Suttas – Page 5 – Daily Sutta Reading

Below are suttas that have been sent in the past, starting with the most recent. To see the suttas published in a specific month, try using the Archive page.

MN 86 From… Aṅgulimālasutta: With Aṅgulimāla

…The bandit Aṅgulimāla saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and thought, “Oh, how incredible, how amazing! People travel along this road only after banding closely together in groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty. Still they meet their end by my hand. But still this ascetic comes along alone and unaccompanied, like a conqueror. Why don’t I take his life?”

Then Aṅgulimāla donned his sword and shield, fastened his bow and arrows, and followed behind the Buddha. But the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Aṅgulimāla could not catch up with him no matter how hard he tried, even though the Buddha kept walking at a normal speed.

Then Aṅgulimāla thought, “Oh, how incredible, how amazing! Previously, even when I’ve chased a speeding elephant, horse, chariot or deer, I’ve always caught up with them. But I can’t catch up with this ascetic no matter how hard I try, even though he’s walking at a normal speed.”

He stood still and said, “Stop, stop, ascetic!”

“I’ve stopped, Aṅgulimāla—now you stop.”

Then Aṅgulimāla thought, “These Sakyan ascetics speak the truth. Yet while walking the ascetic Gotama says: ‘I’ve stopped, Aṅgulimāla—now you stop.’ Why don’t I ask him about this?”

Then he addressed the Buddha in verse:

“While walking, ascetic, you say ‘I’ve stopped.’
And I have stopped, but you tell me I’ve not.
I’m asking you this, ascetic:
how is it you’ve stopped and I have not?”

“Aṅgulimāla, I have forever stopped—
I’ve laid aside violence towards all creatures.
But you can’t stop yourself
from harming living creatures;
that’s why I’ve stopped, but you have not.”

“Oh, at long last a renowned great seer,
an ascetic has followed me into this deep wood.
Now that I’ve heard your verse on Dhamma,
I shall live without evil.”

With these words,
the bandit hurled his sword and weapons
down a cliff into an abyss.
He venerated the Holy One’s feet,
and asked him for the going forth right away.

Then the Buddha, the compassionate great seer,
the teacher of the world with its gods,
said to him, “Come, monk!”
And with that he became a monk.…

Read the entire translation of Majjhima Nikāya 86 Aṅgulimālasutta: With Aṅgulimāla by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Русский, বাংলা, Català, Deutsch, Español, Français, हिन्दी, Magyar, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, සිංහල, Slovenščina, Srpski, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

AN 8.80 Kusītārambhavatthusutta: Grounds for Laziness and Arousing Energy

[Note: Although this sutta is a little long, you can observe the pattern and see how the repetitions add emphasis to the theme.]

“Mendicants, there are eight grounds for laziness. What eight?

1. Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. But while doing it my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for laziness.

2. Furthermore, a mendicant has done some work. They think: ‘I’ve done some work. But while working my body got tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the second ground for laziness.

3. Furthermore, a mendicant has to go on a journey. They think: ‘I have to go on a journey. But while walking my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the third ground for laziness.

4. Furthermore, a mendicant has gone on a journey. They think: ‘I’ve gone on a journey. But while walking my body got tired. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the fourth ground for laziness.

5. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, but they didn’t get to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, but I didn’t get to fill up on as much food as I like, coarse or fine. My body is tired and unfit for work. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for achieving the unachieved, attaining the unattained, and realizing the unrealized. This is the fifth ground for laziness.

6. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, and they got to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, and I got to fill up on as much food as I like, coarse or fine. My body is heavy, unfit for work, like I’ve just eaten a load of beans. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for achieving the unachieved, attaining the unattained, and realizing the unrealized. This is the sixth ground for laziness.

7. Furthermore, a mendicant feels a little sick. They think: ‘I feel a little sick. Lying down would be good for me. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for achieving the unachieved, attaining the unattained, and realizing the unrealized. This is the seventh ground for laziness.

8. Furthermore, a mendicant has recently recovered from illness. They think: ‘I’ve recently recovered from illness. My body is weak and unfit for work. I’d better have a lie down.’ They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the eighth ground for laziness.

These are the eight grounds for laziness.

There are eight grounds for arousing energy. What eight?

1. Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do. They think: ‘I have some work to do. While working it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the first ground for arousing energy.

2. Furthermore, a mendicant has done some work. They think: ‘I’ve done some work. While I was working I wasn’t able to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse up energy … This is the second ground for arousing energy.

3. Furthermore, a mendicant has to go on a journey. They think: ‘I have to go on a journey. While walking it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the third ground for arousing energy.

4. Furthermore, a mendicant has gone on a journey. They think: ‘I’ve gone on a journey. While I was walking I wasn’t able to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the fourth ground for arousing energy.

5. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, but they didn’t get to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, but I didn’t get to fill up on as much food as I like, rough or fine. My body is light and fit for work. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the fifth ground for arousing energy.

6. Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, and they got to fill up on as much food as they like, coarse or fine. They think: ‘I’ve wandered for alms, and I got to fill up on as much food as I like, coarse or fine. My body is strong and fit for work. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the sixth ground for arousing energy.

7. Furthermore, a mendicant feels a little sick. They think: ‘I feel a little sick. It’s possible this illness will worsen. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy …’ … This is the seventh ground for arousing energy.

8. Furthermore, a mendicant has recently recovered from illness. They think: ‘I’ve recently recovered from illness. It’s possible the illness will come back. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’ They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized. This is the eighth ground for arousing energy.

These are the eight grounds for arousing energy.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.80 Kusītārambhavatthusutta: Grounds for Laziness and Arousing Energy by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Lietuvių Kalba, বাংলা, Español, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Português, Русский, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

Ud 1.10 Bāhiyasutta: With Bāhiya

[Note: In AN1.216 the Buddha declared Ven. Bāhiya foremost of his monk disciples with swift insight. Most people are not able to attain enlightenment from such a brief statement. We can draw inspiration from that, along with his humility in being corrected as well as his persistence to learn the Dhamma.]

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth was residing by Suppāraka on the ocean shore, where he was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “I am one of those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection.”

Then a deity who was a former relative of Bāhiya, having sympathy and wanting what’s best for him, approached him and said: “Bāhiya, you’re not a perfected one, nor on the path to perfection. You don’t have the practice by which you might become a perfected one or one on the path to perfection.”

“Then who exactly are those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection?” “In the northern lands there is a city called Sāvatthī. There that Blessed One is now staying, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. He is a perfected one and teaches the Dhamma for the sake of perfection.”

Impelled by that deity, Bāhiya left Suppāraka right away. Sojourning no more than a single night in any place, he made his way to Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery in the Jeta Grove at Sāvatthī. At that time several mendicants were walking mindfully in the open air. Bāhiya approached them and said, “Sirs, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha? For I want to see him.” “He has entered an inhabited area for almsfood, Bāhiya.”

Then Bāhiya rushed out of the Jeta Grove and entered Sāvatthī, where he saw the Buddha walking for alms. He was inspiring and impressive, with peaceful faculties and mind, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties. Bāhiya went up to the Buddha, bowed down with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and said, “Sir, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” The Buddha said this: “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”

For a second time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” For a second time, the Buddha said, “It’s not the time, Bāhiya, so long as I have entered an inhabited area for almsfood.”

