The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Page 133
174 (7)-176 (9) Desire for Nonself (Internal), Etc.
“Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is nonself…. You should abandon lust for whatever is nonself…. You should abandon desire and lust for whatever is nonself. And what is nonself? The eye is nonself … The mind is nonself; you should abandon desire for it. Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is nonself.”
177 (10)-179 (12) Desire for the Impermanent (External), Etc.
“Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is impermanent…. You should abandon lust for whatever is impermanent…. You should abandon desire and lust for whatever is impermanent. And what is impermanent? Forms are impermanent … Mental phenomena are impermanent; you should abandon desire and lust for them. Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is impermanent.”
180 (13)-182 (15) Desire for Suffering (External), Etc.
“Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is suffering…. You should abandon lust for whatever is suffering…. You should abandon desire and lust for whatever is suffering. And what is suffering? Forms are suffering… Mental phenomena are suffering; you should abandon desire and lust for them. Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is suffering.” [151]
183 (16)-185 (18) Desire for Nonself (External), Etc.
“Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire for whatever is nonself…. You should abandon lust for whatever is nonself…. You should abandon desire and lust for whatever is nonself. And what is nonself? Forms are nonself … Mental phenomena are nonself; you should abandon desire and lust for them. Bhikkhus, you should abandon desire and lust for whatever is nonself.”
186 (19) The Past as Impermanent (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye … the mind of the past was impermanent. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the eye ... towards the mind. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion [his mind] is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”
187 (20) The Future as Impermanent (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye … the mind of the future will be impermanent. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the eye ... towards the mind. He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
188 (21) The Present as Impermanent (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye … the mind of the present is impermanent. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards the eye … towards the mind. He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’” [152]
189 (22)-191 (24) The Past, Etc., as Suffering (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... the mind of the past ... of the future ... of the present is suffering. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
192 (25)-194 (27) The Past, Etc., as Nonself (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... the mind of the past ... of the future ... of the present is nonself. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘... there is no more for this state of being.’”
195 (28)-197 (30) The Past, Etc., as Impermanent (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms ... mental phenomena of the past ... of the future ... of the present are impermanent. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
198 (31)-200 (33) The Past, Etc., as Suffering (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms ... mental phenomena of the past ... of the future ... of the present are suffering. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
201 (34)-203 (36) The Past, Etc., as Nonself (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms ... mental phenomena of the past ... of the future ... of the present are nonself. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
204 (37) What Is Impermanent of the Past (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... [153] … the mind of the past was impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself 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.’”
205 (38) What Is Impermanent of the Future (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... the mind of the future will be impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself 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.’”
206 (39) What Is Impermanent of the Present (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... the mind of the present is impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself 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.’” [154]
207 (40)-209 (42) What Is Suffering of the Past, Etc. (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... the mind of the past ... of the future ... of the present is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself 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.’”
210 (43)-212 (45) What Is Nonself of the Past, Etc. (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye ... the mind of the past ... of the future ... of the present is nonself. What is nonself 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.’”
213 (46)-215 (48) What Is Impermanent of the Past, Etc. (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms ... mental phenomena of the past ... of the future ... of the present are impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself 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.’” [155]
216 (49)-218 (51) What Is Suffering of the Past, Etc. (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms ... mental phenomena of the past ... of the future ... of the present are suffering. What is suffering is nonself. What is nonself 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.’”
219 (52)-221 (54) What Is Nonself of the Past, Etc. (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms ... mental phenomena of the past ... of the future ... of the present are nonself. What is nonself 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.’”
222 (55) The Bases as Impermanent (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye is impermanent ... the mind is impermanent. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
223 (56) The Bases as Suffering (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye is suffering … the mind is suffering. Seeing thus ... He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’” [156]
224 (57) The Bases as Nonself (Internal)
“Bhikkhus, the eye is nonself … the mind is nonself. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”
225 (58) The Bases as Impermanent (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms are impermanent… mental phenomena are impermanent. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… t
here is no more for this state of being.’”
226 (59) The Bases as Suffering (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms are suffering … mental phenomena are suffering. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘... there is no more for this state of being.’”
227 (60) The Bases as Nonself (External)
“Bhikkhus, forms are nonself … mental phenomena are nonself. Seeing thus … He understands: ‘... there is no more for this state of being.’”
[157]
III. THE OCEAN
228 (1) The Ocean (1)
“Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling speaks of ‘the ocean, the ocean.’ But that is not the ocean in the Noble One’s Discipline; that is only a great mass of water, a great expanse of water.
“The eye, bhikkhus, is the ocean for a person; its current consists of forms.161 One who withstands that current consisting of forms is said to have crossed the ocean of the eye with its waves, whirlpools, sharks, and demons.162 Crossed over, gone beyond, the brahmin stands on high ground.
