“Any kind of form whatsoever, Rāhula, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—having seen all form as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,’ one is liberated by nonclinging.
“Any kind of feeling whatsoever … Any kind of perception whatsoever … Any kind of volitional formations whatsoever … Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—having seen all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,’ one is liberated by nonclinging.
“When one knows and sees thus, Rāhula, then in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, the mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit, has transcended discrimination, and is peaceful and well liberated.”
[254]
Chapter VIII
19. Lakkhaṇasaṃyutta Connected Discourses with Lakkhaṇa
I. THE FIRST SUBCHAPTER
1 (1) The Skeleton
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were dwelling on Mount Vulture Peak.343 Then, in the morning, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna dressed and, taking bowl and robe, he approached the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and said to him: “Come, friend Lakkhaṇa, let us enter Rājagaha for alms.”
“All right, friend,” the Venerable Lakkhaṇa replied. Then, as he was coming down from Mount Vulture Peak, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna displayed a smile in a certain place.344 The Venerable Lakkhaṇa said to him: “For what reason, friend Moggallāna, did you display a smile?”
“This is not the time for that question, friend Lakkhaṇa. Ask me that question when we are in the presence of the Blessed One.” [255]
Then, when the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna had walked for alms in Rājagaha and returned from their alms round, after their meal they approached the Blessed One. Having paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side, and the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “Here, as he was coming down from Mount Vulture Peak, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna displayed a smile in a certain place. For what reason, friend Moggallāna, did you display that smile?”
“Here, friend, as I was coming down from Mount Vulture Peak, I saw a skeleton moving through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks, following it in hot pursuit, were pecking at it between the ribs, stabbing it, and tearing it apart while it uttered cries of pain.345 It occurred to me: ‘It is wonderful, indeed! It is amazing, indeed! That there could be such a being, that there could be such a spirit, that there could be such a form of individual existence!’”346
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, there are disciples who dwell having become vision, having become knowledge, in that a disciple can know, see, and witness such a sight. In the past, bhikkhus, I too saw that being, but I did not speak about it. For if I had spoken about it, others would not have believed me, and if they had not believed me that would have led to their harm and suffering for a long time.
“That being, bhikkhus, used to be a cattle butcher in this same Rājagaha. Having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years as a result of that kamma, [256] as a residual result of that same kamma he is experiencing such a form of individual existence.”347
(The remaining suttas of this subchapter follow the same pattern as the first. As in the Pāli text, so in translation here only the phrases that differ are given.)
2 (2) The Piece of Meat
… “Here, friend, as I was coming down from Mount Vulture Peak, I saw a piece of meat moving through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks, following it in hot pursuit, were stabbing at it and tearing it apart as it uttered cries of pain.”…
“That being, bhikkhus, was a cattle butcher in this same Rājagaha....”348
3 (3) The Lump of Meat
... “I saw a lump of meat….”
“That being was a poultry butcher in this same Rājagaha….”
4 (4) The Flayed Man
... “I saw a flayed man….”
“That being was a sheep butcher in this same Rājagaha….” [257]
5 (5) Sword Hairs
… “I saw a man with body-hairs of swords moving through the air. Those swords kept on rising up and striking his body while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was a hog butcher in this same Rājagaha….”
6 (6) Spear Hairs
… “I saw a man with body-hairs of spears moving through the air. Those spears kept on rising up and striking his body while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was a deer hunter in this same Rājagaha….”
7 (7) Arrow Hairs
… “I saw a man with body-hairs of arrows moving through the air. Those arrows kept on rising up and striking his body while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was a torturer in this same Rājagaha....”349
8 (8) Needle Hairs (1)350
… “I saw a man with body-hairs of needles moving through the air. Those needles kept on rising up and striking his body while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was a horse trainer in this same Rājagaha….”
