Majjhima Nikaya - Ariyapariyesana Sutta

MN 26
Ariyapariyesana Sutta
The Noble Search
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M i 160



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 2004 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 2004
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
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to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.



Translator's Introduction
Some scholars have suggested that, of the many autobiographical accounts of the
Buddha's Awakening presented in the Pali canon, this is the earliest. From that
assumption, they have further suggested that because this account does not
mention the four noble truths, either in connection with the Awakening or with
the Buddha's instructions to his first disciples, the four noble truths must
have been a later doctrine.
There is little reason, however, to accept these suggestions. To begin with, the
sutta does not recount the Buddha's period of austerities prior to his
Awakening, nor does it tell of how the group of five monks attended to him
during that period and later left him when he abandoned his austerities, and yet
toward the end of the sutta the Buddha alludes to those two incidents in a way
indicating that he assumes them to be familiar to his listeners. Thus, if
anything, the accounts that do explicitly relate those events — such as the one
in MN 36 — would seem to be earlier.
Secondly, the lack of reference to the four noble truths does not indicate that
they were not actually involved in the Awakening or the first sermon. As is
always the case in the Buddha's autobiographical accounts in the Canon, this
account is designed to convey a lesson, and the lesson is clearly articulated
toward the beginning of the sutta: the difference between noble search and
ignoble search. The account then illustrates the Buddha's own noble search and
his later teaching career in the terms introduced by the lesson: the search for
the "unborn, aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, undefiled,
unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding." In particular, all the events
mentioned in the account revolve around the issue of the Deathless: the
discovery of the Deathless, the teaching of the Deathless, and the Buddha's
success in helping others to attain the Deathless. Had the lesson of the sutta
concerned the four noble truths, they would probably have been mentioned in the
account. Thus there seems little reason to regard this sutta as "proof" that the
four noble truths were a later teaching.
Nevertheless, this sutta offers many excellent lessons in the Dhamma, in
addition to mentioning a few incidents in the Buddha's life that are found
nowhere else in the Sutta Pitaka.



