Sevitabbāsevitabbasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 114

Sevitabbāsevitabbasutta

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

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hereIdha, venerable sirbhante, some personekacco free from covetousnessanabhijjhālu ishoti, accompanied by non-covetousnessanabhijjhāsahagatena with mindcetasā livesviharati;
free from ill willabyāpādavā ishoti, accompanied by non-ill willabyāpādasahagatena with mindcetasā livesviharati;
free from crueltyavihesavā ishoti, accompanied by non-crueltyavihesāsahagatena with mindcetasā livesviharati—
suchevarūpaṁ, venerable sirbhante, arising of thoughtcittuppādaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti.
arising of thought‘Cittuppādampāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, as twofoldduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivatedsevitabbampi, not to be cultivatedasevitabbampi;
and thattañca eachaññamaññaṁ arising of thoughtcittuppādan’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā thisidametaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca saidvuttaṁ.

It’s when someone is content, and lives with their heart full of contentment. They have good will, and live with their heart full of good will. They’re kind, and live with their heart full of kindness. That arising of thought causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two arisings of thought: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And each of these is an arising of thought.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

acquisition of perception‘Saññāpaṭilābhampāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofoldduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivatedsevitabbampi, not to be cultivatedasevitabbampi;
and each of thesetañca is an acquisition of perceptionaññamaññaṁ acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhan’ti—
thusiti indeedkho thispanetaṁ saidvuttaṁ by the Buddhabhagavatā.
but why did he say itKiñcetaṁ with reference topaṭicca saidvuttaṁ?
suchYathārūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhaṁ for one pursuingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti suchevarūpo acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābho notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo;
and suchyathārūpañca indeedkho, sirbhante, acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhaṁ for one pursuingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti suchevarūpo acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābho should be cultivatedsevitabbo.
what kindKathaṁrūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhaṁ for one pursuingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti?
hereIdha, sirbhante, someoneekacco is covetousabhijjhālu ishoti, full of covetousnessabhijjhāsahagatāya with perceptionsaññāya livesviharati;
is maliciousbyāpādavā ishoti, full of ill willbyāpādasahagatāya with perceptionsaññāya livesviharati;
is hurtfulvihesavā ishoti, intent on harmvihesāsahagatāya with perceptionsaññāya livesviharati—
suchevarūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhaṁ for one pursuingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti.
what kindKathaṁrūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhaṁ for one pursuingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti?

‘I say that there are two acquisitions of perception: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And each of these is an acquisition of perception.’ That’s what the Buddha said, but why did he say it? You should not cultivate the acquisition of perception which causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And you should cultivate the acquisition of perception which causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. And what acquisition of perception causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline? It’s when someone is covetous, and lives with their perception full of covetousness. They are malicious, and live with their perception full of ill will. They’re hurtful, and live with their perception intent on harm. That acquisition of perception causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And what acquisition of perception causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow?

hereIdha, sirbhante, someoneekacco contentanabhijjhālu ishoti, full of contentmentanabhijjhāsahagatāya with perceptionsaññāya they liveviharati;
having good willabyāpādavā ishoti, full of good willabyāpādasahagatāya with perceptionsaññāya they liveviharati;
kindavihesavā ishoti, full of kindnessavihesāsahagatāya with perceptionsaññāya they liveviharati—
suchevarūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti.
acquisition of perception‘Saññāpaṭilābhampāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofoldduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivatedsevitabbampi, not to be cultivatedasevitabbampi;
and thattañca eachaññamaññaṁ acquisition of perceptionsaññāpaṭilābhan’ti—
thusiti that whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā this isidametaṁ because ofpaṭicca it was saidvuttaṁ.

