4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

4👑☸MN‍MN 44    🔝
 MN 44 – MN 44 cūḷa-vedalla: Shorter Set of Questions & Answers
    MN 44.1 - (Self-identification)
    MN 44.2 - (The Noble Eightfold Path)
    MN 44.3 - (samādhi-khandha)
    MN 44.4 - (samādhi, -nimittā,-parikkhārā,-bhāvanā)
    MN 44.5 - (Fabrications: bodily, voice, mind)
    MN 44.6 - (saññā-vedayita-nirodha-samāpatti)
    MN 44.7 - (vedana)
    MN 44.8 - (conclusion)

detailed TOC

 MN 44 – MN 44 cūḷa-vedalla: Shorter Set of Questions & Answers
    MN 44.1 - (Self-identification)
    MN 44.2 - (The Noble Eightfold Path)
    MN 44.3 - (samādhi-khandha)
    MN 44.4 - (samādhi, -nimittā,-parikkhārā,-bhāvanā)
    MN 44.5 - (Fabrications: bodily, voice, mind)
    MN 44.6 - (saññā-vedayita-nirodha-samāpatti)
    MN 44.7 - (vedana)
    MN 44.8 - (conclusion)

44 – MN 44 cūḷa-vedalla: Shorter Set of Questions & Answers


cst4
(derived from Ven. Thanissaro trans.)
(The Buddha praised Dhammadinnā the nun as the foremost Dhamma teacher among his nun disciples. In this discourse she answers questions put to her by a layman—Visākha—who, according to the commentary, was her former husband, a merchant of Rājagaha, and a non-returner.)
♦ 460. evaṃ me sutaṃ — ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. atha kho visākho upāsako yena dhammadinnā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā dhammadinnaṃ bhikkhuniṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then Visākha the lay follower went to Dhammadinnā the nun and, on arrival, having bowed down to her, sat to one side.

44.1 - (Self-identification)