I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then early in the morning, having put
on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he went into Savatthi for alms.
Then a large number of monks went to Ven. Ananda and said, "It has been a long
time, friend Ananda, since we have heard a Dhamma talk in the Blessed One's
presence. It would be good if we could get to hear a Dhamma talk in the Blessed
One's presence."
"In that case, venerable ones, go to the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman.
Perhaps you will get to hear a Dhamma talk in the Blessed One's presence."
"As you say, friend," the monks replied to Ven. Ananda and left.
Then the Blessed One, having gone for alms, after his meal, on returning from
his alms round, said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, let's go to the Eastern Park, the
palace of Migara's mother, for the day's abiding."
"As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda replied to the Blessed One.
So the Blessed One, together with Ven. Ananda, went to the Eastern Park, the
palace of Migara's mother, for the day's abiding. Then in the evening, emerging
from seclusion, he said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, let's go to the Eastern
Gatehouse to bathe our limbs."
"As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda replied to the Blessed One.
So the Blessed One, together with Ven. Ananda, went to the Eastern Gatehouse to
bathe his limbs. Having bathed his limbs at the Eastern Gatehouse, coming out of
the water, he stood in his lower robe, drying his limbs. Then Ven. Ananda said
to him, "Lord, the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman is not far away. Pleasing is
the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman. Delightful is the hermitage of Rammaka the
brahman. It would be good if the Blessed One went to the hermitage of Rammaka
the brahman out of sympathy." The Blessed One acquiesced through silence.
So the Blessed One went to the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman. Now at that
time a large number of monks had gathered in the hermitage of Rammaka the
brahman for a Dhamma discussion. The Blessed One stood outside the door waiting
for the discussion to end. On knowing that the discussion had ended, clearing
his throat, he tapped at the door. The monks opened the door for him. Entering
the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman, the Blessed One sat down on a seat made
ready. As he was sitting there, he addressed the monks: "For what discussion are
you gathered together here? In the midst of what discussion have you been
interrupted?"
"Lord, our interrupted Dhamma discussion was about the Blessed One himself, and
then the Blessed One arrived."
"Good, monks. It's fitting that you, as sons of good families who have gone
forth out of faith from home to the homeless life, should gather for Dhamma
discussion. When you have gathered you have two duties: either Dhamma discussion
or noble silence. 1
"Monks, there are these two searches: ignoble search & noble search. And what is
ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to
birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject
himself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, he seeks
[happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow...
defilement.
"And what may be said to be subject to birth? Spouses & children are subject to
birth. Men & women slaves... goats & sheep... fowl & pigs... elephants, cattle,
horses, & mares... gold & silver are subject to birth. Subject to birth are
these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has
totally fallen for them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject
to birth.
"And what may be said to be subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow...
defilement? Spouses & children... men & women slaves... goats & sheep... fowl &
pigs... elephants, cattle, horses, & mares... gold & silver 2 are subject to
aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement. Subject to aging...
illness... death... sorrow... defilement are these acquisitions, and one who is
tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being
subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to aging... illness... death...
sorrow... defilement. This is ignoble search.
"And what is the noble search? There is the case where a person, himself being
subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeks the unborn, unexcelled
rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Himself being subject to aging... illness...
death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness...
death... sorrow... defilement, seeks the aging-less, illness-less, deathless,
sorrow-less, undefiled, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. This is the
noble search.
"I, too, monks, before my Awakening, when I was an unawakened bodhisatta, being
subject myself to birth, sought what was likewise subject to birth. Being
subject myself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, I sought
[happiness in] what was likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow...
defilement. The thought occurred to me, 'Why do I, being subject myself to
birth, seek what is likewise subject to birth? Being subject myself to aging...
illness... death... sorrow... defilement, why do I seek what is likewise subject
to illness... death... sorrow... defilement? What if I, being subject myself to
birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, were to seek the unborn, unexcelled rest
from the yoke: Unbinding? What if I, being subject myself to aging... illness...
death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness...
death... sorrow... defilement, were to seek the aging-less, illness-less,
deathless, sorrow-less,, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding?'
"So, at a later time, while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with
the blessings of youth in the first stage of life — and while my parents,
unwilling, were crying with tears streaming down their faces — I shaved off my
hair & beard, put on the ochre robe and went forth from the home life into
homelessness.
"Having thus gone forth in search of what might be skillful, seeking the
unexcelled state of sublime peace, I went to Alara Kalama and, on arrival, said
to him: 'Friend Kalama, I want to practice in this doctrine & discipline.'
"When this was said, he replied to me, 'You may stay here, my friend. This
doctrine is such that a wise person can soon enter & dwell in his own teacher's
knowledge, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.'
"It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere
lip-reciting & repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the words of
the elders, and I could affirm that I knew & saw — I, along with others.
"I thought: 'It isn't through mere conviction alone that Alara Kalama declares,
"I have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through
direct knowledge." Certainly he dwells knowing & seeing this Dhamma.' So I went
to him and said, 'To what extent do you declare that you have entered & dwell in