For a third time, Bāhiya said, “But you never know, sir, when life is at risk, either the Buddha’s or my own. Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma! That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”

“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train like this: ‘In the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.’ That’s how you should train. When you have trained in this way, you won’t be ‘by that’. When you’re not ‘by that’, you won’t be ‘in that’. When you’re not ‘in that’, you won’t be in this world or the world beyond or between the two. Just this is the end of suffering.”

Then, due to this brief Dhamma teaching of the Buddha, Bāhiya’s mind was right away freed from defilements by not grasping.

And when the Buddha had given Bāhiya this brief advice he left. But soon after the Buddha had left, a cow with a baby calf charged at Bāhiya and took his life.

Then the Buddha wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he departed the city together with several mendicants and saw that Bāhiya had passed away. He said to the monks, “Mendicants, pick up Bāhiya’s corpse. Having lifted it onto a cot and carried it, cremate it and build a monument. Mendicants, one of your spiritual companions has passed away.”

“Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. They did as the Buddha asked, then returned to the Buddha and said, “Sir, Bāhiya’s corpse has been cremated and a monument built for him. Where has he been reborn in his next life?” “Mendicants, Bāhiya was astute. He practiced in line with the teachings, and did not trouble me about the teachings. Bāhiya of the Bark Cloth has become fully quenched.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Where water and earth,
fire and air find no footing:
there no star does shine,
nor does the sun shed its light;
there the moon glows not,
yet no darkness is found.

And when a sage, a brahmin, finds understanding
through their own sagacity,
then from forms and formless,
from pleasure and pain they are released.”

This too is a heartfelt saying that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Read this translation of Udāna 1.10 Bāhiyasutta: With Bāhiya by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Srpski, Español, Français, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, Русский, සිංහල, or Türkçe. Learn how to find your language.

Thig 7.2 Cālātherīgāthā: Cālā

[Note: The reader who shared this inspiring sutta recommends the translation by Susan Murcott in The First Buddhist Women : Translations and Commentaries on the Therigatha. You can check out a copy from the Internet Archive and read it on page 149. These verses are a discussion between Ven. Cālā and Māra.]

“As a nun with developed faculties,
having established mindfulness,
I penetrated that peaceful state,
the blissful stilling of conditions.”

“In whose name did you shave your head?
You look like an ascetic,
but you don’t believe in any creed.
Why do you live as if lost?”

“Followers of other creeds
rely on their views.
They don’t understand the Dhamma,
for they’re no experts in the Dhamma.

But there is one born in the Sakyan clan,
the unrivaled Buddha;
he taught me the Dhamma
for going beyond views.

Suffering, suffering’s origin,
suffering’s transcendence,
and the noble eightfold path
that leads to the stilling of suffering.

After hearing his words,
I happily did his bidding.
I’ve attained the three knowledges
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Relishing is destroyed in every respect,
and the mass of darkness is shattered.
So know this, Wicked One:
you’re beaten, terminator!”

Read this translation of Therīgāthā 7.2 Cālātherīgāthā: Cālā by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Русский, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, Norsk, සිංහල, or Tiếng Việt. Learn how to find your language.

AN 2.19 Kusal’akusala Sutta: Skillful & Unskillful

“Abandon what is unskillful, monks. It is possible to abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ But because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’

“Develop what is skillful, monks. It is possible to develop what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would not say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ But because it is possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ But because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 2.19 Kusal’akusala Sutta. Skillful & Unskillful | dhammatalks.orgby Bhikkhu Ṭhanissaro on DhammaTalks.org. Or read another translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or read the Pāli on DigitalPaliReader.online. Or listen on PaliAudio or SC-Voice.

Or read a translation in other lang u ages.

DN 16 From… Mahāparinibbānasutta: The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s Extinguishment—Inspiring places

[Ven. Ānanda:] “Previously, sir, when mendicants had completed the rainy season residence in various districts they came to see the Realized One. We got to see the esteemed mendicants, and to pay homage to them. But when the Buddha has passed, we won’t get to see the esteemed mendicants or to pay homage to them.”

[The Buddha:] “Ānanda, a faithful gentleman should go to see these four inspiring places. What four?

Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One was born!’—that is an inspiring place.
Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One became awakened as a supreme fully awakened Buddha!’—that is an inspiring place.
Thinking: ‘Here the supreme Wheel of Dhamma was rolled forth by the Realized One!’—that is an inspiring place.
Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One was fully quenched in the element of extinguishment with no residue!’—that is an inspiring place.

These are the four inspiring places that a faithful gentleman should go to see.

Faithful monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen will come, and think: ‘Here the Realized One was born!’ and ‘Here the Realized One became awakened as a supreme fully awakened Buddha!’ and ‘Here the supreme Wheel of Dhamma was rolled forth by the Realized One!’ and ‘Here the Realized One was fully quenched in the element of extinguishment with no residue!’ Anyone who passes away while on pilgrimage to these shrines will, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.”…

These four places are as follows:

Birthplace: Lumbini
Enlightenment: Bodh Gaya
First sermon: Isipatana
Passing away: Kusināra

Read the entire translation of Dīgha Nikāya 16 Mahāparinibbānasutta: The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s Extinguishment by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 35.155 Dhammakathikapucchasutta: A Speaker on the Dhamma

Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “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?”

“Bhikkhu, if one teaches the Dhamma for the purpose of revulsion towards the eye, 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 the eye, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma. If, through revulsion towards the eye, 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 the ear … for the purpose of revulsion towards the mind, 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 the mind, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma. If, through revulsion towards the mind, 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.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.155 Dhammakathikapucchasutta: A Speaker on the Dhamma by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, বাংলা, Español, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Norsk, Русский, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

SN 35.165 Micchādiṭṭhipahānasutta: Giving Up Wrong View

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and said to him:

“Sir, how does one know and see so that wrong view is given up?”

“Mendicant, knowing and seeing the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and eye contact as impermanent, wrong view is given up. And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact as impermanent, wrong view is given up.

Knowing and seeing the the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … And also knowing and seeing the pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact as impermanent, wrong view is given up.

This is how to know and see so that wrong view is given up.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.165 Micchādiṭṭhipahānasutta: Giving Up Wrong View by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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MN 133 Mahākaccānabhaddekarattasutta: Mahākaccāna and One Fine Night

[Note: This is another long selection. If you are short on time, you can just read the section headed “Ven. Mahākaccāna explains in detail“. There he gives an alternative explaination from the one given by the Buddha in MN 131 Bhaddekarattasutta. The main difference is that the Buddha explains using the aggregates and the venerable here uses the sense bases.]

At the hot springs

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Hot Springs Monastery.

Then Venerable Samiddhi rose at the crack of dawn and went to the hot springs to bathe. When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying his limbs.

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire hot springs, went up to Samiddhi, stood to one side, and said to Samiddhi:

“Mendicant, do you remember the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”

“No, reverend, I do not. Do you?”

“I also do not. But do you remember just the verses on the one who has one fine night?”

“I do not. Do you?”

“I also do not. Learn the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night, mendicant, memorize it, and remember it. It is beneficial and relates to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.”

