“And what, bhikkhus, is the way leading to the cessation of suffering? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view … right concentration. This is called the way leading to the cessation of suffering.”
105 (3) Identity
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you identity, the origin of identity, the cessation of identity, and the way leading to the cessation of identity.”
(The remainder of this sutta is identical with the preceding one, with appropriate substitutions.)
106 (4) To Be Fully Understood
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you things that should be fully understood, full understanding, and the person that has fully understood.218 Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, are the things that should be fully understood? Form, bhikkhus, is something that should be fully understood. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is something that should be fully understood. These are called the things that should be fully understood. [160]
“And what, bhikkhus, is full understanding? The destruction of lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of delusion: this is called full understanding.219
“And who, bhikkhus, is the person that has fully understood? It should be said: the arahant, the venerable one of such a name and clan. This is called the person that has fully understood.”
107 (5) Ascetics (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, there are these five aggregates subject to clinging. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging … the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging.
“Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who do not understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five aggregates subject to clinging: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones do not, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood.
“But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things as they really are: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
108 (6) Ascetics (2)
At Sāvatthī.220 “Bhikkhus, there are these five aggregates subject to clinging. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging … the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging.
“Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who do not understand as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five aggregates subject to clinging: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins….
“But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things as they really are … in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
109 (7) Stream-Enterer
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, there are these five aggregates subject to clinging. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging … the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging.
“When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple understands as they really are the origin and the passing away, [161] the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five aggregates subject to clinging, then he is called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as his destination.”
110 (8) Arahant
… “When, bhikkhus, having understood as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five aggregates subject to clinging, a bhikkhu is liberated by nonclinging,221 then he is called a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, one completely liberated through final knowledge.”
111 (9) Abandoning Desire (1)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, whatever desire there is for form, whatever lust, delight, craving—abandon it. Thus that form will be abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising. So too in the case of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness.”
112 (10) Abandoning Desire (2)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, whatever desire there is for form, whatever lust, delight, craving, whatever engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies—[162] abandon them. Thus that form will be abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising. So too in the case of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness.”
II. A SPEAKER ON THE DHAMMA
113 (1) Ignorance
At Sāvatthī. Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘ignorance, ignorance.’ What now, venerable sir, is ignorance, and in what way is one immersed in ignorance?”
“Here, bhikkhu, the uninstructed worldling does not understand form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. He does not understand feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. [163] This is called ignorance, and in this way one is immersed in ignorance.”
114 (2) True Knowledge
At Sāvatthī…. Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘true knowledge, true knowledge.’ What now, venerable sir, is true knowledge, and in what way has one arrived at true knowledge?”
“Here, bhikkhu, the instructed noble disciple understands form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. He understands feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. This is called true knowledge, and in this way one has arrived at true knowledge.”
115 (3) A Speaker on the Dhamma (1)
At Sāvatthī…. Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable, sir, it is said, ‘a speaker on the Dhamma, a speaker on the Dhamma.’ In what way, venerable sir, is one a speaker on the Dhamma?”222
“Bhikkhu, if one teaches the Dhamma for the purpose of revulsion towards form, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a bhikkhu who is a speaker on the Dhamma. If one is practising for the purpose of revulsion towards form, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma. If, through revulsion towards form, through its fading away and cessation, one is liberated by nonclinging, one can be called a bhikkhu who has attained Nibbāna in this very life.
“Bhikkhu, if one teaches the Dhamma for the purpose of revulsion towards feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a bhikkhu who is a speaker on the Dhamma. If one is practising for the purpose of revulsion towards consciousness, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma. If, through revulsion towards consciousness, [164] through its fading away and cessation, one is liberated by nonclinging, one can be called a bhikkhu who has attained Nibbāna in this very life.”
116 (4) A Speaker on the Dhamma (2)
At Sāvatthī…. Sitting to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable, sir, it is said, ‘a speaker on the Dhamma, a speaker on the Dhamma.’ In what way, venerable sir, is one a speaker on the Dhamma? In what way is one practising in accordance with the Dhamma? In what way has one attained Nibbāna in this very life?”
(The rest of this sutta is identical with the preceding one.)
117 (5) Bondage
At Sāvatthī. “Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling … regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. This is called, bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling who is bound by bondage to form, who is bound by inner and outer bondage, who does not see the near shore and the far shore, who grows old in bondage,223 who dies in bondage, who in bondage goes from this world to the other world. [165]
“He regards feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. This is called, bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling who is bound by bondage to consciousness … who in bondage goes from this world to the other world.
“But, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple … does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. This is called, bhikkhus, an instructed noble disciple who is not bound by bondage to form, who is not bound by inner and outer bondage, who sees the near shore and the far shore. He is freed from suffering, I say.
“He does not regard feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self … or self as in consciousness. This is called, bhikkhus, an instructed noble disciple who is not bound by bondage to consciousness…. He is freed from suffering, I say.”
118 (6) Interrogation (1)224
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, what do you think, do you regard form thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Good, bhikkhus! Form should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“Do you regard feeling … perception … volitional formations … [166] consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Good, bhikkhus! Consciousness should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
119 (7) Interrogation (2)
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, what do you think, do you regard form thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Good, bhikkhus! Form should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“Do you regard feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Good, bhikkhus! Consciousness should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
120 (8) Things That Fetter
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the things that fetter and the fetter. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, are the things that fetter, and what is the fetter? Form, bhikkhus, is a thing that fetters; the desire and lust for it is the fetter there. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … [167] Consciousness is a thing that fetters; the desire and lust for it is the fetter there. These are called the things that fetter, and this the fetter.”
121 (9) Things That Can Be Clung To
“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the things that can be clung to and the clinging. Listen to that….
“And what, bhikkhus, are the things that can be clung to, and what is the clinging? Form, bhikkhus, is a thing that can be clung to; the desire and lust for it is the clinging there. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is a thing that can be clung to; the desire and lust for it is the clinging there. These are called the things that can be clung to, and this the clinging.”
122 (10) Virtuous
On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Sāriputta, exchanged greetings, and said to him: “Friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to?”
“Friend Koṭṭhita, a virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself.225 What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. A virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. [168] When, friend, a virtuous bhikkhu carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of stream-entry.”
“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to?”
“Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of once-returning.”
“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to?”
“Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a once-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of nonreturning.”
“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a nonreturner should carefully attend to?”
“Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a nonreturner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a nonreturner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of arahantship.”
“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to?”
“Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. For the arahant, friend, there is nothing further that has to be done and no repetition of what he has already done.226 [169] However, when these things are developed and cultivated, they lead to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension.”
123 (11) Instructed
(This sutta is identical with the preceding one except that the opening question and reply are phrased in terms of “an instructed bhikkhu.”)
124 (12) Kappa (1)
At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Kappa approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit no longer occur within?”
(Remainder identical with §71, but addressed to Kappa.) [170]
125 (13) Kappa (2)
At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Kappa approached the Blessed One … and said to him:
“Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, 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?”
(Remainder identical with §72, but addressed to Kappa.)
III. IGNORANCE
126 (1) Subject to Arising (1)
At Sāvatthī. [171] Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘ignorance, ignorance.’ What now, venerable sir, is ignorance, and in what way is one immersed in ignorance?”
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 106