this Dhamma?' When this was said, he declared the dimension of nothingness.
"I thought: 'Not only does Alara Kalama have conviction, persistence,
mindfulness, concentration, & discernment. I, too, have conviction, persistence,
mindfulness, concentration, & discernment. What if I were to endeavor to realize
for myself the Dhamma that Alara Kalama declares he has entered & dwells in,
having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.' So it was not long
before I quickly entered & dwelled in that Dhamma, having realized it for myself
through direct knowledge. I went to him and said, 'Friend Kalama, is this the
extent to which you have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for
yourself through direct knowledge?'
"'Yes, my friend...'
"'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered & dwell in this
Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'
"'It is a gain for us, my friend, a great gain for us, that we have such a
companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma I declare I have entered & dwell in,
having realized it for myself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma you
declare you have entered & dwell in, having realized it for yourself through
direct knowledge. And the Dhamma you declare you have entered & dwell in, having
realized it for yourself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma I declare I
have entered & dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.
The Dhamma I know is the Dhamma you know; the Dhamma you know is the Dhamma I
know. As I am, so are you; as you are, so am I. Come friend, let us now lead
this community together.'
"In this way did Alara Kalama, my teacher, place me, his pupil, on the same
level with himself and pay me great honor. But the thought occurred to me, 'This
Dhamma leads not to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to
direct knowledge, to Awakening, nor to Unbinding, but only to reappearance in
the dimension of nothingness.' So, dissatisfied with that Dhamma, I left.
"In search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime
peace, I went to Uddaka Ramaputta and, on arrival, said to him: 'Friend Uddaka,
I want to practice in this doctrine & discipline.'
"When this was said, he replied to me, 'You may stay here, my friend. This
doctrine is such that a wise person can soon enter & dwell in his own teacher's
knowledge, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.'
"It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere
lip-reciting & repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the words of
the elders, and I could affirm that I knew & saw — I, along with others.
"I thought: 'It wasn't through mere conviction alone that Rama declared, "I have
entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct
knowledge." Certainly he dwelled knowing & seeing this Dhamma.' So I went to
Uddaka and said, 'To what extent did Rama declare that he had entered & dwelled
in this Dhamma?' When this was said, Uddaka declared the dimension of neither
perception nor non-perception.
"I thought: 'Not only did Rama have conviction, persistence, mindfulness,
concentration, & discernment. I, too, have conviction, persistence, mindfulness,
concentration, & discernment. What if I were to endeavor to realize for myself
the Dhamma that Rama declared he entered & dwelled in, having realized it for
himself through direct knowledge.' So it was not long before I quickly entered &
dwelled in that Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.
I went to Uddaka and said, 'Friend Uddaka, is this the extent to which Rama
entered & dwelled in this Dhamma, having realized it for himself through direct
knowledge?'
"'Yes, my friend...'
"'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered & dwell in this
Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'
"'It is a gain for us, my friend, a great gain for us, that we have such a
companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma Rama declared he entered & dwelled in,
having realized it for himself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma you
declare you have entered & dwell in, having realized it for yourself through
direct knowledge. And the Dhamma you declare you have entered & dwell in, having
realized it for yourself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma Rama declared
he entered & dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct
knowledge. The Dhamma he knew is the Dhamma you know; the Dhamma you know is the
Dhamma he knew. As he was, so are you; as you are, so was he. Come friend, lead
this community.'
"In this way did Uddaka Ramaputta, my companion in the holy life, place me in
the position of teacher and pay me great honor. But the thought occurred to me,
'This Dhamma leads not to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to
stilling, to direct knowledge, to Awakening, nor to Unbinding, but only to
reappearance in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.' So,
dissatisfied with that Dhamma, I left.
"In search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime
peace, I wandered by stages in the Magadhan country and came to the military
town of Uruvela. There I saw some delightful countryside, with an inspiring
forest grove, a clear-flowing river with fine, delightful banks, and villages
for alms-going on all sides. The thought occurred to me: 'How delightful is this
countryside, with its inspiring forest grove, clear-flowing river with fine,
delightful banks, and villages for alms-going on all sides. This is just right
for the exertion of a clansman intent on exertion.' So I sat down right there,
thinking, 'This is just right for exertion.'
"Then, monks, being subject myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth,
seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, I reached the
unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Being subject myself to
aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of
aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeking the aging-less,
illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding,
I reached the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest
from the yoke: Unbinding. Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my
release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Dhamma that I have attained is deep,
hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture,
subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. 3 But this generation delights in
attachment, is excited by attachment, enjoys attachment. For a generation
delighting in attachment, excited by attachment, enjoying attachment, this/that
conditionality & dependent co-arising are hard to see. This state, too, is hard
to see: the resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all
acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding. And if I
were to teach the Dhamma and others would not understand me, that would be
tiresome for me, troublesome for me.'
"Just then these verses, unspoken in the past, unheard before, occurred to me:
'Enough now with teaching
what
only with difficulty
I reached.
This Dhamma is not easily realized
by those overcome
with aversion & passion.

