Majjhima Nikaya - Mahakaccanabhaddekaratta Sutta

133. Mahakaccanabhaddekaratta Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA III
III. 4. 3. Mahàkaccànabhaddekarattasuttaü
(133) Venerable Mahakaccana's Explation of the Single Auspicious Attachment

At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery that offered warm water in
Ràjagaha. Venerable Samiddhi got up in the last watch of the night and went to
wash his body in warm water having washed his body, came out and stood in one
robe to dry his body. Then a certain deity illuminated the whole of the warm
forest, approached venerable Samiddhi, stood on a side and said `Bhikkhu, do you
remember the short and detailed exposition of the single auspicious attachment?
ßFriend, I do not remember the short and detailed exposition of the single
auspicious attachment. Do you remember it?
ßBhikkhu, I too do not remember the short and detailed exposition of the single
auspicious attachment. Bhikkhu, learn the short and detailed expsition of the
single auspicious attachment, it tells the fundamentalsof the holy life.
The deity saying this vanished from there. Venerable Samiddhi at the end of that
night approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said.
ßVenerable sir, I got up in the last watch of the night and went to wash my body
in warm water having washed I came out and stood in one robe to dry my body.
Then a certain deity illuminated the whole of the warm forest, approached me and
stood on a side and said, bhikkhu, do you remember the short and detailed
exposition of the single auspicious attachment? I said, Friend, I do not
remember the short and detailed exposition of the single auspicious attachment.
Do you remember it?
Then the deity said, `Bhikkhu, I too do not remember the short and detailed
exposition of the single auspicious attachmentand the deity also said Bhikkhu,
learn the short and detailed expsition of the single auspicious attachment, it
tells the fundamentalsof the holy life. saying this, the deity vanished from
there. Venerable sir, what is the short and detailed exposition of the single
auspicious attachment?
Bhikkhu, then I will teach the exposition of the single auspicious attachment,
listen attending carefully.
Do not recollect the past, nor desire the future,
The past is over, the future has not come.
These things of the present, see them with insight as they arise
Not faltering and not moved, think about them.
Today itself the dispelling should be done
Tomorrow death might come
We will not have any associations with Death and his great army
You should abide dispelling thus, day and night zealously,
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells
The Blessed One said this and getting up from his seat went into his dwelling
Soon after the Blessed One was gone, it occurred to those bhikkhus. `Friends,
the Blessed One gave us this short exposition and without giving the detailed
exposition, went into his dwelling
Do not recollect the past, nor desire the future, ... re ...
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells.
Now who could give us the detailed exposition of this short exposition?
It occurred to those bhikkhus, venerable Mahàkaccàna is praised by the Teacher
as well as the wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable
Mahàkaccàna to give the detailed exposition for this short exposition given by
the Blessed One. What if we approached venerable Mahàkaccàna and asked this.
Then those bhikkhus approached venerable Mahàkaccàna, exchanged friendly
greetings, sat on a side and said. `Friend, Kaccàna, the Blessed One gave this
short exposition and without giving the detailed exposition got up from the seat
and went to his dwelling
ßDo not recollect the past, nor desire the future, ... re ...
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells.û
Friend Kaccàna, soon after the Blessed One had gone, it occurred to us.
`Friends, the Blessed One gave us this short exposition and without giving the
detailed exposition, went into his dwelling
Do not recollect the past, nor desire the future, ... re ...
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells.
Now who could give us the detailed exposition of this short exposition?û
It occurred to us venerable Mahàkaccàna is praised by the Teacher as well as the
wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable Mahàkaccàna to
give the detailed exposition for this short exposition given by the Blessed One.
What if we approached venerable Mahàkaccàna and asked this. So those bhikkhus
approached venerable Mahàkaccàna and said `Friend Kaccàna, explain this to us.û
ßFriends, it is like a man in need of heartwood, going in search of it, come to
a standing huge tree full of heartwood, ignoring the heartwood, roots and trunk
was to think that the branches and leaves was the heartwood. In the same manner,
the venerable ones come face to face with the Teacher have ignored him and
should ask it from me. That Blessed One knows, sees, has become wise, has become
the Teaching and has become Brahmà. He preaches and practises, is the bringer of
meanings, the giver of deathlessness, the lord of the Teachingand thus gone. Now
is the right time to ask this from him and as he explains it, we will bear it in
our minds'.
ßFriend Kaccàna, indeed, that Blessed One knows, sees, has become wise, has
become the Teaching and has become Brahmà. He preaches and practises it, is the
bringer of meanings, the giver of deathlessness, the lord of the Teachingand
thus gone. Now is the right time to ask this from him and as he explains it, we
will bear it in our minds Yet, venerable Mahàkaccàna is praised by the Teacher
as well as the wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable
Mahàkaccàna to give the detailed exposition for this short exposition given by
the Blessed One. Friend Kaccàna, explain this to us, if it is not troublesome to
you'.
ßThen friends, listen and attend carefully. Of this short exposition gven by the
Blessed One thus:.
ßDo not recollect the past, nor desire the future, ... re ...
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells.û
I know the detailed explanation thus.
Friends, how is the past recollected? My eye and forms were thus in the past,
with this, there arises consciousness bound with interest and greed. That
conscioussness bound to interest and greed delights. With delight the past is
recollected. My ear and sounds were thus in the past, re ... My nose and scents
were thus in the past, ... re ... . My tongue and tastes were thus in the past,
... re ... My body and touches were thus in the past, ... re ... . My mind and
ideas were thus in the past, with this, there arises consciousness bound with
interest and greed. That conscioussness bound to interest and greed delights.
With delight the past is recollected. Friends, thus the past is recollected.
Friends, how is the past not recollected? My eye and forms were thus in the
past, with this, there does not arise consciousness bound to interest and greed.
That conscioussness not bound to interest and greed does not delight. Without
delight the past is not recollected. My ear and sounds were thus in the past, re
... My nose and scents were thus in the past, ... re ... . My tongue and tastes
were thus in the past, ... re ... My body and touches were thus in the past, ...
re ... . My mind and ideas were thus in the past, with this, there does not
arise consciousness bound to interest and greed. That conscioussness not bound
to interest and greed does not delight. Without delight the past is not
recollected. Friends, thus the past is not recollected.
Friends, how do you desire the future?My eye and forms will be thus in the
future, for the not gained, an aspiration is made. On account of an aspiration
there is delight The delighted desire the future. My ear and sounds will be thus
in the future, re ... My nose and scents will be thus in the future, ... re ...
. My tongue and tastes will be thus in the future, ... re ... My body and
touches will be thus in the future, ... re ... . My mind and ideas will be thus
in the future. For the not gained an aspiration is made. On account of an
aspiration there is delight. The delighted desire the future. Friends, thus the
future is desired.
Friends, how do you not desire the future?My eye and forms will be thus in the
future, for the not gained, an aspiration is not made. On account of the absence
of an aspiration there is no delight The not delighted do not desire the future.
My ear and sounds will be thus in the future, re ... My nose and scents will be
thus in the future, ... re ... . My tongue and tastes will be thus in the
future, ... re ... My body and touches will be thus in the future, ... re ... .
My mind and ideas will be thus in the future. For the not gained an aspiration
is not made. On account of the absence of an aspiration there is no delight. The
not delighted do not desire the future. Friends, thus the future is not desired.