ekamantaṃ nisinno kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnaṃ bhikkhuniṃ etadavoca — “‘sakkāyo sakkāyo’ti, ayye, vuccati. katamo nu kho, ayye, sakkāyo vutto bhagavatā”ti?
As he was sitting there he said to her, “‘Self-identification, self-identification,’ it is said, lady. Which self-identification is described by the Blessed One?”
“pañca kho ime, āvuso visākha, upādānak-khandhā sakkāyo vutto bhagavatā, seyyathidaṃ — rūpupādānak-khandho, vedanupādānak-khandho, saññupādānak-khandho, saṅkhārupādānak-khandho, viññāṇupādānak-khandho. ime kho, āvuso visākha, pañcupādānak-khandhā sakkāyo vutto bhagavatā”ti.
“There are these five clinging-aggregates, friend Visākha: the form clinging-aggregate, the feeling clinging-aggregate, the perception clinging-aggregate, the fabrications clinging-aggregate, the consciousness clinging-aggregate. These five clinging-aggregates are the self-identification described by the Blessed One.”
♦ “sādhayye”ti kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṃ abhinanditvā anumoditvā dhammadinnaṃ bhikkhuniṃ uttariṃ pañhaṃ apucchi — “‘sakkāyasamudayo sakkāyasamudayo’ti, ayye, vuccati. katamo nu kho, ayye, sakkāyasamudayo vutto bhagavatā”ti?
Saying, “Yes, lady,” Visākha the lay follower delighted & rejoiced in what Dhammadinnā the nun had said. Then he asked her a further question: “‘The origination of self-identification, the origination of self-identification,’ it is said, lady. Which origination of self-identification is described by the Blessed One?”
“yāyaṃ, āvuso visākha, taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṃ — kāmataṇhā bhavataṇhā vibhavataṇhā; ayaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyasamudayo vutto bhagavatā”ti.
“The craving that makes for further becoming—accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now here & now there—i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming: This, friend Visākha, is the origination of self-identification described by the Blessed One.”
♦ “‘sakkāyanirodho sakkāyanirodho’ti, ayye, vuccati. katamo nu kho, ayye, sakkāyanirodho vutto bhagavatā”ti?
“‘The cessation of self-identification, the cessation of self-identification,’ it is said, lady. Which cessation of self-identification is described by the Blessed One?”
♦ “yo kho, āvuso visākha, tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo; ayaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyanirodho vutto bhagavatā”ti.
“The remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, & letting go of that very craving: This, friend Visākha, is the cessation of self-identification described by the Blessed One.”
♦ “‘sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti, ayye, vuccati. katamā nu kho, ayye, sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā vuttā bhagavatā”ti?
“‘The way of practice leading to the cessation of self-identification, the way of practice leading to the cessation of self-identification,’ it is said, lady. Which way of practice leading to the cessation of self-identification is described by the Blessed One?”
♦ “ayameva kho, āvuso visākha, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṃ — sammā-diṭṭhi sammā-saṅkappo sammā-vācā sammā-kammanto sammā-ājīvo sammā-vāyāmo sammā-sati sammā-samādhī”ti.
“Precisely this noble eightfold path—right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-remembering, righteous-undistractable-lucidity: This, friend Visākha, is the way of practice leading to the cessation of self-identification described by the Blessed One.”
♦ “taññeva nu kho, ayye, upādānaṃ te VAR pañcupādānak-khandhā udāhu aññatra pañcahupādānak-khandhehi upādānan”ti?
“Is it the case, lady, that clinging is the same thing as the five clinging-aggregates or is it something separate?”
“na kho, āvuso visākha, taññeva upādānaṃ te pañcupādānak-khandhā, nāpi aññatra pañcahupādānak-khandhehi upādānaṃ. yo kho, āvuso visākha, pañcasu upādānak-khandhesu chandarāgo taṃ tattha upādānan”ti.
“Friend Visākha, neither is clinging the same thing as the five clinging-aggregates, nor is it something separate. Whatever desire & passion there is with regard to the five clinging-aggregates, that is the clinging there.”
♦ 461. “kathaṃ panāyye, sakkāyadiṭṭhi hotī”ti?
“But, lady, how does self-identification view come about?”
“idhāvuso visākha, assutavā puthujjano, ariyānaṃ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṃ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto, rūpaṃ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṃ vā attānaṃ, attani vā rūpaṃ, rūpasmiṃ vā attānaṃ.
“There is the case, friend Visākha, where an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person—who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for people of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma—assumes form [e.g., the body] to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form.
vedanaṃ ... pe ...
“He assumes feeling to be the self.…
saññaṃ...
“He assumes perception to be the self.…
saṅkhāre...
“He assumes fabrications to be the self.…
viññāṇaṃ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṃ vā attānaṃ, attani vā viññāṇaṃ, viññāṇasmiṃ vā attānaṃ. evaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyadiṭṭhi hotī”ti.
“He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. This is how self-identification view comes about.”
♦ “kathaṃ panāyye, sakkāyadiṭṭhi na hotī”ti?
“But, lady, how does self-identification view not come about?”
♦ “idhāvuso visākha, sutavā ariyasāvako, ariyānaṃ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto, sappurisānaṃ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto, na rūpaṃ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṃ vā attānaṃ, na attani vā rūpaṃ, na rūpasmiṃ vā attānaṃ.
“There is the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones—who has regard for noble ones, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for people of integrity, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma— doesn’t assume form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form.
na vedanaṃ ... pe ...
“He doesn’t assume feeling to be the self.…
na saññaṃ...
“He doesn’t assume perception to be the self.…
na saṅkhāre ... pe ...
“He doesn’t assume fabrications to be the self.…
na viññāṇaṃ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṃ vā attānaṃ, na attani vā viññāṇaṃ, na viññāṇasmiṃ vā attānaṃ. evaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyadiṭṭhi na hotī”ti.
“He doesn’t assume consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. This is how self-identification view does not come about.”

