• Linked Discourses 12.62 Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.62
  • 7. The Great Chapter 7. Mahāvagga

Unlearned (2nd) Dutiyaassutavāsutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

ā€œMendicants, an unlearned ordinary person might become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed from this body made up of the four principal states. ā€œAssutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano imasmiṁ cātumahābhÅ«tikasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? This body made up of the four principal states is seen to accumulate and disperse, to be taken up and laid to rest. Dissati, bhikkhave, imassa cātumahābhÅ«tikassa kāyassa ācayopi apacayopi ādānampi nikkhepanampi. That’s why an unlearned ordinary person might become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed from it. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi. But an unlearned ordinary person is unable to become disillusioned, dispassionate, or freed from that which is called ā€˜mind’ and also ā€˜sentience’ and also ā€˜consciousness’. YaƱca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because for a long time they’ve been attached to it, thought of it as their own, and mistaken it: DÄ«gharattaƱhetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa ajjhositaṁ mamāyitaṁ parāmaį¹­į¹­haṁ: ā€˜This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ ā€˜etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti. That’s why an unlearned ordinary person is unable to become disillusioned, dispassionate, or freed from it. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ.

But an unlearned ordinary person would be better off taking this body made up of the four principal states to be their self, rather than the mind. Varaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano imaṁ cātumahābhÅ«tikaṁ kāyaṁ attato upagaccheyya, na tveva cittaṁ. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? This body made up of the four principal states is seen to last for a year, or for two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or a hundred years, or even longer. Dissatāyaṁ, bhikkhave, cātumahābhÅ«tiko kāyo ekampi vassaṁ tiį¹­į¹­hamāno dvepi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno tīṇipi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno cattāripi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno paƱcapi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno dasapi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno vÄ«satipi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno tiṁsampi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno cattārÄ«sampi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno paƱƱāsampi vassāni tiį¹­į¹­hamāno vassasatampi tiį¹­į¹­hamāno, bhiyyopi tiį¹­į¹­hamāno. But that which is called ā€˜mind’ and also ā€˜sentience’ and also ā€˜consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another all day and all night. YaƱca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, taṁ rattiyā ca divasassa ca aƱƱadeva uppajjati aƱƱaṁ nirujjhati.

In this case, a learned noble disciple carefully and rationally applies the mind to dependent origination itself: Tatra, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako paį¹­iccasamuppādaṁyeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti: ā€˜When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. ā€˜iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati; When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases.’ imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhatī’ti. Pleasant feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant. Sukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppajjati sukhavedanā. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, the corresponding pleasant feeling ceases and stops. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppannā sukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vÅ«pasammati. Painful feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as painful. Dukkhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppajjati dukkhavedanā. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as painful, the corresponding painful feeling ceases and stops. Tasseva dukkhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppannā dukkhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vÅ«pasammati. Neutral feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as neutral. Adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppajjati adukkhamasukhavedanā. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as neutral, the corresponding neutral feeling ceases and stops. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppannā adukkhamasukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vÅ«pasammati.

When you rub two sticks together, heat is generated and fire is produced. But when you part the sticks and lay them aside, any corresponding heat ceases and stops. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ kaį¹­į¹­hānaṁ saį¹…ghaį¹­į¹­anasamodhānā usmā jāyati tejo abhinibbattati. Tesaṁyeva dvinnaṁ kaį¹­į¹­hānaṁ nānākatavinibbhogā yā tajjā usmā sā nirujjhati sā vÅ«pasammati; In the same way, pleasant feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as pleasant. evameva kho, bhikkhave, sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppajjati sukhavedanā. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as pleasant, the corresponding pleasant feeling ceases and stops. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppannā sukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vÅ«pasammati …pe… Painful feeling … dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca … Neutral feeling arises dependent on a contact to be experienced as neutral. adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppajjati adukkhamasukhavedanā. With the cessation of that contact to be experienced as neutral, the corresponding neutral feeling ceases and stops. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paį¹­icca uppannā adukkhamasukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vÅ«pasammati.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with contact, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako phassepi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saƱƱāyapi nibbindati, saį¹…khāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati; Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati, vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

They understand: ā€˜Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.ā€™ā€ ā€˜Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātÄ«ā€ti.

Dutiyaṁ.