Uddesavibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 138

A Summary Recital and its Analysis · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Kathañcāvuso, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Tassa na vivekajapītisukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na vivekajapītisukhassādagadhitaṁ na vivekajapītisukhassādavinibandhaṁ na vivekajapītisukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.

And how is it said to be not stuck internally? It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. When consciousness does not follow after that rapture and bliss born of seclusion—not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that rapture and bliss born of seclusion—the mind is said to be not stuck internally.

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Tassa na samādhijapītisukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na samādhijapītisukhassādagadhitaṁ na samādhijapītisukhassādavinibandhaṁ na samādhijapītisukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.

Furthermore, they enter the second absorption … When consciousness does not follow after that rapture and bliss born of immersion—not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that rapture and bliss born of immersion—the mind is said to be not stuck internally.

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Tassa na upekkhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na upekkhāsukhassādagadhitaṁ na upekkhāsukhassādavinibandhaṁ na upekkhāsukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.

Furthermore, they enter and remain in the third absorption … When consciousness does not follow after that equanimity—not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that bliss with equanimity—the mind is said to be not stuck internally.

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Tassa na adukkhamasukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na adukkhamasukhassādagadhitaṁ na adukkhamasukhassādavinibandhaṁ na adukkhamasukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.
Evaṁ kho, āvuso, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.

Furthermore, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption … When consciousness does not follow after that neutral feeling—not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that neutral feeling—the mind is said to be not stuck internally. That’s how it is said to be not stuck internally.

Kathañcāvuso, anupādā paritassanā hoti?
Idhāvuso, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto
rūpaṁ attato samanupassati rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ attani vā rūpaṁ rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.
Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti.
Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti.
Tassa rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti.
Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca anupādāya ca paritassati.
Vedanaṁ …pe…
saññaṁ …
saṅkhāre …
viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ attani vā viññāṇaṁ viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.
Tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti.
Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti.
Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti.

And how is it anxious because of grasping? It’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. But that form decays and perishes, and consciousness latches on to the perishing of form. Anxieties occupy the mind, born of latching on to the perishing of form, and originating in accordance with natural principles. So it becomes frightened, worried, concerned, and anxious because of grasping. They regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. But that consciousness decays and perishes, and consciousness latches on to the perishing of consciousness. Anxieties occupy the mind, born of latching on to the perishing of consciousness, and originating in accordance with natural principles.

Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca anupādāya ca paritassati.
Evaṁ kho, āvuso, anupādā paritassanā hoti.

So it becomes frightened, worried, concerned, and anxious because of grasping. That’s how it is anxious because of grasping.

Kathañcāvuso, anupādānā aparitassanā hoti?
Idhāvuso, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto
na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ na attani vā rūpaṁ na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.
Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti.
Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na ca rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti.
Tassa na rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti.
Cetaso pariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā anupādāya ca na paritassati.
Na vedanaṁ …
na saññaṁ …
na saṅkhāre …
na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ na attani vā viññāṇaṁ na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.

And how is it not anxious because of grasping? It’s when a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. When that form decays and perishes, consciousness doesn’t latch on to the perishing of form. Anxieties—born of latching on to the perishing of form and originating in accordance with natural principles—don’t occupy the mind. So it does not become frightened, worried, concerned, or anxious because of grasping. They don’t regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

Tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti.
Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na ca viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti.
Tassa na viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti.
Cetaso pariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā, anupādāya ca na paritassati.
Evaṁ kho, āvuso, anupādā aparitassanā hoti.

When that consciousness decays and perishes, consciousness doesn’t latch on to the perishing of consciousness. Anxieties—born of latching on to the perishing of consciousness and originating in accordance with natural principles—don’t occupy the mind. So it does not become frightened, worried, concerned, or anxious because of grasping. That’s how it is not anxious because of grasping.

Yaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho:
‘tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya.
Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī’ti.
Imassa kho ahaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi.
Ākaṅkhamānā ca pana tumhe āyasmanto bhagavantaṁyeva upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha;
yathā vo bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā”ti.

The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘A mendicant should examine in whatever way such that, while examining, consciousness would neither be scattered nor diffused externally, nor stuck internally, and they would not be anxious because of grasping. When consciousness is neither scattered nor diffused externally, nor stuck internally, and they are not anxious because of grasping, there is no coming to be of the origin of suffering—of rebirth, old age, and death in the future.’ And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this summary recital. If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

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