‹ Library

Majjhima Nikāya 122

Mahāsuññatasutta

The Longer Discourse on Emptiness · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

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

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

and howKathañcānanda, peril for a spiritual practitionerbrahmacārūpaddavo is there?hoti?
hereIdhānanda, thus·gonetathāgato in the worldloke arisesuppajjati perfectedarahaṁ fully·awakenedsammāsambuddho knowledge·conduct·accomplishedvijjācaraṇasampanno holysugato world·knowerlokavidū not·higheranuttaro person·trainable·guidepurisadammasārathi teachersatthā god·humandevamanussānaṁ awakenedbuddho blessedbhagavā.
heSo secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ frequentsbhajati a wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ a hillpabbataṁ a ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ a charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildvanapatthaṁ the open airabbhokāsaṁ straw·heappalālapuñjaṁ.
of himTassa thus withdrawntathāvūpakaṭṭhassa while meditatingviharato they visitanvāvattanti brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikā and people of townnegamā andceva and people of countryjānapadā andca.
heSo being visitedanvāvattantesu brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikesu by people of townnegamesu andceva by people of countryjānapadesu andca notna infatuationmucchaṁ enjoysnikāmayati, notna greedgedhaṁ falls intoāpajjati, notna returnsāvattati to indulgencebāhullāya.
but of just thisTasseva indeedkho andpanānanda, of the teachersatthu a disciplesāvako of thattassa of the teachersatthu seclusion·nurturingvivekamanubrūhayamāno
secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ frequentsbhajati a wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ a hillpabbataṁ a ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ a charnel groundsusānaṁ forest·wildvanapatthaṁ the open airabbhokāsaṁ straw·heappalālapuñjaṁ.
of themTassa thus withdrawntathāvūpakaṭṭhassa while meditatingviharato they visitanvāvattanti brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikā and people of townnegamā andceva and people of countryjānapadā andca.
theySo being visitedanvāvattantesu brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikesu by people of townnegamesu andceva by people of countryjānapadesu andca infatuationmucchaṁ enjoynikāmayati, greedgedhaṁ fall intoāpajjati, returnāvattati to indulgencebāhullāya.

And how is there a peril for a spiritual practitioner? It’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He frequents 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. While meditating withdrawn, he’s visited by a stream of brahmins and householders, and people of town and country. When this happens, he doesn’t enjoy infatuation, fall into greed, and return to indulgence. But a disciple of this teacher, emulating their teacher’s fostering of seclusion, frequents 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. While meditating withdrawn, they’re visited by a stream of brahmins and householders, and people of town and country. When this happens, they enjoy infatuation, fall into greed, and return to indulgence.

thisAyaṁ say + Ānandavuccatānanda, perilupaddavo spiritual practitionerbrahmacārī.
spiritual practitioner·perilBrahmacārūpaddavena they ruinedavadhiṁsu himnaṁ badpāpakā un-·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā corrupting·defilingsaṅkilesikā leading to future livesponobbhavikā hurtfulsadarā suffering·resultdukkhavipākā in the futureāyatiṁ birth·old age·deathjātijarāmaraṇiyā.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, spiritual practitioner·perilbrahmacārūpaddavo there ishoti.
in this context + ĀnandaTatrānanda, theyo and·thiscevāyaṁ tutor·perilācariyūpaddavo, theyo andca pupil·perilantevāsūpaddavo thisayaṁ than thosetehi spiritual practitioner·perilbrahmacārūpaddavo suffering·resultdukkhavipākataro andceva bitter·resultkaṭukavipākataro andca, evenapi andca to the underworldvinipātāya leadssaṁvattati.