44.2 - (The Noble Eightfold Path)


♦ 462. “katamo panāyye, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo”ti?
“Now, again, lady, what is the noble eightfold path?”
♦ “ayameva kho, āvuso visākha, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṃ — sammā-diṭṭhi sammā-saṅkappo sammā-vācā sammā-kammanto sammā-ājīvo sammā-vāyāmo sammā-sati sammā-samādhī”ti.
“This is the noble eightfold path, friend Visākha: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-remembering, righteous-undistractable-lucidity.”
“ariyo panāyye, aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhato udāhu asaṅkhato”ti?
“Is the noble eightfold path fabricated or unfabricated?”
♦ “ariyo kho, āvuso visākha, aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhato”ti.
“The noble eightfold path is fabricated.”
♦ “ariyena nu kho, ayye, aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena tayo khandhā saṅgahitā udāhu tīhi khandhehi ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅgahito”ti?
“And are the three aggregates [of virtue, concentration, & discernment] included under the noble eightfold path, lady, or is the noble eightfold path included under the three aggregates?”
♦ “na kho, āvuso visākha, ariyena aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena tayo khandhā saṅgahitā; tīhi ca kho, āvuso visākha, khandhehi ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅgahito.
“The three aggregates are not included under the noble eightfold path, friend Visākha, but the noble eightfold path is included under the three aggregates.
yā cāvuso visākha, sammā-vācā yo ca sammā-kammanto yo ca sammā-ājīvo ime dhammā sīlak-khandhe saṅgahitā.
Right speech, right action, & right livelihood come under the aggregate of virtue.

44.3 - (samādhi-khandha)


yo ca sammā-vāyāmo yā ca sammā-sati yo ca sammā-samādhi
Right-effort, right-remembering, & righteous-undistractable-lucidity
ime dhammā samādhik-khandhe saṅgahitā.
those Dhammas {come under the} undistractable-lucidity-aggregate.
yā ca sammā-diṭṭhi yo ca sammā-saṅkappo,
Right-view & right-resolve,
ime dhammā paññāk-khandhe saṅgahitā”ti.
those Dhammas {come under the} discernment-aggregate.”

44.4 - (samādhi, -nimittā,-parikkhārā,-bhāvanā)


♦ “katamo panāyye, samādhi,
“Now what, lady, (is) undistractable-lucidity?
katame dhammā samādhi-nimittā,
which Dhammas are undistractable-lucidity-themes?
katame dhammā samādhi-parikkhārā,
what Dhammas are undistractable-lucidity-requisites?
katamā samādhi-bhāvanā”ti?
what (is) undistractable-lucidity-development?
♦ “yā kho, āvuso visākha, cittassa ekaggatā ayaṃ samādhi;
“friend Visākha, mind’s unification is undistractable-lucidity.
cattāro sati-’paṭṭhānā samādhi-nimittā;
four remembrance-establishings (are) undistractable-lucidity-themes.
cattāro sammap-padhānā samādhi-parikkhārā.
four right-exertions (are) undistractable-lucidity-requisites.
yā tesaṃyeva dhammānaṃ
Whichever of these Dhammas; (their)
āsevanā bhāvanā bahulī-kammaṃ,
cultivation, development, abundant-pursuit,
ayaṃ ettha samādhi-bhāvanā”ti.
that there (is) undistractable-lucidity-development.

44.5 - (Fabrications: bodily, voice, mind)


