191 (1) Followed by Ear
“Bhikkhus, when one has followed the teachings by ear,903 recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view, four benefits are to be expected. What four?
(1) “Here, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma: discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, quotations, birth stories, amazing accounts, and questions-andanswers. He has followed those teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is reborn into a certain group of devas. There, the happy ones recite passages of the Dhamma to him.904 The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the first benefit to be expected when one has followed the teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view.
(2) “Again, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma: discourses … and questions-and-answers. He has followed those teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is reborn into a certain group of devas. There, the happy ones do not recite passages of the Dhamma to him, but a bhikkhu with psychic potency who has attained mastery of mind teaches the Dhamma to an assembly of devas. It occurs to him: ‘This is the Dhamma and discipline in which I formerly lived the spiritual life.’ The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose a man were skilled in the sound of a kettledrum. While traveling along a highway he might hear the sound of a kettledrum and would not be at all perplexed or uncertain about the sound; rather, he would conclude: ‘That is the sound of a kettledrum.’ So too, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma [186] … The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the second benefit to be expected when one has followed the teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view.
(3) “Again, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma: discourses … and questions-and-answers. He has followed those teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is reborn into a certain group of devas. There, the happy ones do not recite passages of the Dhamma to him, nor does a bhikkhu with psychic potency who has attained mastery of mind teach the Dhamma to an assembly of devas. However, a young deva teaches the Dhamma to an assembly of devas. It occurs to him: ‘This is the Dhamma and discipline in which I formerly lived the spiritual life.’ The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose a man were skilled in the sound of a conch. While traveling along a highway he might hear the sound of a conch and he would not be at all perplexed or uncertain about the sound; rather, he would conclude: ‘That is the sound of a conch.’ So too, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma … The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the third benefit to be expected when one has followed the teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view.
(4) “Again, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma: discourses … and questions-and-answers. He has followed those teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. He passes away muddled in mind and is reborn into a certain group of devas. There, the happy ones do not recite passages of the Dhamma to him, nor does a bhikkhu with psychic potency who has attained mastery of mind teach the Dhamma to an assembly of devas, nor does a young deva teach the Dhamma to an assembly of devas. However, one being who has been spontaneously reborn reminds another who has been spontaneously reborn: ‘Do you remember, dear sir? Do you remember where we formerly lived the spiritual life?’ The other says: ‘I remember, dear sir. I remember.’ The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose there were two friends who had played together in the mud. By chance they would meet one another later in life. Then one friend would say to the other: ‘Do you remember this, friend? Do you remember that, friend?’ And the other would say: [187] ‘I remember, friend. I remember.’ So too, a bhikkhu masters the Dhamma … The arising of his memory is sluggish, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the fourth benefit to be expected when one has followed the teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view.
“These are the four benefits to be expected when one has followed the teachings by ear, recited them verbally, examined them with the mind, and penetrated them well by view.”
192 (2) Facts
“Bhikkhus, four facts [about people] can be known from four [other] facts. What four?
(1) “By dwelling together their virtuous behavior can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.
(2) “By dealing [with them] their integrity can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.
(3) “In misfortune their fortitude can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.
(4) “By conversation their wisdom can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.
(1) “It was said: ‘By dwelling together their virtuous behavior can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’ On account of what was this said?
“Here, bhikkhus, by dwelling together with another person, one comes to know him thus: ‘For a long time this venerable one’s conduct has been broken, flawed, blemished, and blotched, and he does not consistently observe and follow virtuous behavior. This venerable one is immoral, not virtuous.’
“But in another case, by dwelling together with another person, one comes to know him thus: ‘For a long time this venerable one’s conduct has been unbroken, flawless, unblemished, and unblotched, [188] and he consistently observes and follows virtuous behavior. This venerable one is virtuous, not immoral.’
“It was on account of this that it was said: ‘By dwelling together their virtuous behavior can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’
(2) “Further it was said: ‘By dealing [with them] their integrity can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’ On account of what was this said?
“Here, bhikkhus, when dealing with a person, one comes to know him thus: ‘This venerable one deals with one person in one way, in another way if he deals with two, in still another way if he deals with three, and in still another way if he deals with many. His dealings in one case deviate from his dealings in another.905 This venerable one is impure in his dealings with others, not pure in such dealings.’
“But in another case, when dealing with a person, one comes to know him thus: ‘In the same way as he deals with one, he deals with two, three, or many. His dealings in one case do not deviate from his dealings in another. This venerable one is pure in his dealings with others, not impure in such dealings.’
“It was on account of this that it was said: ‘By dealing [with them] their integrity can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’
(3) “Further it was said: ‘In misfortune their fortitude can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’ On account of what was this said?
“Here, bhikkhus, someone is afflicted with the loss of relatives, wealth, or health, but he does not reflect thus: ‘Human life in the world is of such a nature906 that the eight worldly conditions revolve around the world, and the world revolves around these eight worldly conditions, namely, gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain.’ Thus when afflicted with loss of relatives, wealth, or health, he sorrows, languishes, and laments; he weeps beating his breast and becomes confused.
“But in another case, someone is afflicted with the loss of relatives, [189] wealth, or health, but he does reflect thus: ‘Human life in the world is such that the eight worldly conditions revolve around the world, and the world revolves around these eight worldly conditions, namely, gain and loss, disrepute and fame, blame and praise, and pleasure and pain.’ Thus when afflicted with the loss of relatives, wealth, or health, he does not sorrow, languish, and lament; he does not weep beating his breast and become confused.
“It was on account of this that it was said: ‘In misfortune their fortitude can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’
(4) “Further it was said: ‘By conversation their wisdom can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’ On account of what was this said?
“Here, bhikkhus, when conversing with someone, one comes to know: ‘Judging from the way this venerable one initiates, formulates, and poses a question, he is unwise, not wise. For what reason? This venerable one does not speak about matters that are deep, peaceful, sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible to the wise. When this venerable one speaks on the Dhamma, he is not able to explain, teach, describe, establish, reveal, analyze, and explicate its meaning either briefly or in detail. This venerable one is unwise, not wise.’ Just as if a man with good sight, standing on the bank of a pond, were to see a small fish emerging, he would think: ‘Judging from the way this fish emerges, from the ripples it makes, and from its force, this is a small fish, not a big one,’ so too, when conversing with a person, one comes to know: ‘Judging from the way this venerable one initiates, formulates, and poses a question, he is unwise, not wise.’
“But in another case, when conversing with someone, one comes to know: ‘Judging from the way this venerable one initiates, formulates, and poses a question, he is wise, not unwise. For what reason? This venerable one speaks about matters that are deep, peaceful, sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible to the wise. When this venerable one speaks on the Dhamma, he is able to explain, teach, describe, establish, reveal, analyze, and explicate its meaning both briefly and in detail. This venerable one is wise, not unwise.’ Just as if a man with good sight, standing on the bank of a pond, were to see a big fish emerging, [190] he would think: ‘Judging from the way this fish emerges, from the ripples it makes, and from its force, this is a big fish, not a small one,’ so too, when conversing with someone, one comes to know: ‘Judging from the way this venerable one initiates, formulates, and poses a question, he is wise, not unwise.’
