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Majjhima Nikāya 122

Mahāsuññatasutta

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

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whereYattha by a mendicantbhikkhunā regularlyabhikkhaṇaṁ one's ownsakaṁ mindcittaṁ should be checkedpaccavekkhitabbaṁ:
there is‘atthi nownu indeedkho myme theseimesu fivepañcasu sensual stimulationkāmaguṇesu in any oneaññatarasmiṁ orvā in any oneaññatarasmiṁ orvā in a sense fieldāyatane arisesuppajjati of the mindcetaso engagement?samudācāro’ti?
ifSace, Ānandaānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu checkingpaccavekkhamāno thusevaṁ knowspajānāti:
there is‘atthi indeedkho myme theseimesu fivepañcasu sensual stimulationkāmaguṇesu in any oneaññatarasmiṁ orvā in any oneaññatarasmiṁ orvā in a sense fieldāyatane arisesuppajjati of the mindcetaso engagement,samudācāro’ti,
thusevaṁ it being sosantametaṁ, Ānandaānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu thusevaṁ knowspajānāti:
which‘yo indeedkho theseimesu fivepañcasu sensual stimulationkāmaguṇesu desire and greedchandarāgo thatso of mineme not given upnappahīno’ti.
thusItiha theretattha awaresampajāno ishoti.
ifSace but, Ānandapanānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu checkingpaccavekkhamāno thusevaṁ knowspajānāti:
there is not‘natthi indeedkho myme theseimesu fivepañcasu sensual stimulationkāmaguṇesu in any oneaññatarasmiṁ orvā in any oneaññatarasmiṁ orvā in a sense fieldāyatane arisesuppajjati of the mindcetaso engagement,samudācāro’ti,
thusevaṁ it being sosantametaṁ, Ānandaānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu thusevaṁ knowspajānāti:
which‘yo indeedkho theseimesu fivepañcasu sensual stimulationkāmaguṇesu desire and greedchandarāgo thatso of mineme given uppahīno’ti.
thusItiha theretattha awaresampajāno ishoti.

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.

fivePañca indeedkho theseime, Ānandaānanda, grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhā whereyattha by a mendicantbhikkhunā observing rise and falludayabbayānupassinā should be dweltvihātabbaṁ:
such‘iti formrūpaṁ suchiti of formrūpassa originsamudayo suchiti of formrūpassa disappearanceatthaṅgamo,
suchiti feelingvedanā ……
suchiti perceptionsaññā ……
suchiti choicessaṅkhārā ……
suchiti consciousnessviññāṇaṁ suchiti of consciousnessviññāṇassa originsamudayo suchiti of consciousnessviññāṇassa disappearanceatthaṅgamo’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.’

of himTassa theseimesu fivepañcasu in the grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhesu contemplating rise and falludayabbayānupassino while dwellingviharato whateveryo fivepañcasu in the grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhesu the conceit “I am”asmimāno itso is given uppahīyati.
thusEvaṁ this being sosantametaṁ, Ānandaānanda, a bhikkhubhikkhu thusevaṁ understandspajānāti:
whatever‘yo indeedkho theseimesu fivepañcasu in the grasping aggregatesupādānakkhandhesu the conceit “I am”asmimāno itso by meme given uppahīno’ti.
in this wayItiha theretattha awaresampajāno ishoti.

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.

theseIme indeedkho thesete, Ānandaānanda, principlesdhammā entirely skillfulekantakusalā with skillful outcomeskusalāyātikā nobleariyā transcendentlokuttarā inaccessibleanavakkantā to the Wicked Onepāpimatā.

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

thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Ānandaānanda,
whatkaṁ reasonatthavasaṁ seeingsampassamāno is worthyarahati a disciplesāvako the teachersatthāraṁ to followanubandhituṁ evenapi being driven awaypaṇujjamāno”ti?
rooted in the Buddha“Bhagavaṁmūlakā ourno, sirbhante, teachingsdhammā guided by the Buddhabhagavaṁnettikā having the Buddha as refugebhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. pleaseSādhu indeedvata, sirbhante, the Buddha himselfbhagavantaṁyeva may it appearpaṭibhātu of thisetassa spokenbhāsitassa the meaningattho. of the BuddhaBhagavato having heardsutvā mendicantsbhikkhū will rememberdhāressantī”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.”

