Sevitabbāsevitabbasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 114

Sevitabbāsevitabbasutta

What Should and Should Not Be Cultivated · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, venerableāyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this·saidetadavoca:
of this“imassa indeedkho Iahaṁ, sirbhante, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā brieflysaṅkhittena of the statementbhāsitassa, in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ not·analyzedavibhattassa, thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ towards·knowājānāmi.

When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Buddha: “Sir, this is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.

eye-cognizable‘Cakkhuviññeyyaṁ form too, Irūpampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to-be-cultivated + toosevitabbampi, to be not cultivated too, quotation markerasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti indeedkho but thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā.
why + and + thisKiñcetaṁ with reference topaṭicca said?vuttaṁ?
as·kindYathārūpaṁ, venerable sirbhante, eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ for one cultivatingsevato un-·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā forth·growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā around·declineparihāyanti just·kindevarūpaṁ eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ notna to be cultivated;sevitabbaṁ;
as·kind + andyathārūpañca indeed,kho, venerable sir,bhante, eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ for one cultivatingsevato un-·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā around·declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā forth·growabhivaḍḍhanti just·kindevarūpaṁ eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ to be cultivated.sevitabbaṁ.
eye-cognizable‘Cakkhuviññeyyaṁ form too, I,rūpampāhaṁ, Sāriputta,sāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I say—vadāmi—
to-be-cultivated + toosevitabbampi, to be not cultivated too, quotation marker—asevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā this + this·thisidametaṁ with reference topaṭicca said.vuttaṁ.

‘I say that there are two kinds of sight known by the eye: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.’ That’s what the Buddha said, but why did he say it? You should not cultivate the kind of sight known by the eye which causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And you should cultivate the kind of sight known by the eye which causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two kinds of sight known by the eye: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

ear·to-be-knownSotaviññeyyaṁ sound + I-saysaddampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta …pe……pe…
suchevarūpo ear·to-be-knownsotaviññeyyo soundsaddo notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……
suchevarūpo ear·to-be-knownsotaviññeyyo soundsaddo should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……

‘I say that there are two kinds of sound known by the ear …

such·kindevarūpo nose·by·knownghānaviññeyyo smellgandho notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……
such·kindevarūpo nose·by·knownghānaviññeyyo smellgandho should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……

two kinds of smell known by the nose …

like·formevarūpo tongue·to be knownjivhāviññeyyo tasteraso notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……
like·formevarūpo tongue·to be knownjivhāviññeyyo tasteraso should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……
body·to be knownkāyaviññeyyaṁ touch + indeedphoṭṭhabbampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……

two kinds of taste known by the tongue … two kinds of touch known by the body …

such·formevarūpo body·to be cognizedkāyaviññeyyo tangible objectphoṭṭhabbo notna to be cultivatedsevitabbo ……
such·formevarūpo body·to be cognizedkāyaviññeyyo tangible objectphoṭṭhabbo to be cultivated.sevitabbo.

Such a tangible object cognizable by the body should not be cultivated … such a tangible object cognizable by the body should be cultivated.

mind·knowable‘Manoviññeyyaṁ idea + I saydhammampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivated·alsosevitabbampi, not to be cultivated·alsoasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti indeedkho but + thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā.
why + thisKiñcetaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca saidvuttaṁ?

two kinds of idea known by the mind: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.’ That’s what the Buddha said, but why did he say it?

such kindYathārūpaṁ, sirbhante, mind·cognizablemanoviññeyyaṁ ideadhammaṁ for one cultivatingsevato not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā around·declineparihāyanti such kindevarūpo mind·cognizablemanoviññeyyo ideadhammo notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo;
and such kindyathārūpañca indeedkho, sirbhante, mind·cognizablemanoviññeyyaṁ ideadhammaṁ for one cultivatingsevato not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā forth·growabhivaḍḍhanti such kindevarūpo mind·cognizablemanoviññeyyo ideadhammo should be cultivatedsevitabbo.
idea known by mind‘Manoviññeyyaṁ and an ideadhammampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, two·kindduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
and should be cultivatedsevitabbampi, and should not be cultivatedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā this + thisidametaṁ because ofpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ.
of thisImassa indeedkho Iahaṁ, sirbhante, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā brieflysaṅkhittena of the statementbhāsitassa, in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ of the unanalyzedavibhattassa, thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ I understandājānāmī”ti.

