Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Majjhima Nikaya - Culatanhasankhaya Sutta

037. Culatanhasankhaya Sutta - English Majjhima Nikàya I
4. 7. Cålatanhàsankhayasuttaü
(37) The Shorter Discourse On the Destruction of Craving

I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One was living in the Pubba monastery, in the palace of
Migàra's mother in Sàvatthi. Then Sakka the king of gods approached the Blessed
One, worshipped, stood on a side and said thus: Venerable sir, how is the
bhikkhu released, by destroying craving in short? How does he become perfect,
come to the end of the yoke and end of the holy life and become the chief among
gods and men?
Here, king of gods, the bhikkhu becomes learned, that anything is not suitable
to settle in. Becomes learned, learning all things thoroughly and accurately
recognising all things Feels all feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither
unpleasant nor pleasant. In those feelings he sees impermanence, detaches the
mind from them, and sees their cessation, and gives them up. Abiding seeing
impermanence, detachment, cessation and giving up of those feelings, does not
seize anything in the world. Not seizing does not worry. Not worried is
internally extinguished. Birth is destroyed, done what should be done, the holy
life lived, knows there is nothing more to wish. O! king of gods, with this
much, the bhikkhu is highly perfect, thoroughly come to the end of the yoke, is
released by the destruction of craving and becomes the chief among gods and men.
Then the king of gods, delighting and agreeing with the words of the Blessed One
worshipped and circumambulated the Blessed One and vanished from there itself.
At that time venerable Mahàmoggallàna was seated near the Blessed One and it
occurred to venerable Mahàmoggallàna did this non-human really understand the
words of the Blessed One, delighted vanish or didn't he, I should find it out.
Then venerable Mahàmoggallàna, as a strong man would stretch his bent arm or
bend his stretched arm, vansihed from the Pubba monastery the palace of Migàra's
mother and appeared with the gods of the thirty two. At that time Sakka the king
of gods was in the park of the single white lotus attended by the fivefold
heavenly music. Sakka the king of gods seeing venerable Mahàmoggallàna coming in
the distance, dismissed the fivefold heavenly music approached venerable
Mahàmoggallàna and said: Welcome! Sir Moggallàna, it is after a long time that
sir Moggallàna has found an occasion to come here. Sit, sir, the seat is ready.
Venerable Mahàmoggallàna sat on the prepared seat. Sakka the king of gods too
sat on a low seat, and venerable Mahàmoggallàna said thus to the king of gods.
Kosiya, how did the Blessed One explain to you the release through the
destruction of craving in short. We too like to hear it. Good sir, we have much
work to do, and much to do for the gods of the thirty two. Yet sir, Moggallàna,
we heard it, grasped it well, thoroughly considered it and bore it in mind, and
we vanished immediately. In the past there was a battle between the gods and the
demi gods. We defeated the demi gods in that battle and on returning after the
victory to celebrate the victory, I created a mansion named Vejanta This mansion
has one hundred pinnacles, and each pinnacle has seven, seven hundred gables,
each gable has seven nymphs and each nymph has seven attendants. Sir,
Moggallàna, do you desire to see the splendour of the Vejanta mansion. Venerable
Mahàmoggallàna accepted in silence.
Then Sakka the king of gods and Vessavana the great king. approached the Vejanta
mansion following venerable Mahàmoggallàna. Seeing venerable Mahàmoggallàna
approaching in the distance, the attendants of Sakka the king of gods entered
their own rooms with remorse and shame, like the daughters -in -law who have
seen the mother-in-law. Then Sakka the king of gods and Vessavana the great king
wandering to and fro in the Vejanta palace said. Sir Moggallàna look at the
splendour of the Vejanta palace. This splendour is on account of venerable
Kosiya having done merit in the past. Even people seeing something good would
say, it is splendid, would say it is the work of the gods of the thirty two.
Venerable Kosiya lives in splendour owing to having done merit in the past. Then
it occurred to venerable Mahàmoggallàna. This foolish non human lives in
negligence, what if I arouse consternation in him. Then venerable Mahàmoggallàna
