The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha
Page 126
6. “Householders, if wanderers of other sects ask you thus: ‘But what are your reasons and what is your evidence regarding those venerable ones whereby you say about them: “Surely these venerable ones [293] are either rid of lust or are practising for the removal of lust; they are either rid of hate or are practising for the removal of hate; they are either rid of delusion or are practising for the removal of delusion”?’—being asked thus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus: ‘It is because those venerable ones resort to remote jungle-thicket resting places in the forest. For there are no forms cognizable by the eye there of a kind that they could look at and delight in. There are no sounds cognizable by the ear there of a kind that they could listen to and delight in. There are no odours cognizable by the nose there of a kind that they could smell and delight in. There are no flavours cognizable by the tongue there of a kind that they could taste and delight in. There are no tangibles cognizable by the body there of a kind that they could touch and delight in. These are our reasons, friends, this is our evidence whereby we say about those venerable ones: “Surely these venerable ones are either rid of lust, hate, and delusion, or are practising for their removal.”’ Being thus asked, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way.”
7. When this was said, the brahmin householders of Nagaravinda said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness for those with eyesight to see forms. We go to Master Gotama for refuge and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. From today let Master Gotama accept us as lay followers who have gone to him for refuge for life.”
Piṇḍapātapārisuddhi Sutta
The Purification of Almsfood
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then, when it was evening, the venerable Sāriputta rose from meditation and went to the Blessed One. After paying homage to him, he sat down at one side. The Blessed One then said to him: [294]
2. “Sāriputta, your faculties are clear. The colour of your skin is pure and bright. What abiding do you often abide in now, Sāriputta?”
“Now, venerable sir, I often abide in voidness.”1347
“Good, good, Sāriputta! Now, indeed, you often abide in the abiding of a great man. For this is the abiding of a great man, namely, voidness.1348
3. “So, Sāriputta, if a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I now often abide in voidness,’ he should consider thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, or in the place where I wandered for alms, or on the path by which I returned from the almsround, was there any desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding forms cognizable by the eye?’1349 If, by so reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, or in the place where I wandered for alms, or on the path by which I returned from the almsround, there was desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding forms cognizable by the eye,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those evil unwholesome states. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, and in the place where I wandered for alms, and on the path by which I returned from the almsround, there was no desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding forms cognizable by the eye,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
4–8. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, or in the place where I wandered for alms, or on the path by which I returned from the almsround, was there any desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding sounds cognizable by the ear?…regarding odours cognizable by the nose?…regarding flavours cognizable by the tongue?…regarding tangibles cognizable by the body?…regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind?’ [295] If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms…there was desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those evil unwholesome states. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms…there was no desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
9. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the five cords of sensual pleasure abandoned in me?’1350 If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five cords of sensual pleasure are not abandoned in me,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those five cords of sensual pleasure. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five cords of sensual pleasure are abandoned in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
10. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the five hindrances abandoned in me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five hindrances are not abandoned in me,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those five hindrances. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five hindrances are abandoned in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
11. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the five aggregates affected by clinging fully understood by me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five aggregates affected by clinging are not fully understood by me,’ then he should make an effort to fully understand those five aggregates affected by clinging. But if, by reviewing, [296] he knows thus: ‘The five aggregates affected by clinging are fully understood by me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
12. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the four foundations of mindfulness developed in me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The four foundations of mindfulness are not developed in me,’ then he should make an effort to develop those four foundations of mindfulness. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The four foundations of mindfulness are developed in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
13–19. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the four right kinds of striving developed in me?…Are the four bases for spiritual power developed in me?…Are the five faculties developed in me?...Are the five powers developed in me?...Are the seven enlightenment factors developed in me?...Is the Noble Eightfold Path developed in me? [297]...Are serenity and insight developed in me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘Serenity and insight are not developed in me,’ then he should make an effort to develop them. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘Serenity and insight are developed in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
20. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are true knowledge and deliverance realised by me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘True knowledge and deliverance are not realised by me,’ then he should make an effort to realise true knowledge and deliverance. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘True knowledge and deliverance are realised by me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.1351
21. “Sāriputta, whatever recluses and brahmins in the past have purified their almsfood have all done so by repeatedly reviewing thus. Whatever recluses and brahmins in the future will purify their almsfood will all do so by repeatedly reviewing thus. Whatever recluses and brahmins in the present are purifying their almsfood are all doing so by repeatedly reviewing thus. Therefore, Sāriputta, you should train thus: ‘We will purify our almsfood by repeatedly reviewing thus.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Sāriputta was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
&nb
sp; Indriyabhāvanā Sutta
The Development of the Faculties
[298] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Kajangalā in a grove of mukhelu trees.
2. Then the brahmin student Uttara, a pupil of the brahmin Pārāsariya, went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side. The Blessed One then asked him: “Uttara, does the brahmin Pārāsariya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?”
“He does, Master Gotama.”
“But, Uttara, how does he teach his disciples the development of the faculties?”