It’s when someone is content, and lives with their perception full of contentment. They have good will, and live with their perception full of good will. They’re kind, and live with their perception full of kindness. That acquisition of perception causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two acquisitions of perception: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And each of these is an acquisition of perception.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

acquisition of view, I say‘Diṭṭhipaṭilābhampāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, as twofoldduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
should be cultivatedsevitabbampi, should not be cultivatedasevitabbampi;
and thattañca each otheraññamaññaṁ acquisition of viewdiṭṭhipaṭilābhan’ti—
thusiti indeedkho but thispanetaṁ saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā.
but whyKiñcetaṁ with reference topaṭicca was it saidvuttaṁ?
such asYathārūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of viewdiṭṭhipaṭilābhaṁ practicingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti suchevarūpo acquisition of viewdiṭṭhipaṭilābho notna should be cultivatedsevitabbo;
and suchyathārūpañca indeedkho, sirbhante, acquisition of viewdiṭṭhipaṭilābhaṁ practicingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā grow — suchabhivaḍḍhanti—evarūpo acquisition of viewdiṭṭhipaṭilābho should be cultivatedsevitabbo.
of what kindKathaṁrūpaṁ, sirbhante, acquisition of viewdiṭṭhipaṭilābhaṁ practicingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti?
hereIdha, sirbhante, someoneekacco of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhiko ishoti:
there is not‘natthi givingdinnaṁ, there is notnatthi sacrificeyiṭṭhaṁ, there is notnatthi offeringhutaṁ, there is notnatthi of good and bad deedssukatadukkaṭānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ fruitphalaṁ resultvipāko, there is notnatthi thisayaṁ worldloko, there is notnatthi otherparo worldloko, there is notnatthi mothermātā, there is notnatthi fatherpitā, there is notnatthi beingssattā spontaneously rebornopapātikā, there is notnatthi in the worldloke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā rightly comportedsammaggatā rightly practicedsammāpaṭipannā whoye and thisimañca worldlokaṁ and the otherparañca worldlokaṁ themselvessayaṁ with direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā they declarepavedentī’ti—

‘I say that there are two acquisitions of views: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And each of these is an acquisition of views.’ That’s what the Buddha said, but why did he say it? You should not cultivate the acquisition of views which causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And you should cultivate the acquisition of views which causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. And what acquisition of views causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline? It’s when someone has such a view: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

suchevarūpaṁ, venerable sirbhante, acquisition of viewsdiṭṭhipaṭilābhaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti.
of what kindKathaṁrūpaṁ, venerable sirbhante, acquisition of viewsdiṭṭhipaṭilābhaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti?
hereIdha, venerable sirbhante, someoneekacco having such a viewevaṁdiṭṭhiko ishoti:
there is‘atthi givingdinnaṁ, there isatthi sacrificeyiṭṭhaṁ, there isatthi offeringhutaṁ, there isatthi of good and badsukatadukkaṭānaṁ deedskammānaṁ fruitphalaṁ resultvipāko, there isatthi thisayaṁ worldloko, there isatthi otherparo worldloko, there isatthi mothermātā, there isatthi fatherpitā, there areatthi beingssattā spontaneously rebornopapātikā, there areatthi in the worldloke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā rightly comportedsammaggatā rightly practicedsammāpaṭipannā whoye thisimañca worldlokaṁ otherparañca worldlokaṁ themselvessayaṁ with higher knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā proclaimpavedentī’ti—
suchevarūpaṁ, venerable sirbhante, acquisition of viewsdiṭṭhipaṭilābhaṁ for one cultivatingsevato unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā declineparihāyanti, skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā growabhivaḍḍhanti.
acquisition of views‘Diṭṭhipaṭilābhampāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, as twofoldduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivatedsevitabbampi, not to be cultivatedasevitabbampi;
and thattañca eachaññamaññaṁ acquisition of viewsdiṭṭhipaṭilābhan’ti—
thusiti thatyaṁ whichtaṁ saidvuttaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā thisidametaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca saidvuttaṁ.

That acquisition of views causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And what acquisition of views causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow? It’s when someone has such a view: ‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ That acquisition of views causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two acquisitions of views: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And each of these is an acquisition of views.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

‘I say that there are two kinds of incarnation: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And these are equally incarnation.’ That’s what the Buddha said, but why did he say it? You should not cultivate the kind of incarnation that causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. You should cultivate the kind of incarnation that causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. And what kind of incarnation causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline? For one who generates a hurtful incarnation not for the sake of the state of perfection, unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline. And what kind of incarnation causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow? For one who generates a pleasing incarnation for the sake of the state of perfection, unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two kinds of incarnation: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. And these are equally incarnation.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

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