Bahudhātukasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 115

Many Elements · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, ‘paṭiccasamuppādakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
“Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ pajānāti:
‘imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati,
imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati, yadidaṁ—
avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā,
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ,
viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ,
nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ,
saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso,
phassapaccayā vedanā,
vedanāpaccayā taṇhā,
taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ,
upādānapaccayā bhavo,
bhavapaccayā jāti,
jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā sambhavanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho,
saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho,
viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho,
nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho,
saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho,
phassanirodhā vedanānirodho,
vedanānirodhā taṇhānirodho,
taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho,
upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho,
bhavanirodhā jātinirodho,
jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā nirujjhanti.
Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti’.
Ettāvatā kho, ānanda, ‘paṭiccasamuppādakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti.

“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in dependent origination’?” “It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a condition for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. When ignorance fades away and ceases no residue left behind, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’ That’s how a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in dependent origination’.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, ‘ṭhānāṭhānakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
“Idhānanda, bhikkhu ‘aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo kañci saṅkhāraṁ niccato upagaccheyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano kañci saṅkhāraṁ niccato upagaccheyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo kañci saṅkhāraṁ sukhato upagaccheyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano kañci saṅkhāraṁ sukhato upagaccheyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo kañci dhammaṁ attato upagaccheyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti,
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano kañci dhammaṁ attato upagaccheyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.

“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in the possible and impossible’?” “It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to take any condition as permanent. That is not possible. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as permanent. That is possible.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to take any condition as pleasant. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as pleasant.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to take anything as self. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take something as self.’

They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to murder their mother. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to murder their mother.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to murder their father … or murder a perfected one. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to murder their father … or murder a perfected one.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to injure a Realized One with malicious intent. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to injure a Realized One with malicious intent.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to cause a schism in the Saṅgha. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to cause a schism in the Saṅgha.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an individual accomplished in view to dedicate themselves to another teacher.

‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano aññaṁ satthāraṁ uddiseyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.

But it’s possible for an ordinary person to dedicate themselves to another teacher.’

‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā dve arahanto sammāsambuddhā apubbaṁ acarimaṁ uppajjeyyuṁ, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā eko arahaṁ sammāsambuddho uppajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā dve rājāno cakkavattino apubbaṁ acarimaṁ uppajjeyyuṁ, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā eko rājā cakkavattī uppajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.

They understand: ‘It’s impossible for two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas to arise in the same solar system at the same time. But it is possible for just one perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, to arise in one solar system.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for two wheel-turning monarchs to arise in the same solar system at the same time. But it is possible for just one wheel-turning monarch to arise in one solar system.’

‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ itthī arahaṁ assa sammāsambuddho, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puriso arahaṁ assa sammāsambuddho, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ itthī rājā assa cakkavattī, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puriso rājā assa cakkavattī, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ itthī sakkattaṁ kareyya … mārattaṁ kareyya … brahmattaṁ kareyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti;
‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puriso sakkattaṁ kareyya … mārattaṁ kareyya … brahmattaṁ kareyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.

They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. But it is possible for a man to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to be a wheel-turning monarch. But it is possible for a man to be a wheel-turning monarch.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity. But it is possible for a man to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity.’

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version