The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Page 185
“It is, bhikkhus, because these four faculties have been developed and cultivated that a bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth … there is no more for this state of being.’”
48 (8) The Eastern Park (4)
The same setting. “Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated how many faculties does a bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declare final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being’?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“It is, bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated five faculties that a bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus. What five? [224] The faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom.
“It is, bhikkhus, because these five faculties have been developed and cultivated that a bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth … there is no more for this state of being.’”
49 (9) Piṇḍola
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja had declared final knowledge thus: “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.”
Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Venerable sir, the Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth….’ Considering what reason has the Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja declared final knowledge thus?”
“It is, bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated three faculties that the bhikkhu Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus. What are those three? The faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom. It is because he has developed and cultivated these three faculties that the bhikkhu Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus.
“In what, bhikkhus, do these three faculties end? They end in destruction. End in the destruction of what? Of birth, aging, and death. Considering that they end in the destruction of birth, aging, and death,233 [225] the bhikkhu Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”
50 (10) At Āpaṇa
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Aṅgans, where there was a town of the Aṅgans named Āpaṇa. There the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta thus:
“Sāriputta, does the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching?”
“Venerable sir, the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him does not entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching. It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith will dwell with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states; that he will be strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility of cultivating wholesome states. That energy of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of energy.
“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith and whose energy is aroused will be mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and discretion, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. That mindfulness of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of mindfulness.
“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith, whose energy is aroused, and whose mindfulness is established, will gain concentration, will gain one-pointedness of mind, having made release the object. That concentration of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of concentration.
“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith, whose energy is aroused, whose mindfulness is established, [226] and whose mind is concentrated, will understand thus: ‘This saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. But the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance, the mass of darkness: this is the peaceful state, this is the sublime state, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ That wisdom of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of wisdom.
“And, venerable sir, when he has again and again strived in such a way, again and again recollected in such a way, again and again concentrated his mind in such a way, again and again understood with wisdom in such a way, that noble disciple gains complete faith thus: ‘As to these things that previously I had only heard about, now I dwell having contacted them with the body and, having pierced them through with wisdom, I see.’ That faith of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of faith.”234
“Good, good, Sāriputta! Sāriputta, the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him does not entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching.”
(The Buddha then repeats verbatim Sāriputta’s entire statement regarding the noble disciple’s faculties.) [227]
VI. THE BOAR’S CAVE
51 (1) Sālā
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans at Sālā, a brahmin village. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, just as among animals the lion, the king of beasts, is declared to be their chief, that is, with respect to strength, speed, and courage, so too, among the states conducive to enlightenment235 the faculty of wisdom is declared to be their chief, that is, for the attainment of enlightenment.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the states conducive to enlightenment? The faculty of faith, bhikkhus, is a state conducive to enlightenment; it leads to enlightenment. The faculty of energy is a state conducive to enlightenment; it leads to enlightenment. The faculty of mindfulness is a state conducive to enlightenment; it leads to enlightenment. The faculty of concentration is a state conducive to enlightenment; it leads to enlightenment. The faculty of wisdom is a state conducive to enlightenment; it leads to enlightenment. [228]
“Just as, bhikkhus, among animals the lion is declared to be their chief, so too, among the states conducive to enlightenment the faculty of wisdom is declared to be their chief, that is, for the attainment of enlightenment.”
52 (2) Mallikas
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Mallikas, where there was a town of the Mallikas named Uruvelakappa. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, so long as noble knowledge has not arisen in the noble disciple, there is as yet no stability of the [other] four faculties, no steadiness of the [other] four faculties.236 But when noble knowledge has arisen in the noble disciple, then there is stability of the [other] four faculties, then there is steadiness of the [other] four faculties.
“It is, bhikkhus, just as in a house with a peaked roof: so long as the roof peak has not been set in place, there is as yet no stability of the rafters, there is as yet no steadiness of the rafters; but when the roof peak has been set in place, then there is stability of the rafters, then there is steadiness of the rafters. So too, bhikkhus, so long as noble knowledge has not arisen in the noble disciple, there is as yet no stability of the [other] four faculties, no steadiness of the [other] four faculties. But when noble knowledge has arisen in the noble disciple, then there is stability of the [other] four
faculties, then there is steadiness of the [other] four faculties.
“What four? [229] The faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration. In the case of a noble disciple who possesses wisdom, the faith that follows from it becomes stable; the energy that follows from it becomes stable; the mindfulness that follows from it becomes stable; the concentration that follows from it becomes stable.”
53 (3) A Trainee
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:
“Bhikkhus, is there a method by means of which a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing on the plane of a trainee, might understand: ‘I am a trainee,’ while a bhikkhu who is one beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, might understand: ‘I am one beyond training’?”
“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”
“There is a method, bhikkhus, by means of which a bhikkhu who is a trainee … might understand: ‘I am a trainee,’ while a bhikkhu who is one beyond training … might understand: ‘I am one beyond training.’
