when I directly knew all this as it really is, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with … its devas and humans.
“The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is my liberation of mind; this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence.’”
29 (9) Ascetics and Brahmins (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these six faculties. What six? The eye faculty … the mind faculty.
“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 six faculties: 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: 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.”
30 (10) Ascetics and Brahmins (2)
“Those ascetics or brahmins, bhikkhus, who do not understand the eye faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation; who do not understand the ear faculty … the mind faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: 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 asceticis
m or the goal of brahminhood. [207]
“But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things … in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
IV. THE PLEASURE FACULTY
31 (1) Simple Version
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty, the pain faculty, the joy faculty, the displeasure faculty, the equanimity faculty. These are the five faculties.”210
32 (2) Stream-Enterer
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty … the equanimity faculty.
“When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple understands as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five faculties, then he is called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as his destination.” [208]
33 (3) Arahant
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty … the equanimity faculty.
“When, bhikkhus, having understood as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five faculties, a bhikkhu is liberated by nonclinging, then he is called a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, one completely liberated through final knowledge.”
34 (4) Ascetics and Brahmins (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty … the equanimity faculty.
“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 five faculties … do not 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 … in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
35 (5) Ascetics and Brahmins (2)
“Those ascetics or brahmins, bhikkhus, who do not understand the pleasure faculty, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation; who do not understand the joy faculty … the pain faculty … the displeasure faculty … the equanimity faculty, its origin, its cessation, [209] and the way leading to its cessation … do not 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 … in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
36 (6) Analysis (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty … the equanimity faculty.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the pleasure faculty? Whatever bodily pleasure there is, whatever bodily comfort,211 the pleasant comfortable feeling born of body-contact: this, bhikkhus, is called the pleasure faculty.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the pain faculty? Whatever bodily pain there is, whatever bodily discomfort, the painful uncomfortable feeling born of body-contact: this, bhikkhus, is called the pain faculty.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the joy faculty? Whatever mental pleasure there is, whatever mental comfort, the pleasant comfortable feeling born of mind-contact: this, bhikkhus, is called the joy faculty.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the displeasure faculty? Whatever mental pain there is, whatever mental discomfort, the painful uncomfortable feeling born of mind-contact: this, bhikkhus, is called the displeasure faculty.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the equanimity faculty? Whatever feeling there is, whether bodily or mental, that is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable: this, bhikkhus, is called the equanimity faculty.212
“These, bhikkhus, are the five faculties.”
37 (7) Analysis (2)
(All as in the preceding sutta, omitting the last sentence and with the following addition:) [210]
“Therein, bhikkhus, the pleasure faculty and the joy faculty should be seen to be pleasant feeling. The pain faculty and the displeasure faculty should be seen to be painful feeling. The equanimity faculty should be seen to be neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
“These, bhikkhus, are the five faculties.”
38 (8) Analysis (3)
(All as in the preceding sutta, but with the last two paragraphs as follows: ) [211]
“Therein, bhikkhus, the pleasure faculty and the joy faculty should be seen to be pleasant feeling. The pain faculty and the displeasure faculty should be seen to be painful feeling. The equanimity faculty should be seen to be neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
“Thus, bhikkhus, according to the method of exposition, these five faculties, having been five, become three; and having been three, become five.”
39 (9) The Simile of the Fire-Sticks
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty … the equanimity faculty.
“In dependence on a contact to be experienced as pleasant, bhikkhus, the pleasure faculty arises.213 Being in a state of pleasure, one understands: ‘I am in a state of pleasure.’ One understands: ‘With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, the corresponding feeling—the pleasure faculty that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced as pleasant—ceases and subsides.’
“In dependence on a contact to be experienced as painful, bhikkhus, the pain faculty arises. Being in a state of pain, one understands: ‘I am in a state of pain.’ One understands: ‘With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, the corresponding feeling—the pain faculty that arose in dependence on that [212] contact to be experienced as painful—ceases and subsides. ’
“In dependence on a contact to be experienced joyously, bhikkhus, the joy faculty arises. Being in a state of joy, one understands: ‘I am in a state of joy.’ One understands: ‘With the cessation of that contact to be experienced joyously, the corresponding feeling—the joy faculty that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced joyously—ceases and subsides.’
“In dependence on a contact to be experienced with displeasure, bhikkhus, the displeasure faculty arises. Being in a state of displeasure, one understands: ‘I am in a state of displeasure.’ One understands: ‘With the cessation of that contact to be experienced with displeasure, the corresponding feeling—the displeasure faculty that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced with displeasure—ceases and subsides.’
“In dependence on a contact to be experienced with equanimity, bhikkhus, the equanimity faculty arises. Being in a state of equanimity, one understands: ‘I am in a state of equanimity.’ One understands: ‘With the cessation of that contact to be experienced with equanimity, the corresponding feeling—the equanimity faculty that arose in dependence on that contact to be experienced with equanimity—ceases and subsides.’
“Bhikkhus, just as heat is generated and fire is produced from the conjunction and friction of two fire-sticks, but when the sticks are separated and laid aside the resultant heat ceases and subsides; so too, in dependence on a contact to be experienced as pleasant … [213] … a contact to be experienced as painful … a contact to be experienced joyously … a contact to be experienced with displeasure … a contact to be experienced with equanimity, the equanimity faculty arises…. One understands: ‘With the cessation of that contact to be experienced with equanimity, the corresponding feeling … ceases and subsides.’”
40 (10) Irregular Order214
“Bhikkhus, there are these five faculties. What five? The pleasure faculty … the equanimity faculty.
(i. The pain faculty)
“Here, bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu is dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, there arises in him the pain faculty. He understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me this pain faculty. That has a basis, a source, a causal formation, a condition.215 It is impossible for that pain faculty to ar
ise without a basis, without a source, without a causal formation, without a condition.’ He understands the pain faculty; he understands the origin of the pain faculty; he understands the cessation of the pain faculty; and he understands where the arisen pain faculty ceases without remainder.