“The ear, bhikkhus, is the ocean for a person…. The mind is the ocean for a person; its current consists of mental phenomena. One who withstands that current consisting of mental phenomena is said to have crossed the ocean of the mind with its waves, whirlpools, sharks, and demons. Crossed over, gone beyond, the brahmin stands on high ground.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: “One who has crossed this ocean so hard to cross,
With its dangers of sharks, demons, waves,
The knowledge-master who has lived the holy life,
Reached the world’s end, is called one gone beyond.”
229 (2) The Ocean (2)
“Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling speaks of ‘the ocean, the ocean.’ [158] But that is not the ocean in the Noble One’s Discipline; that is only a great mass of water, a great body of water.
“There are, bhikkhus, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. This is called the ocean in the Noble One’s Discipline. Here this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, for the most part is submerged,163 become like a tangled skein, like a knotted ball of thread, like matted reeds and rushes, and cannot pass beyond the plane of misery, the bad destinations, the nether world, saṃsāra.
“There are sounds cognizable by the ear ... mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. Here this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, for the most part is submerged, become like a tangled skein, like a knotted ball of thread, like matted reeds and rushes, and cannot pass beyond the plane of misery, the bad destinations, the nether world, saṃsāra.164
“One who has expunged lust and hate
Along with [the taint of] ignorance,
Has crossed this ocean so hard to cross
With its dangers of sharks, demons, waves.
“The tie-surmounter, death-forsaker, without acquisitions,
Has abandoned suffering165 for no renewed existence.
Passed away, he cannot be measured, I say:
He has bewildered the King of Death.”
230 (3) The Fisherman Simile
“Bhikkhus, suppose a fisherman would cast a baited hook into a deep lake, [159] and a fish on the lookout for food would swallow it. That fish who has thus swallowed the fisherman’s hook would meet with calamity and disaster, and the fisherman could do with it as he wishes. So too, bhikkhus, there are these six hooks in the world for the calamity of beings, for the slaughter166 of living beings.
“There are, bhikkhus, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, he is called a bhikkhu who has swallowed Māra’s hook. He has met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes.
“There are, bhikkhus, sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable … tantalizing. If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them … the Evil One can do with him as he wishes.
“There are, bhikkhus, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain holding to them, he is called a bhikkhu who has not swallowed Māra’s hook, who has broken the hook, demolished the hook. He has not met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One cannot do with him as he wishes.
“There are, bhikkhus, sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable … tantalizing. If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them … the Evil One cannot do with him as he wishes.”
231 (4) The Milk-Sap Tree
“Bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunı̄ [160] lust still exists and has not been abandoned, if hatred still exists and has not been abandoned, if delusion still exists and has not been abandoned, then even trifling forms that enter into range of the eye obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are prominent. For what reason? Because lust still exists and has not been abandoned, hatred still exists and has not been abandoned, delusion still exists and has not been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear ... mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a milk-sap tree167—an assattha or a banyan or a pilakkha or an udumbara-fresh, young, tender. If a man breaks it here and there with a sharp axe, would sap come out?”
“Yes, venerable sir. For what reason? Because there is sap.”
“So too, bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye ... even trifling forms that enter into range of the eye obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are prominent. For what reason? Because lust still exists and has not been abandoned, hatred still [161] exists and has not been abandoned, delusion still exists and has not been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear ... mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.
“Bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye, if in any bhikkhu or bhikkhunı̄ lust does not exist and has been abandoned, if hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, if delusion does not exist and has been abandoned, then even prominent forms that enter into range of the eye do not obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are trifling. For what reason? Because lust does not exist and has been abandoned, hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, delusion does not exist and has been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear ... mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there was a milk-sap tree—an assattha or a banyan or a pilakkha or an udumbara—dried up, desiccated, past its prime. If a man breaks it here and there with a sharp axe, would sap come out?” [162]
“No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because there is no sap.”
“So too, bhikkhus, in regard to forms cognizable by the eye ... even prominent forms that enter into range of the eye do not obsess the mind, not to speak of those that are trifling. For what reason? Because lust does not exist and has been abandoned, hatred does not exist and has been abandoned, delusion does not exist and has been abandoned. The same in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.”
232 (5) Koṭṭhita
On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were dwelling at Bārāṇası̄ in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita emerged from seclusion and approached the Venerable Sāriputta. He exchanged greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta and, when they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to him:
“How is it, friend Sariputta, is the eye the fetter of for
ms or are forms the fetter of the eye? Is the ear the fetter of sounds or are sounds the fetter of the ear?… [163] Is the mind the fetter of mental phenomena or are mental phenomena the fetter of the mind?”