Chabbisodhanasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 112

The Sixfold Purification · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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I refrained from injuring plants and seeds. I ate in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time. I refrained from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music. I refrained from attiring and adorning myself with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. I refrained from high and luxurious beds. I refrained from receiving gold and currency, raw grains, raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants, goats and sheep, chicken and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land. I refrained from running errands and messages; buying and selling; falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence. I became content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever I went, I set out taking only these things. Like a bird: wherever it flies, wings are its only burden. In the same way, I became content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever I went, I set out taking only these things.

heSo with thisiminā nobleariyena ethics·spectrumsīlakkhandhena endowedsamannāgato internallyajjhattaṁ blameless·happinessanavajjasukhaṁ experiencedpaṭisaṁvedesiṁ.

When I had this spectrum of noble ethics, I experienced a blameless happiness inside myself.

ISo with the eyecakkhunā a sightrūpaṁ having seendisvā notna feature·graspingnimittaggāhī I wasahosiṁ nor grasping the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī;
because of whichyatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ see·facultycakkhundriyaṁ not·restrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā over·to·flowanvāssaveyyuṁ, for thattassa for restraintsaṁvarāya against·practicepaṭipajjiṁ; I protectedrakkhiṁ see·facultycakkhundriyaṁ, see·facultycakkhundriye restraintsaṁvaraṁ to·achieveāpajjiṁ.
with the earSotena a soundsaddaṁ having heardsutvā ……pe…
with the noseghānena an odorgandhaṁ having smelledghāyitvā ……pe…
with the tonguejivhāya a flavorrasaṁ having tastedsāyitvā ……pe…
with the bodykāyena a touchphoṭṭhabbaṁ having feltphusitvā ……pe…
with the mindmanasā an ideadhammaṁ having knownviññāya notna feature·graspingnimittaggāhī I wasahosiṁ nor grasping the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī;
because of whichyatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ think·facultymanindriyaṁ not·restrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā over·to·flowanvāssaveyyuṁ, for thattassa for restraintsaṁvarāya against·practicepaṭipajjiṁ; I protectedrakkhiṁ think·facultymanindriyaṁ, think·facultymanindriye restraintsaṁvaraṁ to·achieveāpajjiṁ.
ISo with thisiminā nobleariyena faculty·restraintindriyasaṁvarena endowedsamannāgato insideajjhattaṁ unsullied·blissabyāsekasukhaṁ against·together·experiencepaṭisaṁvedesiṁ.

When I saw a sight with my eyes, I didn’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, I practiced restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint. When I heard a sound with my ears … When I smelled an odor with my nose … When I tasted a flavor with my tongue … When I felt a touch with my body … When I knew an idea with my mind, I didn’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of the mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, I practiced restraint, protecting the faculty of the mind, and achieving its restraint. When I had this noble sense restraint, I experienced an unsullied bliss inside myself.

ISo out·goingabhikkante back·goingpaṭikkante situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when looking aheadālokite when looking asidevilokite situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when bendingsamiñjite when extendingpasārite situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, outer robe·bowl·robes·bearingsaṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when eatingasite when drinkingpīte when chewingkhāyite when tastingsāyite situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, defecating·urinating·actuccārapassāvakamme situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when walkinggate when standingṭhite when sittingnisinne when sleepingsutte when wakingjāgarite when speakingbhāsite silent·beingtuṇhībhāve situational awareness·actingsampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ.
ISo with thisiminā andca with nobleariyena ethics·spectrumsīlakkhandhena endowedsamannāgato, with thisimāya andca with nobleariyāya with contentmentsantuṭṭhiyā endowedsamannāgato, with thisiminā andca with nobleariyena sense·restraintindriyasaṁvarena endowedsamannāgato, with thisiminā andca with nobleariyena mindfulness·situational awarenesssatisampajaññena endowedsamannāgato
secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ I frequentedbhajiṁ wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ straw·heappalālapuñjaṁ.
ISo after·mealpacchābhattaṁ almsround·returnedpiṇḍapātapaṭikkanto I sat downnisīdiṁ cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ toward·having foldedābhujitvā straightujuṁ bodykāyaṁ having setpaṇidhāya to the presentparimukhaṁ mindfulnesssatiṁ having broughtupaṭṭhapetvā.

I acted with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent. When I had this spectrum of noble ethics, this noble contentment, this noble sense restraint, and this noble mindfulness and situational awareness, I frequented a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. After the meal, I returned from almsround, sat down cross-legged, set my body straight, and brought mindfulness to the present.

