The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
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53 (3) Dhammadinna
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. [407] Then the lay follower Dhammadinna, together with five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side.365 Sitting to one side, the lay follower Dhammadinna then said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One, venerable sir, exhort us and instruct us in a way that may lead to our welfare and happiness for a long time.”
“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus: ‘From time to time we will enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”366
“Venerable sir, it is not easy for us—dwelling in a home crowded with children, enjoying Kāsian sandalwood, wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, receiving gold and silver—from time to time to enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness. As we are established in the five training rules, let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma further.”
“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha … in the Dhamma … in the Saṅgha.… We will possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”
“Venerable sir, as to these four factors of stream-entry taught by the Blessed One, these things exist in us, and we live in conformity with those things. For, venerable sir, we possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha, [408] the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. We possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.”
“It is a gain for you, Dhammadinna! It is well gained by you, Dhammadinna! You have declared the fruit of stream-entry.”
54 (4) Ill
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha’s Park. Now on that occasion a number of bhikkhus were making a robe for the Blessed One, thinking: “After the three months, with his robe completed, the Blessed One will set out on tour.”
Mahānāma the Sakyan heard: “A number of bhikkhus, it is said, are making a robe for the Blessed One, thinking that after the three months, with his robe completed, the Blessed One will set out on tour.”
Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, I heard that a number of bhikkhus are making a robe for the Blessed One.… Now I have not heard and learnt in the presence of the Blessed One how a wise lay follower who is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill should be exhorted by another wise lay follower.”
“A wise lay follower,367 Mahānāma, who is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill should be consoled by another wise lay follower with four consolations: ‘Let the venerable one368 be consoled. You have confirmed confidence in the Buddha thus: “The Blessed One is … teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.” You have confirmed confidence in the Dhamma … in the Saṅgha.… You have the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.’ [409]
“After a wise lay follower, who is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill has been consoled by a wise lay follower with these four consolations, he should be asked: ‘Are you anxious about your mother and father?’ If he says: ‘I am,’ he should be told: ‘But, good sir, you are subject to death. Whether you are anxious about your mother and father or not, you will die anyway. So please abandon your anxiety over your mother and father.’
“If he says: ‘I have abandoned my anxiety over my mother and father,’ he should be asked: ‘Are you anxious about your wife and children?’ If he says: ‘I am,’ he should be told: ‘But, good sir, you are subject to death. Whether you are anxious about your wife and children or not, you will die anyway. So please abandon your anxiety over your wife and children.’
“If he says: ‘I have abandoned my anxiety over my wife and children,’ he should be asked: ‘Are you anxious about the five cords of human sensual pleasure?’ If he says: ‘I am,’ he should be told: ‘Celestial sensual pleasures, friend, are more excellent and sublime than human sensual pleasures. So please withdraw your mind from human sensual pleasures and resolve on the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings.’
“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from human sensual pleasures and resolved on the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings,’ he should be told: [410] ‘The Tāvatiṃsa devas, friend, are more excellent and sublime than the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings. So please withdraw your mind from the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings and resolve on the Tāvatiṃsa devas.’
“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings and resolved on the Tāvatiṃsa devas,’ he should be told: ‘More excellent and sublime, friend, than the Tāvatiṃsa devas are the Yāma devas … the Tusita devas … the Nimmānarati devas … the Paranimmitavasavattī devas.… The brahmā world, friend, is more excellent and sublime than the Paranimmitavasavattī devas. So please withdraw your mind from the Paranimmitavasavattī devas and resolve on the brahmā world.’369
“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from the Paranimmitavasavattī devas and resolved on the brahmā world,’ he should be told: ‘Even the brahmā world, friend, is impermanent, unstable, included in identity. So please withdraw your mind from the brahmā world and direct it to the cessation of identity.’370
“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from the brahmā world; I have directed my mind to the cessation of identity,’ then, Mahānāma, I say there is no difference between a lay follower who is thus liberated in mind and a bhikkhu who has been liberated in mind for a hundred years,371 that is, between one liberation and the other.”372
55 (5) The Fruit of Stream-Entry
“Bhikkhus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of stream-entry. What four? [411] Association with superior persons, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, practice in accordance with the Dhamma. These four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of stream-entry.”
56 (6) The Fruit of Once-Returning
“Bhikkhus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of once-returning. What four?…” (as above).
57 (7) The Fruit of Nonreturning
“ … lead to the realization of the fruit of nonreturning.…”
58 (8) The Fruit of Arahantship
“ … lead to the realization of the fruit of arahantship.…”
59 (9) The Obtaining of Wisdom
“ … lead to the obtaining of wisdom.…”
60 (10) The Growth of Wisdom
“ … lead to the growth of wisdom.…”
61 (11) The Expansion of Wisdom
“ … lead to the expansion of wisdom.…”
[412] VII. GREAT WISDOM
62 (1) Greatness of Wisdom
“Bhikkhus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to greatness of wisdom. What four? Association with superior persons, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, practice in accordance with the Dhamma. These four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to greatness of wisdom.”