What is abstruse, subtle,
deep,
hard to see,
going against the flow —
those delighting in passion,
cloaked in the mass of darkness,
won't see.'
"As I reflected thus, my mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the
Dhamma.
"Then Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking
in my awareness, thought: 'The world is lost! The world is destroyed! The mind
of the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to
dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma!' Then, just as a strong man might
extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahma Sahampati disappeared
from the Brahma-world and reappeared in front of me. Arranging his upper robe
over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted me
with his hands before his heart, and said to me: 'Lord, let the Blessed One
teach the Dhamma! Let the One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with
little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the
Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.'
"That is what Brahma Sahampati said. Having said that, he further said this:
'In the past
there appeared among the Magadhans
an impure Dhamma
devised by the stained.
Throw open the door to the Deathless!
Let them hear the Dhamma
realized by the Stainless One!

Just as one standing on a rocky crag
might see people
all around below,
So, O wise
one, with all-around vision,
ascend the palace
fashioned of Dhamma.
Free from sorrow, behold the people
submerged in sorrow,
oppressed by birth & aging.

Rise up, hero, victor in battle!
O Teacher, wander without debt in the world.
Teach the Dhamma, O Blessed One:
There will be those who will understand.'
"Then, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, I
surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As I did so, I saw beings
with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties
and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy
to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace & danger in the other
world. Just as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses — born &
growing in the water — might flourish while immersed in the water, without
rising up from the water; some might stand at an even level with the water;
while some might rise up from the water and stand without being smeared by the
water — so too, surveying the world with the eye of an Awakened One, I saw
beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen
faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad,
those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace & danger in the
other world.
"Having seen this, I answered Brahma Sahampati in verse:
'Open are the doors to the Deathless
to those with ears.
Let them show their conviction.
Perceiving trouble, O Brahma,
I did not tell people
the refined,
sublime Dhamma.'
"Then Brahma Sahampati, thinking, 'The Blessed One has given his consent to
teach the Dhamma,' bowed down to me and, circling me on the right, disappeared
right there.
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who
will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'This
Alara Kalama is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little dust in his
eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dhamma first? He will quickly understand
this Dhamma.' Then devas came to me and said, 'Lord, Alara Kalama died seven
days ago.' And knowledge & vision arose within me: 'Alara Kalama died seven days
ago.' The thought occurred to me, 'A great loss has Alara Kalama suffered. If he
had heard this Dhamma, he would have quickly understood it.'
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who
will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'This
Uddaka Ramaputta is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little dust in
his eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dhamma first? He will quickly
understand this Dhamma.' Then devas came to me and said, 'Lord, Uddaka Ramaputta
died last night.' And knowledge & vision arose within me: 'Uddaka Ramaputta died
last night.' The thought occurred to me, 'A great loss has Uddaka Ramaputta
suffered. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have quickly understood it.'
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who
will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'They
were very helpful to me, the group of five monks who attended to me when I was
resolute in exertion. What if I were to teach them the Dhamma first?' Then the
thought occurred to me, 'Where are the group of five monks staying now?' And
with the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human, I saw that they were
staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
"Then, having stayed at Uruvela as long as I liked, I set out to wander by
stages to Varanasi. Upaka the Ajivaka saw me on the road between Gaya and the
(place of) Awakening, and on seeing me said to me, 'Clear, my friend, are your
faculties. Pure your complexion, and bright. On whose account have you gone
forth? Who is your teacher? In whose Dhamma do you delight?'
"When this was said, I replied to Upaka the Ajivaka in verses:
'All-vanquishing,
all-knowing am I,
with regard to all things,
unadhering.
All-abandoning,
released in the ending of craving:
having fully known on my own,
to whom should I point as my teacher? 4

I have no teacher,
and one like me can't be found.
In the world with its devas,
I have no counterpart.

For I am an arahant in the world;
I, the unexcelled teacher.
I, alone, am rightly self-awakened.
Cooled am I, unbound.