That’s what that deity said, before vanishing right there.

The Buddha teaches the verses

Then, when the night had passed, Samiddhi went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then he added:

“Sir, please teach me the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.”

“Well then, mendicant, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” Samiddhi replied. The Buddha said this:

“Don’t run back to the past,
don’t anticipate the future.
What’s past is left behind,
the future has not arrived;

and any present phenomenon
you clearly discern in every case.
The unfaltering, the unshakable:
having known that, foster it.

Today’s the day to keenly work—
who knows, tomorrow may bring death!
For there is no bargain to be struck
with Death and his mighty horde.

One who keenly meditates like this,
tireless all night and day:
that’s who has one fine night—
so declares the peaceful sage.”

That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Soon after the Buddha left, those mendicants considered, “The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. …

Seeking out Ven. Mahākaccāna

Who can explain in detail the meaning of this brief summary given by the Buddha?”

Then those mendicants thought:

“This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Let’s go to him, and ask him about this matter.”

Then those mendicants went to Mahākaccāna, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. They told him what had happened, and said:

“May Venerable Mahākaccāna please explain this.”

“Reverends, suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But he’d pass over the roots and trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves. Such is the consequence for the venerables. Though you were face to face with the Buddha, you overlooked him, imagining that you should ask me about this matter. For he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. You should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

“Certainly he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. We should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer. Still, Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Please explain this, if it’s no trouble.”

Ven. Mahākaccāna explains in detail

“Well then, reverends, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Yes, reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahākaccāna said this:

“Reverends, the Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail:

“Don’t run back to the past,
don’t anticipate the future.
What’s past is left behind,
the future has not arrived;

and any present phenomenon
you clearly discern in every case.
The unfaltering, the unshakable:
having known that, foster it.

Today’s the day to keenly work—
who knows, tomorrow may bring death!
For there is no bargain to be struck
with Death and his mighty horde.

One who keenly meditates like this,
tireless all night and day:
that’s who has one fine night—
so declares the peaceful sage.”

And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this summary recital.

And how do you run back to the past? Consciousness gets tied up there with desire and lust, thinking: ‘In the past I had such eyes and such sights.’ So you take pleasure in that, and that’s when you run back to the past.

Consciousness gets tied up there with desire and lust, thinking: ‘In the past I had such ears and such sounds … such a nose and such smells … such a tongue and such tastes … such a body and such touches … such a mind and such ideas.’ So you take pleasure in that, and that’s when you run back to the past. That’s how you run back to the past.

And how do you not run back to the past? Consciousness doesn’t get tied up there with desire and lust, thinking: ‘In the past I had such eyes and such sights.’ So you don’t take pleasure in that, and that’s when you no longer run back to the past.

Consciousness doesn’t get tied up there with desire and lust, thinking: ‘In the past I had such ears and such sounds … such a nose and such smells … such a tongue and such tastes … such a body and such touches … such a mind and such ideas.’ So you don’t take pleasure in that, and that’s when you no longer run back to the past. That’s how you don’t run back to the past.

And how do you anticipate the future? The heart is set on getting what it does not have, thinking: ‘May I have such eyes and such sights in the future.’ So you take pleasure in that, and that’s when you anticipate the future. The heart is set on getting what it does not have, thinking: ‘May I have such ears and such sounds … such a nose and such smells … such a tongue and such tastes … such a body and such touches … such a mind and such ideas in the future.’ So you take pleasure in that, and that’s when you anticipate the future. That’s how you anticipate the future.

And how do you not anticipate the future? The heart is not set on getting what it does not have, thinking: ‘May I have such eyes and such sights in the future.’ So you don’t take pleasure in that, and that’s when you no longer anticipate the future. The heart is not set on getting what it does not have, thinking: ‘May I have such ears and such sounds … such a nose and such smells … such a tongue and such tastes … such a body and such touches … such a mind and such ideas in the future.’ So you don’t take pleasure in that, and that’s when you no longer anticipate the future. That’s how you don’t anticipate the future.

And how do you falter amid presently arisen phenomena? Both the eye and sights are presently arisen. If consciousness gets tied up there in the present with desire and lust, you take pleasure in that, and that’s when you falter amid presently arisen phenomena. Both the ear and sounds … nose and smells … tongue and tastes … body and touches … mind and ideas are presently arisen. If consciousness gets tied up there in the present with desire and lust, you take pleasure in that, and that’s when you falter amid presently arisen phenomena. That’s how you falter amid presently arisen phenomena.

And how do you not falter amid presently arisen phenomena? Both the eye and sights are presently arisen. If consciousness doesn’t get tied up there in the present with desire and lust, you don’t take pleasure in that, and that’s when you no longer falter amid presently arisen phenomena. Both the ear and sounds … nose and smells … tongue and tastes … body and touches … mind and ideas are presently arisen. If consciousness doesn’t get tied up there in the present with desire and lust, you don’t take pleasure in that, and that’s when you no longer falter amid presently arisen phenomena. That’s how you don’t falter amid presently arisen phenomena.

This is how I understand the detailed meaning of that brief summary recital given by the Buddha.

If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

The Buddha’s approval

Then those mendicants, approving and agreeing with what Mahākaccāna said, rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding:

“Mahākaccāna clearly explained the meaning to us in this manner, with these words and phrases.”

“Mahākaccāna is astute, mendicants, he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as Mahākaccāna. That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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SN 35.244 Dukkhadhammasutta: States That Entail Suffering

[Note: the sutta today is a little longer than usual.]

“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu understands as they really are the origin and the passing away of all states whatsoever that entail suffering, then sensual pleasures have been seen by him in such a way that as he looks at them sensual desire, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, and sensual passion do not lie latent within him in regard to sensual pleasures; then he has comprehended a mode of conduct and manner of dwelling in such a way that as he conducts himself thus and as he dwells thus, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure do not flow in upon him.

“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu understand as they really are the origin and the passing away of all states whatsoever that entail suffering? ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away; such is feeling … such is perception … such are volitional formations … such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away’: it is in such a way that a bhikkhu understands as they really are the origin and the passing away of all states whatsoever that entail suffering.

“And how, bhikkhus, are sensual pleasures seen by a bhikkhu in such a way that as he looks at them sensual desire, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, and sensual passion do not lie latent within him in regard to sensual pleasures? Suppose there is a charcoal pit deeper than a man’s height, filled with glowing coals without flame or smoke. A man would come along wanting to live, not wanting to die, desiring happiness and averse to suffering. Then two strong men would grab him by both arms and drag him towards the charcoal pit. The man would wriggle his body this way and that. For what reason? Because he knows: ‘I will fall into this charcoal pit and I will thereby meet death or deadly suffering.’ So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has seen sensual pleasures as similar to a charcoal pit, sensual desire, sensual affection, sensual infatuation, and sensual passion do not lie latent within him in regard to sensual pleasures.

“And how, bhikkhus, has a bhikkhu comprehended a mode of conduct and manner of dwelling in such a way that as he conducts himself thus and as he dwells thus, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure do not flow in upon him? Suppose a man would enter a thorny forest. There would be thorns in front of him, thorns behind him, thorns to his left, thorns to his right, thorns below him, thorns above him. He would go forward mindfully, he would go back mindfully, thinking, ‘May no thorn prick me!’ So too, bhikkhus, whatever in the world has a pleasing and agreeable nature is called a thorn in the Noble One’s Discipline. Having understood this thus as ‘a thorn,’ one should understand restraint and nonrestraint.