9 (9) Needle Hairs (2)
… “I saw a man with body-hairs of needles moving through the air. [258] Those needles entered his head and came out from his mouth; they entered his mouth and came out from his chest; they entered his chest and came out from his belly; they entered his belly and came out from his thighs; they entered his thighs and came out from his calves; they entered his calves and came out from his feet, while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was a slanderer in this same Rājagaha....”351
10 (10) Pot Testicles
… “I saw a man whose testicles were like pots moving through the air. When he walked, he had to lift his testicles onto his shoulders, and when he sat down he sat on top of his testicles. Vultures, crows, and hawks, following him in hot pursuit, were stabbing at him and tearing him apart while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was a corrupt magistrate in this same Rājagaha....” 352
[259]
II. THE SECOND SUBCHAPTER
11 (1) With Head Submerged
... “I saw a man with head submerged in a pit of dung….”
“That being was an adulterer in this same Rājagaha....”353
12 (2) The Dung Eater
… “I saw a man submerged in a pit of dung, eating dung with both hands….”
“That being, bhikkhus, was a hostile brahmin in this same Rājagaha. In the time of the Buddha Kassapa’s Dispensation, he invited the Bhikkhu Saṅgha to a meal. Having had rice pots filled with dung, he said to the bhikkhus: ‘Sirs, eat as much as you want from this and take the rest away with you.’...”354
13 (3) The Flayed Woman
… “I saw a flayed woman moving through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks, following her in hot pursuit, were stabbing at her and tearing her apart while she uttered cries of pain….”
“That woman was an adulteress in this same Rājagaha....”355 [260]
14 (4) The Ugly Woman
… “I saw a woman, foul-smelling and ugly, moving through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks, following her in hot pursuit, were stabbing at her and tearing her apart while she uttered cries of pain….”
“That woman was a fortune-teller in this same Rājagaha....”356
15 (5) The Sweltering Woman
… “I saw a woman, her body roasting, sweltering, sooty, moving through the air, while she uttered cries of pain....”357
“That wo
man was the chief queen of the king of Kaliṅga. Of a jealous character, she poured a brazier of coals over one of the king’s consorts….”
16 (6) The Headless Trunk
… “I saw a headless trunk moving through the air; its eyes and mouth were on its chest. Vultures, crows, and hawks, following it in hot pursuit, were stabbing at it and tearing it apart while it uttered cries of pain….”
“That being was an executioner named Hārika in this same Rājagaha….”
17 (7) The Evil Bhikkhu
… “I saw a bhikkhu moving through the air. His outer robe, bowl, waistband, [261] and body were burning, blazing, and flaming while he uttered cries of pain….”
“That bhikkhu had been an evil bhikkhu in the Buddha Kassapa’s Dispensation....”358
18 (8) The Evil Bhikkhunı̄
… “I saw a bhikkhunı̄ moving through the air. Her outer robe, bowl, waistband, and body were burning, blazing, and flaming while she uttered cries of pain….”
“That bhikkhunı̄ had been an evil bhikkhunı̄ in the Buddha Kassapa’s Dispensation….”
19 (9)–21 (11) The Evil Probationary Nun, Etc.
… “Here, friend, as I was coming down from Mount Vulture Peak, I saw a probationary nun…a novice monk…a novice nun moving through the air. Her outer robe, bowl, waistband, and body were burning, blazing, and flaming while she uttered cries of pain. It occurred to me: ‘It is wonderful, indeed! It is amazing, indeed! That there could be such a being, that there could be such a spirit, that there could be such a form of individual existence!’”
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, there are disciples who dwell having become vision, having become knowledge, in that a disciple can know, see, and witness such a sight. [262] In the past, bhikkhus, I too saw that novice nun, but I did not speak about it. For if I had spoken about it, others would not have believed me, and if they had not believed me that would have led to their harm and suffering for a long time.
“That novice nun had been an evil novice nun in the Buddha Kassapa’s Dispensation. Having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years as a result of that kamma, as a residual result of that same kamma she is experiencing such a form of individual existence.”