“And what, bhikkhus, is the method by means of which a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing on the plane of a trainee, understands: ‘I am a trainee’?
“Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a trainee understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This is a method by means of which a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing on the plane of a trainee, understands: ‘I am a trainee.’
“Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a trainee considers thus: ‘Is there outside here237 another ascetic or brahmin who teaches a Dhamma so real, true, actual [230] as the Blessed One does?’ He understands thus: ‘There is no other ascetic or brahmin outside here who teaches a Dhamma so real, true, actual as the Blessed One does.’ This too is a method by means of which a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing on the plane of a trainee, understands: ‘I am a trainee.’
“Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is a trainee understands the five spiritual faculties—the faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom. He does not yet dwell having contacted with the body that is their destination, their culmination, their fruit, their final goal; but having pierced it through with wisdom, he sees.238 This too is a method by means of which a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing on the plane of a trainee, understands: ‘I am a trainee.’
“And what, bhikkhus, is the method by means of which a bhikkhu who is one beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, understands: ‘I am one beyond training’? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is one beyond training understands the five spiritual faculties—the faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom. He dwells having contacted with the body their destination, their culmination, their fruit, their final goal; and having pierced it through with wisdom, he sees. This is a method by means of which a bhikkhu who is one beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, understands: ‘I am one beyond training.’
“Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is one beyond training understands the six faculties—the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty, the mind faculty. He understands: ‘These six faculties will cease completely and totally without remainder, and no other six faculties will arise anywhere in any way.’ This too is a method by means of which a bhikkhu who is one beyond training, standing on the plane of one beyond training, understands: ‘I am one beyond training.’” [231]
54 (4) Footprints
“Bhikkhus, just as the footprints of all living beings that walk fit into the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant’s footprint is declared to be their chief by reason of its size, so too, among the steps that lead to enlightenment,239 the faculty of wisdom is declared to be their chief, that is, for the attainment of enlightenment.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the steps that lead to enlightenment? The faculty of faith, bhikkhus, is a step that leads to enlightenment. The faculty of energy is a step that leads to enlightenment. The faculty of mindfulness is a step that leads to enlightenment. The faculty of concentration is a step that leads to enlightenment. The faculty of wisdom is a step that leads to enlightenment.
“Just as, bhikkhus, the footprints of all living beings that walk fit into the footprint of the elephant, … so too, among the steps that lead to enlightenment, the faculty of wisdom is declared to be their chief, that is, for the attainment of enlightenment.”
55 (5) Heartwood
“Bhikkhus, just as among fragrant heartwoods red sandalwood is declared to be their chief, so too, among the states conducive to enlightenment the faculty of wisdom is declared to be their chief, that is, for the attainment of enlightenment.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the states conducive to enlightenment? The faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom….” [232]
56 (6) Established
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is established in one thing, the five faculties are developed, well developed in him. In what one thing? In diligence.
“And what, bhikkhus, is diligence? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu guards the mind against the taints and against tainted states.240 While he is guarding the mind thus, the faculty of faith goes to fulfilment by development; the faculty of energy … the faculty of mindfulness … the faculty of concentration … the faculty of wisdom goes to fulfilment by development.
“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that when a bhikkhu is established in one thing, the five faculties are developed, well developed in him.”
57 (7) Brahmā Sahampati
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjarā at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree just after he had become fully enlightened. Then, while the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind thus: “The five faculties, when developed and cultivated, have the Deathless as their ground, the Deathless as their destination, the Deathless as their final goal. What five? The faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom. These five faculties, when developed and cultivated, have the Deathless as their ground, the Deathless as their destination, the Deathless as their final goal.” [233]
Then Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his own mind the reflection in the Blessed One’s mind, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, disappeared from the brahmā world and reappeared before the Blessed One. He arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, extended his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, and said to him: “So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One! Venerable sir, the five faculties … (all as above) … have the Deathless as their final goal.
“Once in the past, venerable sir, I lived the holy life under the Perfectly Enlightened One Kassapa. There they knew me as the bhikkhu Sahaka. By having developed and cultivated these same five faculties, venerable sir, I eliminated desire for sensual pleasures and thus, with the breakup of the body, after death, I was reborn in a good destination, in the brahmā world. There they know me as Brahmā Sahampati. So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One! I know this, I see this: how these five faculties, when developed and cultivated, have the Deathless as their ground, the Deathless as their destination, the Deathless as their final goal.”
58 (8) The Boar’s Cave
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak, in the Boar’s Cave. There the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta thus:
“Considering what benefit, Sāriputta, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conduct himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and t
he Tathāgata’s teaching?”241 [234]
“It is, venerable sir, considering as benefit the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata’s teaching.”
“Good, good, Sāriputta! For, Sāriputta, it is considering as benefit the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata’s teaching.
“And what, Sāriputta, is the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed considers as the benefit when he conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata’s teaching?”