“Here, Master Gotama, one does not see forms with the eye, one does not hear sounds with the ear. That is how the brahmin Pārāsariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties.”
“If that is so, Uttara, then a blind man and a deaf man will have developed faculties, according to what the brahmin Pārāsariya says. For a blind man does not see forms with the eye, and a deaf man does not hear sounds with the ear.”
When this was said, the brahmin student Uttara, Pārāsariya’s pupil, sat silent, dismayed, with shoulders drooping and head down, glum, and without response.
3. Then, knowing this, the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, the brahmin Pārāsariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties in one way, but in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties is otherwise.”1352
“Now is the time, Blessed One, now is the time, Sublime One, for the Blessed One [299] to teach the supreme development of the faculties in the Noble One’s Discipline. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.”
“Then listen, Ānanda, and attend closely to what I shall say.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” he replied. The Blessed One said this:
4. “Now, Ānanda, how is there the supreme development of the faculties in the Noble One’s Discipline? Here, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu sees a form with the eye, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable.1353 He understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me what is agreeable, there has arisen what is disagreeable, there has arisen what is both agreeable and disagreeable. But that is conditioned, gross, dependently arisen; this is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, equanimity.’ The agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease in him and equanimity is established.1354 Just as a man with good sight, having opened his eyes might shut them or having shut his eyes might open them, so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established. This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties regarding forms cognizable by the eye.1355
5. “Again, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu hears a sound with the ear, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable. He understands thus:…and equanimity is established. Just as a strong man might easily snap his fingers, so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established. This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties regarding sounds cognizable by the ear.
6. “Again, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu smells an odour with the nose, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable. He understands thus:…and equanimity is established. Just as [300] raindrops on a slightly sloping lotus leaf roll off and do not remain there, so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established. This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties regarding odours cognizable by the nose.
7. “Again, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu tastes a flavour with the tongue, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable. He understands thus:…and equanimity is established. Just as a strong man might easily spit out a ball of spittle collected on the tip of his tongue, so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established. This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties regarding flavours cognizable by the tongue.
8. “Again, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu touches a tangible with the body, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable. He understands thus:…and equanimity is established. Just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established. This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties regarding tangibles cognizable by the body.
9. “Again, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu cognizes a mind-object with the mind, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable. He understands thus:…and equanimity is established. Just as if a man were to let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron plate heated for a whole day, the falling of the drops might be slow but they would quickly vaporise and vanish, 1356 so too concerning anything at all, the agreeable that arose, the disagreeable that arose, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose cease just as quickly, just as rapidly, just as easily, and equanimity is established. This is called in the Noble One’s Discipline the supreme development of the faculties regarding ideas cognizable by the mind.
“That is how there is the supreme development of the faculties in the Noble One’s Discipline.
10. “And how, Ānanda, is one a disciple in higher training, one who has entered upon the way? Here, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu sees a form with the eye…[301] hears a sound with the ear…smells an odour with the nose…tastes a flavour with the tongue…touches a tangible with the body…cognizes a mind-object with the mind, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable; he is repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by the agreeable that arose, by the disagreeable that arose, and by the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose.1357 That is how one is a disciple in higher training, one who has entered upon the way.
11–16. “And how, Ānanda, is one a noble one with developed faculties?1358 Here, Ānanda, when a bhikkhu sees a form with the eye…hears a sound with the ear…smells an odour with the nose…tastes a flavour with the tongue…touches a tangible with the body…cognizes a mind-object with the mind, there arises in him what is agreeable, there arises what is disagreeable, there arises what is both agreeable and disagreeable.1359 If he should wish: ‘May I abide perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ he abides perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive. If he should wish: ‘May I abide perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive, ’ he abides perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive. If he should wish: ‘May I abide perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ he abides perceiving the unrepulsive in that. If he should wish: ‘May I abide perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ he abides perceiving the repulsive in that. If he should wish: ‘May I, avoiding both the repulsive and unrepulsive, [302] abide in equanimity, mindful and fully aware,’ he abides in
equanimity towards that, mindful and fully aware.1360 That is how one is a noble one with developed faculties.
17. “So, Ānanda, the supreme development of the faculties in the Noble One’s Discipline has been taught by me, the disciple in higher training who has entered upon the way has been taught by me, and the noble one with developed faculties has been taught by me.
18. “What should be done for his disciples out of compassion by a Teacher who seeks their welfare and has compassion for them, that I have done for you, Ānanda. There are these roots of trees, these empty huts. Meditate, Ānanda, do not delay, or else you will regret it later. This is our instruction to you.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Ānanda was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Bibliography
List of Abbreviations
Notes
Pali-English Glossary
Indexes
Bibliography
A. PALI TEXTS
The Majjhima Nikāya. 3 vols. Vol. 1 edited by V. Trenckner; Vols. 2 and 3 edited by Robert Chalmers. First published 1888–99. Reprint. London: Pali Text Society, 1977–79. Roman-script edition.