♦ 463. “kati panāyye, saṅkhārā”ti?
“Now, lady, what are-fabrications?”
♦ “tayo-’me, āvuso visākha, saṅkhārā —
“These three-fabrications, friend Visākha:
kāya-saṅkhāro, vacī-saṅkhāro, citta-saṅkhāro”ti.
bodily-fabrications, vocal-speech-fabrications, & mental-fabrications.”
♦ “katamo panāyye, kāya-saṅkhāro,
“But what are bodily-fabrications?
katamo vacī-saṅkhāro,
What are vocal-speech-fabrications?
katamo citta-saṅkhāro”ti?
What are mental-fabrications?”
♦ “assāsa-passāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāya-saṅkhāro,
“In-&-out-breaths are bodily-fabrications.
vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro,
Directed thought-&-evaluation are vocal-speech-fabrications.
saññā ca vedanā ca citta-saṅkhāro”ti.
Perceptions & feelings are mental-fabrications.”
♦ “kasmā panāyye, assāsapassāsā kāya-saṅkhāro,
“But why are in-&-out breaths bodily-fabrications?
kasmā vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro,
Why are directed thought-&-evaluation vocal-speech-fabrications?
kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca citta-saṅkhāro”ti?
Why are perceptions & feelings mental-fabrications?”
♦ “assāsa-passāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikā
“In-&-out breaths, ***, (are) bodily;
ete dhammā kāyap-paṭi-baddhā,
these dhamma-[things] (are) bound-up-with-the-body,
tasmā assāsa-passāsā kāya-saṅkhāro.
That’s why in-&-out breaths are bodily-fabrications.
pubbe kho, āvuso visākha,
prior to [vocalizing speech], friend Visakha,
vitakketvā vicāretvā
(one) directs-thoughts (and) evaluates [those very thoughts],
pacchā vācaṃ bhindati,
afterwards, vocal-speech breaks-out,
tasmā vitakka-vicārā vacī-saṅkhāro.
Therefore directed-thought-&-evaluation are vocal-speech-fabrications.
saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā
Perceptions & feelings are mental;
ete dhammā cittap-paṭi-baddhā,
these dhamma-[things] (are) bound-up-with-the-mind.
tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca citta-saṅkhāro”ti.
Therefore perceptions & feelings (are) mental-fabrications.”

44.6 - (saññā-vedayita-nirodha-samāpatti)


♦ 464. “kathaṃ panāyye, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpatti hotī”ti?
“Now, lady, how does the attainment of the cessation of perception & feeling come about?”
♦ “na kho, āvuso visākha, saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpajjantassa bhikkhuno evaṃ hoti — ‘ahaṃ saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpajjissan’ti vā, ‘ahaṃ saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpajjāmī’ti vā, ‘ahaṃ saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpanno’ti vā.
“The thought does not occur to a monk as he is attaining the cessation of perception & feeling that ‘I am about to attain the cessation of perception & feeling’ or that ‘I am attaining the cessation of perception & feeling’ or that ‘I have attained the cessation of perception & feeling.’
atha khvāssa pubbeva tathā cittaṃ bhāvitaṃ hoti yaṃ taṃ tathattāya upanetī”ti.
Instead, the way his mind has previously been developed leads him to that state.”
♦ “saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpajjantass panāyye, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṃ nirujjhanti — yadi vā kāya-saṅkhāro, yadi vā vacī-saṅkhāro, yadi vā citta-saṅkhāro”ti?
“But when a monk is attaining the cessation of perception & feeling, which things cease first: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, or mental fabrications?”
“saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpajjantassa kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuno paṭhamaṃ nirujjhati vacī-saṅkhāro, tato kāya-saṅkhāro, tato citta-saṅkhāro”ti.
“When a monk is attaining the cessation of perception & feeling, friend Visākha, verbal fabrications cease first, then bodily fabrications, then mental fabrications.”1
♦ “kathaṃ panāyye, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṃ hotī”ti?
“Now, lady, how does emergence from the cessation of perception & feeling come about?”
♦ “na kho, āvuso visākha, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa bhikkhuno evaṃ hoti — ‘ahaṃ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahissan’ti vā, ‘ahaṃ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahāmī’ti vā, ‘ahaṃ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhito’ti vā.
“The thought does not occur to a monk as he is emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling that ‘I am about to emerge from the cessation of perception & feeling’ or that ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling’ or that ‘I have emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling.’
atha khvāssa pubbeva tathā cittaṃ bhāvitaṃ hoti yaṃ taṃ tathattāya upanetī”ti.
Instead, the way his mind has previously been developed leads him to that state.”
♦ “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa panāyye, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṃ uppajjanti — yadi vā kāya-saṅkhāro, yadi vā vacī-saṅkhāro, yadi vā citta-saṅkhāro”ti?
“But when a monk is emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, which things arise first: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, or mental fabrications?”
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuno paṭhamaṃ uppajjati citta-saṅkhāro, tato kāya-saṅkhāro, tato vacī-saṅkhāro”ti.
“When a monk is emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, friend Visākha, mental fabrications arise first, then bodily fabrications, then verbal fabrications.”
♦ “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṃ panāyye, bhikkhuṃ kati phassā phusantī”ti?
“When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, lady, how many contacts make contact?”
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuṃ tayo phassā phusanti — suññato phasso, animitto phasso, appaṇihito phasso”ti.
“When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, friend Visākha, three contacts make contact: contact with emptiness, contact with the signless, & contact with the undirected.”2
♦ “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa panāyye, bhikkhuno kiṃninnaṃ cittaṃ hoti kiṃpoṇaṃ kiṃpabbhāran”ti?
“When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, lady, to what does his mind lean, to what does it tend, to what does it incline?”
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṃ cittaṃ hoti, vivekapoṇaṃ vivekapabbhāran”ti.
“When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, friend Visākha, his mind leans to seclusion, tends to seclusion, inclines to seclusion.”3