“And how, bhikkhus, is there nonrestraint? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is intent upon a pleasing form and repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. It is in such a way that there is nonrestraint.

“And how, bhikkhus, is there restraint? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is not intent upon a pleasing form and not repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and not repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. It is in such a way that there is restraint.

“When, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is conducting himself and dwelling in such a way, if occasionally, due to a lapse of mindfulness, evil unwholesome memories and intentions connected with the fetters arise in him, slow might be the arising of his mindfulness, but then he quickly abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, obliterates them. Suppose a man let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron plate heated for a whole day. Slow might be the falling of the water drops, but then they would quickly vaporize and vanish. So too, when a bhikkhu is conducting himself and dwelling in such a way … slow might be the arising of his mindfulness, but then he quickly abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, obliterates them.

“Thus a bhikkhu has comprehended a mode of conduct and manner of dwelling in such a way that as he conducts himself and as he dwells thus, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure do not flow in upon him.

“When a bhikkhu is conducting himself thus and dwelling thus, kings or royal ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or kinsmen, might invite him to accept wealth, saying: ‘Come, good man, why let these saffron robes weigh you down? Why roam around with a shaven head and a begging bowl? Come, having returned to the lower life, enjoy wealth and do meritorious deeds.’ Indeed, bhikkhus, when that bhikkhu is conducting himself thus and dwelling thus, it is impossible that he will give up the training and return to the lower life.

“Suppose, bhikkhus, that when the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, a great crowd of people would come along bringing a shovel and basket, thinking: ‘We will make this river Ganges slant, slope, and incline towards the west.’ What do you think, bhikkhus, would that great crowd of people be able to make the river Ganges slant, slope, and incline towards the west?”

“No, venerable sir. For what reason? Because the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, and it is not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline towards the west. That great crowd of people would only reap fatigue and vexation.”

“So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is conducting himself thus and dwelling thus, kings or royal ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or kinsmen, might invite him to accept wealth … but it is impossible that he will give up the training and return to the lower life. For what reason? Because for a long time his mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined towards seclusion. Thus it is impossible that he will give up the training and return to the lower life.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.244 Dukkhadhammasutta: States That Entail Suffering by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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SN 35.108 Seyyohamasmisutta: I’m Better

“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, do people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’?”

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“When there’s an eye, because of grasping the eye and insisting on the eye, people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’. …

When there’s a mind, because of grasping the mind and insisting on the mind, people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’.

What do you think, mendicants? Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’?”

“No, sir.” …

“Is the mind permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would people think ‘I’m better’ or ‘I’m equal’ or ‘I’m worse’?”

“No, sir.”

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

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SN 35.135 Khaṇasutta: The Opportunity

“Bhikkhus, it is a gain for you, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life. I have seen, bhikkhus, the hell named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is undesirable, never desirable; unlovely, never lovely; disagreeable, never agreeable. Whatever sound one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with the nose … Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever tactile object one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon one cognizes with the mind is undesirable, never desirable; unlovely, never lovely; disagreeable, never agreeable.

“It is a gain for you, bhikkhus, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life. I have seen, bhikkhus, the heaven named ‘Contact’s Sixfold Base.’ There whatever form one sees with the eye is desirable, never undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable. Whatever sound one hears with the ear … Whatever odour one smells with the nose … Whatever taste one savours with the tongue … Whatever tactile object one feels with the body … Whatever mental phenomenon one cognizes with the mind is desirable, never undesirable; lovely, never unlovely; agreeable, never disagreeable.

“It is a gain for you, bhikkhus, it is well gained by you, that you have obtained the opportunity for living the holy life.”

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SN 35.101 Paṭhamanatumhākasutta: It’s Not Yours (1st)

“Mendicants, give up what’s not yours. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. And what isn’t yours?

The eye isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. Sights … Eye consciousness … Eye contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

The ear … nose … tongue … body …

The mind isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. Ideas … Mind consciousness … Mind contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.

Suppose a person was to carry off the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in this Jeta’s Grove, or burn them, or do what they want with them. Would you think: ‘This person is carrying us off, burning us, or doing what they want with us’?”

“No, sir. Why is that? Because to us that’s neither self nor belonging to self.”

“In the same way, the eye isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness. …

The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact isn’t yours: give it up. Giving it up will be for your welfare and happiness.”

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SN 35.83 Phaggunapañhāsutta: Phagguna’s Question

And then Venerable Phagguna went up to the Buddha … and said to him:

“Sir, suppose someone were to describe the Buddhas of the past who have become fully quenched, cut off proliferation, cut off the track, finished off the cycle, and transcended all suffering. Does the eye exist by which they could be described?

Does the ear … nose … tongue … body exist …? Does the mind exist by which they could be described?”

“Phagguna, suppose someone were to describe the Buddhas of the past who have become fully quenched, cut off proliferation, cut off the track, finished off the cycle, and transcended all suffering. The eye does not exist by which they could be described.

The ear … nose … tongue … body does not exist … The mind does not exist by which they could be described.”

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SN 35.65 Paṭhamasamiddhimārapañhāsutta: Samiddhi’s Question About Māra

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then Venerable Samiddhi went up to the Buddha … and said to him:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘Māra’. How do we define Māra or what is known as Māra?”

“Samiddhi, where there is the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness, there is Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is the ear, sounds, ear consciousness, and things knowable by ear consciousness, there is Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is the nose, smells, nose consciousness, and things knowable by nose consciousness, there is Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is the tongue, tastes, tongue consciousness, and things knowable by tongue consciousness, there is Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is the body, touches, body consciousness, and things knowable by body consciousness, there is Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is the mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness, there is Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is no eye, no sights, no eye consciousness, and no things knowable by eye consciousness, there is no Māra or what is known as Māra.

Where there is no ear … no nose … no tongue … no body …

Where there is no mind, no ideas, no mind consciousness, and no things knowable by mind consciousness, there is no Māra or what is known as Māra.”

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SN 35.63 Migajāla Sutta: To Migajāla

Near Sāvatthī. Then Ven. Migajāla went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “‘A person who is living alone. A person who is living alone,’ thus it is said. To what extent, lord, is one a person who is living alone, and to what extent is one a person who is living with a companion?”

“Migajāla, there are forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire—and a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them. As he relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them, delight arises. There being delight, he is impassioned. Being impassioned, he is fettered. A monk joined with the fetter of delight is said to be a person who is living with a companion.

“There are sounds cognizable via the ear… aromas cognizable via the nose… flavors cognizable via the tongue… tactile sensations cognizable via the body… ideas cognizable via the intellect—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire—and a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them. As he relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them, delight arises. There being delight, he is impassioned. Being impassioned, he is fettered. A monk joined with the fetter of delight is said to be a person who is living with a companion.