“It was on account of this that it was said: ‘By conversation their wisdom can be known, and this only after a long time, not casually; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; and by one who is wise, not by one who is unwise.’
“These, bhikkhus, are the four facts [about people] that can be known from four [other] facts.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then Bhaddiya the Licchavi approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, I have heard this: ‘The ascetic Gotama is a magician who knows a converting magic by which he converts the disciples of teachers of other sects.’ Do those who speak thus state what has been said by the Blessed One and not misrepresent him with what is contrary to fact? Do they explain in accordance with the Dhamma so that they do not incur any reasonable criticism or ground for censure? For we do not want to misrepresent the Blessed One.”907 [191]
“Come, Bhaddiya, do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by a collection of scriptures, by logical reasoning, by inferential reasoning, by reasoned cogitation, by the acceptance of a view after pondering it, by the seeming competence [of a speaker], or because you think: ‘The ascetic is our guru.’ But when you know for yourself: ‘These things are unwholesome; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; these things, if accepted and undertaken, lead to harm and suffering,’ then you should abandon them.908
(1) “What do you think, Bhaddiya? When greed arises in a person, is it for his welfare or for his harm?”
“For his harm, Bhante.”
“Bhaddiya, a greedy person, overcome by greed, with mind obsessed by it, destroys life, takes what is not given, transgresses with another’s wife, and speaks falsehood; and he encourages others to do likewise. Will that lead to his harm and suffering for a long time?”
“Yes, Bhante.”
(2) “What do you think, Bhaddiya? When hatred … (3) … delusion … (4) … vehemence arises in a person, is it for his welfare or for his harm?”909
“For his harm, Bhante.”
“Bhaddiya, a vehement person, overcome and with mind obsessed by vehemence, destroys life … and he encourages others to do likewise. Will that lead to his harm and suffering for a long time?”
“What do you think, Bhaddiya? Are these things wholesome or unwholesome?” – “Unwholesome, Bhante.” – “Blameworthy or blameless?” – “Blameworthy, Bhante.” – “Censured or praised by the wise?” – “Censured by the wise, Bhante.” – “Accepted and undertaken, do they lead to harm and suffering or not, or how do you take it?” – “Accepted and undertaken, these things lead to harm and suffering. So we take it.”
“Thus, Bhaddiya, when we said: ‘Come, Bhaddiya, do not go by oral tradition … [192] … But when you know for yourself: “These things are unwholesome; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; these things, if undertaken and practiced, lead to harm and suffering,” then you should abandon them,’ it is because of this that this was said.
“Come, Bhaddiya, do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by a collection of texts, by logical reasoning, by inferential reasoning, by reasoned cogitation, by the acceptance of a view after pondering it, by the seeming competence [of a speaker], or because you think: ‘The ascetic is our guru.’ But when you know for yourself: ‘These things are wholesome; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; these things, if accepted and undertaken, lead to welfare and happiness,’ then you should live in accordance with them.
(1) “What do you think, Bhaddiya? When non-greed arises in a person, is it for his welfare or for his harm?”
“For his welfare, Bhante.”
“Bhaddiya, a person without greed, not overcome by greed, his mind not obsessed by it, does not destroy life, take what is not given, transgress with another’s wife, or speak falsehood; nor does he encourage others to do likewise. Will that lead to his welfare and happiness for a long time?”
“Yes, Bhante.”
(2) “What do you think, Bhaddiya? When non-hatred … (3) … non-delusion … (4) … non-vehemence arises in a person, is it for his welfare or his harm?”
“For his welfare, Bhante.”
“Bhaddiya, a non-vehement person, not overcome by vehemence, his mind not obsessed by it, does not destroy life … nor does he encourage others to do likewise. Will that lead to his welfare and happiness for a long time?”
“What do you think, Bhaddiya? Are these things wholesome or unwholesome?” – “Wholesome, Bhante.” – “Blameworthy or blameless?” – “Blameless, Bhante.” – “Censured or praised by the wise?” – “Praised by the wise, Bhante.” [193] – “Accepted and undertaken, do they lead to welfare and happiness or not, or how do you take it?” – “Accepted and undertaken, these things lead to welfare and happiness. So we take it.”
“Thus, Bhaddiya, when we said: ‘Come, Bhaddiya, do not go by oral tradition … But when you know for yourself: “These things are wholesome; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; these things, if accepted and undertaken, lead to welfare and happiness,” then you should live in accordance with them,’ it is because of this that this was said.
“Bhaddiya, the good persons in the world encourage their disciples thus: ‘Come, good man, you should constantly remove greed.910 When you constantly remove greed, you will not do any action born of greed, whether by body, speech, or mind. You should constantly remove hatred. When you constantly remove hatred, you will not do any action born of hatred, whether by body, speech, or mind. You should constantly remove delusion. When you constantly remove delusion, you will not do any action born of delusion, whether by body, speech, or mind. You should constantly remove vehemence. When you constantly remove vehemence, you will not do any action born of vehemence, whether by body, speech, or mind.’”
When this was said, Bhaddiya the Licchavi said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, Bhante! … [as at 4:111] … Let the Blessed One consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life.”
“Now, Bhaddiya, did I say to you: ‘Come, Bhaddiya, be my disciple and I will be your teacher?’”
“Surely not, Bhante.”
“But, Bhaddiya, though I speak thus and declare [my teaching] in such a way, some ascetics and brahmins untruthfully, baselessly, falsely, and wrongly misrepresent me when they say: ‘The ascetic Gotama is a magician who knows a converting magic by which he converts the disciples of teachers of other sects.’” [194]
“Excellent is that converting magic, Bhante! Good is that converting magic! If my beloved relatives and family members would be converted by this conversion, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If all khattiyas would be converted by this conversion, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If all brahmins … vessas … suddas would be converted by this conversion, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time.”911
“So it is, Bhaddiya, so it is! If all khattiyas would be converted by this conversion toward the abandoning of unwholesome qualities and the acquisition of wholesome qualities, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If all brahmins … vessas … suddas would be converted by this conversion toward the abandoning of unwholesome qualities and the acquisition of wholesome qualities, that would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time. If the world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, would be converted by this conversion toward the abandoning of unwholesome qualities and the acquisition of wholesome qualities, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of the world for a long time. If these great sal trees would be converted by this conversion toward the abandoning of unwholesome qualities and the acquisition of wholesome qualities, that would lead to the welfare and happiness even of these great sal trees for a long time, if they could choose.912 How much more then for a human being!”
194 (4) Sāpūga
On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling among the Koliyans near the Koliyan town named Sāpūga. Then a number of young Koliyans from Sāpūga approached the Venerable Ānanda, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Venerable Ānanda then said to them:
“Byagghapajjas, there are these four factors of striving for purity913 that the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, knowing and seeing, [195] has rightly expounded for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and dejection, for the achievement of the method, for the realization of nibbāna. What four? The factor of striving for purity of virtuous behavior, the factor of striving for purity of mind, the factor of striving for purity of view, and the factor of striving for purity of liberation.914
(1) “And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of virtuous behavior? Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous … [as at 4:181] … he trains in them. This is called purity of virtuous behavior. The desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension [applied with the intention]: ‘In just such a way I will fulfill purity of virtuous behavior that I have not yet fulfilled or assist with wisdom in various respects purity of virtuous behavior that I have fulfilled’915—this is called the factor of striving for purity of virtuous behavior.