exercised a psychic power by which he caused the Vejanta mansion to shake and
tremble with his toe. Sakka the king of gods, the great king Vessavana and the
retinue of gods of the thirty-three, were amazed, and surprised to think that a
recluse could shake violently a heavenly mansion with the toe of his foot. Then
venerable Mahàmoggallàna knowing that Sakka the king of gods was frightened and
was with hairs standing on end, said thus to him.
Kosiya, how did the Blessed One tell you the release through the destruction of
craving in short, we too would like to hear it Sir, Moggallàna, I approached the
Blessed One, worshipped, stood on a side and said thus: Venerable sir, how is
the bhikkhu released with the destruction of craving in short? How is he highly
perfected, thoroughly come to the end of the yoke and the end of the holy life
and become the chief among gods and men? Sir, Moggallàna then the Blessed One
said thus:to me. Here, king of gods, the bhikkhu becomes learned, that anything
is not suitable to settle in. He becomes learned, learning all things
thoroughly, accurately recognising all things, feels whatever feelings pleasant,
or unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant. He sees impermanence in those
feelings, detaches the mind from them, sees their cessation, and gives them up.
Thus abiding seeing impermanence, detachment, cessation and giving up of those
feelings, does not seize anything in the world. Not seizing does not worry, not
worried is internally extinguished. Birth is destroyed, what should be done, is
done. The holy life lived, knows there is nothing more to wish. O! king of gods,
with this much done, the bhikkhu is released with the destruction of craving in
short. Thus he becomes highly perfected, thoroughly come to the end of the yoke,
end of the holy life and becomes the chief among gods and men. Sir, Moggallàna,
the Blessed One explained the release through the destrction of craving in short
thus. Then venerable Mahàmoggallàna delighting and agreeing with the words of
Sakka the king of gods vanished from the presence of the gods of the
thirty-three and appeared in the Pubba monastery the palace of Migàra's mother
as a strong man would stretch his bent arm or bend his stretched. arm. Soon
after venerable Mahàmoggallàna had left, the attendant gods of Sakka the king of
gods said thus to him-Sir, is that the Blessed One your teacher-Sirs he is not
the Blessed One, our Teacher, he is a co-associate of mine. Venerable
Mahàmoggallàna. It is gain for you sir, your co-associate is so powerful, so
what about your Teacher.
Then venerable Mahàmoggallàna approached the Blessed One worshipped and sat on a
side and said thus to the Blessed One: Venerable sir, does the Blessed One
remember explaining the release through the destruction of craving in short to a
certain powerful non human. Mahàmoggallàna, I remember. Here, Sakka the king of
gods approached worshipped me and stood on a side and asked Venerable sir, how
is the bhikkhu released with the destruction of craving in short? How does he
become highly perfect and thoroughly come to the end of the yoke and the end of
the holy life. Moggallàna, when this was said, I said thus, to Sakka the king of
gods, Here, king of gods, the bhikkhu becomes learned, that anything is not
suitable to settle in. He becomes learned, learning all things thoroughly and
accurately recognising all things. He feels whatever feelings pleasant, or
unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant. He sees impermanence in these
feelings. Detaching his mind from them and seeing their cessation, gives them
up. Thus he abides seeing impermanence, detachment, cessation and giving up of
those feelings, does not seize anything in the world. Not seizing does not
worry. Not worried is internally extinguished. Birth is destroyed. What should
be done is done, the holy life lived, knows there is nothing more to wish. O!
king of gods, with this much done the bhikkhu is released with the destruction
of craving in short. Become highly perfect, thoroughly come to the end of the
yoke and the end of the holy life. Becomes the chief among gods and men.
Moggallàna, I remember explaining the release through the destrction of craving
in short to Sakka the king of gods, thus.
The Blessed One said thus and venerable Mahàmoggallàna delighted in the words of
the Blessed One.

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