“A person living in this way—even if he frequents isolated forest & wilderness dwellings, with an unpopulated atmosphere, lying far from humanity, appropriate for seclusion—is still said to be living with a companion. Why is that? Because the craving that is his companion has not been abandoned by him. Thus he is said to be a person who is living with a companion.

“Now, there are forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire—and a monk does not relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them. As he doesn’t relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them, delight ceases. There being no delight, he is not impassioned. Being not impassioned, he is not fettered. A monk disjoined from the fetter of delight is said to be a person who is living alone.

“There are sounds cognizable via the ear… aromas cognizable via the nose… flavors cognizable via the tongue… tactile sensations cognizable via the body… ideas cognizable via the intellect—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, enticing, linked to sensual desire—and a monk does not relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them. As he doesn’t relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them, delight ceases. There being no delight, he is not impassioned. Being not impassioned, he is not fettered. A monk disjoined from the fetter of delight is said to be a person who is living alone.

“A person living in this way—even if he lives near a village, associating with monks & nuns, with male & female lay followers, with kings & royal ministers, with sectarians & their disciples—is still said to be living alone. A person living alone is said to be a monk. Why is that? Because the craving that is his companion has been abandoned by him. Thus he is said to be a person who is living alone.”

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SN 35.241 Paṭhamadārukkhandhopamasutta: The Simile of the Great Log (1)

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī on the bank of the river Ganges. The Blessed One saw a great log being carried along by the current of the river Ganges, and he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Do you see, bhikkhus, that great log being carried along by the current of the river Ganges?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“If, bhikkhus, that log does not veer towards the near shore, does not veer towards the far shore, does not sink in mid-stream, does not get cast up on high ground, does not get caught by human beings, does not get caught by nonhuman beings, does not get caught in a whirlpool, and does not become inwardly rotten, it will slant, slope, and incline towards the ocean. For what reason? Because the current of the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the ocean.

“So too, bhikkhus, if you do not veer towards the near shore, do not veer towards the far shore, do not sink in mid-stream, do not get cast up on high ground, do not get caught by human beings, do not get caught by nonhuman beings, do not get caught in a whirlpool, and do not become inwardly rotten, you will slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna. For what reason? Because right view slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.”

When this was said, a certain bhikkhu asked the Blessed One: “What, venerable sir, is the near shore? What is the far shore? What is sinking in mid-stream? What is getting cast up on high ground? What is getting caught by human beings, what is getting caught by nonhuman beings, what is getting caught in a whirlpool? What is inward rottenness?”

“‘The near shore,’ bhikkhu: this is a designation for the six internal sense bases. ‘The far shore’: this is a designation for the six external sense bases. ‘Sinking in mid-stream’: this is a designation for delight and lust. ‘Getting cast up on high ground’: this is a designation for the conceit ‘I am.’

“And what, bhikkhu, is getting caught by human beings? Here, someone lives in association with laypeople; he rejoices with them and sorrows with them, he is happy when they are happy and sad when they are sad, and he involves himself in their affairs and duties. This is called getting caught by human beings.

“And what, bhikkhu, is getting caught by nonhuman beings? Here, someone lives the holy life with the aspiration to be reborn into a certain order of devas, thinking: ‘By this virtue or vow or austerity or holy life I will become a deva or one among the devas.’ This is called getting caught by nonhuman beings.

“‘Getting caught in a whirlpool’: this, bhikkhu, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure.

“And what, bhikkhu, is inward rottenness? Here someone is immoral, one of evil character, of impure and suspect behaviour, secretive in his acts, no ascetic though claiming to be one, not a celibate though claiming to be one, inwardly rotten, corrupt, depraved. This is called inward rottenness.”

Now on that occasion the cowherd Nanda was standing near the Blessed One. He then said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, I will not veer towards the near shore, I will not veer towards the far shore, I will not sink in mid-stream, I will not get cast up on high ground, I will not get caught by human beings, I will not get caught by nonhuman beings, I will not get caught in a whirlpool, I will not become inwardly rotten. May I receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the higher ordination?”

“In that case, Nanda, return the cows to their owners.”

“The cows will go back of their own accord, venerable sir, out of attachment to the calves.”

“Return the cows to their owners, Nanda.”

Then the cowherd Nanda returned the cows to their owners, came back to the Blessed One, and said: “The cows have been returned to their owners, venerable sir. May I receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the higher ordination?”

Then the cowherd Nanda received the going forth under the Blessed One, and he received the higher ordination. And soon, not long after his higher ordination, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute … the Venerable Nanda became one of the arahants.”

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SN 35.140–142 Ajjhattaaniccahetusutta: Interior and Cause Are Impermanent, etc.

SN 35.140: Interior and Cause Are Impermanent

“Mendicants, the eye is impermanent. The cause and reason that gives rise to the eye is also impermanent. Since the eye is produced by what is impermanent, how could it be permanent?

The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is impermanent. The cause and reason that gives rise to the mind is also impermanent. Since the mind is produced by what is impermanent, how could it be permanent?

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

SN 35.141: Interior and Cause Are Suffering

“Mendicants, the eye is suffering. The cause and reason that gives rise to the eye is also suffering. Since the eye is produced by what is suffering, how could it be happiness?

The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is suffering. The cause and reason that gives rise to the mind is also suffering. Since the mind is produced by what is suffering, how could it be happiness?

Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

SN 35.142: Interior and Cause Are Not-Self

“Mendicants, the eye is not-self. The cause and reason that gives rise to the eye is also not-self. Since the eye is produced by what is not-self, how could it be self?

The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is not-self. The cause and reason that gives rise to the mind is also not-self. Since the mind is produced by what is not-self, how could it be self?

Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”

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SN 35.94 Adantaaguttasutta: Untamed, Unguarded

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, these six fields of contact bring suffering when they’re untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained. What six?

The field of eye contact brings suffering when it’s untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.

The field of ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact …

The field of mind contact brings suffering when it’s untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.

These six fields of contact bring suffering when they’re untamed, unguarded, unprotected, and unrestrained.

These six fields of contact bring happiness when they’re well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained. What six?

The field of eye contact brings happiness when it’s well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.

The field of ear contact … nose contact … tongue contact … body contact …

The field of mind contact brings happiness when it’s well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.

These six fields of contact bring happiness when they’re well tamed, well guarded, well protected, and well restrained.”

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Mendicants, it’s just the six fields of contact
that lead the unrestrained to suffering.
Those who understand how to restrain them
live with faith as partner, not festering.

When you’ve seen pleasant sights
and unpleasant ones, too,
get rid of all manner of desire for the pleasant,
without hating what you don’t like.

When you’ve heard sounds both liked and disliked,
don’t fall under the thrall of sounds you like,
get rid of hate for the unliked,
and don’t hurt your mind
by thinking of what you don’t like.

When you’ve smelled a pleasant, fragrant scent,
and one that’s foul and unpleasant,
get rid of repulsion for the unpleasant,
while not yielding to desire for the pleasant.

When you’ve enjoyed a sweet, delicious taste,
and sometimes those that are bitter,
don’t be attached to enjoying sweet tastes,
and don’t despise the bitter.

Don’t be intoxicated by a pleasant touch,
and don’t tremble at a painful touch.
Look with equanimity at the duality
of pleasant and painful contacts,
without favoring or opposing anything.

