Monday, April 11, 2011

Majjhima Nikaya - Maha-salayatanika Sutta

MN 149
Maha-salayatanika Sutta
The Great Six Sense-media Discourse
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M iii 287



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1998
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.



I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
"Monks, I will teach you the great six sense-media [discourse]. Listen & pay
close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "Not knowing, not seeing the eye as it actually is
present; not knowing, not seeing forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at
the eye as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises
conditioned through contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain, or
neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is infatuated with
the eye... forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye... whatever
arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain,
or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their
drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future accumulation. The
craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now here & now there — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances &
mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily
distresses & mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress &
mental stress.
"Not knowing, not seeing the ear... Not knowing, not seeing the nose... Not
knowing, not seeing the tongue... Not knowing, not seeing the body...
"Not knowing, not seeing the intellect as it actually is present; not knowing,
not seeing ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect
as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises
conditioned through intellect-contact — experienced as pleasure, pain, or
neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is infatuated with
the intellect... ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the
intellect... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the intellect and is
experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their
drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future accumulation. The
craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now this & now that — grows within him. His bodily disturbances &
mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily
distresses & mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress &
mental stress.
"However, knowing & seeing the eye as it actually is present, knowing & seeing
forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye as they actually are
present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye
— experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually
is present, one is not infatuated with the eye... forms... consciousness at the
eye... contact at the eye... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye
and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their
drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future diminution. The
craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now this & now that — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances &
mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are
abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is
sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any
resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his
right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier
his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him,
having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go
to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions... the four
bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven factors
for Awakening go to the culmination of their development.1 [And] for him these
two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be
comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge
whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops
through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct
knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be
realized through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five
clinging-aggregates,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as a
clinging-aggregate... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as
a clinging-aggregate. These are the qualities that are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance &
craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through
direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity &
insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct
knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing &
release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct
knowledge.
"Knowing & seeing the ear... Knowing & seeing the nose... Knowing & seeing the
tongue... Knowing & seeing the body...
"Knowing & seeing the intellect as it actually is present, knowing & seeing
ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect as they
actually are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through
intellect-contact — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain
— as it actually is present, one is not infatuated with the intellect...
ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect... whatever
arises conditioned by contact at the intellect and is experienced as pleasure,
pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their
drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future diminution. The
craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight,
relishing now this & now that — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances &
mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are
abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is
sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any
resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his
right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier
his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him,
having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go
to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions... the four
bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven factors
for Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [And] for him these
two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be
comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge
whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops
through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct
knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be
realized through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five
clinging-aggregates,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as a
clinging-aggregate... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as
a clinging-aggregate. These are the qualities that are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance &
craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through
direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity &
insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct
knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing &
release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct
knowledge."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.



Note
1. These thirty-seven qualities are collectively termed the "wings to Awakening"
(bodhipakkhiyadhamma). For a thorough discussion, see The Wings to Awakening, by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

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