(2) “And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of mind? Here, secluded from sensual pleasures … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. This is called purity of mind. The desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension [applied with the intention]: ‘In just such a way I will fulfill purity of mind that I have not yet fulfilled or assist with wisdom in various respects purity of mind that I have fulfilled’—this is called the factor of striving for purity of mind.
(3) “And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of view? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This is called purity of view.916 The desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension [applied with the intention]: ‘In just such a way I will fulfill purity of view that I have not yet fulfilled or assist with wisdom in various respects purity of view that I have fulfilled’—this is called the factor of striving for purity of view.
(4) “And what, Byagghapajjas, is the factor of striving for purity of liberation? That same noble disciple, possessing this factor of striving for purity of virtuous behavior, [196] this factor of striving for purity of mind, and this factor of striving for purity of view, detaches his mind from the things that cause attachment and emancipates his mind through the things that bring emancipation. He thereby reaches right liberation. This is called purity of liberation.917 The desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension [applied with the intention]: ‘In just such a way I will fulfill purity of liberation that I have not yet fulfilled or assist with wisdom in various respects purity of liberation that I have fulfilled’—this is called the factor of striving for purity of liberation.
“These, Byagghapajjas, are the four factors of striving for purity that the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, knowing and seeing, has rightly expounded for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and dejection, for the achievement of the method, for the realization of nibbāna.”
195 (5) Vappa
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Park. Then Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna then said to him:
“Here, Vappa, if one is restrained by body, speech, and mind, then, with the fading away of ignorance and the arising of true knowledge, do you see anything on account of which taints productive of painful feeling might flow in upon such a person in future lives?”
“I do see such a possibility, Bhante. In the past one did an evil deed whose result has not yet ripened. On that account taints productive of painful feeling might flow in upon a person in some future life.”918
While this conversation between the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and Vappa the Sakyan was underway, in the evening the Blessed One emerged from seclusion [197] and went to the attendance hall. He sat down on the appointed seat and said to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “What, Moggallāna, was the discussion that you were engaged in just now? And what was the conversation of yours that was underway?”
[The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna here relates his entire conversation with Vappa the Sakyan, concluding:]
“This, Bhante, was the conversation I was having with Vappa the Sakyan when the Blessed One arrived.”
Then the Blessed One said to Vappa the Sakyan: “If, Vappa, you would admit what should be admitted and reject what should be rejected; and if, when you do not understand the meaning of my words, you would question me about them further, saying: ‘How is this, Bhante? What is the meaning of this?’; then we might discuss this.”
“Bhante, I will admit to the Blessed One what should be admitted and reject what should be rejected; and when I do not understand the meaning of his words, I will question him about them further, saying: ‘How is this, Bhante? What is the meaning of this?’ So let’s discuss this.”
(1) “What do you think, Vappa? Those taints, distressing and feverish, that might arise because of bodily undertakings do not occur when one refrains from them. He does not create any new kamma and he terminates the old kamma having contacted it again and again.919 [198] The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. Do you see, Vappa, anything on account of which taints productive of painful feeling might flow in upon such a person in future lives?”
“No, Bhante.”
(2) “What do you think, Vappa? Those taints, distressing and feverish, that might arise because of verbal undertakings do not occur when one refrains from them. He does not create any new kamma and he terminates the old kamma having contacted it again and again. The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. Do you see, Vappa, anything on account of which taints productive of painful feeling might flow in upon such a person in future lives?”
“No, Bhante.”
(3) “What do you think, Vappa? Those taints, distressing and feverish, that might arise because of mental undertakings do not occur when one refrains from them. He does not create any new kamma and he terminates the old kamma having contacted it again and again. The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. Do you see, Vappa, anything on account of which taints productive of painful feeling might flow in upon such a person in future lives?”
“No, Bhante.”
(4) “What do you think, Vappa? With the fading away of ignorance and the arising of true knowledge, those taints, distressing and feverish, that arise with ignorance as condition no longer occur. He does not create any new kamma and he terminates the old kamma having contacted it again and again. The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. Do you see, Vappa, anything on account of which taints productive of painful feeling might flow in upon such a person in future lives?”
“No, Bhante.”
“A bhikkhu thus perfectly liberated in mind, Vappa, achieves six constant dwellings. Having seen a form with the eye, he is neither joyful nor saddened, but dwells equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending.920 Having heard a sound with the ear … Having smelled an odor with the nose … Having experienced a taste with the tongue … Having felt a tactile object with the body … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is neither joyful nor saddened, but dwells equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending.
“When he feels a feeling terminating with the body, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with the body.’ When he feels a feeling terminating with life, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with life.’ He understands: ‘With the breakup of the body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool right here.’921
“Suppose, Vappa, a shadow is seen on account of a stump. Then [199] a man would come along bringing a shovel and a basket. He would cut down the stump at its foot, dig it up, and pull out the roots, even the fine rootlets and root-fibers. He would cut the stump into pieces, split the pieces, and reduce them to slivers. Then he would dry the slivers in the wind and sun, burn them in a fire, and reduce them to ashes. Having done so, he would winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the swift current of a river. Thus the shadow that depended on that stump would be cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.922
“So too, Vappa, a bhikkhu thus perfectly liberated in mind achieves six constant dwellings. Having seen a form with the eye … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is neither joyful nor saddened, but dwells equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending. When he feels a feeling terminating with the body, he understands … ‘With the breakup of the body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool right here.’”
When this was said, Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, said to the Blessed One: “Suppose, Bhante, there was a man in quest of profit who raised horses for sale, but he would not gain a profit and instead would only reap weariness and distress. Just so, in quest of profit, I attended upon the foolish Nigaṇṭhas, but I did not gain a profit and instead only reaped weariness and distress. Starting today, whatever confidence I had in the foolish Nigaṇṭhas, I winnow in a strong wind or let it be carried away by the current of a river.
“Excellent, Bhante! … [200] … Let the Blessed One consider me as a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life.”
196 (6) Sāḷha
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Then Sāḷha the Licchavi and Abhaya the Licchavi approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Sāḷha the Licchavi then said to the Blessed One:
“Bhante, there are some ascetics and brahmins who proclaim the crossing of the flood through two things: by means of purification of virtuous behavior and by means of austerity and disgust.923 What does the Blessed One say about this?”
“I say, Sāḷha, that purification of virtuous behavior is one of the factors of asceticism. But those ascetics and brahmins who advocate austerity and disgust, who regard austerity and disgust as the essence, and who adhere to austerity and disgust are incapable of crossing the flood.924 Also, those ascetics and brahmins whose bodily, verbal, and mental behavior are impure, and whose livelihood is impure, are incapable of knowledge and vision, of unsurpassed enlightenment.
“Suppose, Sāḷha, a man desiring to cross a river were to take a sharp axe and enter a grove. There he would see a large sal sapling, straight, fresh, without a fruit-bud core. He would cut it down at its root, cut off the top, completely strip off the branches and foliage, trim it with axes, trim it further with hatchets, scrape it with a scraping tool, polish it with a stone ball, and set out to cross the river. What do you think, Sāḷha? Could that man cross the river?”