ISo covetousnessabhijjhaṁ for the worldloke forth·give uppahāya with rid of covetousnessvigatābhijjhena with a heartcetasā I meditatedvihāsiṁ, of covetousnessabhijjhāya the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
ill will·malevolenceByāpādapadosaṁ forth·give uppahāya rid of ill will·mindabyāpannacitto intensively·meditatedvihāsiṁ full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī, of ill will and malevolencebyāpādapadosā the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
dullness·drowsinessThinamiddhaṁ forth·give uppahāya rid of·dullness·drowsinessvigatathinamiddho intensively·meditatedvihāsiṁ light·perceivingālokasaññī mindfulsato awaresampajāno, of dullness and drowsinessthinamiddhā the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
restlessness·remorseUddhaccakukkuccaṁ forth·give uppahāya without restlessnessanuddhato intensively·meditatedvihāsiṁ internallyajjhattaṁ, with a settled mindvūpasantacitto, of restlessness and remorseuddhaccakukkuccā the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
doubtVicikicchaṁ forth·give uppahāya gone beyond·doubttiṇṇavicikiccho intensively·meditatedvihāsiṁ not undecidedakathaṅkathī about skillfulkusalesu qualitiesdhammesu, of doubtvicikicchāya the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.

Giving up covetousness for the world, I meditated with a heart rid of covetousness, cleansing the mind of covetousness. Giving up ill will and malevolence, I meditated with a mind rid of ill will, full of sympathy for all living beings, cleansing the mind of ill will. Giving up dullness and drowsiness, I meditated with a mind rid of dullness and drowsiness, perceiving light, mindful and aware, cleansing the mind of dullness and drowsiness. Giving up restlessness and remorse, I meditated without restlessness, my mind settled internally, cleansing the mind of restlessness and remorse. Giving up doubt, I meditated having gone beyond doubt, not undecided about skillful qualities, cleansing the mind of doubt.

thatSo theseime fivepañca hindrancesnīvaraṇe away·having abandonedpahāya of the mindcetaso near·defilementupakkilese by wisdompaññāya weak·makingdubbalīkaraṇe
secluded + justvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca not·skillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with·placing the mindsavitakkaṁ with·keeping connectedsavicāraṁ seclusion·bornvivekajaṁ rapture·blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ near·having attainedupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.
placing the mind·keeping connectedVitakkavicārānaṁ stilledvūpasamā internallyajjhattaṁ serenitysampasādanaṁ of the mindcetaso unificationekodibhāvaṁ not·placing the mindavitakkaṁ not·keeping connectedavicāraṁ concentration·bornsamādhijaṁ rapture·blisspītisukhaṁ seconddutiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ …pe……pe…
thirdtatiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ ……
fourthcatutthaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ near·having attainedupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.

I gave up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Then, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: “This is suffering” … “This is the origin of suffering” … “This is the cessation of suffering” … “This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering”. I truly understood: “These are defilements” … “This is the origin of defilements” … “This is the cessation of defilements” … “This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements”.

of thatTassa for meme thusevaṁ knowingjānato thusevaṁ seeingpassato sensuality defilement tookāmāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha, desire to be reborn defilement toobhavāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha, ignorance defilement tooavijjāsavāpi mindcittaṁ was freedvimuccittha.
in the freedVimuttasmiṁ apart·freevimuttamiti knowledgeñāṇaṁ there wasahosi.
endedKhīṇā rebirthjāti, completedvusitaṁ spiritual journeybrahmacariyaṁ, donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, there is nothing furthernāparaṁ for this placeitthattāyāti understoodabbhaññāsiṁ.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho for meme, friendāvuso, knowingjānato thusevaṁ seeingpassato and in thisimasmiñca with consciousnesssaviññāṇake bodykāye externallybahiddhā andca all signssabbanimittesu I-making·mine-making·underlying tendency to conceitahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā eradicatedsamūhatā’ti.

Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” That is how I know and see so that I have eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit for this conscious body and externally for all signs.’

of thatTassa, monksbhikkhave, of the monkbhikkhuno 'good' thus‘sādhū’ti speechbhāsitaṁ towards·rejoiceabhinanditabbaṁ should be cheeredanumoditabbaṁ.
'good' thus‘Sādhū’ti speechbhāsitaṁ towards·rejoiceabhinanditvā along·rejoiceanumoditvā thus to himevamassa should be saidvacanīyo:
gains‘lābhā for usno, friendāvuso, well·gainedsuladdhaṁ for usno, friendāvuso,
whoye wemayaṁ venerableāyasmantaṁ suchtādisaṁ together·celibatesabrahmacāriṁ we seesamanupassāmā’”ti.
this he saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
satisfiedAttamanā thosete monksbhikkhū of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ they approvedabhinandunti.
the Sixfold Purification DiscourseChabbisodhanasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ seconddutiyaṁ.

Saying ‘Good!’ you should applaud and cheer that mendicant’s statement, and then say to them: ‘We are fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate to see a venerable such as yourself as one of our spiritual companions!’” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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