People generally let their perceptions proliferate;
perceiving and proliferating, they are attracted.
When you’ve expelled all thoughts of domestic life,
wander intent on renunciation.

When the mind is well developed like this
regarding the six,
it doesn’t waver at contacts at all.
Mendicants, those who have mastered greed and hate
go beyond birth and death.”

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SN 35.81 Sambahulabhikkhusutta: Several Mendicants

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, sometimes wanderers of other religions ask us: ‘Reverends, what’s the purpose of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’ We answer them like this: ‘The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’

Answering this way, we trust that we repeat what the Buddha has said, and don’t misrepresent him with an untruth. We trust our explanation is in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”

“Indeed, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism. For the purpose of leading the spiritual life under me is to completely understand suffering.

If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: ‘Reverends, what is that suffering?’ You should answer them: ‘Reverends, the eye is suffering. The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this. Sights … Eye consciousness … Eye contact … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by eye contact is also suffering. The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.

Ear … Nose … Tongue … Body … Mind … The pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling that arises conditioned by mind contact is also suffering. The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.

This is that suffering. The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand this.’ When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”

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SN 35.17 Paṭhamanoceassādasutta: If There Were No Gratification (Interior)

“Mendicants, if there were no gratification in the eye, sentient beings wouldn’t be aroused by it. But since there is gratification in the eye, sentient beings are aroused by it. If the eye had no drawback, sentient beings wouldn’t grow disillusioned with it. But since the eye has a drawback, sentient beings do grow disillusioned with it. If there were no escape from the eye, sentient beings wouldn’t escape from it. But since there is an escape from the eye, sentient beings do escape from it.

If there were no gratification in the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, sentient beings wouldn’t be aroused by it. But since there is gratification in the mind, sentient beings are aroused by it. If the mind had no drawback, sentient beings wouldn’t grow disillusioned with it. But since the mind has a drawback, sentient beings do grow disillusioned with it. If there were no escape from the mind, sentient beings wouldn’t escape from it. But since there is an escape from the mind, sentient beings do escape from it.

As long as sentient beings don’t truly understand these six interior sense fields’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, they haven’t escaped from this world—with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—and they don’t live detached, liberated, with a mind free of limits.

But when sentient beings truly understand these six interior sense fields’ gratification, drawback, and escape for what they are, they’ve escaped from this world—with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—and they live detached, liberated, with a mind free of limits.”

Note: for the definition of gratification, drawback, and escape, see AN 3.103 Pubbevasambodhasutta.

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SN 12.45 Ñātikasutta: At Ñatika

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Ñatika in the Brick Hall. Then, while the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, he uttered this Dhamma exposition: “In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

“In dependence on the ear and sounds … In dependence on the mind and mental phenomena, mind-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

“In dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

“In dependence on the ear and sounds … In dependence on the mind and mental phenomena, mind-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

Now on that occasion a certain bhikkhu was standing listening in on the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw him standing there listening in and said to him: “Did you hear that Dhamma exposition, bhikkhu?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“Learn that Dhamma exposition, bhikkhu, master it and remember it. That Dhamma exposition is beneficial and relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life.”

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SN 35.136 Paṭhamarūpārāmasutta: Delight in Forms (1)

“Bhikkhus, devas and humans delight in forms, take delight in forms, rejoice in forms. With the change, fading away, and cessation of forms, devas and humans dwell in suffering. Devas and humans delight in sounds … delight in odours … delight in tastes … delight in tactile objects … delight in mental phenomena, take delight in mental phenomena, rejoice in mental phenomena. With the change, fading away, and cessation of mental phenomena, devas and humans dwell in suffering.

“But, bhikkhus, the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, has understood as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of forms. He does not delight in forms, does not take delight in forms, does not rejoice in forms. With the change, fading away, and cessation of forms, the Tathagata dwells happily.

“He has understood as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of sounds … odours … tastes … tactile objects … mental phenomena. He does not delight in mental phenomena, does not take delight in mental phenomena, does not rejoice in mental phenomena. With the change, fading away, and cessation of mental phenomena, the Tathagata dwells happily.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“Forms, sounds, odours, tastes,
Tactiles and all objects of mind—
Desirable, lovely, agreeable,
So long as it’s said: ‘They are.’

“These are considered happiness
By the world with its devas;
But where these cease,
That they consider suffering.

“The noble ones have seen as happiness
The ceasing of identity.
This view of those who clearly see
Runs counter to the entire world.

“What others speak of as happiness,
That the noble ones say is suffering;
What others speak of as suffering,
That the noble ones know as bliss.

“Behold this Dhamma hard to comprehend:
Here the foolish are bewildered.
For those with blocked minds it is obscure,
Sheer darkness for those who do not see.

“But for the good it is disclosed,
It is light here for those who see.
The dullards unskilled in the Dhamma
Don’t understand it in its presence.

“This Dhamma isn’t easily understood
By those afflicted with lust for existence,
Who flow along in the stream of existence,
Deeply mired in Mara’s realm.

“Who else apart from the noble ones
Are able to understand this state?
When they have rightly known that state,
The taintless ones are fully quenched.”

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SN 35.247 Chappāṇakopamasutta: The Simile of Six Animals

“Mendicants, suppose a person with wounded and festering limbs was to enter a thicket of thorny reeds. The kusa thorns would pierce their feet, and the reed leaves would scratch their limbs. And that would cause that person to experience even more pain and distress.

In the same way, some mendicant goes to a village or a wilderness and gets scolded, ‘This venerable, acting like this, behaving like this, is a filthy village thorn.’ Understanding that they’re a thorn, they should understand restraint and lack of restraint.

And how is someone unrestrained?

Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart restricted. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

When they hear a sound with their ears …

When they smell an odor with their nose …

When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

When they feel a touch with their body …

When they know an idea with their mind, if it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and a limited heart. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

Suppose a person was to catch six animals, with diverse territories and feeding grounds, and tie them up with a strong rope. They’d catch a snake, a crocodile, a bird, a dog, a jackal, and a monkey, tie each up with a strong rope, then tie a knot in the middle and let them loose.

Then those six animals with diverse territories and feeding grounds would each pull towards their own domain and territory. The snake would pull one way, thinking ‘I’m going into a termite mound!’ The crocodile would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the water!’ The bird would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m flying into the atmosphere!’ The dog would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the village!’ The jackal would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the charnel ground!’ The monkey would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the jungle!’ When those six animals became exhausted and worn out, the strongest of them would get their way, and they’d all have to submit to their control.

In the same way, when a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, their eye pulls towards pleasant sights, but is put off by unpleasant sights. Their ear … nose … tongue … body … mind pulls towards pleasant ideas, but is put off by unpleasant ideas.

This is how someone is unrestrained.

And how is someone restrained?

Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch … know an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

Then those six animals with diverse territories and feeding grounds would each pull towards their own domain and territory. The snake would pull one way, thinking ‘I’m going into a termite mound!’ The crocodile would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the water!’ The bird would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m flying into the atmosphere!’ The dog would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the village!’ The jackal would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the charnel ground!’ The monkey would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the jungle!’ When those six animals became exhausted and worn out, they’d stand or sit or lie down right by that post or pillar.