“No, Bhante. For what reason? Because although that sal sapling has been thoroughly prepared externally, [201] it has not been purified within. It can be expected that the sal sapling will sink and the man will meet with calamity and disaster.”
“So too, Sāḷha, those ascetics and brahmins who advocate austerity and disgust, who regard austerity and disgust as the essence, and who adhere to austerity and disgust are incapable of crossing the flood. Also, those ascetics and brahmins whose bodily, verbal, and mental behavior are impure, and whose livelihood is impure, are incapable of knowledge and vision, of unsurpassed enlightenment.
“But, Sāḷha, those ascetics and brahmins who do not advocate austerity and disgust, who do not regard austerity and disgust as the essence, and who do not adhere to austerity and disgust are capable of crossing the flood. Also, those ascetics and brahmins whose bodily, verbal, and mental behavior are pure, and whose livelihood is pure, are capable of knowledge and vision, of unsurpassed enlightenment.
“Suppose, Sāḷha, a man desiring to cross a river were to take a sharp axe and enter a grove. There he would see a large sal sapling, straight, fresh, without a fruit-bud core. He would cut it down at its root, cut off the top, completely strip off the branches and foliage, trim it with axes, trim it further with hatchets, take a chisel and thoroughly cleanse it within, scrape it with a scraping tool, polish it with a stone ball, and make it into a boat. Then he would equip it with oars and a rudder and set out to cross the river. What do you think, Sāḷha? Could that man cross the river?”
“Yes, Bhante. For what reason? Because that sal sapling has been thoroughly prepared externally, well purified within, made into a boat, and equipped with oars and a rudder. It can be expected that the sal sapling will not sink and the man will safely reach the other shore.”
(1) “So too, Sāḷha, those ascetics and brahmins who do not advocate austerity and disgust, who do not regard austerity and disgust as the essence, and who do not adhere to austerity and disgust are capable of crossing the flood. Also, those ascetics and brahmins [202] whose bodily, verbal, and mental behavior are pure, and whose livelihood is pure, are capable of knowledge and vision, of unsurpassed enlightenment.
“Even though a warrior knows many different feats that can be done with arrows, it is only if he possesses three qualities that he is worthy of a king, an accessory of a king, and reckoned a factor of kingship. What three? He is a long-distance shooter, a sharp-shooter, and one who splits a great body.
(2) “Just as the warrior is a long-distance shooter, so too the noble disciple has right concentration. Whatever kind of form there is—whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—a noble disciple with right concentration sees all form as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Whatever kind of feeling there is … Whatever kind of perception there is … Whatever kind of volitional activities there are … Whatever kind of consciousness there is—whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—a noble disciple with right concentration sees all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
(3) “Just as the warrior is a sharp-shooter, so too the noble disciple has right view. The noble disciple with right view 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.’
(4) “Just as the warrior splits a great body, so too the noble disciple has right liberation. The noble disciple with right liberation has split the great mass of ignorance.”925
197 (7) Mallikā
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then Queen Mallikā approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:926 [203]
(1) “Bhante, why is it that some women here are (i) ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence? (2) And why is it that some are (i) ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; but (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential? (3) And why is it that some women here are (i) beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; but (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence? (4) And why is it that some are (i) beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential?”
(1) “Here, Mallikā, (i) some woman is prone to anger and easily exasperated. Even if she is criticized slightly she loses her temper and becomes irritated, hostile, and stubborn; she displays anger, hatred, and bitterness. (ii) She does not give things to ascetics or brahmins: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. (iii) And she is envious, one who envies, resents, and begrudges the gain, honor, respect, esteem, homage, and worship given to others. When she passes away from that state, if she comes back to this world, wherever she is reborn (i) she is ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence.
(2) “Another woman is (i) prone to anger and easily exasperated…. (ii) But she gives things to ascetics or brahmins…. (iii) And she is without envy, one who does not envy, resent, or begrudge the gain, honor, respect, esteem, homage, and worship given to others. When she passes away from that state, if she comes back to this world, wherever [204] she is reborn (i) she is ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; (ii) but she is rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential.
(3) “Still another woman is (i) not prone to anger or often exasperated. Even if she is criticized a lot she does not lose her temper and become irritated, hostile, and stubborn; she does not display anger, hatred, and bitterness. (ii) But she does not give things to ascetics or brahmins…. (iii) And she is envious, one who envies, resents, and begrudges the gain, honor, respect, esteem, homage, and worship given to others. When she passes away from that state, if she comes back to this world, wherever she is reborn (i) she is beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; (ii) but she is poor, destitute, with little wealth; (iii) and lacking in influence.
(4) “And still another woman is (i) not prone to anger or often exasperated…. (ii) And she gives things to ascetics or brahmins…. (iii) And she is without envy, one who does not envy, resent, or begrudge the gain, honor, respect, esteem, homage, and worship given to others. When she passes away from that state, if she comes back to this world, wherever she is reborn (i) she is beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential.
“This, Mallikā, is why some women here are (i) ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence. This is why some are (i) ugly, ill formed, and unsightly; but (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential. This is why some women here are (i) beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; but (ii) poor, destitute, and indigent; and (iii) lacking in influence. This is why some are (i) beautiful, attractive, and graceful, possessing supreme beauty of complexion; (ii) rich, with great wealth and property; and (iii) influential.”
When this was said, Queen Mallikā said to the Blessed One: “I suppose, Bhante, (i) that in some earlier life I was prone to anger and often exasperated; that even when I was criticized slightly I lost my temper and became irritated, [205] hostile, and stubborn, and displayed anger, hatred, and bitterness. Therefore I am now ugly, ill formed, and unsightly. (ii) But I suppose that in some earlier life I gave things to ascetics or brahmins … bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Therefore I am now rich, with great wealth and property. (iii) And I suppose that in some earlier life I was without envy, not one who envied, resented, and begrudged the gain, honor, respect, esteem, homage, and worship given to others. Therefore I am now influential. In this court there are girls of khattiya, brahmin, and householder families over whom I exercise command.
“From today, Bhante, (i) I will not be prone to anger and often exasperated. Even when I am criticized a lot I will not lose my temper and become irritated, hostile, and stubborn; I will not display anger, hatred, and bitterness. (ii) And I will give things to ascetics or brahmins: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. (iii) And I will not be envious, one who envies, resents, and begrudges the gain, honor, respect, esteem, homage, and worship given to others.
“Excellent, Bhante! … [as at 4:111] … Let the Blessed One consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life.”
198 (8) Self-Torment927
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four? (1) Here, a certain kind of person torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself. (2) But another kind of person torments others and pursues the practice of torturing others. (3) Still another kind of person torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself, and also torments others and pursues the practice of torturing others. (4) And still another kind of person does not torment himself or pursue the practice of torturing himself, [206] and does not torment others or pursue the practice of torturing others. Since he torments neither himself nor others, in this very life he dwells hungerless, quenched and cooled, experiencing bliss, having himself become divine.928
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself?929 Here, a certain person goes naked, rejecting conventions, licking his hands, not coming when asked, not stopping when asked; he does not accept food brought or food specially made or an invitation to a meal; he receives nothing from a pot, from a bowl, across a threshold, across a stick, across a pestle, from two eating together, from a pregnant woman, from a woman nursing a child, from a woman being kept by a man, from where food is advertised to be distributed, from where a dog is waiting, from where flies are buzzing; he accepts no fish or meat, he drinks no liquor, wine, or fermented brew. He keeps to one house [on alms round], to one morsel of food; he keeps to two houses, to two morsels … he keeps to seven houses, to seven morsels. He lives on one saucer a day, on two saucers a day … on seven saucers a day. He takes food once a day, once every two days … once every seven days; thus even up to once every fortnight, he dwells pursuing the practice of taking food at stated intervals.
