Mahāpuṇṇamasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 109

The Longer Discourse on the Full-Moon Night · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in the Eastern Monasterypubbārāme in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mothermigāramātupāsāde.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

by thatTena indeedkho nowpana at the timesamayena the Blessed Onebhagavā on the sabbath daytadahuposathe on the fifteenthpannarase fullpuṇṇāya full-moonpuṇṇamāya at nightrattiyā surrounded by the Saṅgha of monksbhikkhusaṅghaparivuto in the openabbhokāse seatednisinno washoti.

Now, at that time it was the sabbath—the full moon on the fifteenth day—and the Buddha was sitting in the open surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks.

thenAtha indeedkho a certainaññataro monkbhikkhu rose from his seatuṭṭhāyāsanā over one shoulderekaṁsaṁ robecīvaraṁ having arrangedkatvā toward whomyena the Buddhabhagavā cupped palmstenañjaliṁ having raisedpaṇāmetvā the Buddhabhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
I would ask“Puccheyyāhaṁ, sirbhante, the Buddhabhagavantaṁ a certain pointkiñcideva pointdesaṁ, ifsace meme the Buddhabhagavā timeokāsaṁ takeskaroti of the questionpañhassa for answeringveyyākaraṇāyā”ti.
then“Tena indeedhi youtvaṁ, monkbhikkhu, ownsake seatāsane having sat downnisīditvā askpuccha whatever you wishyadākaṅkhasī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho thatso monkbhikkhu ownsake seatāsane having sat downnisīditvā the Buddhabhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:

Then one of the monks rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “Sir, I’d like to ask the Buddha about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.” “Well then, monk, take your own seat and ask what you wish.” That monk took his seat and said to the Buddha:

these“ime thennu indeedkho, sirbhante, five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā, that is to sayseyyathidaṁ—
form grasping aggregaterūpupādānakkhandho, feeling grasping aggregatevedanupādānakkhandho, perception grasping aggregatesaññupādānakkhandho, choices grasping aggregatesaṅkhārupādānakkhandho, consciousness grasping aggregateviññāṇupādānakkhandho”ti?
these“Ime indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā, that is to sayseyyathidaṁ—
form grasping aggregaterūpupādānakkhandho, feeling grasping aggregatevedanupādānakkhandho, perception grasping aggregatesaññupādānakkhandho, choices grasping aggregatesaṅkhārupādānakkhandho, consciousness grasping aggregateviññāṇupādānakkhandho”ti.
good“Sādhu, sirbhante”ti indeedkho thatso monkbhikkhu of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ having delighted inabhinanditvā having approvedanumoditvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ furtheruttariṁ questionpañhaṁ askedpucchi:

“Sir, are these the five grasping aggregates: form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness?” “Yes, they are,” replied the Buddha. Saying “Good, sir”, that monk approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. Then he asked another question:

these“ime butpana, venerable sirbhante, five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā what is the root ofkiṁmūlakā”ti?
these“Ime indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā rooted in desirechandamūlakā”ti.

“But sir, what is the root of these five grasping aggregates?” “These five grasping aggregates are rooted in desire.”

that same“Taṁyeva indeednu indeedkho, sirbhante, graspingupādānaṁ thosete five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā, orudāhu apart fromaññatra from the five grasping aggregatespañcahupādānakkhandhehi graspingupādānan”ti?
not“Na indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, that sametaṁyeva graspingupādānaṁ thosete five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā, nornāpi apart fromaññatra from the five grasping aggregatespañcahupādānakkhandhehi graspingupādānaṁ.
whichYo indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, in the fivepañcasu grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhesu desire and greedchandarāgo thattaṁ theretattha graspingupādānan”ti.

“But sir, is that grasping the exact same thing as the five grasping aggregates? Or is grasping one thing and the five grasping aggregates another?” “Neither. The desire and greed for the five grasping aggregates is the grasping there.”

“may be“Siyā thenpana, sirbhante, in the fivepañcasu grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhesu disparity in desire and greed?”chandarāgavemattatā”ti?
“may be,“Siyā, monks,”bhikkhū”ti the Blessed Onebhagavā saidavoca
“here,“idha, monk,bhikkhu, of someoneekaccassa thusevaṁ it occurs:hoti:
‘may I be of such form‘evaṁrūpo may I besiyaṁ in the future,anāgatamaddhānaṁ, of such feelingevaṁvedano may I besiyaṁ in the future,anāgatamaddhānaṁ, of such perceptionevaṁsañño may I besiyaṁ in the future,anāgatamaddhānaṁ, of such choicesevaṁsaṅkhāro may I besiyaṁ in the future,anāgatamaddhānaṁ, and of such consciousnessevaṁviññāṇo may I besiyaṁ in the future.’anāgatamaddhānan’ti.
ThusEvaṁ indeed,kho, monk,bhikkhu, there can besiyā in the fivepañcasu grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhesu disparity in desire and greed.”chandarāgavemattatā”ti.

