Devadahasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 101

At Devadaha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁvādīnaṁ, bhikkhave, nigaṇṭhānaṁ ime dasa sahadhammikā vādānuvādā gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchanti.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aphalo upakkamo hoti, aphalaṁ padhānaṁ.

The Jain ascetics who say this deserve rebuttal and criticism on these ten legitimate grounds. That’s how exertion and striving is fruitless.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, saphalo upakkamo hoti, saphalaṁ padhānaṁ?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva anaddhabhūtaṁ attānaṁ dukkhena addhabhāveti, dhammikañca sukhaṁ na pariccajati, tasmiñca sukhe anadhimucchito hoti.
So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘imassa kho me dukkhanidānassa saṅkhāraṁ padahato saṅkhārappadhānā virāgo hoti, imassa pana me dukkhanidānassa ajjhupekkhato upekkhaṁ bhāvayato virāgo hotī’ti.
So yassa hi khvāssa dukkhanidānassa saṅkhāraṁ padahato saṅkhārappadhānā virāgo hoti, saṅkhāraṁ tattha padahati.
Yassa panassa dukkhanidānassa ajjhupekkhato upekkhaṁ bhāvayato virāgo hoti, upekkhaṁ tattha bhāveti.
Tassa tassa dukkhanidānassa saṅkhāraṁ padahato saṅkhārappadhānā virāgo hoti—
evampissa taṁ dukkhaṁ nijjiṇṇaṁ hoti.
Tassa tassa dukkhanidānassa ajjhupekkhato upekkhaṁ bhāvayato virāgo hoti—
evampissa taṁ dukkhaṁ nijjiṇṇaṁ hoti.

And how is exertion and striving fruitful? It’s when a mendicant does not bring suffering upon themselves; and they don’t forsake legitimate pleasure, but they’re not besotted with that pleasure. They understand: ‘When I actively strive I become dispassionate toward this source of suffering. But when I develop equanimity I become dispassionate toward this other source of suffering.’ So they either actively strive or develop equanimity as appropriate. Through active striving they become dispassionate toward that specific source of suffering, and so that suffering is worn away. Through developing equanimity they become dispassionate toward that other source of suffering, and so that suffering is worn away.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso itthiyā sāratto paṭibaddhacitto tibbacchando tibbāpekkho.
So taṁ itthiṁ passeyya aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
api nu tassa purisassa amuṁ itthiṁ disvā aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Amu hi, bhante, puriso amussā itthiyā sāratto paṭibaddhacitto tibbacchando tibbāpekkho.
Tasmā taṁ itthiṁ disvā aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā”ti.

Suppose a man is in love with a woman, full of intense desire and lust. Then he sees her standing together with another man, chatting, giggling, and laughing. What do you think, mendicants? Would that give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress for him?” “Yes, sir. Why is that? Because that man is in love with that woman, full of intense desire and lust.”

“Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa evamassa:
‘ahaṁ kho amussā itthiyā sāratto paṭibaddhacitto tibbacchando tibbāpekkho.
Tassa me amuṁ itthiṁ disvā aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā.
Yannūnāhaṁ yo me amussā itthiyā chandarāgo taṁ pajaheyyan’ti.
So yo amussā itthiyā chandarāgo taṁ pajaheyya.
So taṁ itthiṁ passeyya aparena samayena aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
api nu tassa purisassa amuṁ itthiṁ disvā aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Amu hi, bhante, puriso amussā itthiyā virāgo.

“Then that man might think: ‘I’m in love with that woman, full of intense desire and lust. When I saw her standing together with another man, chatting, giggling, and laughing, it gave rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress for me. Why don’t I give up that desire and lust for that woman?’ So that’s what he did. Some time later he sees her again standing together with another man, chatting, giggling, and laughing. What do you think, mendicants? Would that give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress for him?” “No, sir. Why is that? Because he no longer desires that woman.”

Tasmā taṁ itthiṁ disvā aññena purisena saddhiṁ santiṭṭhantiṁ sallapantiṁ sañjagghantiṁ saṁhasantiṁ na uppajjeyyuṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā”ti.

Therefore, having seen that woman standing together, conversing, laughing, and jesting together with another man, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair would not arise.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na heva anaddhabhūtaṁ attānaṁ dukkhena addhabhāveti, dhammikañca sukhaṁ na pariccajati, tasmiñca sukhe anadhimucchito hoti.
So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘imassa kho me dukkhanidānassa saṅkhāraṁ padahato saṅkhārappadhānā virāgo hoti, imassa pana me dukkhanidānassa ajjhupekkhato upekkhaṁ bhāvayato virāgo hotī’ti.
So yassa hi khvāssa dukkhanidānassa saṅkhāraṁ padahato saṅkhārappadhānā virāgo hoti, saṅkhāraṁ tattha padahati;
yassa panassa dukkhanidānassa ajjhupekkhato upekkhaṁ bhāvayato virāgo hoti, upekkhaṁ tattha bhāveti.
Tassa tassa dukkhanidānassa saṅkhāraṁ padahato saṅkhārappadhānā virāgo hoti—
evampissa taṁ dukkhaṁ nijjiṇṇaṁ hoti.
Tassa tassa dukkhanidānassa ajjhupekkhato upekkhaṁ bhāvayato virāgo hoti—
evampissa taṁ dukkhaṁ nijjiṇṇaṁ hoti.
Evampi, bhikkhave, saphalo upakkamo hoti, saphalaṁ padhānaṁ.

“In the same way, a mendicant does not bring suffering upon themselves; and they don’t forsake legitimate pleasure, but they’re not besotted with that pleasure. They understand: ‘When I actively strive I become dispassionate toward this source of suffering. But when I develop equanimity I become dispassionate toward this other source of suffering.’ So they either actively strive or develop equanimity as appropriate. Through active striving they become dispassionate toward that specific source of suffering, and so that suffering is worn away. Through developing equanimity they become dispassionate toward that other source of suffering, and so that suffering is worn away. That’s how exertion and striving is fruitful.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:
‘yathāsukhaṁ kho me viharato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti;
dukkhāya pana me attānaṁ padahato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti.
Yannūnāhaṁ dukkhāya attānaṁ padaheyyan’ti.
So dukkhāya attānaṁ padahati.
Tassa dukkhāya attānaṁ padahato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti.
So na aparena samayena dukkhāya attānaṁ padahati.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Yassa hi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu atthāya dukkhāya attānaṁ padaheyya svāssa attho abhinipphanno hoti.
Tasmā na aparena samayena dukkhāya attānaṁ padahati.

Furthermore, a mendicant reflects: ‘When I live as I please, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities decline. But when I strive painfully, unskillful qualities decline and skillful qualities grow. Why don’t I strive painfully?’ So that’s what they do, and as they do so unskillful qualities decline and skillful qualities grow. After some time, they no longer strive painfully. Why is that? Because they have accomplished the goal for which they strived painfully.

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