44.7 - (vedana)


♦ 465. “kati panāyye, vedanā”ti?
“Now, lady, how many kinds of feeling are there?”
♦ “tisso kho imā, āvuso visākha, vedanā — sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā”ti.
“These three kinds of feeling: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, & neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.”
♦ “katamā panāyye, sukhā vedanā, katamā dukkhā vedanā, katamā adukkhamasukhā vedanā”ti?
“What is pleasant feeling? What is painful feeling? What is neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
♦ “yaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikaṃ vā cetasikaṃ vā sukhaṃ sātaṃ vedayitaṃ — ayaṃ sukhā vedanā.
“Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as pleasant & gratifying is pleasant feeling.
yaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikaṃ vā cetasikaṃ vā dukkhaṃ asātaṃ vedayitaṃ — ayaṃ dukkhā vedanā.
Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as painful & hurting is painful feeling.
yaṃ kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikaṃ vā cetasikaṃ vā neva sātaṃ nāsātaṃ vedayitaṃ — ayaṃ adukkhamasukhā vedanā”ti.
Whatever is experienced physically or mentally as neither gratifying nor hurting is neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.”
♦ “sukhā panāyye, vedanā kiṃsukhā kiṃdukkhā, dukkhā vedanā kiṃsukhā kiṃdukkhā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā kiṃsukhā kiṃdukkhā”ti?
“In what way is pleasant feeling pleasant, lady, and in what way painful?”
♦ “sukhā kho, āvuso visākha, vedanā ṭhiti-sukhā
“Pleasant feeling is pleasant in remaining,
vipariṇāma-dukkhā;
& painful in changing, friend Visākha.
dukkhā vedanā ṭhiti-dukkhā
Painful feeling is painful in remaining &
vipariṇāma-sukhā;
pleasant in changing.
a-dukkham-a-sukhā vedanā ñāṇa-sukhā
Neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is pleasant in occurring together with knowledge,
aññāṇa-dukkhā”ti.
and painful in occurring without knowledge.”
♦ “sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṃ anusayo anuseti,
“What obsession gets obsessed with pleasant feeling?
dukkhāya vedanāya kiṃ anusayo anuseti,
What obsession gets obsessed painful feeling?
adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya kiṃ anusayo anusetī”ti?
What obsession gets obsessed with neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
♦ “sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti,
“Passion-obsession gets obsessed with pleasant feeling.
dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti,
Resistance-obsession gets obsessed with painful feeling.
adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.
Ignorance-obsession gets obsessed with neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.”
♦ “sabbāya nu kho, ayye, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti,
“Does passion-obsession get obsessed with all pleasant feeling?
sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti,
Does resistance-obsession get obsessed with all painful feeling?
sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti?
Does ignorance-obsession get obsessed with all neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
♦ “na kho, āvuso visākha, sabbāya sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, na sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, na sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.
“No.…”
♦ “sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṃ pahātabbaṃ, dukkhāya vedanāya kiṃ pahātabbaṃ, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya kiṃ pahātabban”ti?
“But what is to be abandoned with regard to pleasant feeling? What is to be abandoned with regard to painful feeling? What is to be abandoned with regard to neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
♦ “sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo,
“Passion-obsession is to be abandoned with regard to pleasant feeling.
dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo,
Resistance-obsession is to be abandoned with regard to painful feeling.
adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo”ti.
Ignorance-obsession is to be abandoned with regard to neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.”
♦ “sabbāya nu kho, ayye, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo”ti?
