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 with the spectrum of ethicssīlakkhandhena 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 grasping the featuresnimittaggāhī I wasahosiṁ nor grasping the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī;
because of whichyatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ the faculty of sightcakkhundriyaṁ unrestrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā would become overwhelminganvāssaveyyuṁ, for thattassa for restraintsaṁvarāya I practicedpaṭipajjiṁ; I protectedrakkhiṁ the faculty of sightcakkhundriyaṁ, in the faculty of sightcakkhundriye restraintsaṁvaraṁ I achievedāpajjiṁ.
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 grasping the featuresnimittaggāhī I wasahosiṁ nor grasping the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī;
because of whichyatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ the faculty of the mindmanindriyaṁ unrestrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā would become overwhelminganvāssaveyyuṁ, for thattassa for restraintsaṁvarāya I practicedpaṭipajjiṁ; I protectedrakkhiṁ the faculty of the mindmanindriyaṁ, in the faculty of the mindmanindriye restraintsaṁvaraṁ I achievedāpajjiṁ.
ISo with thisiminā nobleariyena sense restraintindriyasaṁvarena endowedsamannāgato insideajjhattaṁ an unsullied blissabyāsekasukhaṁ I experiencedpaṭisaṁvedesiṁ.

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 when going outabhikkante when coming backpaṭikkante acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when looking aheadālokite when looking asidevilokite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when bendingsamiñjite when extendingpasārite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robessaṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when eatingasite when drinkingpīte when chewingkhāyite when tastingsāyite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when urinating and defecatinguccārapassāvakamme acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ, when walkinggate when standingṭhite when sittingnisinne when sleepingsutte when wakingjāgarite when speakingbhāsite when keeping silenttuṇhībhāve acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī I wasahosiṁ.
ISo with thisiminā andca with nobleariyena with the spectrum of ethicssīlakkhandhena endowedsamannāgato, with thisimāya andca with nobleariyāya with contentmentsantuṭṭhiyā endowedsamannāgato, with thisiminā andca with nobleariyena with sense restraintindriyasaṁvarena endowedsamannāgato, with thisiminā andca with nobleariyena with mindfulness and situational awarenesssatisampajaññena endowedsamannāgato
secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ I frequentedbhajiṁ wildernessaraññaṁ root of a treerukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forestvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ heap of strawpalālapuñjaṁ.
ISo after the mealpacchābhattaṁ returned from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkanto I sat downnisīdiṁ cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ 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 having given uppahāya with rid of covetousnessvigatābhijjhena with a heartcetasā I meditatedvihāsiṁ, of covetousnessabhijjhāya the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
ill will and malevolenceByāpādapadosaṁ having given uppahāya with a mind rid of ill willabyāpannacitto I meditatedvihāsiṁ full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī, of ill will and malevolencebyāpādapadosā the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
dullness and drowsinessThinamiddhaṁ having given uppahāya with rid of dullness and drowsinessvigatathinamiddho I meditatedvihāsiṁ perceiving lightālokasaññī mindfulsato awaresampajāno, of dullness and drowsinessthinamiddhā the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
restlessness and remorseUddhaccakukkuccaṁ having given uppahāya without restlessnessanuddhato I meditatedvihāsiṁ internallyajjhattaṁ, with a settled mindvūpasantacitto, of restlessness and remorseuddhaccakukkuccā the mindcittaṁ I cleansedparisodhesiṁ.
doubtVicikicchaṁ having given uppahāya having gone beyond doubttiṇṇavicikiccho I 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 having given uppahāya of the mindcetaso corruptionsupakkilese by wisdompaññāya make weakdubbalīkaraṇe
quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca from unskillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with placing the mindsavitakkaṁ with keeping it connectedsavicāraṁ born of seclusionvivekajaṁ rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja I remainedvihāsiṁ.
of placing the mind and keeping it connectedVitakkavicārānaṁ stilledvūpasamā internallyajjhattaṁ serenitysampasādanaṁ of the mindcetaso unificationekodibhāvaṁ without placing the mindavitakkaṁ without keeping it connectedavicāraṁ born of concentrationsamādhijaṁ rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ seconddutiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ …pe……pe…
thirdtatiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ ……
fourthcatutthaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja 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 it is freedvimuttamiti 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, and 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 should be applaudedabhinanditabbaṁ should be cheeredanumoditabbaṁ.
'good' thus‘Sādhū’ti speechbhāsitaṁ having applaudedabhinanditvā having cheeredanumoditvā thus to himevamassa should be saidvacanīyo:
gains‘lābhā for usno, friendāvuso, well-gainedsuladdhaṁ for usno, friendāvuso,
whoye wemayaṁ venerableāyasmantaṁ suchtādisaṁ fellow 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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