Chabbisodhanasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 112

The Sixfold Purification · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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of thatTassa, O monksbhikkhave, of a monkbhikkhuno saying 'good'‘sādhū’ti statementbhāsitaṁ should be applaudedabhinanditabbaṁ, should be cheeredanumoditabbaṁ.
saying 'good'‘Sādhū’ti statementbhāsitaṁ towards·rejoiceabhinanditvā along·rejoiceanumoditvā furtheruttariṁ questionpañho should be askedpucchitabbo.
six‘Cha indeedkho now thesepanimāni, reverendāvuso, interior + exteriorajjhattikabāhirāni sense fieldsāyatanāni by thattena by the Blessed Onebhagavatā by the one who knowsjānatā by the one who seespassatā by the worthy onearahatā by the perfectly awakened onesammāsambuddhena rightly explainedsammadakkhātāni.
whichKatamāni sixcha?
eyeCakkhu andceva sightsrūpā andca, ear + andsotañca soundssaddā andca, nose + andghānañca smellsgandhā andca, tonguejivhā andca tastesrasā andca, bodykāyo andca touchesphoṭṭhabbā andca, mindmano andca ideasdhammā andca—
theseimāni indeedkho, reverendāvuso, sixcha interior + exteriorajjhattikabāhirāni sense fieldsāyatanāni by thattena by the Blessed Onebhagavatā by the one who knowsjānatā by the one who seespassatā by the worthy onearahatā by the perfectly awakened onesammāsambuddhena rightly explainedsammadakkhātāni.
howKathaṁ by the one who knowsjānato now of the venerablepanāyasmato, howkathaṁ by the one who seespassato regarding theseimesu sixchasu interior + exteriorajjhattikabāhiresu regarding sense fieldsāyatanesu not + graspinganupādāya from defilementsāsavehi mindcittaṁ is freedvimuttan’ti?

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, then ask a further question: ‘Reverend, these six interior and exterior sense fields have been rightly explained by the Buddha. What six? The eye and sights, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touches, and the mind and ideas. These are the six interior and exterior sense fields that have been rightly explained by the Buddha. How does the venerable know and see regarding these six interior and exterior sense fields so that your mind is freed from defilements by not grasping?’

destroyed·defilementKhīṇāsavassa, monksbhikkhave, of a monkbhikkhuno who has lived the lifevusitavato done·to be donekatakaraṇīyassa dropped·burdenohitabhārassa attained·own goalanuppattasadatthassa entirely destroyed·becoming·fetterparikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanassa right knowledge·liberatedsammadaññāvimuttassa this·in line with the teachingayamanudhammo ishoti to answerveyyākaraṇāya:
in the eye‘cakkhusmiṁ, friendāvuso, in sightsrūpe eye·consciousnesscakkhuviññāṇe eye·consciousness·knowablecakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu in thingsdhammesu whateveryo desirechando whateveryo greedrāgo whateveryā relishingnandī whateveryā cravingtaṇhā whateverye andca attraction·graspingupāyūpādānā of the mindcetaso fixation·insistence·underlying tendencyadhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā through theirtesaṁ endingkhayā fading awayvirāgā cessationnirodhā giving awaycāgā letting gopaṭinissaggā freedvimuttaṁ myme mindcittanti I understandpajānāmi.
in the earSotasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in soundssadde ear·consciousnesssotaviññāṇe …pe……pe…
in the noseghānasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in smellsgandhe nose·consciousnessghānaviññāṇe ……
on the tonguejivhāya, friendāvuso, in tastesrase tongue·consciousnessjivhāviññāṇe ……
on the bodykāyasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in touchesphoṭṭhabbe body·consciousnesskāyaviññāṇe ……
in the mindmanasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in ideasdhamme mind·consciousnessmanoviññāṇe mind·consciousness·knowablemanoviññāṇaviññātabbesu in thingsdhammesu whateveryo desirechando whateveryo greedrāgo whateveryā relishingnandī whateveryā cravingtaṇhā whateverye andca attraction·graspingupāyūpādānā of the mindcetaso fixation·insistence·underlying tendencyadhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā through theirtesaṁ endingkhayā fading awayvirāgā cessationnirodhā giving awaycāgā letting gopaṭinissaggā freedvimuttaṁ myme mindcittanti I understandpajānāmi.

For a mendicant with defilements ended it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘I understand that my mind is freed through the ending, fading away, cessation, giving away, and letting go of desire and greed and relishing and craving; attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency for the eye, sights, eye consciousness, and things knowable by eye consciousness. I understand that my mind is freed through the ending of desire for the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, ideas, mind consciousness, and things knowable by mind consciousness.

thusEvaṁ indeedkho to meme, friendāvuso, knowingjānato thusevaṁ seeingpassato in theseimesu sixchasu interior + exteriorajjhattikabāhiresu sense fieldsāyatanesu not·graspinganupādāya from defilementsāsavehi mindcittaṁ is freedvimuttan’ti.