“Is passion-obsession to be abandoned with regard to all pleasant feeling? Is resistance-obsession to be abandoned with regard to all painful feeling? Is ignorance-obsession to be abandoned with regard to all neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
♦ “na kho, āvuso visākha, sabbāya sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, na sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, na sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo. idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. rāgaṃ tena pajahati, na tattha rāgānusayo anuseti.
“No .… There is the case where a monk—quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities—enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With that he abandons passion. No passion-obsession gets obsessed there.4
idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati — ‘kudāssu nāmāhaṃ tadāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharissāmi yadariyā etarahi āyatanaṃ upasampajja viharantī’ti? iti anuttaresu vimokkhesu pihaṃ upaṭṭhāpayato uppajjati pihāppaccayā domanassaṃ. paṭighaṃ tena pajahati, na tattha paṭighānusayo anuseti.
There is the case where a monk considers, ‘O when will I enter & remain in the dimension that those who are noble now enter & remain in?’ And as he thus nurses this yearning for the unexcelled liberations, there arises within him sorrow based on that yearning. With that he abandons resistance. No resistance-obsession gets obsessed there.5
idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā, dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṃ atthaṅgamā, adukkhamasukhaṃ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṃ catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. avijjaṃ tena pajahati, na tattha avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.
There is the case where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & pain—as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress—enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. With that he abandons ignorance. No ignorance-obsession gets obsessed there.”6
♦ 466. “sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“Now what, lady, lies on the other side of pleasant feeling?”
♦ “sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya dukkhā vedanā paṭibhāgo”ti.
“Passion lies on the other side of pleasant feeling.”
♦ “dukkhāya pannāyye, vedanāya kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“And what lies on the other side of painful feeling?”
♦ “dukkhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya sukhā vedanā paṭibhāgo”ti.
“Resistance lies on the other side of painful feeling.”7
♦ “adukkhamasukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“What lies on the other side of neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
♦ “adukkhamasukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya avijjā paṭibhāgo”ti.
“Ignorance lies on the other side of neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.”
♦ “avijjāya panāyye, kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“What lies on the other side of ignorance?”
♦ “avijjāya kho, āvuso visākha, vijjā paṭibhāgo”ti.
“Clear knowing lies on the other side of ignorance.”
♦ “vijjāya panāyye, kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“What lies on the other side of clear knowing?”
♦ “vijjāya kho, āvuso visākha, vimutti paṭibhāgo”ti.
“Release lies on the other side of clear knowing.”
♦ “vimuttiyā panāyye, kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“What lies on the other side of release?”
♦ “vimuttiyā kho, āvuso visākha, nibbānaṃ paṭibhāgo”ti.
“Unbinding lies on the other side of release.”
♦ “nibbānassa panāyye, kiṃ paṭibhāgo”ti?
“What lies on the other side of unbinding?”
“accayāsi, āvuso VAR visākha, pañhaṃ, nāsakkhi pañhānaṃ pariyantaṃ gahetuṃ. nibbānogadhañhi, āvuso visākha, brahmacariyaṃ, nibbānaparāyanaṃ nibbānapariyosānaṃ. ākaṅkhamāno ca tvaṃ, āvuso visākha, bhagavantaṃ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṃ puccheyyāsi, yathā ca te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṃ dhāreyyāsī”ti.
“You’ve gone too far, friend Visākha. You can’t keep holding on up to the limit of questions. For the holy life gains a footing in unbinding, culminates in unbinding, has unbinding as its final end. If you wish, go to the Blessed One and ask him the meaning of these things. Whatever he says, that’s how you should remember it.”

