35. Saḷāyatanasaṁyutta: On the Six Sense Fields
XV. The Old and the New — SN35.153: Is There a Method?
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, is there a method — apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration — that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment? That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’”
“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”
“Well then, mendicants, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
“There is a method — apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration — that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’
2And what is that method? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with the eye. When they have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ When they don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ Since this is so, are these things understood by faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration?”
“No, sir.”
“Aren’t they understood by seeing them with wisdom?”
“Yes, sir.”
“This is a method — apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration — that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’
3Furthermore, a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … feels a touch … knows a thought with the mind. When they have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ When they don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ Since this is so, are these things understood by faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration?”
“No, sir.”
“Aren’t they understood by seeing them with wisdom?”
“Yes, sir.”
“This too is a method — apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration — that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’”
1"Atthi nu kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmī"ti?
"Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī"ti.
"Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
"Atthi, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākareyya: ‘"khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti pajānāmī’ti.
2Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pariyāyo, yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya … pe … aññatra diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā vā veditabbā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā"ti?
"Evaṁ, bhante".
"Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘"khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti pajānāmī’ti … pe … .
3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ … pe … rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā vā veditabbā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā"ti?
"Evaṁ, bhante".
"Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘"khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti pajānāmī’ti … pe … .
4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā vā veditabbā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā"ti?
"Evaṁ, bhante".
"Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhanakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘"khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti pajānāmī’ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.