To set rolling the wheel of Dhamma
I go to the city of Kasi.
In a world become blind,
I beat the drum of the Deathless.'
"'From your claims, my friend, you must be an infinite conqueror.'
'Conquerors are those like me
who have reached fermentations' end.
I've conquered evil qualities,
and so, Upaka, I'm a conqueror.'
"When this was said, Upaka said, 'May it be so, my friend,' and — shaking his
head, taking a side-road — he left.
"Then, wandering by stages, I arrived at Varanasi, at the Deer Park in
Isipatana, to where the group of five monks were staying. From afar they saw me
coming and, on seeing me, made a pact with one another, (saying,) 'Friends, here
comes Gotama the contemplative: living luxuriously, straying from his exertion,
backsliding into abundance. He doesn't deserve to be bowed down to, to be
greeted by standing up, or to have his robe & bowl received. Still, a seat
should be set out; if he wants to, he can sit down.' But as I approached, they
were unable to keep to their pact. One, standing up to greet me, received my
robe & bowl. Another spread out a seat. Another set out water for washing my
feet. However, they addressed me by name and as 'friend.'
"So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata by name and as "friend." The
Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends:
the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the
Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach & remain in the
supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into
homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.'
"When this was said, the group of five monks replied to me, 'By that practice,
that conduct, that performance of austerities you did not attain any superior
human states, any distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one. So
how can you now — living luxuriously, straying from your exertion, backsliding
into abundance — have attained any superior human states, any distinction in
knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one?'
"When this was said, I replied to them, 'The Tathagata, monks, is not living
luxuriously, has not strayed from his exertion, has not backslid into abundance.
The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear,
friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you
the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach & remain in
the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home
into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.'
A second time... A third time, the group of five monks said to me, 'By that
practice, that conduct, that performance of austerities you did not attain any
superior human states, any distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble
one. So how can you now — living luxuriously, straying from your exertion,
backsliding into abundance — have attained any superior human states, any
distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one?'
"When this was said, I replied to the group of five monks, 'Do you recall my
ever having spoken in this way before?'
"'No, lord.'
"'The Tathagata, monks, is not living luxuriously, has not strayed from his
exertion, has not backslid into abundance. The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy
one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained.
I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you
will in no long time reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for
which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing
it for yourselves in the here & now.'
"And so I was able to convince them. I would teach two monks while three went
for alms, and we six lived off what the three brought back from their alms
round. Then I would teach three monks while two went for alms, and we six lived
off what the two brought back from their alms round. Then the group of five
monks — thus exhorted, thus instructed by me — being subject themselves to
birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from
the yoke, Unbinding, reached the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke:
Unbinding. Being subject themselves to aging... illness... death... sorrow...
defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow...
defilement, seeking the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less,
unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, they reached the aging-less,
illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding.
Knowledge & vision arose in them: 'Unprovoked is our release. This is the last
birth. There is now no further becoming.'
"Monks, there are these five strings of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable
via the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire,
enticing. Sounds cognizable via the ear — agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Aromas cognizable via the nose —
agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Tastes
cognizable via the tongue — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering
desire, enticing. Tactile sensations cognizable via the body — agreeable,
pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. These are the five
strings of sensuality.
"And any priests or contemplatives tied to these five strings of sensuality —
infatuated with them, having totally fallen for them, consuming them without
seeing their drawbacks or discerning the escape from them — should be known as
having met with misfortune, having met with ruin; Mara can do with them as he
will. Just as if a wild deer were to lie bound on a heap of snares: it should be
known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin; the hunter can do
with it as he will. When the hunter comes, it won't get away as it would like.
In the same way, any priests or contemplatives tied to these five strings of
sensuality — infatuated with them, having totally fallen for them, consuming
them without seeing their drawbacks or discerning the escape from them — should
be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin; Mara can do with
them as he will.
"But any priests or contemplatives not tied to these five strings of sensuality
— uninfatuated with them, having not totally fallen for them, consuming them
seeing their drawbacks and discerning the escape from them — should be known as
not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin; Mara cannot do with
them as he will. Just as if a wild deer were to lie unbound on a heap of snares:
it should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin;
the hunter cannot do with it as he will. When the hunter comes, it will get away
as it would like. In the same way, any priests or contemplatives not tied to
these five strings of sensuality — uninfatuated with them, having not totally
fallen for them, consuming them seeing their drawbacks and discerning the escape
from them — should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met
with ruin; Mara cannot do with them as he will.
"Suppose that a wild deer is living in wilderness glen. Carefree it walks,
carefree it stands, carefree it sits, carefree it lies down. Why is that?
Because it has gone beyond the hunter's range. 5 In the same way, a monk — quite
withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters &
remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied
by directed thought & evaluation. This monk is said to have blinded Mara.
Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil
One. 6
"Then again the monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations,
enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure,
unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal
assurance. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed
Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.
"Then again the monk, with the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, is
mindful & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the
third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a
pleasurable abiding.' This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has
destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.
"Then again the monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the
earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth
jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. This monk
is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has
become invisible to the Evil One.
"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of perceptions of
[physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not
heeding perceptions of diversity, [perceiving,] 'Infinite space,' enters &
remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. This monk is said to have
blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible
to the Evil One.
"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the
infinitude of space, [perceiving,] 'Infinite consciousness,' enters & remains in
the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This monk is said to have
blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible
to the Evil One.
"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the
infinitude of consciousness, [perceiving,] 'There is nothing,' enters & remains
in the dimension of nothingness. This monk is said to have blinded Mara.
Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil
One.
"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of
nothingness, enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has
destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.
"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither
perception nor non-perception, enters & remains in the cessation of perception &
feeling. And, having seen [that] with discernment, his mental fermentations are
completely ended. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has
destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One. Having crossed
over, he is unattached in the world. Carefree he walks, carefree he stands,
carefree he sits, carefree he lies down. Why is that? Because he has gone beyond
the Evil One's range."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.



Notes
1. See Ud 2.2 and AN 10.69. Noble silence = the levels of jhana beginning with
the second.
2. The Burmese, Sri Lankan, and PTS editions of the Canon exclude gold and
silver from the list of objects subject to illness, death, and sorrow,
apparently on the grounds that they themselves do not grow ill, die, or feel
sorrow. The Thai edition of the Canon includes gold and silver in the list of
objects subject to illness, death, and sorrow in the sense that any happiness
based on them is subject to change because of one's own illness, death, and
sorrow.
3. The section from here to Brahma Sahampati's disappearance is recounted in the
third person at SN 6.1.
4. This verse = Dhp 353.
5. For another use of the wild deer as a symbol for a free mind, see Ud 2.10.
6. As the Commentary points out, simply attaining the states of concentration
from the first jhana through the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception blinds Mara only temporarily. Only with the arising of
discernment is Mara blinded for good. On Mara's blindness, see Sn 5.15 and SN
22.87 (the latter in The Mind Like Fire Unbound). For the meaning of
"trackless," see Dhp 92-93, 179-180.