not“Na indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, is worthyarahati a disciplesāvako the Teachersatthāraṁ to followanubandhituṁ, namelyyadidaṁ statementssuttaṁ mixed prose & versegeyyaṁ discussionsveyyākaraṇaṁ of thattassa for the sakehetu.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
for a long timeDīgharattassa becausehi by youte, Ānandaānanda, teachingsdhammā learnedsutā rememberingdhātā by speechvacasā rehearsingparicitā mentally scrutinizingmanasānupekkhitā theoreticallydiṭṭhiyā penetratingsuppaṭividdhā.
whichYā andca indeedkho thisayaṁ, Ānandaānanda, talkkathā about self-effacementabhisallekhikā helps open the heartcetovinīvaraṇasappāyā solely to disillusionmentekantanibbidāya to dispassionvirāgāya to cessationnirodhāya to peaceupasamāya to insightabhiññāya to awakeningsambodhāya to extinguishmentnibbānāya leadssaṁvattati, that is, talk about fewness of wishesseyyathidaṁ—appicchakathā talk about contentmentsantuṭṭhikathā talk about seclusionpavivekakathā talk about aloofnessasaṁsaggakathā talk about arousing energyvīriyārambhakathā talk about ethicssīlakathā talk about immersionsamādhikathā talk about wisdompaññākathā talk about freedomvimuttikathā talk about knowledge and vision of freedom, suchvimuttiñāṇadassanakathā—evarūpiyā indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, of talkkathāya for the sakehetu is worthyarahati a disciplesāvako the Teachersatthāraṁ to followanubandhituṁ evenapi if driven awaypaṇujjamāno.

“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.

thusEvaṁ being sosante indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, peril for the tutorācariyūpaddavo there ishoti, thusevaṁ being sosante peril for the pupilantevāsūpaddavo there ishoti, thusevaṁ being sosante peril for a spiritual practitionerbrahmacārūpaddavo there ishoti.

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

how then, ĀnandaKathañcānanda, peril for the tutorācariyūpaddavo is there?hoti?
here, ĀnandaIdhānanda, someekacco teachersatthā secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ frequentsbhajati wildernessaraññaṁ root of a treerukkhamūlaṁ hillpabbataṁ ravinekandaraṁ mountain cavegiriguhaṁ charnel groundsusānaṁ forestvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ heap of straw.palālapuñjaṁ.
for that oneTassa thus withdrawntathāvūpakaṭṭhassa while dwellingviharato they visitanvāvattanti brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikā townspeoplenegamā andceva country peoplejānapadā and.ca.
theySo when they visitanvāvattantesu brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikesu townspeoplenegamesu andceva country peoplejānapadesu andca infatuationmucchaṁ enjoys,nikāmayati, greedgedhaṁ falls into,āpajjati, returnsāvattati to indulgence.bāhullāya.
thisAyaṁ is said, Ānandavuccatānanda, perilupaddavo tutor.ācariyo.
by the tutor's perilĀcariyūpaddavena they ruinedavadhiṁsu himnaṁ badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā corruptingsaṅkilesikā leading to future livesponobbhavikā hurtfulsadarā resulting in sufferingdukkhavipākā in the futureāyatiṁ rebirth, old age, and death.jātijarāmaraṇiyā.
thusEvaṁ indeed,kho, Ānanda,ānanda, peril for the tutorācariyūpaddavo is there.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.

and how indeed, Ānanda,Kathañcānanda, a peril for a pupilantevāsūpaddavo is there?hoti?
for that same one indeedTasseva indeedkho and again, Ānanda,panānanda, of a teachersatthu a disciplesāvako of thattassa teacher'ssatthu emulating the fostering of seclusionvivekamanubrūhayamāno
secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ frequentsbhajati wildernessaraññaṁ root of a treerukkhamūlaṁ a hillpabbataṁ a ravinekandaraṁ a mountain cavegiriguhaṁ a charnel groundsusānaṁ a forestvanapatthaṁ open airabbhokāsaṁ a heap of straw.palālapuñjaṁ.
for thatTassa thus withdrawntathāvūpakaṭṭhassa while meditatingviharato they visitanvāvattanti brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikā people of townnegamā and alsoceva country folkjānapadā and.ca.
heSo when visitedanvāvattantesu by brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikesu by people of townnegamesu and alsoceva by country folkjānapadesu andca infatuationmucchaṁ enjoys,nikāmayati, greedgedhaṁ falls into,āpajjati, returnsāvattati to indulgence.bāhullāya.
thisAyaṁ is said, Ānanda,vuccatānanda, perilupaddavo for a pupil.antevāsī.
by the pupil's perilAntevāsūpaddavena ruinedavadhiṁsu himnaṁ badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā corruptingsaṅkilesikā leading to future livesponobbhavikā hurtfulsadarā resulting in sufferingdukkhavipākā in the futureāyatiṁ for future rebirth, old age, and death.jātijarāmaraṇiyā.
thusEvaṁ indeed,kho, Ānanda,ānanda, there is a peril for a pupilantevāsūpaddavo is there.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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