MN 131
Bhaddekaratta Sutta
An Auspicious Day
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation:ÑananandaThanissaro
PTS: M iii 187
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
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Translator's Introduction
The title of this discourse has sparked some controversy, centered on the word
"ratta." Modern translators in Asian vernaculars are unanimous in rendering it
as "night," a reading seconded by Sanskrit and Tibetan versions of the
discourse. Translators working in English have balked at this reading, however,
on the grounds that the title it yields — "Auspicious One-Night" — makes no
sense. Thus I.B. Horner drops the word "ratta" for her translation entirely; Ven
Ñanamoli renders it as "attachment," yielding "One Fortunate Attachment"; and
Ven. Ñanananda, taking his cue from Ven. Ñanamoli, renders it as "lover,"
yielding "Ideal Lover of Solitude."
If we look at idiomatic Pali usage, though, we find that there is good reason to
stick with the traditional reading of "night." There is a tendency in the Pali
canon to speak of a 24-hour period of day and night as a "night." This would be
natural for a society that used a lunar calendar — marking the passage of time
by the phases of the moon — just as it is natural for us, using a solar
calendar, to call the same period of time a "day." As the verse that forms the
summary of this discourse explicitly mentions one practicing "relentlessly both
day and night," the "night" in the title of the discourse would seem to be a
24-hour, rather than a 12-hour, night — and so I have chosen to render the Pali
idiom into its English equivalent: An Auspicious Day.
Ven. Ñanamoli is probably right in assuming that "bhaddekaratta" was a
pre-Buddhist term that the Buddha adopted and re-interpreted in light of his own
teaching. The point of the discourse would thus be that — instead of the play of
cosmic forces, the stars, or the lucky omens — one's own development of the
mind's attitude to time is what makes a day auspicious.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "Monks, I will teach you the summary & exposition of one
who has had an auspicious day. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said:
You shouldn't chase after the past
or place expectations on the future.
What is past
is left behind.
The future
is as yet unreached.
Whatever quality is present
you clearly see right there,
right there.
Not taken in,
unshaken,
that's how you develop the heart.
Ardently doing
what should be done today,
for — who knows? — tomorrow
death.
There is no bargaining
with Mortality & his mighty horde.
Whoever lives thus ardently,
relentlessly
both day & night,
has truly had an auspicious day:
so says the Peaceful Sage.
"And how, monks, does one chase after the past? One gets carried away with the
delight of 'In the past I had such a form (body)'... 'In the past I had such a
feeling'... 'In the past I had such a perception'... 'In the past I had such a
thought-fabrication'... 'In the past I had such a consciousness.' This is called
chasing after the past.
"And how does one not chase after the past? One does not get carried away with
the delight of 'In the past I had such a form (body)'... 'In the past I had such
a feeling'... 'In the past I had such a perception'... 'In the past I had such a
thought-fabrication'... 'In the past I had such a consciousness.' This is called
not chasing after the past.
"And how does one place expectations on the future? One gets carried away with
the delight of 'In the future I might have such a form (body)'... 'In the future
I might have such a feeling'... 'In the future I might have such a
perception'... 'In the future I might have such a thought-fabrication'... 'In
the future I might have such a consciousness.' This is called placing
expectations on the future.
"And how does one not place expectations on the future? One does not get carried
away with the delight of 'In the future I might have such a form (body)'... 'In
the future I might have such a feeling'... 'In the future I might have such a
perception'... 'In the future I might have such a thought-fabrication'... 'In
the future I might have such a consciousness.' This is called not placing
expectations on the future.
"And how is one taken in with regard to present qualities? There is the case
where an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person who has not seen the noble ones, is
not versed in the teachings of the noble ones, is not trained in the teachings
of the noble ones, sees form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in
self, or self as in form.
"He/she sees feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in
self, or self as in feeling.
"He/she sees perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception
as in self, or self as in perception.
"He/she sees thought-fabrications as self, or self as possessing
thought-fabrications, or thought-fabrications as in self, or self as in
thought-fabrications.
"He/she sees consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or
consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. This is called being
taken in with regard to present qualities.
"And how is one not taken in with regard to present qualities? There is the case
where a disciple of the noble ones who has seen the noble ones, is versed in the
teachings of the noble ones, is well-trained in the teachings of the noble ones,
does not see form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or
self as in form.
"He/she does not see feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling
as in self, or self as in feeling.
"He/she does not see perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or
perception as in self, or self as in perception.
"He/she does not see thought-fabrications as self, or self as possessing
thought-fabrications, or thought-fabrications as in self, or self as in
thought-fabrications.
"He/she does not see consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness,
or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. This is called not
being taken in with regard to present qualities.
You shouldn't chase after the past
or place expectations on the future.
What is past
is left behind.
The future
is as yet unreached.
Whatever quality is present
you clearly see right there,
right there.
Not taken in,
unshaken,
that's how you develop the heart.
Ardently doing
what should be done today,
for — who knows? — tomorrow
death.
There is no bargaining
with Mortality & his mighty horde.
Whoever lives thus ardently,
relentlessly
both day & night,
has truly had an auspicious day:
so says the Peaceful Sage.
"'Monks, I will teach you the summary & exposition of one who has had an
auspicious day.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.
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