“But sir, can there be disparity in desire and greed for the five grasping aggregates?” “There can,” said the Buddha. “It’s when someone thinks: ‘In the future, may I be of such form, such feeling, such perception, such choices, and such consciousness!’ That’s how there can be disparity in desire and greed for the five grasping aggregates.”

to what extent“Kittāvatā thenpana, sirbhante, of the aggregateskhandhānaṁ the term 'aggregates'khandhādhivacanaṁ is ithotī”ti?
whatever“Yaṁ anykiñci, monkbhikkhu, form at all—past future or presentrūpaṁ—atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā, solidoḷārikaṁ orvā subtlesukhumaṁ orvā, inferiorhīnaṁ orvā superiorpaṇītaṁ orvā, that which isyaṁ fardūre nearsantike or—thisvā—ayaṁ the aggregate of formrūpakkhandho.
whateverYā anykāci feeling at all—past future or presentvedanā—atītānāgatapaccuppannā internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā, solidoḷārikā orvā subtlesukhumā orvā, inferiorhīnā orvā superiorpaṇītā orvā, that which isyā fardūre nearsantike or—thisvā—ayaṁ the aggregate of feelingvedanākkhandho.
whateverYā anykāci perception at all—past future or presentsaññā—atītānāgatapaccuppannā … pe ……pe… that which isyā fardūre nearsantike or—thisvā—ayaṁ the aggregate of perceptionsaññākkhandho.
whateverYe anykeci choices at all—past future or presentsaṅkhārā—atītānāgatapaccuppannā internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā, solidoḷārikā orvā subtlesukhumā orvā, inferiorhīnā orvā superiorpaṇītā orvā, those that areye fardūre nearsantike or—thisvā—ayaṁ the aggregate of choicessaṅkhārakkhandho.
whateverYaṁ anykiñci consciousness at all—past future or presentviññāṇaṁ—atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā, solidoḷārikaṁ orvā subtlesukhumaṁ orvā, inferiorhīnaṁ orvā superiorpaṇītaṁ orvā, that which isyaṁ fardūre nearsantike or—thisvā—ayaṁ the aggregate of consciousnessviññāṇakkhandho.

“Sir, what is the scope of the term ‘aggregates’ as applied to the aggregates?” “Any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: this is called the aggregate of form. Any kind of feeling at all … Any kind of perception at all … Any kind of choices at all … Any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: this is called the aggregate of consciousness.

to this extentEttāvatā indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, of the aggregateskhandhānaṁ the term ‘aggregates’khandhādhivacanaṁ it ishotī”ti.

That’s the scope of the term ‘aggregates’ as applied to the aggregates.”

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason why the aggregate of form is found? What is the cause, what is the reason why the aggregate of feeling … perception … choices … consciousness is found?” “The four principal states are the reason why the aggregate of form is found. Contact is the reason why the aggregates of feeling, perception, and choices are found. Name and form are the reasons why the aggregate of consciousness is found.”

how?“Kathaṁ butpana, sirbhante, substantialist viewsakkāyadiṭṭhi comes about?hotī”ti?
here“Idha, monkbhikkhu, unlearnedassutavā ordinary personputhujjano of the noble onesariyānaṁ has not seenadassāvī in the teaching of the noble onesariyadhammassa unskilledakovido in the teaching of the noble onesariyadhamme untrainedavinīto of true personssappurisānaṁ has not seenadassāvī in the teaching of true personssappurisadhammassa unskilledakovido in the teaching of true personssappurisadhamme untrainedavinīto
formrūpaṁ as selfattato regardssamanupassati as having formrūpavantaṁ orvā selfattānaṁ in selfattani orvā formrūpaṁ in formrūpasmiṁ orvā self;attānaṁ;
feelingvedanaṁ as selfattato regardssamanupassati as having feelingvedanāvantaṁ orvā selfattānaṁ in selfattani orvā feelingvedanaṁ in feelingvedanāya orvā self;attānaṁ;
perceptionsaññaṁ as selfattato regardssamanupassati as having perceptionsaññāvantaṁ orvā selfattānaṁ in selfattani orvā perceptionsaññaṁ in perceptionsaññāya orvā self;attānaṁ;
choicessaṅkhāre as selfattato regardssamanupassati as having choicessaṅkhāravantaṁ orvā selfattānaṁ in selfattani orvā choicessaṅkhāre in choicessaṅkhāresu orvā self;attānaṁ;
consciousnessviññāṇaṁ as selfattato regardssamanupassati as having consciousnessviññāṇavantaṁ orvā selfattānaṁ in selfattani orvā consciousnessviññāṇaṁ in consciousnessviññāṇasmiṁ orvā self.attānaṁ.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, substantialist viewsakkāyadiṭṭhi comes about.”hotī”ti.

“But sir, how does substantialist view come about?” “It’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. They regard feeling as self, self as having feeling, feeling in self, or self in feeling. They regard perception as self, self as having perception, perception in self, or self in perception. They regard choices as self, self as having choices, choices in self, or self in choices. They regard consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. That’s how substantialist view comes about.”

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