• Numbered Discourses 4.38 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.38
  • 4. Situations 4. Cakkavagga

Withdrawn Patilīnasutta

ā€œMendicants, a mendicant has cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth, has totally given up searching, has stilled the physical process, and is said to be ā€˜withdrawn’. ā€œPanuṇṇapaccekasacco, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ā€˜samavayasaį¹­į¹­hesano passaddhakāyasaį¹…khāro patilÄ«no’ti vuccati.

And how has a mendicant cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu panuṇṇapaccekasacco hoti? Different ascetics and brahmins have different idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth. For example: Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno yāni tāni puthusamaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ puthupaccekasaccāni, seyyathidaṁ—the cosmos is eternal, or not eternal, or finite, or infinite; the soul and the body are one and the same, or the soul is one thing, the body another; after death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists. sassato lokoti vā, asassato lokoti vā, antavā lokoti vā, anantavā lokoti vā, taṁ jÄ«vaṁ taṁ sarÄ«ranti vā, aƱƱaṁ jÄ«vaṁ aƱƱaṁ sarÄ«ranti vā, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā; A mendicant has cast out, cast aside, thrown out, discarded, let go of, given up, and relinquished all these. sabbāni tāni nuṇṇāni honti panuṇṇāni cattāni vantāni muttāni pahÄ«nāni paį¹­inissaį¹­į¹­hāni. That’s how a mendicant has cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu panuṇṇapaccekasacco hoti.

And how has a mendicant totally given up searching? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samavayasaį¹­į¹­hesano hoti? It’s when they’ve given up searching for sensual pleasures, for continued existence, and for a spiritual path. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kāmesanā pahÄ«nā hoti, bhavesanā pahÄ«nā hoti, brahmacariyesanā paį¹­ippassaddhā. That’s how a mendicant has totally given up searching. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samavayasaį¹­į¹­hesano hoti.

And how has a mendicant stilled the physical process? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu passaddhakāyasaį¹…khāro hoti? It’s when, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaį¹…gamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s how a mendicant has stilled the physical process. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu passaddhakāyasaį¹…khāro hoti.

And how is a mendicant withdrawn? KathaƱca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu patilÄ«no hoti? It’s when they’ve given up the conceit ā€˜I am’, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno asmimāno pahÄ«no hoti ucchinnamÅ«lo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaį¹…kato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo. That’s how a mendicant is withdrawn. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu patilÄ«no hoti. A mendicant has cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth, has totally given up searching, has stilled the physical process, and is said to be ā€˜withdrawn’. Panuṇṇapaccekasacco, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ā€˜samavayasaį¹­į¹­hesano passaddhakāyasaį¹…khāro patilÄ«no’ti vuccatÄ«ti.

The search for sensual pleasures, for a good rebirth, Kāmesanā bhavesanā, and the search for a spiritual path; brahmacariyesanā saha; the holding tight to the thought, ā€˜this is the truth’, Iti saccaparāmāso, and the mass of grounds for views—diį¹­į¹­hiį¹­į¹­hānā samussayā.

for one detached from all lusts, Sabbarāgavirattassa, freed by the ending of craving, taṇhakkhayavimuttino; that searching has been relinquished, Esanā paį¹­inissaį¹­į¹­hā, and those viewpoints eradicated. diį¹­į¹­hiį¹­į¹­hānā samÅ«hatā.

That mendicant is peaceful and mindful, Sa ve santo sato bhikkhu, a tranquil champion. passaddho aparājito; And when they’re awakened <j>by comprehending conceit, Mānābhisamayā buddho, they’re called ā€˜withdrawn’.ā€ patilÄ«noti vuccatÄ«ā€ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.