Mahāsuññatasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 122

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

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Yattha bhikkhunā abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
‘atthi nu kho me imesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu aññatarasmiṁ vā aññatarasmiṁ vā āyatane uppajjati cetaso samudācāro’ti?
Sace, ānanda, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ pajānāti:
‘atthi kho me imesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu aññatarasmiṁ vā aññatarasmiṁ vā āyatane uppajjati cetaso samudācāro’ti,
evaṁ santametaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ pajānāti:
‘yo kho imesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu chandarāgo so me nappahīno’ti.
Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.
Sace panānanda, bhikkhu paccavekkhamāno evaṁ pajānāti:
‘natthi kho me imesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu aññatarasmiṁ vā aññatarasmiṁ vā āyatane uppajjati cetaso samudācāro’ti,
evaṁ santametaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ pajānāti:
‘yo kho imesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu chandarāgo so me pahīno’ti.
Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.

So a mendicant should regularly check their own mind: ‘Does my mind take an interest in any of these five kinds of sensual stimulation?’ Suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this: ‘My mind does take an interest.’ In that case, they understand: ‘I have not given up desire and greed for the five kinds of sensual stimulation.’ In this way they are aware of the situation. But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this: ‘My mind does not take an interest.’ In that case, they understand: ‘I have given up desire and greed for the five kinds of sensual stimulation.’ In this way they are aware of the situation.

Pañca kho ime, ānanda, upādānakkhandhā yattha bhikkhunā udayabbayānupassinā vihātabbaṁ:
‘iti rūpaṁ iti rūpassa samudayo iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo,
iti vedanā …
iti saññā …
iti saṅkhārā …
iti viññāṇaṁ iti viññāṇassa samudayo iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti.

A mendicant should meditate observing rise and fall in these five grasping aggregates: ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form. Such is feeling … Such is perception … Such are choices … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’

Tassa imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino viharato yo pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu asmimāno so pahīyati.
Evaṁ santametaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ pajānāti:
‘yo kho imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu asmimāno so me pahīno’ti.
Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.

As they do so, they give up the conceit ‘I am’ regarding the five grasping aggregates. In that case, they understand: ‘I have given up the conceit “I am” regarding the five grasping aggregates.’ In this way they are aware of the situation.

Ime kho te, ānanda, dhammā ekantakusalā kusalāyātikā ariyā lokuttarā anavakkantā pāpimatā.

These principles are entirely skillful, with skillful outcomes; they are noble, transcendent, and inaccessible to the Wicked One.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ānanda,
kaṁ atthavasaṁ sampassamāno arahati sāvako satthāraṁ anubandhituṁ api paṇujjamāno”ti?
“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

What do you think, Ānanda? For what reason would a disciple deem it worthwhile to follow the Teacher, even if driven away?” “Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

“Na kho, ānanda, arahati sāvako satthāraṁ anubandhituṁ, yadidaṁ suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ tassa hetu.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Dīgharattassa hi te, ānanda, dhammā sutā dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā.
Yā ca kho ayaṁ, ānanda, kathā abhisallekhikā cetovinīvaraṇasappāyā ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati, seyyathidaṁ—appicchakathā santuṭṭhikathā pavivekakathā asaṁsaggakathā vīriyārambhakathā sīlakathā samādhikathā paññākathā vimuttikathā vimuttiñāṇadassanakathā—evarūpiyā kho, ānanda, kathāya hetu arahati sāvako satthāraṁ anubandhituṁ api paṇujjamāno.

“A disciple would not deem it worthwhile to follow the Teacher for the sake of this, namely statements, mixed prose & verse, or discussions. Why is that? Because for a long time you have learned the teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically. But a disciple would deem it worthwhile to follow the Teacher, even if driven away, for the sake of talk about self-effacement that helps open the heart and leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. That is, talk about fewness of wishes, contentment, seclusion, aloofness, arousing energy, ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom.

Evaṁ sante kho, ānanda, ācariyūpaddavo hoti, evaṁ sante antevāsūpaddavo hoti, evaṁ sante brahmacārūpaddavo hoti.

This being so, Ānanda, there is a peril for the tutor, a peril for the pupil, and a peril for a spiritual practitioner.

Kathañcānanda, ācariyūpaddavo hoti?
Idhānanda, ekacco satthā vivittaṁ senāsanaṁ bhajati araññaṁ rukkhamūlaṁ pabbataṁ kandaraṁ giriguhaṁ susānaṁ vanapatthaṁ abbhokāsaṁ palālapuñjaṁ.
Tassa tathāvūpakaṭṭhassa viharato anvāvattanti brāhmaṇagahapatikā negamā ceva jānapadā ca.
So anvāvattantesu brāhmaṇagahapatikesu negamesu ceva jānapadesu ca mucchaṁ nikāmayati, gedhaṁ āpajjati, āvattati bāhullāya.
Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, upaddavo ācariyo.
Ācariyūpaddavena avadhiṁsu naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā.
Evaṁ kho, ānanda, ācariyūpaddavo hoti.

And how is there a peril for the tutor? It’s when some teacher 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. This is said to be the tutor’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 tutor.

Kathañcānanda, antevāsūpaddavo hoti?
Tasseva kho panānanda, satthu sāvako tassa satthu vivekamanubrūhayamāno
vivittaṁ senāsanaṁ bhajati araññaṁ rukkhamūlaṁ pabbataṁ kandaraṁ giriguhaṁ susānaṁ vanapatthaṁ abbhokāsaṁ palālapuñjaṁ.
Tassa tathāvūpakaṭṭhassa viharato anvāvattanti brāhmaṇagahapatikā negamā ceva jānapadā ca.
So anvāvattantesu brāhmaṇagahapatikesu negamesu ceva jānapadesu ca mucchaṁ nikāmayati, gedhaṁ āpajjati, āvattati bāhullāya.
Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, upaddavo antevāsī.
Antevāsūpaddavena avadhiṁsu naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā.
Evaṁ kho, ānanda, antevāsūpaddavo hoti.

And how is there a peril for the pupil? It’s when the disciple of a 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. This is said to be the pupil’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 pupil.

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