151. Pindapataparisuddha Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA III
5. 9. Piõóapàtapàrisuddhasuttaü
(151) The Purity of Alms Food
I Heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One lived in the squirrels' sanctuary in the bamboo
grove in Rajagaha. Then venerable Sàriputta getting up from his seclusion in the
evening approached the Blessed One, worshipped, and sat on a side. The Blessed
One said to venerable Sàriputta. `Sàriputta, your mental faculties are bright,
skin colour is pure, in which abiding, do you spend your time mostly?û
ßVenerable sir, I spend my time mostly in voidance.û
ßIt's good Sariputta, you abide mostly in the abiding of Great Beings.
Sariputta, a bhikkhu who desires to abide in voidance most of the time should
reflect. When going for alms along a certain path, or in a certain region, or
returning along a certain path, does interest, or greed, or anger, or delusion,
or aversion, arise in my mind on account of forms cognizable by eye
consciousness?
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, when going for alms along a certain path,
or in a certain region, or returning along a certain path, interest, or greed,
or anger, or delusion, or aversion, arises in my mind on account of forms
cognizable by eye consciousness. Then he should arouse effort to dispel those
evil thoughts.
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, when going for alms along a certain path,
or in a certain region, or returning along a certain path, interest, or greed,
or anger, or delusion, or aversion, does not arise in my mind on account of
forms cognizable by eye consciousness. Then he should abide joyful and happy
training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, when reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, when going for alms along
a certain path, or in a certain region, or returning along a certain path,
interest, or greed, or anger, or delusion, or aversion, does not arise in my
mind on account of sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness, ... re ... on account
of scents cognizable by nose-consciousness, ... re ... on account of tastes
cognizable by tongue-consciousness, ... re ... on account of touches cognizable
by body consciousness, ... re ... on account of thoughts cognizable by
mind-consciousness. He should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts
day and night.
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, when going for alms along a certain path,
or in a certain region, or returning along a certain path, interest, or greed,
or anger, or delusion, or aversion, does not arise in my mind on account of
thoughts cognizable by mind-consciousness. He should abide joyful and happy
training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta the bhikkhu should reflect are my five strands of sensuality
dispelled? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, my five strands of sensuality
are not dispelled he should arouse effort to dispel the five strands of
sensuality.
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, my five strands of sensuality are
dispelled, he should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and
night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the five hindrances dispelled in
me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, the five hindrances are not dispelled
in me he should arouse effort to dispel the five hindrances. When reflecting if
the bhikkhu knows, the five hindrances are dispelled in me he should abide
joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the five holding masses
accurately understood by me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, the five
holding masses are not accurately understood, he should arouse effort to
understand the five holding masses accurately. When reflecting if the bhikkhu
knows the five holding masses are accurately understood by me. He should abide
joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the four establishments of
mindfulness developed in me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the four
establishments of mindfulness are not developed in me, he should arouse effort
to develop the four establishments of mindfulness. When reflecting if the
bhikkhu knows the four establishments of mindfulness are developed in me, he
should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the four right efforts developed
in me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the four right efforts are not
developed in me, he should arouse effort to develop the four right efforts. When
reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the four right efforts are developed in me, he
should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the four supernormal powers
developed in me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the four supernormal
powers are not developed in me, he should arouse effort to develop the four
supernormal powers. When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the four supernormal
powers are developed in me, he should abide joyful and happy training in those
thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the five mental faculties
developed in me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the five mental faculties
are not developed in me, he should arouse effort to develop the five mental
faculties. When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the five mental faculties are
developed in me, he should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts day
and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the five powers developed in me?
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the five powers are not developed in me, he
should arouse effort to develop the five powers When reflecting if the bhikkhu
knows the five powers are developed in me, he should abide joyful and happy
training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect are the seven enlightenment factors
developed in me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the seven enlightenment
factors are not developed in me, he should arouse effort to develop the seven
enlightenment factors. When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the seven
enlightenment factors are developed in me, he should abide joyful and happy
training in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect is the noble Eightfold path
developed in me? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the noble Eightfold path
is not developed in me, he should arouse effort to develop the noble Eightfold
path. When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows the noble Eightfold path is developed
in me, he should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and
night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect is my calm and insight developed?*1)
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows my calm and insight is not developed, he
should arouse effort to develop calm and insight When reflecting if the bhikkhu
knows calm and insight is developed, he should abide joyful and happy training
in those thoughts day and night.
Again Sàriputta, the bhikkhu should reflect is science and release realized by
me*2)? When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, science and release of mind, is not
realized by me, he should arouse effort to develop science and release of mind.
When reflecting if the bhikkhu knows, science and release of mind, is realized
he should abide joyful and happy training in those thoughts day and night.
Sàriputta, whoever recluse or brahmin purified alms food in the past, did so
reflecting in this manner. Whoever recluse or brahmin would purify alms food in
the future, will do so reflecting in this manner. Whoever recluse or brahmin
purifies alms food at present, do so reflecting in this manner. Sàriputta, you
should train in this manner.
The Blessed One said thus and venerable Sàriputta delighted in the words of the
Blessed One.
[1] Is my calm and insight developed? (Bhàvità nu kho me samatho ca vipassanà
càti?) To develop calm is to pacify the mind by throwing out evil things of
demerit in the mind and not leaving any room for them to rise again. To do this
there are various methods to adopt and various signs to develop. The most
suitable sign should be adopted at the relevant time. A few of them are
reflecting in and out breaths, being aware of one's movements, being mindful of
one's feelings, being mindful of one's mental states and thoughts etc. To
develop insight is to be aware of the fact that everything is impermanent. That
whatever impermanent thing, is unpleasant. And whatever impermanent, unpleasant
thing lacks self.
[2] Is science and release realized by me? (Sacchikatà nu kho me vijjà ca
vimutti càti?) Science is the knowledge of the Truth of unpleasantness, the
truth of its arising, the truth of its cessation and the truth of the path
leading to the cessation of unpleasantness. When this is realized the mind is
released.
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