“He is an eater of greens or millet or forest rice or hide-parings or moss or rice bran or rice scum or sesame flour or grass or cow dung. He subsists on forest roots and fruits; he feeds on fallen fruits.
“He wears hemp robes, robes of hemp-mixed cloth, robes made from shrouds, rag-robes, tree bark, antelope hides, strips of antelope hide, robes of kusa grass, bark fabric, or wood-shavings fabric; a mantle made of head hair or of animal wool, a covering made of owls’ wings.
“He is one who pulls out hair and beard, pursuing the practice of pulling out hair and beard. He is one who stands continuously, rejecting seats. He is one who squats continuously, devoted to maintaining the squatting position. He is one who uses a mattress of thorns; he makes a mattress of thorns his bed. He dwells pursuing the practice of bathing in water three times daily including the evening. [207] Thus in such a variety of ways he dwells pursuing the practice of tormenting and mortifying the body. It is in this way that a person torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself.
(2) “And how is a person one who torments others and pursues the practice of torturing others? Here, a certain person is a butcher of sheep, a butcher of pigs, a fowler, a trapper of wild beasts, a hunter, a fisherman, a thief, an executioner,930 a prison warden, or one who follows any other such bloody occupation. It is in this way that a person is one who torments others and pursues the practice of torturing others.
(3) “And how is a person one who torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself and also torments others and pursues the practice of torturing others? Here, some person is a head-anointed khattiya king or an affluent brahmin. Having had a new sacrificial temple built to the east of the city, and having shaved off his hair and beard, dressed himself in rough antelope hide, and greased his body with ghee and oil, scratching his back with a deer’s horn, he enters the sacrificial temple together with his chief queen and his brahmin high priest. There he lies down on the bare ground strewn with grass. The king lives on the milk in the first teat of a cow with a calf of the same color while the chief queen lives on the milk in the second teat and the brahmin high priest lives on the milk in the third teat; the milk in the fourth teat they pour onto the fire, and the calf lives on what is left. He says: ‘Let so many bulls be slaughtered for sacrifice, let so many bullocks be slaughtered for sacrifice, let so many heifers be slaughtered for sacrifice, let so many goats be slaughtered for sacrifice, let so many sheep be slaughtered for sacrifice, let so many trees be felled for the sacrificial posts, let so much grass be cut for the sacrificial grass.’ [208] And then his slaves, messengers, and servants make preparations, weeping with tearful faces, being spurred on by threats of punishment and by fear. It is in this way that a person is one who torments himself and pursues the practice of torturing himself and who also torments others and pursues the practice of torturing others.
(4) “And how is a person one who does not torment himself or pursue the practice of torturing himself and does not torment others or pursue the practice of torturing others—the one who, since he torments neither himself nor others, in this very life dwells hungerless, quenched and cooled, experiencing bliss, having himself become divine?
“Here, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata arises in the world, an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. Having realized with his own direct knowledge this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans, he makes it known to others. He teaches the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; he reveals the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life.
“A householder or householder’s son or one born in some other clan hears this Dhamma. He then acquires faith in the Tathāgata and considers thus: ‘Household life is crowded and dusty; life gone forth is wide open. It is not easy, while living at home, to lead the spiritual life that is utterly perfect and pure as a polished conch shell. Suppose I shave off my hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness.’ On a later occasion, having abandoned a small or a large fortune, having abandoned a small or a large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.
“Having thus gone forth and possessing the bhikkhus’ training and way of life, having abandoned the destruction of life, he abstains from the destruction of life; with the rod and weapon laid aside, conscientious and kindly, he dwells compassionate toward all living beings. Having abandoned the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given; [209] he takes only what is given, expects only what is given, and dwells honestly without thoughts of theft. Having abandoned sexual activity, he observes celibacy, living apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the common person’s practice.
“Having abandoned false speech, he abstains from false speech; he speaks truth, adheres to truth; he is trustworthy and reliable, no deceiver of the world. Having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech; he does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide [those people] from these, nor does he repeat to these what he has heard elsewhere in order to divide [these people] from those; thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of unity, who enjoys concord, rejoices in concord, delights in concord, a speaker of words that promote concord. Having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech; he speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, lovable, words that go to the heart, courteous words that are desired by many people and agreeable to many people. Having abandoned idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter; he speaks at a proper time, speaks what is truthful, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Dhamma and the discipline; at the proper time he speaks such words as are worth recording, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.
“He abstains from injuring seeds and plants. He eats once a day,931 abstaining from eating at night and outside the proper time. He abstains from dancing, singing, instrumental music, and unsuitable shows. He abstains from adorning and beautifying himself by wearing garlands and applying scents and unguents. He abstains from high and large beds. He abstains from accepting gold and silver, raw grain, raw meat, women and girls, men and women slaves, goats and sheep, fowl and pigs, elephants, cattle, horses, and mares, fields and land. He abstains from going on errands and running messages; from buying and selling; from cheating with weights, metals, and measures; from accepting bribes, deceiving, defrauding, and trickery. He abstains from wounding, murdering, binding, brigandage, plunder, and violence.
“He is content with robes to protect his body and almsfood to maintain his stomach, and wherever he goes he sets out taking only these with him. Just as a bird, wherever it goes, [210] flies with its wings as its only burden, so too, a bhikkhu is content with robes to protect his body and almsfood to maintain his stomach, and wherever he goes he sets out taking only these with him. Possessing this aggregate of noble virtuous behavior, he experiences blameless bliss within himself.
“Having seen a form with the eye, he does not grasp at its marks and features. Since, if he left the eye faculty unrestrained, bad unwholesome states of longing and dejection might invade him, he practices restraint over it; he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having smelled an odor with the nose … Having tasted a taste with the tongue … Having felt a tactile object with the body … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he does not grasp at its marks and features. Since, if he left the mind faculty unrestrained, bad unwholesome states of longing and dejection might invade him, he practices restraint over it; he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty. Possessing this noble restraint of the faculties, he experiences unsullied bliss within himself.
“He acts with clear comprehension when going forward and returning; he acts with clear comprehension when looking ahead and looking away; he acts with clear comprehension when bending and stretching his limbs; he acts with clear comprehension when wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; he acts with clear comprehension when eating, drinking, consuming food, and tasting; he acts with clear comprehension when defecating and urinating; he acts with clear comprehension when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent.
“Possessing this aggregate of noble virtuous behavior, and this noble restraint of the faculties, and this noble mindfulness and clear comprehension, he resorts to a secluded lodging: the forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of straw.