Chapter IX
20 Opammasaṃyutta Connected Discourses with Similes
1 The Roof Peak
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park…. [263] There the Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, just as all the rafters of a peaked house lead to the roof peak and converge upon the root peak, and all are removed when the roof peak is removed, so too all unwholesome states are rooted in ignorance and converge upon ignorance, and all are uprooted when ignorance is uprooted.359 Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell diligently.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
2 The Fingernail
At Sāvatthī. Then the Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, what do you think, which is more: the little bit of soil that I have taken up in my fingernail or the great earth?”
“Venerable sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is trifling. Compared to the great earth, it is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.”
“So too, bhikkhus, those beings who are reborn among human beings are few. But those beings are more numerous who are reborn elsewhere than among human beings.360 Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell diligently. ’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
3 Families
At Sāvatthī. [264] “Bhikkhus, just as it is easy for burglars to assail those families that have many women and few men, so too it is easy for nonhuman beings to assail a bhikkhu who has not developed and cultivated the liberation of mind by lovingkindness.361
“Just as it is difficult for burglars to assail those families that have few women and many men, so too it is difficult for nonhuman beings to assail a bhikkhu who has developed and cultivated the liberation of mind by lovingkindness.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
4 Pots of Food
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, if someone were to give away a hundred pots of food362 as charity in the morning, a hundred pots of food as charity at noon, and a hundred pots of food as charity in the evening, and if someone else were to develop a mind of lovingkindness even for the time it takes to pull a cow’s udder, either in the morning, at noon, or in the evening, this would be more fruitful than the former.363
“Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus should you train yourselves.” [265]
5 The Spear
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, suppose there was a sharp-pointed spear, and a man would come along thinking: ‘I will bend back this sharp-pointed spear with my hand or fist, twist it out of shape, and twirl it around.’364 What do you think bhikkhus, would it be possible for that man to do so?”
“No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because it is not easy to bend back that sharp-pointed spear with one’s hand or fist, to twist it out of shape, or to twirl it around. That man would only experience fatigue and vexation.”
“So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has developed and cultivated the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, made it a vehicle, made it a basis, stabilized it, exercised himself in it, and fully perfected it, if a nonhuman being thinks he can overthrow his mind, that nonhuman being would only experience fatigue and vexation.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by lovingkindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
6 The Archers
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, suppose there were four firm-bowed archers, [266] trained, dexterous, experienced, standing in each of the four directions.365 Then a man would come along, thinking: ‘I will catch the arrows shot by these four archers in each of the four directions before they reach the ground and then I will bring them back.’ What do you think, bhikkhus, would this be enough to say: ‘That man is a speedster endowed with supreme speed’?”
“Venerable sir, even if he could catch the arrow shot by one archer before it reached the ground and could bring it back, that would be enough to say: ‘That man is a speedster endowed with supreme speed.’ There is no need to speak about the arrows shot by all four archers!”
“Bhikkhus, as swift as that man is, still swifter are the sun and moon. As swift as that man is, and as swift as are the sun and moon, and as swift as are the deities that run before the sun and moon, the vital formations366 perish even more swiftly than that. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell diligently.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
7 The Drum Peg
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, once in the past the Dasārahas had a kettle drum called the Summoner.367 When the Summoner became cracked, the Dasārahas inserted another peg. [267] Eventually the time came when the Summoner’s original drumhead had disappeared and only a collection of pegs remained.
“So too, bhikkhus, the same thing will happen with the bhikkhus in the future. When those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness, are being recited,368 they will not be eager to listen to them, nor lend an ear
to them, nor apply their minds to understand them; and they will not think those teachings should be studied and mastered. But when those discourses that are mere poetry composed by poets, beautiful in words and phrases, created by outsiders, spoken by [their] disciples,369 are being recited, they will be eager to listen to them, will lend an ear to them, will apply their minds to understand them; and they will think those teachings should be studied and mastered. In this way, bhikkhus, those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness, will disappear.
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 76