44.8 - (conclusion)


♦ 467. atha kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṃ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā dhammadinnaṃ bhikkhuniṃ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṃ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. ekamantaṃ nisinno kho visākho upāsako yāvatako ahosi dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā saddhiṃ kathāsallāpo taṃ sabbaṃ bhagavato ārocesi. evaṃ vutte, bhagavā visākhaṃ upāsakaṃ etadavoca — “paṇḍitā, visākha, dhammadinnā bhikkhunī, mahāpaññā, visākha, dhammadinnā bhikkhunī. maṃ cepi tvaṃ, visākha, etamatthaṃ puccheyyāsi, ahampi taṃ evamevaṃ byākareyyaṃ, yathā taṃ dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā byākataṃ. eso cevetassa VAR attho. evañca naṃ VAR dhārehī”ti.
Then Visākha the lay follower, delighting & rejoicing in what Dhammadinnā the nun had said, bowed down to her and, keeping her to his right, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he told the Blessed One the full extent of the conversation he had had with Dhammadinnā the nun. When this was said, the Blessed One said to him, “Dhammadinnā the nun is wise, Visākha, a woman of great discernment. If you had asked me those things, I would have answered you in the same way she did. That is the meaning of those things. That is how you should remember it.”
♦ idamavoca bhagavā. attamano visākho upāsako bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandīti.
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Visākha the lay follower delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
♦ cūḷavedallasuttaṃ niṭṭhitaṃ catutthaṃ.
(end of sutta)
Notes (Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu‍ )
1. Verbal fabrication grows still on attaining the second jhāna; bodily fabrication grows still on attaining the fourth jhāna; mental fabrication grows still on attaining the cessation of perception & feeling.
2. Emptiness, the signless, & the undirected are names for a state of concentration that lies on the threshold of unbinding. They differ only in how they are approached. According to the commentary, they color one’s first apprehension of unbinding: a meditator who has been focusing on the theme of inconstancy will first apprehend unbinding as signless; one who has been focusing on the theme of stress will first apprehend it as undirected; one who has been focusing on the theme of not-self will first apprehend it as emptiness.
3. According to the commentary, “seclusion” here stands for unbinding. On emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, and having had contact with emptiness/the signless/the undirected, the mind inclines naturally to a direct experience of unbinding.
4. In other words, once the pleasure of the first jhāna has been used as a basis for giving rise to the discernment that leads to arahantship, the mind has no further passion-obsession with pleasant feeling. (The commentary says that this is true at attainment of non-returning, but this must be a mistake, as non-returners are still subject to passion for form and formless phenomena.)
5. Once this sorrow has been used as a basis for giving rise to the discernment that leads to non-returning, the mind has no further resistance-obsession with painful feeling.
6. Once this feeling of neither pleasure nor pain has been used as a basis for giving rise to the discernment that leads to arahantship, the mind has no further ignorance-obsession with feelings of neither pleasure nor pain.
7. This reading follows the Thai edition of the Pali Canon. The PTS edition gives the first two questions and answers of this exchange as follows:
“Now what, lady, lies on the other side of pleasant feeling?”
“Painful feeling lies on the other side of pleasant feeling.”
“And what lies on the other side of painful feeling?”
“Pleasant feeling lies on the other side of painful feeling.”
For some reason, the editors of neither edition seen to have been aware of the reading in the other edition.
See also: MN 109; MN 111; MN 148; SN 22:121; SN 36:6; SN 36:11; AN 5:200; AN 7:11–12; AN 8:70


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