“After his meal, on returning from his alms round, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, straightening his body, and establishing mindfulness in front of him. Having abandoned longing for the world, he dwells with a mind free from longing; he purifies his mind from longing. Having abandoned ill will and hatred, he dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate toward all living beings; he purifies his mind from ill will and hatred. Having abandoned dullness and drowsiness, [211] he dwells free from dullness and drowsiness, percipient of light, mindful and clearly comprehending; he purifies his mind from dullness and drowsiness. Having abandoned restlessness and remorse, he dwells without agitation, with a mind inwardly peaceful; he purifies his mind from restlessness and remorse. Having abandoned doubt, he dwells having gone beyond doubt, unperplexed about wholesome qualities; he purifies his mind from doubt.
“Having thus abandoned these five hindrances, defilements of the mind, qualities that weaken wisdom, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which consists of rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by thought and examination. With the subsiding of thought and examination, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal placidity and unification of mind and consists of rapture and pleasure born of concentration, without thought and examination. With the fading away as well of rapture, he dwells equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, he experiences pleasure 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.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and dejection, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, neither painful nor pleasant, which has purification of mindfulness by equanimity.
“When his mind has been concentrated in this way, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of defilement, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to the knowledge of the recollection of past abodes … [as in 3:58 §1] … to the knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of beings … [as in 3:58 §2] … to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He 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.’ He understands as it really is: ‘These are the taints’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the origin of the taints’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the cessation of the taints’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.’
“When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensuality, from the taint of existence, and from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘[It’s] liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.’
“It is in this way that a person is one who does not torment himself or pursue the practice of torturing himself and who does not torment others or pursue the practice of torturing others—one who, since he torments neither himself nor others, in this very life dwells hungerless, quenched and cooled, experiencing bliss, having himself become divine.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.”
199 (9) Craving
“Bhikkhus, I will teach you about craving—the ensnarer, streaming, widespread, and sticky932—by which this world has been smothered and enveloped, and by which it has become a tangled skein, a knotted ball of thread, a mass of reeds and rushes, [212] so that it does not pass beyond the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world, saṃsāra. Listen and attend closely; I will speak.”
“Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“And what, bhikkhus, is craving—the ensnarer, streaming, widespread, and sticky—by which this world has been smothered and enveloped, and by which it has become a tangled skein, a knotted ball of thread, a mass of reeds and rushes, so that it does not pass beyond the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world, saṃsāra?
“There are, bhikkhus, these eighteen currents of craving related to the internal and eighteen currents of craving related to the external.
“And what are the eighteen currents of craving related to the internal? When there is [the notion] ‘I am,’ there are [the notions] ‘I am thus,’ ‘I am just so,’ ‘I am otherwise,’ ‘I am lasting,’ ‘I am evanescent,’ ‘I may be,’ ‘I may be thus,’ ‘I may be just so,’ ‘I may be otherwise,’ ‘May I be,’ ‘May I be thus,’ ‘May I be just so,’ ‘May I be otherwise,’ ‘I shall be,’ ‘I shall be thus,’ ‘I shall be just so,’ ‘I shall be otherwise.’ These are the eighteen currents of craving related to the internal.933
“And what are the eighteen currents of craving related to the external?934 When there is [the notion], ‘I am because of this,’935 there are [the notions]: ‘I am thus because of this,’ ‘I am just so because of this,’ ‘I am otherwise because of this,’ ‘I am lasting because of this,’ ‘I am evanescent because of this,’ ‘I may be because of this,’ ‘I may be thus because of this,’ ‘I may be just so because of this,’ ‘I may be otherwise because of this,’ ‘May I be because of this,’ ‘May I be thus because of this,’ ‘May I be just so because of this,’ ‘May I be otherwise because of this,’ ‘I shall be because of this,’ ‘I shall be thus because of this,’ ‘I shall be just so because of this,’ ‘I shall be otherwise because of this.’ These are the eighteen currents of craving related to the external.
“Thus there are eighteen currents of craving related to the internal, and eighteen currents of craving related to the external. These are called the thirty-six currents of craving. There are thirty-six such currents of craving pertaining to the past, thirty-six pertaining to the future, [213] and thirty-six pertaining to the present. So there are one hundred and eight currents of craving.
“This, bhikkhus, is that craving—the ensnarer, streaming, widespread, and sticky—by which this world has been smothered and enveloped, and by which it has become a tangled skein, a knotted ball of thread, a mass of reeds and rushes, so that it does not pass beyond the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world, saṃsāra.”936
200 (10) Affection
“Bhikkhus, there are these four things that are born. What four? Affection is born from affection; hatred is born from affection; affection is born from hatred; and hatred is born from hatred.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is affection born from affection? Here, one person is desirable, lovable, and agreeable to another. Others treat that person in a way that is desirable, lovable, and agreeable. It occurs to the latter: ‘Others treat that person who is desirable, lovable, and agreeable to me in a way that is desirable, lovable, and agreeable.’ He thus feels affection for them. It is in this way that affection is born from affection.
(2) “And how is hatred born from affection? Here, one person is desirable, lovable, and agreeable to another. Others treat that person in a way that is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable. It occurs to the latter: ‘Others treat that person who is desirable, lovable, and agreeable to me in a way that is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable.’ He thus feels hatred for them. It is in this way that hatred is born from affection.
(3) “And how is affection born from hatred? Here, one person is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable to another. Others treat that person in a way that is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable. It occurs to the latter: ‘Others treat that person who is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable to me in a way that is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable.’ He thus feels affection for them. It is in this way that affection is born from hatred.
(4) “And how is hatred born from hatred? Here, one person is undesirable, unlovable, [214] and disagreeable to another. Others treat that person in a way that is desirable, lovable, and agreeable. It occurs to the latter: ‘Others treat that person who is undesirable, unlovable, and disagreeable to me in a way that is desirable, lovable, and agreeable.’ He thus feels hatred for them. It is in this way that hatred is born from hatred.
“These are the four things that are born.
“When, secluded from sensual pleasures … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna, on that occasion affection born from affection does not exist in him, hatred born from affection does not exist in him, affection born from hatred does not exist in him, and hatred born from hatred does not exist in him.
“When, with the subsiding of thought and examination, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna, on that occasion affection born from affection does not exist in him, hatred born from affection does not exist in him, affection born from hatred does not exist in him, and hatred born from hatred does not exist in him.
“When, with the destruction of the taints, a bhikkhu has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it, then he has abandoned affection born from affection, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising; he has abandoned hatred born from affection, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising; he has abandoned affection born from hatred, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising; and he has abandoned hatred born from hatred, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising.
“This is called a bhikkhu who neither picks up nor pushes away, who does not fume, does not blaze, and does not ruminate.
“And how does a bhikkhu pick up?937 Here, a bhikkhu regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. He regards feeling as self … [215] … perception as self … volitional activities as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. It is in this way that a bhikkhu picks up.
“And how does a bhikkhu not pick up? Here, a bhikkhu does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. He does not regard feeling as self … perception as self … volitional activities as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. It is in this way that a bhikkhu does not pick up.
“And how does a bhikkhu push away? Here, a bhikkhu insults one who insults him, scolds one who scolds him, and argues with one who picks an argument with him. It is in this way that a bhikkhu pushes away.
“And how does a bhikkhu not push away? Here, a bhikkhu does not insult one who insults him, does not scold one who scolds him, and does not argue with one who picks an argument with him. It is in this way that a bhikkhu does not push away.