In the same way, when a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, their eye doesn’t pull towards pleasant sights, and isn’t put off by unpleasant sights. Their ear … nose … tongue … body … mind doesn’t pull towards pleasant ideas, and isn’t put off by unpleasant ideas. This is how someone is restrained.

‘A strong post or pillar’ is a term for mindfulness of the body.

So you should train like this: ‘We will develop mindfulness of the body. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’ That’s how you should train.”

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AN 8.79 Parihānasutta: Decline

“These eight things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What eight? They relish work, talk, sleep, and company. They don’t guard the sense doors and they eat too much. They relish closeness and proliferation. These eight things lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.

These eight things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee. What eight? They don’t relish work, talk, and sleep. They guard the sense doors, and they don’t eat too much. They don’t relish closeness and proliferation. These eight things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant trainee.”

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AN 10.60 From… Girimānandasutta: With Girimānanda

…And what is the perception of not-self? It’s when a mendicant has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘The eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches, and mind and ideas are not-self.’ And so they meditate observing not-self in the six interior and exterior sense fields. This is called the perception of not-self.…

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SN 12.19 Bālapaṇḍitasutta: The Wise Man and the Fool

At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, for the fool, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, this body has thereby originated. So there is this body and external name-and-form: thus this dyad. Dependent on the dyad there is contact. There are just six sense bases, contacted through which—or through a certain one among them—the fool experiences pleasure and pain.

“Bhikkhus, for the wise man, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, this body has thereby originated. So there is this body and external name-and-form: thus this dyad. Dependent on the dyad there is contact. There are just six sense bases, contacted through which—or through a certain one among them—the wise man experiences pleasure and pain. What, bhikkhus, is the distinction here, what is the disparity, what is the difference between the wise man and the fool?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, take recourse in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will remember it.”

“Then listen and attend closely, bhikkhus, I will speak.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, for the fool, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, this body has originated. For the fool that ignorance has not been abandoned and that craving has not been utterly destroyed. For what reason? Because the fool has not lived the holy life for the complete destruction of suffering. Therefore, with the breakup of the body, the fool fares on to another body. Faring on to another body, he is not freed from birth, aging, and death; not freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; not freed from suffering, I say.

“Bhikkhus, for the wise man, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, this body has originated. For the wise man that ignorance has been abandoned and that craving has been utterly destroyed. For what reason? Because the wise man has lived the holy life for the complete destruction of suffering. Therefore, with the breakup of the body, the wise man does not fare on to another body. Not faring on to another body, he is freed from birth, aging, and death; freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair; freed from suffering, I say.

“This, bhikkhus, is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the wise man and the fool, that is, the living of the holy life.”

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SN 35.7 Ajjhattāniccātītānāgatasutta: The Interior as Impermanent in the Three Times

“Mendicants, the eye of the past and future is impermanent, let alone the present.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple doesn’t worry about the eye of the past, they don’t look forward to enjoying the eye in the future, and they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the eye in the present.

The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind of the past and future is impermanent, let alone the present.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple doesn’t worry about the mind of the past, they don’t look forward to enjoying the mind in the future, and they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding the mind in the present.”

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SN 4.17 Chaphassāyatanasutta: Six Bases for Contact

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesali in the Great Wood in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning the six bases for contact. And those bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, applying their whole minds to it.

Then it occurred to Mara the Evil One: “This ascetic Gotama is instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus … who are applying their whole minds to it. Let me approach the ascetic Gotama in order to confound them.”

Then Mara the Evil One approached the Blessed One and, not far from him, made a loud noise, frightful and terrifying, as though the earth were splitting open. Then one bhikkhu said to another: “Bhikkhu, bhikkhu! It seems as though the earth is splitting open.” When this was said, the Blessed One said to that bhikkhu: “The earth is not splitting open, bhikkhu. That is Mara the Evil One, who has come here in order to confound you.”

Then the Blessed One, having understood, “This is Mara the Evil One,” addressed Mara the Evil One in verses:

“Forms, sounds, tastes, odours,
Tactiles, and all mental objects:
This is the terrible bait of the world
With which the world is infatuated.

“But when he has transcended this,
The mindful disciple of the Buddha
Shines radiantly like the sun,
Having surmounted Mara’s realm.”

Then Mara the Evil One … disappeared right there.

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.17 Chaphassāyatanasutta: Six Bases for Contact by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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MN 112 Chabbisodhanasutta: The Sixfold Purification

[Note: Today’s sutta is unusually long (they will be back to the normal length tomorrow). The two parts in bold relate directly to the sense bases so you could pay most attention to them. If you are able to read the whole thing, you may want to read directly on SuttaCentral.]

This sutta outlines the questions one should ask someone who is claiming enlightenment and the answers they are expected to give. The second half specifically explains the gradual path from deciding to go forth all the way to enlightenment. Note the importance of the sense bases in this process.]

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Take a mendicant who declares enlightenment: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’

You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Rather, you should question them: ‘Reverend, these four kinds of expression have been rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. What four? One speaks of the seen as seen, the heard as heard, the thought as thought, and the known as known. These are the four kinds of expression rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. How does the venerable know and see regarding these four kinds of expression so that your mind is freed from defilements by not grasping?’

For a mendicant with defilements ended—who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘Regarding what is seen, reverends, I live without going near or going away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, my mind free of limits. Regarding what is heard … thought … or known, I live without going near or going away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, my mind free of limits. That is how I know and see regarding these four kinds of expression so that my mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.’

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, then ask a further question:

‘Reverend, these five grasping aggregates have been rightly explained by the Buddha. What five? That is: the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. These are the five grasping aggregates that have been rightly explained by the Buddha. How does the venerable know and see regarding these five grasping aggregates so that your mind is freed from defilements by not grasping?’

For a mendicant with defilements ended it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘Reverends, knowing that form is powerless, faded, and unreliable, I understand that my mind is freed through the ending, fading away, cessation, giving away, and letting go of attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency for form. Knowing that feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is powerless, faded, and unreliable, I understand that my mind is freed through the ending, fading away, cessation, giving away, and letting go of attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency for consciousness. That is how I know and see regarding these five grasping aggregates so that my mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.’

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, then ask a further question:

‘Reverend, these six elements have been rightly explained by the Buddha. What six? The elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness. These are the six elements that have been rightly explained by the Buddha. How does the venerable know and see regarding these six elements so that your mind is freed from defilements by not grasping?’

For a mendicant with defilements ended it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘Reverends, I’ve not taken the earth element as self, nor is there a self based on the earth element. And I understand that my mind is freed through the ending, fading away, cessation, giving away, and letting go of attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency based on the earth element. I’ve not taken the water element … fire element … air element … space element … consciousness element as self, nor is there a self based on the consciousness element. And I understand that my mind is freed through the ending of attraction based on the consciousness element. That is how I know and see regarding these six elements so that my mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.’

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, then ask a further question:

‘Reverend, these six interior and exterior sense fields have been rightly explained by the Buddha. What six? The eye and sights, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touches, and the mind and ideas. These are the six interior and exterior sense fields that have been rightly explained by the Buddha. How does the venerable know and see regarding these six interior and exterior sense fields so that your mind is freed from defilements by not grasping?’