63 (2)-74 (13) Extensiveness of Wisdom, Etc.
“Bhikkhus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to extensiveness of wisdom … to vastness of wisdom … to depth of wisdom … to the state of unequalled wisdom373 … to breadth of wisdom … to abundance of wisdom … to quickness of wisdom … to buoyancy of wisdom … to joyousness of wisdom … [413] … to swiftness of wisdom … to sharpness of wisdom … to penetrativeness of wisdom.374 What four? Association with superior persons, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, practice in accordance with the Dhamma. These four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to
penetrativeness of wisdom.”
[414]
Chapter XII
56 Saccasaṃyutta Connected Discourses on the Truths
I. CONCENTRATION
1 (1) Concentration
At Sāvatthī. “Bhikkhus, develop concentration. A bhikkhu who is concentrated understands things as they really are.375
“And what does he understand as it really is? 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.’
“Bhikkhus, develop concentration. A bhikkhu who is concentrated understands things as they really are.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’376 An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
2 (2) Seclusion
“Bhikkhus, make an exertion in seclusion. A bhikkhu who is secluded understands things as they really are.
“And what does he understand as it really is? He understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering.’… ‘This is the origin of suffering. ’… ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’… ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ [415]
“Bhikkhus, make an exertion in seclusion. A bhikkhu who is secluded understands things as they really are.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
3 (3) Clansmen (1)
“Bhikkhus, whatever clansmen in the past rightly went forth from the household life into homelessness, all did so in order to make the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever clansmen in the future will rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, all will do so in order to make the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever clansmen at present have rightly gone forth from the household life into homelessness, all have done so in order to make the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever clansmen rightly went forth … will rightly go forth … have rightly gone forth from household life into homelessness, all have done so in order to make the breakthrough to these Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
4 (4) Clansmen (2)
“Bhikkhus, whatever clansmen in the past rightly went forth from the household life into homelessness and made the breakthrough to things as they really are, all made the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever clansmen in the future will rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness and make the breakthrough to things as they really are, [416] all will make the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever clansmen at present have rightly gone forth from the household life into homelessness and make the breakthrough to things as they really are, all make the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever clansmen made the breakthrough … will make the breakthrough … make the breakthrough to things as they really are, all make the breakthrough to these Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
5 (5) Ascetics and Brahmins (1)
“Bhikkhus, whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past fully awakened to things as they really are, all fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever ascetics or brahmins in the future will fully awaken to things as they really are, all will fully awaken to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever ascetics or brahmins at present have fully awakened to things as they really are, all have fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“What four? The noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever ascetics or brahmins fully awakened … will fully awaken … have fully awakened to things as they really are, all have fully awakened to these Four Noble Truths as they really are. [417]
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
6 (6) Ascetics and Brahmins (2)
“Bhikkhus, whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past revealed themselves as having fully awakened to things as they really are, all revealed themselves as having fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever ascetics or brahmins in the future will reveal themselves as having fully awakened to things as they really are, all will reveal themselves as having fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths as they really are. Whatever ascetics or brahmins at present reveal themselves as having fully awakened to things as they really are, all reveal themselves as having fully awakened to the Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“What four? The noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever ascetics or brahmins revealed themselves … will reveal themselves … reveal themselves as having fully awakened to things as they really are, all reveal themselves as having fully awakened to these Four Noble Truths as they really are.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
7 (7) Thoughts
“Bhikkhus, do not think evil unwholesome thoughts; that is, sensual thought, thought of ill will, thought of harming. For what reason? These thoughts, bhikkhus, are unbeneficial, irrelevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, [418] and do not lead to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
“When you think, bhikkhus, you should think: ‘This is suffering’; you should think: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; you should think: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; you should think: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ For what reason? These thoughts, bhikkhus, are beneficial, relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and lead to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”
8 (8) Reflection
“Bhikkhus, do not reflect in an evil unwholesome way:377 ‘The world is eternal’ or ‘The world is not eternal’; or ‘The world is finite’ or ‘The world is infinite’; or ‘The soul and the body are the same’ or ‘The soul is one thing, the body is another’; or ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, this reflection is unbeneficial, irrelevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and does not lead to revulsion, to
dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
“When you reflect, bhikkhus, you should reflect: ‘This is suffering’; you should reflect: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; you should reflect: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; you should reflect: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, this reflection is beneficial, relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and leads to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, [419] to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.