“And how does a bhikkhu fume? When there is [the notion] ‘I am,’ there are [the notions] ‘I am thus,’ ‘I am just so,’ ‘I am otherwise,’ ‘I am lasting,’ ‘I am evanescent,’ ‘I may be,’ ‘I may be thus,’ ‘I may be just so,’ ‘I may be otherwise,’ ‘May I be,’ ‘May I be thus,’ ‘May I be just so,’ ‘May I be otherwise,’ ‘I shall be,’ ‘I shall be thus,’ ‘I shall be just so,’ ‘I shall be otherwise.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu fumes.
“And how does a bhikkhu not fume? When there is no [notion] ‘I am,’ there are no [notions] ‘I am thus’ … [216] … ‘I shall be otherwise.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu does not fume.
“And how does a bhikkhu blaze? When there is [the notion], ‘I am because of this,’ there are [the notions]: ‘I am thus because of this,’ ‘I am just so because of this,’ ‘I am otherwise because of this,’ ‘I am lasting because of this,’ ‘I am evanescent because of this,’ ‘I may be because of this,’ ‘I may be thus because of this,’ ‘I may be just so because of this,’ ‘I may be otherwise because of this,’ ‘May I be because of this,’ ‘May I be thus because of this,’ ‘May I be just so because of this,’ ‘May I be otherwise because of this,’ ‘I shall be because of this,’ ‘I shall be thus because of this,’ ‘I shall be just so because of this,’ ‘I shall be otherwise because of this.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu blazes.
“And how does a bhikkhu not blaze? When there is no [notion], ‘I am because of this,’ there are no [notions]: ‘I am thus because of this’ … ‘I shall be otherwise because of this.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu does not blaze.
“And how does a bhikkhu ruminate?938 Here, a bhikkhu has not abandoned the conceit ‘I am,’ cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising. It is in this way that a bhikkhu ruminates.
“And how does a bhikkhu not ruminate? Here, a bhikkhu has abandoned the conceit ‘I am,’ cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising. It is in this way that a bhikkhu does not ruminate.” [217]
903 Be and Ee read sotānugatānaṃ bhikkhave dhammānaṃ. Ce has sotānudhatānaṃ here, and sotānudhātā honti just below, as against Be and Ee sotānugatā honti; however, Ce has sotānugataṃ in the uddāna verse. Mp (Ce) reads sotānugatānaṃ. Mp glosses: “Having applied the sensory ear, one has determined [the meaning] with the ear of knowledge” (pasādasotaṃ odahitvā ñāṇasotena vavatthapitānaṃ). This seems to support sotānudhatānaṃ, but just below Mp (Be) glosses sotānugatā honti with sotaṃ anuppattā anupaviṭṭhā honti, which suggests the reading sotānugatānaṃ. Mp (Ce), though reading sotānugatānaṃ in the lemma of the earlier sentence, inconsistently reads here sotānudhatā honti. Thus a number of texts reveal that the compilers were themselves uncertain of the reading. There is no recorded Chinese parallel.
904 The sentence is highly problematic, with respect to both reading and meaning. First, the reading: with Ce I read tassa tattha sukhino dhammapadāpilapanti. I construe dhammapadāpilapanti as a sandhi formed from dhammapadā and apilapanti, meaning “to recite, to enunciate.” The verb is possibly a corruption of abhilapanti (see DOP sv apilapati). Be has tassa tattha sukhino dhammapadā plavanti. Ee’s dhammapadāni pi lapanti, with a hiatus between pi and lapanti, seems unacceptable. In a short paper on this passage, Norman (1992: 257–59) opines that the verb is api-lapanti = abhi + lapanti. The Be reading plavanti apparently takes the verb to be from the root plu, to float, perhaps via pilavanti.
A second problem arises from the phrase tassa tattha sukhino. Sukhino can be either a dative-genitive singular or a nominative plural, and thus the phrase can be construed to mean either “to him who is happy there” (with tassa and sukhino as dative singulars denoting the same subject) or “to him, the happy ones there” (with tassa denoting the one reborn, and sukhino a nominative plural denoting those already there). The connection of the phrase with the words that follow will differ depending on which alternative is chosen. Mp (Be) opts for the first alternative, taking dhammapadā as the nominative subject, plavanti as the verb, and tassa sukhino as the dative indirect object: “Passages of the Dhamma float up to him who is happy there.” Commenting on the phrase in this sense, Mp (Be) says: “To the one reborn who is muddled in mind in his next existence, the teachings of the Buddha’s words that he had recited, being rooted in his past recitation of them, all float up clearly discerned like images in a pure mirror.” Mp (Ce), interestingly, records the lemma as dhammapadāpilapanti, and reads the gloss: te sabbe pasanne ādāse chāyā viya apilapanti upaṭṭhahanti. I assume that the verb apilapanti entered here because Sinhala-script manuscripts of AN retained the original verb, which then migrated back to the commentary to replace plavanti or pilavanti. Otherwise it is hard to account for plavanti in Be. Mp (Ce) also includes the verb upaṭṭhahanti, “[they] appear to,” missing in Be, perhaps through editorial oversight. This verb is evidently intended as a gloss on apilapanti/plavanti.
I depart from Mp and follow Norman in taking tassa and sukhino to denote different persons: tassa the indirect dative object and sukhino the nominative plural subject. I take the verb to be transitive apilapanti (= abhilapanti) with dhammapadā its direct object. Norman (p. 259) affirms that neuter nouns in the accusative plural occasionally end in –ā. Thus I understand the line to mean that “the happy ones”—the devas in the celestial realm—”recite passages of Dhamma to him,” that is, to the person reborn there.
905 Here and just below, I read with Ce and Be purimavohārā pacchimavohāraṃ.
906 I render this freely to conform to ordinary English diction. The Pāli tathābhūto kho ayaṃ lokasannivāso tathābhūto ayaṃ attabhāvapaṭilābho literally means: “This dwelling in the world is of such a nature, this obtaining of individual existence is of such a nature….” Lokasannivāso is also in 3:40 §2.
907 This charge is also at SN 42:13, IV 340,23–29. According to MN 56.8, I 375,24–26, it originated among the Jains.
908 This is the Buddha’s advice to the Kālāmas at 3:65. The interrogation that follows also parallels that used with the Kālāmas, but with an additional unwholesome motive.
909 BHSD defines sārambha as “quarrelsomeness” and connects the word with Skt saṃrambha, which SED explains as “the act of grasping or taking hold of,” and gives as meanings “vehemence, impetuosity … fury, wrath against.” Since the sutta speaks about sārambha as occurring through body, speech, and mind, I settle for “vehemence.”
910 Ce reads lobhaṃ vineyya vineyya viharanto, and so in relation to dosa, moha, and sārambha. I try to capture this sense with “constantly,” though “repeatedly” might also have been used. Be and Ee read simply lobhaṃ vineyya viharanto.
911 See MN 56.26, II 383,32–384,7.
912 The words sace ceteyyuṃ are in Ce and Ee, but not Be.
913 Pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgāni. I translate the compound in accordance with Mp’s resolution: pārisuddhi-atthāya padhāniyaṅgāni.