That is how I know and see regarding these six interior and exterior sense fields so that my mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.’

to himTassa, monksbhikkhave, of the mendicantbhikkhuno saying ‘good’‘sādhū’ti statementbhāsitaṁ towards·rejoiceabhinanditabbaṁ along·rejoiceanumoditabbaṁ.
saying ‘good’‘Sādhū’ti statementbhāsitaṁ towards·rejoiceabhinanditvā along·rejoiceanumoditvā furtheruttariṁ a questionpañho should be askedpucchitabbo.
how‘Kathaṁ knowingjānato and of the venerablepanāyasmato, howkathaṁ seeingpassato and in thisimasmiñca with·consciousnesssaviññāṇake in the bodykāye externallybahiddhā andca all·signsabbanimittesu I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceitahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā together·removesamūhatā’ti?

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, then ask a further question: ‘Sir, how does the venerable know and see so that he has eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and externally for all signs?’

destroyed·defilementKhīṇāsavassa, monksbhikkhave, for a mendicantbhikkhuno who has lived the lifevusitavato done·dutykatakaraṇīyassa laid down·burdenohitabhārassa attained·true goalanuppattasadatthassa destroyed·fetters of existenceparikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanassa rightly with full understanding·liberatedsammadaññāvimuttassa this·in line with the teachingayamanudhammo ishoti for answeringveyyākaraṇāya:
formerly‘pubbe indeedkho Iahaṁ, reverendsāvuso, layperson·beingagāriyabhūto beingsamāno ignorantaviddasu I wasahosiṁ.
thenTassa to meme the Realized Onetathāgato orvā Realized One·discipletathāgatasāvako orvā the Dhammadhammaṁ taughtdesesi.
that + ITāhaṁ the Dhammadhammaṁ having heardsutvā in the Realized Onetathāgate faithsaddhaṁ I gainedpaṭilabhiṁ.
heSo with thattena faith·gainingsaddhāpaṭilābhena endowedsamannāgato thusiti I reflectedpaṭisañcikkhiṁ:
cramped“sambādho life at homegharāvāso dirtyrajāpatho, wide openabbhokāso life gone forthpabbajjā.
not·thisNayidaṁ easysukaraṁ at homeagāraṁ for one livingajjhāvasatā utterly·fullekantaparipuṇṇaṁ utterly·pureekantaparisuddhaṁ shell·polishedsaṅkhalikhitaṁ the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ to leadcarituṁ.
why don't·IYannūnāhaṁ hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā ocher robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ I would go forthpabbajeyyan”ti.

For a mendicant with defilements ended it is in line with the teaching to answer: ‘Formerly, reverends, when I was still a layperson, I was ignorant. Then the Realized One or one of his disciples taught me the Dhamma. I gained faith in the Realized One, and reflected: “Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?”

After some time I gave up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. I shaved off hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness. Once I had gone forth, I took up the training and livelihood of the mendicants. I gave up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. I was scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. I gave up stealing. I took only what’s given, and expected only what’s given. I kept myself clean by not thieving. I gave up unchastity. I became chaste, set apart, refraining from the vulgar act of sex. I gave up lying. I spoke the truth and stuck to the truth. I was honest and dependable, not tricking the world with my words.

backbitingPisuṇaṁ speechvācaṁ forth·abandonpahāya backbitingpisuṇāya speechvācāya against·restrainedpaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ, from hereito having heardsutvā notna thereamutra a reporterakkhātā of theseimesaṁ for divisionbhedāya, thereamutra orvā having heardsutvā notna of theseimesaṁ a reporterakkhātā of thoseamūsaṁ for divisionbhedāya; thusiti of dividedbhinnānaṁ orvā together·putsandhātā together·standsahitānaṁ orvā along·giveanuppadātā delighting in harmonysamaggārāmo harmony·lovesamaggarato harmony·rejoicesamagganandī harmony·makesamaggakaraṇiṁ speechvācaṁ a speakerbhāsitā I wasahosiṁ.
harshPharusaṁ speechvācaṁ forth·abandonpahāya harshpharusāya speechvācāya against·restrainedpaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ; whichyā thatsā speechvācā mellownelā ear·pleasingkaṇṇasukhā endearingpemanīyā heart·gohadayaṅgamā politeporī people·likablebahujanakantā people·agreeablebahujanamanāpā such·formtathārūpiṁ speechvācaṁ a speakerbhāsitā I wasahosiṁ.
nonsenseSamphappalāpaṁ forth·abandonpahāya nonsensesamphappalāpā against·restrainedpaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ; time·speakingkālavādī truth·speakingbhūtavādī meaning·speakingatthavādī dhamma·speakingdhammavādī discipline·speakingvinayavādī valuablenidhānavatiṁ speechvācaṁ a speakerbhāsitā I wasahosiṁ at the right timekālena reasonablesāpadesaṁ succinctpariyantavatiṁ beneficialatthasaṁhitaṁ.

I gave up backbiting. I didn’t repeat in one place what I heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, I reconciled those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony. I gave up harsh speech. I spoke in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. I gave up talking nonsense. My words were timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. I said things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.

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