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 having applaudedabhinanditvā having cheeredanumoditvā furtheruttariṁ questionpañho should be askedpucchitabbo.
six‘Cha indeedkho now thesepanimāni, reverendāvuso, interior and 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, and the earsotañca soundssaddā andca, and the noseghānañca smellsgandhā andca, tonguejivhā andca tastesrasā andca, bodykāyo andca touchesphoṭṭhabbā andca, mindmano andca ideasdhammā andca—
theseimāni indeedkho, reverendāvuso, sixcha interior and 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 and exteriorajjhattikabāhiresu regarding sense fieldsāyatanesu by 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?’

of one with defilements endedKhīṇāsavassa, monksbhikkhave, of a monkbhikkhuno who has lived the lifevusitavato who has done what was to be donekatakaraṇīyassa who has dropped the burdenohitabhārassa who has attained his own goalanuppattasadatthassa who has entirely destroyed the fetter of becomingparikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanassa who is fully liberated through right knowledgesammadaññāvimuttassa this is in line with the teachingayamanudhammo ishoti to answerveyyākaraṇāya:
in the eye‘cakkhusmiṁ, friendāvuso, in sightsrūpe in eye consciousnesscakkhuviññāṇe in things knowable by eye consciousnesscakkhuviññāṇaviññātabbesu in thingsdhammesu whateveryo desirechando whateveryo greedrāgo whateveryā relishingnandī whateveryā cravingtaṇhā whateverye andca attraction and graspingupāyūpādānā of the mindcetaso mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendenciesadhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā through theirtesaṁ endingkhayā fading awayvirāgā cessationnirodhā giving awaycāgā letting gopaṭinissaggā freedvimuttaṁ myme mindcittanti I understandpajānāmi.
in the earSotasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in soundssadde in ear consciousnesssotaviññāṇe …pe……pe…
in the noseghānasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in smellsgandhe in nose consciousnessghānaviññāṇe ……
on the tonguejivhāya, friendāvuso, in tastesrase in tongue consciousnessjivhāviññāṇe ……
on the bodykāyasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in touchesphoṭṭhabbe in body consciousnesskāyaviññāṇe ……
in the mindmanasmiṁ, friendāvuso, in ideasdhamme in mind consciousnessmanoviññāṇe in things knowable by mind consciousnessmanoviññāṇaviññātabbesu in thingsdhammesu whateveryo desirechando whateveryo greedrāgo whateveryā relishingnandī whateveryā cravingtaṇhā whateverye andca attraction and graspingupāyūpādānā of the mindcetaso mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendenciesadhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā 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 and exteriorajjhattikabāhiresu sense fieldsāyatanesu by 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 should be applaudedabhinanditabbaṁ should be cheeredanumoditabbaṁ.
saying ‘good’‘Sādhū’ti statementbhāsitaṁ having applaudedabhinanditvā having cheeredanumoditvā furtheruttariṁ a questionpañho should be askedpucchitabbo.
how‘Kathaṁ knowingjānato and of the venerablepanāyasmato, howkathaṁ seeingpassato and in thisimasmiñca conscioussaviññāṇake in the bodykāye externallybahiddhā andca for all signssabbanimittesu I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceitahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā have been eradicatedsamūhatā’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?’

of one with defilements endedKhīṇāsavassa, monksbhikkhave, for a mendicantbhikkhuno who has lived the lifevusitavato of one with duty donekatakaraṇīyassa of one with burden laid downohitabhārassa of one who attained the true goalanuppattasadatthassa of one with fetters of existence entirely destroyedparikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanassa of one rightly liberated by full understandingsammadaññāvimuttassa this is in line with the teachingayamanudhammo ishoti for answeringveyyākaraṇāya:
formerly‘pubbe indeedkho Iahaṁ, reverendsāvuso, being a laypersonagāriyabhūto beingsamāno ignorantaviddasu I wasahosiṁ.
thenTassa to meme the Realized Onetathāgato orvā a disciple of the Realized Onetathāgatasāvako orvā the Dhammadhammaṁ taughtdesesi.
that ITāhaṁ the Dhammadhammaṁ having heardsutvā in the Realized Onetathāgate faithsaddhaṁ I gainedpaṭilabhiṁ.
heSo with thattena with gaining of faithsaddhāpaṭilābhena 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 like a polished shellsaṅkhalikhitaṁ 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?”

thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, friendāvuso, afteraparena timesamayena smallappaṁ orvā fortunebhogakkhandhaṁ having given uppahāya largemahantaṁ orvā fortunebhogakkhandhaṁ having given uppahāya, smallappaṁ orvā family circleñātiparivaṭṭaṁ having given uppahāya largemahantaṁ orvā family circleñātiparivaṭṭaṁ having given uppahāya hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā ocherkāsāyāni robesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ I went forthpabbajiṁ.
thatSo thusevaṁ gone forthpabbajito beingsamāno of mendicantsbhikkhūnaṁ undertaking the training and livelihoodsikkhāsājīvasamāpanno killing living creaturespāṇātipātaṁ having given uppahāya from killing living creaturespāṇātipātā refrainingpaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ having laid down the rodnihitadaṇḍo having laid down the swordnihitasattho, scrupulouslajjī kinddayāpanno full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī I livedvihāsiṁ.
stealingAdinnādānaṁ having given uppahāya from stealingadinnādānā refrainingpaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ taking only what's givendinnādāyī expecting only what's givendinnapāṭikaṅkhī, not thievingathenena cleansucibhūtena myselfattanā I livedvihāsiṁ.
unchastityAbrahmacariyaṁ having given uppahāya chastebrahmacārī I wasahosiṁ set apartārācārī refrainingvirato from sexmethunā the vulgar actgāmadhammā.
lyingMusāvādaṁ having given uppahāya from lyingmusāvādā refrainingpaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ speaking the truthsaccavādī stuck to the truthsaccasandho honesttheto dependablepaccayiko not trickingavisaṁvādako the worldlokassa.

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 having given uppahāya backbitingpisuṇāya speechvācāya refrained frompaṭivirato 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 a reconcilersandhātā of unitedsahitānaṁ orvā a supporteranuppadātā delighting in harmonysamaggārāmo loving harmonysamaggarato rejoicing in harmonysamagganandī promoting harmonysamaggakaraṇiṁ speechvācaṁ a speakerbhāsitā I wasahosiṁ.
harshPharusaṁ speechvācaṁ having given uppahāya harshpharusāya speechvācāya refrained frompaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ; whichyā thatsā speechvācā mellownelā pleasing to the earkaṇṇasukhā endearingpemanīyā going to the hearthadayaṅgamā politeporī likable to the peoplebahujanakantā agreeable to the peoplebahujanamanāpā suchtathārūpiṁ speechvācaṁ a speakerbhāsitā I wasahosiṁ.
nonsenseSamphappalāpaṁ having given uppahāya nonsensesamphappalāpā refrained frompaṭivirato I wasahosiṁ; speaking at the right timekālavādī speaking truthbhūtavādī speaking the meaningfulatthavādī speaking dhammadhammavādī speaking disciplinevinayavādī 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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