Friends, how is there faltering in things arisen in the present? Friends, the
eye and forms are both things that arise in the present. Based on them arises
consciousness bound to interest and greed in the present. There is delight when
the consciousness is bound to interest and greed. To the delighted there is
faltering in things arisen in the present. The ear and sounds are both things
that arise in the present. re ... The nose and scents are both things that arise
in the present ... re ... The tongue and tastes are both things that arise in
the present ... re ... The body and touches are both things that arise in the
present ... re ... The mind and ideas are both things that arise in the present.
Based on them arises consciousness bound to interest and greed in the present.
There is delight when the consciousness is bound to interest and greed. To the
delighted there is faltering in things arisen in the present.
Friends, how is there no faltering in things arisen in the present? Friends, the
eye and forms are both things that arise in the present. Based on them arises
consciousness not bound to interest and greed in the present. There is no
delight when the consciousness is not bound to interest and greed. To the not
delighted there is no faltering in things arisen in the present. The ear and
sounds are both things that arise in the present. re ... The nose and scents are
both things that arise in the present ... re ... The tongue and tastes are both
things that arise in the present ... re ... The body and touches are both things
that arise in the present ... re ... The mind and ideas are both things that
arise in the present. Based on them arises consciousness not bound to interest
and greed in the present. There is no delight when the consciousness is not
bound to interest and greed. To the not delighted there is no faltering in
things arisen in the present. Friends, in this manner there is no faltering in
things arisen in the present
Friends, of this short exposition gven by the Blessed One thus:.
ßDo not recollect the past, nor desire the future, ... re ...
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells.û
I know the detailed explanation thus. If you wish approach the Blessed One and
ask him about it. As he explains it, we will bear it in our minds.
Those bhikkhus delighted with the words of venerable Mahàkaccàna and
appreciating them got up from their seats, approached the Blessed One
worshipped, sat on a side and said. `Venerable sir, that exposition, which the
Blessed One stated in short and without giving the detailed explanaton got up
from the seat and went to the dwelling, such as
ßDo not recollect the past, nor desire the future, ... re ...
This is the single auspicious attachment, the appeased sage tells.û
Soon after the Blessed One had gone to his dwelling it occurred to us who could
give us the detailed exposition of this short exposition?û
It occurred to us venerable Mahakaccana is praised by the Teacher as well as the
wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable Mahakaccana to
give the detailed exposition for this short exposition given by the Blessed One.
We approached venerable Mahakaccana and asked him to explain this to us. He
explained it in this manner with these words and phrases
Bhikkhus, Mahakaccana is wise, if you had asked it from me, I would have
explained it in this same manner. This is its meaning, bear it as that.
The Blessed One said thus and those bhikkhus delighted in the words of the
Blessed One.