914 Sīlapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅga, cittapārisuddhipadhāniyaṅga, diṭṭhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅga, vimuttipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅga. Sīlavisuddhi, cittavisuddhi, and diṭṭhivisuddhi are included among the seven purifications (satta visuddhi) in MN 24, which is used as the scaffolding for Vism. The four are included among the nine pārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgāni in DN 34.2.2, III 288,16–25, where they are all conjoined with the word visuddhi, for instance, sīlavisuddhipārisuddhipadhāniyaṅgaṃ. It is intriguing that no suttas on the seven purifications are included in the Sevens. This suggests a late origin for the scheme, as well as a late origin for MN 24.
915 Tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmi. Mp: “In this and that respect I will assist it with the wisdom of insight (vipassanāpaññāya).”
916 Since, in the Nikāyas, direct understanding of the four noble truths typically marks the attainment of stream-entry, purification of view here can be identified with the wisdom of the stream-enterer. This stands in contrast with the scheme of Vism, in which purification of view (diṭṭhivisuddhi) is the third of the seven purifications. Vism explains it as the clear understanding of mental and material phenomena (nāmarūpavavatthāna), also known as the delimitation of conditioned phenomena (saṅkhāraparicccheda). In the Vism scheme, the attainment of stream-entry (and each subsequent path) occurs only with the seventh purification, purification of knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassanavisuddhi).
917 A separate purification of this name does not occur in the Vism scheme, but perhaps it could be considered the culmination of purification of knowledge and vision.
918 This seems to have been a tenet of the Jains, who sought, through the practice of self-affliction, to eradicate past kamma. See the teaching given by Nātaputta (Mahāvīra) at 3:74.
919 So navañca kammaṃ na karoti, purāṇañ ca kammaṃ phussa phussa vyantīkaroti. See p. 1660, note 499. Mp’s paraphrase here differs slightly from the earlier one: “Having contacted the kamma again and again by contact with knowledge, he destroys the kamma to be eliminated by means of knowledge. Having contacted the result again and again by resultant-contact, he destroys the kamma to be eliminated by [experiencing] the result.”
920 Mp: “Because he has acquired equanimity, which is embraced by mindfulness and clear comprehension and has mental balance as its characteristic, ‘he dwells equanimous,’ mentally balanced in relation to those objects” (satisampajaññapariggahitāya majjhattākāralakkhaṇāya upekkhāya tesu ārammaṇesu upekkhako majjhatto hutvā viharati).
921 This shows the arahant’s attitude toward present experience. He knows that his feelings continue only as long as the body and vitality continue, and that with the perishing of the body and the extinction of vitality all feelings will come to an end. Mp explains “will become cool right here (idh’eva sītībhavissanti)” thus: “They will become cool, devoid of the disturbance and trouble caused by the occurrence [of the life process]; they will never recur. [This takes place] right here, without his going elsewhere by way of rebirth.”
922 Mp: “Here is the application of the simile: The body should be seen as like the tree. Wholesome and unwholesome kamma are like the shadow depending on the tree. The meditator is like the man who wants to remove the shadow; wisdom is like the shovel; concentration is like the basket; insight is like the pick (khaṇitti, not mentioned in the sutta; DOP defines both kuddāla and khaṇitti as a digging tool, a spade, a trowel). The time of digging up the roots with the pick is like the time of cutting off ignorance with the path of arahantship. The time of reducing the stump to pieces is like the time of seeing the aggregates; the time of splitting the pieces is like the time of seeing the sense bases; the time of reducing them to slivers is like the time of seeing the elements. The time of drying the slivers in the wind and sun is like the time of applying bodily and mental energy. The time of burning the slivers in a fire is like the time of burning the defilements with knowledge. The time of reducing them to ash is like the time when the five aggregates are still occurring [after one reaches arahantship]. The time of winnowing the ashes in a strong wind and letting them be carried away by the current is like the cessation of the five aggregates, which have been cut off at the root with no further rebirth. As the ashes winnowed and carried away go to the indiscernible state (apaññattibhāvūpagamo), so should one understand the indescribable state (appaṇṇattibhāvo) [reached] by the non-arising of resultant aggregates in renewed existence.”
923 The crossing of the flood (oghassa nittharaṇa) is a metaphor for the crossing of saṃsāra or the eradication of defilements. The two factors mentioned by Sāḷha are sīlavisuddhi and tapojigucchā. The latter comprises diverse types of austerity and self-mortification rejected by the Buddha in his formulation of the “middle way.” In his reply, the Buddha accepts purification of virtuous behavior as one of the factors of asceticism (sāmaññaṅga), but rejects austerity and disgust.
924 See 3:78.
925 Mp explains right concentration spoken of above as the concentration of the path and fruit. Right view is the view of the path; the mention of the four noble truths points to the four paths and three fruits. Right liberation is the liberation of the fruit of arahantship. The mass of ignorance is split by the path of arahantship, which the disciple has reached before he gains the liberation of the fruit.
I assume this sutta is included in the Fours by way of moral purity (of body, speech, mind, and livelihood), right concentration, right view, and right liberation. However, the sutta itself is not sufficiently explicit about this and thus my numbering is hypothetical.
926 Queen Mallikā was the wife of King Pasenadi of Kosala.
927 The contents of this sutta are also included in MN 51.8–28, I 342–49.
928 The expression occurs also at 3:66. See p. 1654, note 463.
929 The ascetic practices to be described are also at 3:156 §2.
930 Be alone has an additional occupation here, goghatako, a cattle butcher.
931 See p. 1658, note 481.
932 Mp: “Craving is called the ensnarer (jālinī) because it is like a net. For as a net is sewn tightly together and is thoroughly interwoven, so too is craving. Or it is called the ensnarer because it is a net spread out over the three realms of existence. It is streaming (saritā) because it streams and runs on here and there. It is widespread (visaṭā) because it is spread out and dispersed. And it is sticky (visattikā) because it sticks, attaches, fastens here and there.”
933 I translate these phrases—some obscure—with the aid of Mp. “Related to the internal” (ajjhattikassa upādāya) means related to one’s own five aggregates.
934 “Related to the external” (bāhirassa upādāya) means related to external five aggregates.
935 Mp says that “because of this” (iminā) should be understood to mean “because of this form … because of this consciousness” (iminā rūpena vā … pe … viññāṇena). The passage is opaque as it stands and I am not sure that Mp has caught the original intention. “Because of this” might have meant “because of a creator God,” or “because of primordial matter” or “because of chance or necessity,” etc.
936 I am unsure how to explain the inclusion of this sutta in the Fours. The reason may be the four terms used to describe craving, enclosed between dashes, but this is a mere hypothesis.
937 DOP defines the verb usseneti as “forms an association (with), is involved,” but Mp glosses it with ukkhipati, which DOP says can mean “throws up; raises; lifts up, picks up, holds up; raises up, extols.” What follows are the twenty modes of personal-existence view (sakkāyadiṭṭhi), the view of a real self existing in relation to the five aggregates. There are four modes in relation to each of the five aggregates.
938 There are different readings here: Ce apajjhāyate, Be sampajjhāyati, Ee pajjhāyati. Ee is missing this paragraph but includes the following paragraph; presumably, this was an editorial oversight rather than a difference in the manuscripts.