For a mendicant with defilements ended it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘I understand that my mind is freed through the ending, fading away, cessation, giving away, and letting go of desire and greed and relishing and craving; attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency for the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness. I understand that my mind is freed through the ending of desire for the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness. That is how I know and see regarding these six interior and exterior sense fields so that my mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.’

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, then ask a further question:

‘Sir, how does the venerable know and see so that he has eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli?’

The gradual path

For a mendicant with defilements ended it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘Formerly, reverends, when I was still a layperson, I was ignorant. Then the Realized One or one of his disciples taught me the Dhamma. I gained faith in the Realized One, and reflected:

“Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?”

After some time I gave up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. I shaved off hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness. Once I had gone forth, I took up the training and livelihood of the mendicants. I gave up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. I was scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. I gave up stealing. I took only what’s given, and expected only what’s given. I kept myself clean by not thieving. I gave up unchastity. I became celibate, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex. I gave up lying. I spoke the truth and stuck to the truth. I was honest and dependable, not tricking the world with my words. I gave up divisive speech. I didn’t repeat in one place what I heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, I reconciled those who are divided, supporting unity, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony. I gave up harsh speech. I spoke in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, lovely, going to the heart, polite, likable and agreeable to the people. I gave up talking nonsense. My words were timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. I said things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.

I refrained from injuring plants and seeds. I ate in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time. I refrained from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music . I refrained from beautifying and adorning myself with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. I refrained from high and luxurious beds. I refrained from receiving gold and currency, raw grains, raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants, goats and sheep, chicken and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land. I refrained from running errands and messages; buying and selling; falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence.

I became content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever I went, I set out taking only these things. Like a bird: wherever it flies, wings are its only burden. In the same way, I became content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever I went, I set out taking only these things. When I had this entire spectrum of noble ethics, I experienced a blameless happiness inside myself.

When I saw a sight with my eyes, I didn’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, I practiced restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint. When I heard a sound with my ears … When I smelled an odor with my nose … When I tasted a flavor with my tongue … When I felt a touch with my body … When I knew an idea with my mind, I didn’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of the mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, I practiced restraint, protecting the faculty of the mind, and achieving its restraint. When I had this noble sense restraint, I experienced an unsullied bliss inside myself.

I acted with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.

When I had this entire spectrum of noble ethics, this noble contentment, this noble sense restraint, and this noble mindfulness and situational awareness, I frequented a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. After the meal, I returned from almsround, sat down cross-legged, set my body straight, and established mindfulness in his presence.

Giving up covetousness for the world, I meditated with a heart rid of covetousness, cleansing the mind of covetousness. Giving up ill will and malevolence, I meditated with a mind rid of ill will, full of sympathy for all living beings, cleansing the mind of ill will. Giving up dullness and drowsiness, I meditated with a mind rid of dullness and drowsiness, perceiving light, mindful and aware, cleansing the mind of dullness and drowsiness. Giving up restlessness and remorse, I meditated without restlessness, my mind peaceful inside, cleansing the mind of restlessness and remorse. Giving up doubt, I meditated having gone beyond doubt, not undecided about skillful qualities, cleansing the mind of doubt.

I gave up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Then, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: “This is suffering” … “This is the origin of suffering” … “This is the cessation of suffering” … “This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering”. I truly understood: “These are defilements”… “This is the origin of defilements” … “This is the cessation of defilements” … “This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements”.

Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” That is how I know and see so that I have eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli.’

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, and then say to them: ‘We are fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate to see a venerable such as yourself as one of our spiritual companions!’”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Read this translation of Majjhima Nikāya 112 Chabbisodhanasutta: The Sixfold Purification by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Русский, বাংলা, Deutsch, Español, Français, हिन्दी, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어/조선말, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Norsk, Português, සිංහල, Slovenščina, Srpski, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

SN 35.232 Koṭṭhikasutta: Koṭṭhita

On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahakoṭṭhita were dwelling at Baraṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Mahakoṭṭhita 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 Sāriputta, is the eye the fetter of forms or are forms the fetter of the eye? Is the ear the fetter of sounds or are sounds the fetter of the ear?… Is the mind the fetter of mental phenomena or are mental phenomena the fetter of the mind?”

“Friend Koṭṭhita, the eye is not the fetter of forms nor are forms the fetter of the eye, but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both: that is the fetter there. The ear is not the fetter of sounds nor are sounds the fetter of the ear, but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both: that is the fetter there…. The mind is not the fetter of mental phenomena nor are mental phenomena the fetter of the mind, but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both: that is the fetter there.

“Suppose, friend, a black ox and a white ox were yoked together by a single harness or yoke. Would one be speaking rightly if one were to say: ‘The black ox is the fetter of the white ox; the white ox is the fetter of the black ox’?”

“No, friend. The black ox is not the fetter of the white ox nor is the white ox the fetter of the black ox, but rather the single harness or yoke by which the two are yoked together: that is the fetter there.”

“So too, friend, the eye is not the fetter of forms … nor are mental phenomena the fetter of the mind, but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both: that is the fetter there.

“If, friend, the eye were the fetter of forms or if forms were the fetter of the eye, this living of the holy life could not be discerned for the complete destruction of suffering. But since the eye is not the fetter of forms nor are forms the fetter of the eye —but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both is the fetter there—the living of the holy life is discerned for the complete destruction of suffering.

“If, friend, the ear were the fetter of sounds or if sounds were the fetter of the ear … If the mind were the fetter of mental phenomena or if mental phenomena were the fetter of the mind, this living of the holy life could not be discerned for the complete destruction of suffering. But since the mind is not the fetter of mental phenomena nor are mental phenomena the fetter of the mind—but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both is the fetter there—the living of the holy life is discerned for the complete destruction of suffering.

“In this way too, friend, it may be understood how that is so: There exists in the Blessed One the eye, the Blessed One sees a form with the eye, yet there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One is well liberated in mind. There exists in the Blessed One the ear, the Blessed One hears a sound with the ear … There exists in the Blessed One the nose, the Blessed One smells an odour with the nose … There exists in the Blessed One the tongue, the Blessed One savours a taste with the tongue … There exists in the Blessed One the body, the Blessed One feels a tactile object with the body … There exists in the Blessed One the mind, the Blessed One cognizes a mental phenomenon with the mind, yet there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One is well liberated in mind.

“In this way, friend, it can be understood how the eye is not the fetter of forms nor forms the fetter of the eye, but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both is the fetter there; how the ear is not the fetter of sounds nor sounds the fetter of the ear…; how the mind is not the fetter of mental phenomena nor mental phenomena the fetter of the mind, but rather the desire and lust that arise there in dependence on both is the fetter there.”

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.232 Koṭṭhikasutta: Koṭṭhita by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, বাংলা, Español, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Norsk, Português, Русский, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

At the hot springs

The Buddha teaches the verses

Seeking out Ven. Mahākaccāna

Ven. Mahākaccāna explains in detail

The Buddha’s approval

SN 35.140: Interior and Cause Are Impermanent

SN 35.141: Interior and Cause Are Suffering

SN 35.142: Interior and Cause Are Not-Self

The gradual path

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