This is said to be the spiritual practitioner’s peril. They’re ruined by bad, unskillful qualities that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That’s how there is a peril for the spiritual practitioner. And in this context, Ānanda, as compared to the peril of the tutor or the pupil, the peril of the spiritual practitioner has more painful, bitter results, and even leads to the underworld.

therefore + hereTasmātiha memaṁ, Ānandaānanda, as a friendmittavatāya treatsamudācaratha, notmā as an enemysapattavatāya.
thatTaṁ for youvo will bebhavissati long·timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāya.
how + and·ĀnandaKathañcānanda, the Teachersatthāraṁ disciplessāvakā as an enemysapattavatāya treatsamudācaranti, notno as a friendmittavatāya?
here + ĀnandaIdhānanda, the Teachersatthā to the disciplessāvakānaṁ Dhammadhammaṁ teachesdeseti compassionateanukampako seeking welfarehitesī kindnessanukampaṁ out ofupādāya:
‘this‘idaṁ for youvo for welfare,hitāya, thisidaṁ for youvo for happiness’sukhāyā’ti.
hisTassa disciplessāvakā notna want to listensussūsanti, notna earsotaṁ lendodahanti, notna knowledgeaññā mindcittaṁ directupaṭṭhapenti, having turned awayvokkamma andca teacher + instructionsatthusāsanā proceedvattanti.
thusEvaṁ indeed,kho, Ānanda,ānanda, the Teachersatthāraṁ disciplessāvakā as an enemysapattavatāya treatsamudācaranti, notno as a friendmittavatāya.

So, Ānanda, treat me as a friend, not as an enemy. That will be for your lasting welfare and happiness. And how do disciples treat their Teacher as an enemy, not a friend? It’s when the Teacher teaches Dhamma to his disciples out of kindness and sympathy: ‘This is for your welfare. This is for your happiness.’ But their disciples don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They proceed having turned away from the Teacher’s instruction. That’s how the disciples treat their Teacher as an enemy, not a friend.

and how, Ānanda,Kathañcānanda, the Teachersatthāraṁ disciplessāvakā as a friendmittavatāya they treatsamudācaranti, notno as an enemy?sapattavatāya?
here, Ānanda,Idhānanda, the Teachersatthā to the disciplessāvakānaṁ Dhammadhammaṁ teachesdeseti compassionateanukampako seeking welfarehitesī compassionanukampaṁ out ofupādāya:
‘this‘idaṁ for youvo for welfare,hitāya, thisidaṁ for youvo for happiness.’sukhāyā’ti.
hisTassa disciplessāvakā want to listensussūsanti, earsotaṁ they lendodahanti, knowledgeaññā mindcittaṁ they applyupaṭṭhapenti, notna andca having turned awayvokkamma from the Teacher’s instructionsatthusāsanā they proceedvattanti.
thusEvaṁ indeed,kho, Ānanda,ānanda, the Teachersatthāraṁ disciplessāvakā as a friendmittavatāya they treatsamudācaranti, notno as an enemy.sapattavatāya.
thereforeTasmātiha me,maṁ, Ānanda,ānanda, as a friendmittavatāya treatsamudācaratha, do notmā as an enemy.sapattavatāya.
thatTaṁ for youvo will bebhavissati for a long timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāya.

And how do disciples treat their Teacher as a friend, not an enemy? It’s when the Teacher teaches Dhamma to his disciples out of kindness and sympathy: ‘This is for your welfare. This is for your happiness.’ And their disciples want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand. They don’t proceed having turned away from the Teacher’s instruction. That’s how the disciples treat their Teacher as a friend, not an enemy. So, Ānanda, treat me as a friend, not as an enemy. That will be for your lasting welfare and happiness.

notNa youvo Iahaṁ, Ānandaānanda, thustathā will striveparakkamissāmi asyathā a potterkumbhakāro with dampāmake with unfired potsāmakamatte.
down·graspNiggayha having curbed, Iniggayhāhaṁ, Ānandaānanda, will speakvakkhāmi;
forth·presspavayha having pressedpavayha, Ānandaānanda, will speakvakkhāmi.
whoeverYo is the coresāro heso will standṭhassatī”ti.
this + sayIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
self + mindAttamano Venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ approvedabhinandīti.
great·emptiness + discourseMahāsuññatasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ seconddutiyaṁ.

I shall not mollycoddle you like a potter with their damp, unfired pots. I shall speak, curbing you again and again, pressing you again and again. The core will stand the test.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

‹ Previous  ·  Page 4 of 4

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