You should not cultivate the kind of idea known by the mind which causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And you should cultivate the kind of idea known by the mind which causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two kinds of idea known by the mind: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it. Sir, that’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

good“Sādhu goodsādhu, Sāriputtasāriputta.
goodSādhu indeedkho youtvaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, of thisimassa by memayā in briefsaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa, in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ unanalyzedavibhattassa, thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ you understandājānāsi.

“Good, good, Sāriputta! It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of my brief statement in this way.”

form cognizable by the eye‘Cakkhuviññeyyaṁ as to form, Irūpampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivated·toosevitabbampi, and not to be cultivatedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti indeedkho but thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by memayā.
what + thisKiñcetaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca saidvuttaṁ?
as·formYathārūpaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unwholesomeakusalā statesdhammā forth·growabhivaḍḍhanti, wholesomekusalā statesdhammā around·diminishparihāyanti such·formevarūpaṁ eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ notna is to be cultivatedsevitabbaṁ;
as·form + andyathārūpañca indeedkho, Sāriputtasāriputta, eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unwholesomeakusalā statesdhammā around·diminishparihāyanti, wholesomekusalā statesdhammā forth·growabhivaḍḍhanti such·formevarūpaṁ eye·cognizablecakkhuviññeyyaṁ formrūpaṁ is to be cultivatedsevitabbaṁ.
form cognizable by the eye‘Cakkhuviññeyyaṁ as to form, Irūpampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivated·toosevitabbampi, and not to be cultivatedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by memayā this + thisidametaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ.

And the Buddha went on to repeat and endorse Venerable Sāriputta’s explanation in full. Then he went on to explain further:

A sound cognizable by the ear, Sāriputta, … such an ear-cognizable sound is not to be cultivated. … such an ear-cognizable sound is to be cultivated. … such a nose-cognizable odor is not to be cultivated. … such a nose-cognizable odor is to be cultivated. … such a tongue-cognizable taste is not to be cultivated. … such a tongue-cognizable taste is to be cultivated. … such a body-cognizable tangible object is not to be cultivated. … such a body-cognizable tangible object is to be cultivated.

mind·cognizableManoviññeyyaṁ phenomenon + I saydhammampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta …pe……pe…
suchevarūpo mind·cognizablemanoviññeyyo phenomenondhammo notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo ……
suchevarūpo mind·cognizablemanoviññeyyo phenomenondhammo should be cultivatedsevitabbo.
mind·cognizable‘Manoviññeyyaṁ phenomenon + I saydhammampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I declarevadāmi—
to be cultivated + toosevitabbampi, not to be cultivated + too·quotation markerasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti whatyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by memayā this + thisidametaṁ with reference topaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ.
of thisImassa indeedkho, Sāriputtasāriputta, by memayā brieflysaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningattho should be seendaṭṭhabbo.

A mental phenomenon cognizable by the mind too, Sāriputta, I say …pe… such a mental phenomenon cognizable by the mind should not be cultivated … such a mental phenomenon cognizable by the mind should be cultivated. ‘A mental phenomenon cognizable by the mind too, Sāriputta, I declare in two ways—as to be cultivated and as not to be cultivated’—this is what was said by me with reference to this. The meaning of this statement spoken briefly by me, Sāriputta, should be seen in detail in this way.

robe + ICīvaraṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputta,sāriputta, two·wayduvidhena I say—vadāmi—
to-be-cultivated·toosevitabbampi, not·to-be-cultivated·tooasevitabbampi …pe……pe…
almsfood + Ipiṇḍapātaṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……
lodging + Isenāsanaṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……
village + Igāmampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……
town + Inigamampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……
city + Inagarampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……
country + Ijanapadampāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta ……
individual + Ipuggalaṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputta,sāriputta, two·wayduvidhena I say—vadāmi—
to-be-cultivated·toosevitabbampi, not·to-be-cultivated·tooasevitabbampī”ti.

“I say that there are two kinds of robes: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. I say that there are two kinds of almsfood … lodging … village … town … city … country … individual: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.”

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