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Majjhima Nikāya 13

Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta

The Longer Discourse on the Mass of Suffering · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ separately·dwellviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monasteryārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho severalsambahulā monksbhikkhū morning·timepubbaṇhasamayaṁ down·dressnivāsetvā bowl·robe·takingpattacīvaramādāya Sāvatthīsāvatthiṁ for almspiṇḍāya enteredpāvisiṁsu.
thenAtha indeedkho of thosetesaṁ of the monksbhikkhūnaṁ it occurred to them:etadahosi:
too early“atippago indeedkho stilltāva in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ for almspiṇḍāya to wandercarituṁ,
thatyaṁ surelynūna wemayaṁ whereyena other·sectarianaññatitthiyānaṁ of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ monasteryārāmo there we would approachtenupasaṅkameyyāmā”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū whereyena other·sectarianaññatitthiyānaṁ of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ monasteryārāmo there they approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; up·approachupasaṅkamitvā with thosetehi other·sectarianaññatitthiyehi with wanderersparibbājakehi together withsaddhiṁ exchanged greetingssammodiṁsu;
greetingsammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ over·exchangevītisāretvā one·sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdiṁsu. to one sideEkamantaṁ down·sitnisinne indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū thosete other·sectarianaññatitthiyā wanderersparibbājakā said to them:etadavocuṁ:

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then it occurred to them, “It’s too early to wander for alms in Sāvatthī. Why don’t we visit the monastery for the wanderers of other religions?” Then they went to the monastery for the wanderers of other religions and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. The wanderers said to them:

ascetic“samaṇo, reverendāvuso, Gotamagotamo of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ complete·knowpariññaṁ advocatespaññapeti, we·toomayampi of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ complete·knowpariññaṁ we advocatepaññapema;
asceticsamaṇo, reverendāvuso, Gotamagotamo of formsrūpānaṁ complete·knowpariññaṁ advocatespaññapeti, we·toomayampi of formsrūpānaṁ complete·knowpariññaṁ we advocatepaññapema;
asceticsamaṇo, reverendāvuso, Gotamagotamo of feelingsvedanānaṁ complete·knowpariññaṁ advocatespaññapeti, we·toomayampi of feelingsvedanānaṁ complete·knowpariññaṁ we advocatepaññapema;
hereidha thenno, reverendāvuso, whatko differenceviseso, whatko distinctionadhippayāso, whatkiṁ differencenānākaraṇaṁ of the asceticsamaṇassa orvā of Gotamagotamassa of oursamhākaṁ orvā—
which + thisyadidaṁ dhamma·teachingdhammadesanāya orvā teaching of dhammadhammadesanaṁ, by instructionanusāsaniyā orvā instructionanusāsanin”ti?

“Reverends, the ascetic Gotama advocates the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, and so do we. The ascetic Gotama advocates the complete understanding of forms, and so do we. The ascetic Gotama advocates the complete understanding of feelings, and so do we. What, then, is the difference between the ascetic Gotama’s teaching and instruction and ours?”

thenAtha indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of thosetesaṁ other·sectariansaññatitthiyānaṁ of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ statementbhāsitaṁ neitherneva approvedabhinandiṁsu, nor rejectednappaṭikkosiṁsu;
not·towards·rejoiceanabhinanditvā having not rejectedappaṭikkositvā having risen from their seatsuṭṭhāyāsanā they departedpakkamiṁsu:
of the Blessed One“bhagavato in the presencesantike of thisetassa of the statementbhāsitassa the meaningatthaṁ we will learnājānissāmā”ti.

Those mendicants neither approved nor rejected that statement of the wanderers of other religions. They rose from their seats, thinking, “We will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself.”

thenAtha indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ for almspiṇḍāya having walkedcaritvā after the mealpacchābhattaṁ returned from almsroundpiṇḍapātapaṭikkantā whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā they approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinnā indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavocuṁ:
here“idha wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, in the morningpubbaṇhasamayaṁ having dressednivāsetvā taking bowl and robepattacīvaramādāya Sāvatthīsāvatthiṁ for almspiṇḍāya we enteredpāvisimha.
of thoseTesaṁ to usno, venerable sirbhante, of usamhākaṁ this occurredetadahosi:
too early‘atippago indeedkho stilltāva in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ for almspiṇḍāya to walkcarituṁ,
thatyaṁ nownūna wemayaṁ whereyena of the wanderers of other sectsaññatitthiyānaṁ of the wanderersparibbājakānaṁ parkārāmo we might approachtenupasaṅkameyyāmā’ti.
thenAtha indeedkho wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, whereyena of the wanderers of other sectsaññatitthiyānaṁ of the wanderersparibbājakānaṁ parkārāmo we approachedtenupasaṅkamimha; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with thosetehi wanderers of other sectsaññatitthiyehi wanderersparibbājakehi together withsaddhiṁ we exchanged greetingssammodimha;
cordialsammodanīyaṁ talkkathaṁ courteoussāraṇīyaṁ having concludedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ we sat downnisīdimha. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinne indeedkho usamhe, venerable sirbhante, thosete wanderers of other sectsaññatitthiyā wanderersparibbājakā said thisetadavocuṁ:
the ascetic‘samaṇo, friendāvuso, Gotamagotamo of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ full understandingpariññaṁ proclaimspaññapeti, we alsomayampi of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ full understandingpariññaṁ we proclaimpaññapema.

Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said:

the asceticSamaṇo, friendāvuso, Gotamagotamo of formsrūpānaṁ full·knowpariññaṁ makes knownpaññapeti, we·toomayampi of formsrūpānaṁ full·knowpariññaṁ we make knownpaññapema.
the asceticSamaṇo, friendāvuso, Gotamagotamo of feelingsvedanānaṁ full·knowpariññaṁ makes knownpaññapeti, we·toomayampi of feelingsvedanānaṁ full·knowpariññaṁ we make knownpaññapema.
hereIdha thenno, friendāvuso, whatko differenceviseso, whatko higher·distinctionadhippayāso, whatkiṁ differencenānākaraṇaṁ of the asceticsamaṇassa orvā of Gotamagotamassa of usamhākaṁ orvā, that + thisyadidaṁ dhamma·teachingdhammadesanāya orvā dhamma·teachingdhammadesanaṁ along·instructionanusāsaniyā orvā along·instructionanusāsanin’ti.
thenAtha indeedkho wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of thosetesaṁ other·sectarianaññatitthiyānaṁ around·wandererparibbājakānaṁ speechbhāsitaṁ not·evenneva at·rejoiceabhinandimha, not·rejectnappaṭikkosimha;
not·at·rejoiceanabhinanditvā not·rejectappaṭikkositvā having risen from seatuṭṭhāyāsanā we departedpakkamimha:
of the Blessed One‘bhagavato in the presencesantike of thisetassa of the speechbhāsitassa meaningatthaṁ to·knowājānissāmā’”ti.

The ascetic Gotama, friend, makes known the full understanding of forms; we too make known the full understanding of forms. The ascetic Gotama, friend, makes known the full understanding of feelings; we too make known the full understanding of feelings. Here then, friend, what is the difference, what is the distinction, what is the disparity between the ascetic Gotama and us, that is, regarding the teaching of dhamma or the instruction? Then, venerable sir, we neither rejoiced at the speech of those wanderers of other sects, nor rejected it; without rejoicing, without rejecting, we rose from our seats and departed, thinking: 'We will understand the meaning of this speech in the presence of the Blessed One.'

Thus speaking“Evaṁvādino, monksbhikkhave, other·sectariansaññatitthiyā wanderersparibbājakā thus·they should beevamassu to be spoken tovacanīyā:
what‘ko but reverendspanāvuso, of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ gratificationassādo, whatko drawbackādīnavo, whatkiṁ escapenissaraṇaṁ?
WhatKo of formsrūpānaṁ gratificationassādo, whatko drawbackādīnavo, whatkiṁ escapenissaraṇaṁ?
WhatKo of feelingsvedanānaṁ gratificationassādo, whatko drawbackādīnavo, whatkiṁ escapenissaraṇan’ti?
ThusEvaṁ askedpuṭṭhā, monksbhikkhave, other·sectariansaññatitthiyā wanderersparibbājakā notna and·indeedceva would be stumpedsampāyissanti, and in additionuttariñca frustrationvighātaṁ would getāpajjissanti.
ThatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
BecauseYathā thattaṁ, monksbhikkhave, out of one's elementavisayasmiṁ.
not·INāhaṁ thattaṁ, monksbhikkhave, I seepassāmi with·godssadevake worldloke with·Mārassamārake with·Brahmāssabrahmake with·ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā populationpajāya with·gods and humanssadevamanussāya whoyo of theseimesaṁ questionspañhānaṁ with an answerveyyākaraṇena mindcittaṁ would satisfyārādheyya, exceptaññatra the Realized Onetathāgatena orvā Realized One·discipletathāgatasāvakena orvā, from themito orvā butpana having heardsutvā.

“Mendicants, when wanderers of other religions say this, you should say to them: ‘But reverends, what’s the gratification, the drawback, and the escape when it comes to sensual pleasures? What’s the gratification, the drawback, and the escape when it comes to forms? What’s the gratification, the drawback, and the escape when it comes to feelings?’ Questioned like this, the wanderers of other religions would be stumped, and, in addition, would get frustrated. Why is that? Because they’re out of their element. I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who could provide a satisfying answer to these questions except the Realized One or his disciple or someone who has heard it from them.

whatKo andca, monksbhikkhave, of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ gratificationassādo?
these fivePañcime, monksbhikkhave, kinds of sensual stimulationkāmaguṇā.
whichKatame fivepañca?
known by the eyeCakkhuviññeyyā sightsrūpā likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā pleasantpiyarūpā sensualkāmūpasaṁhitā arousingrajanīyā,
known by the earsotaviññeyyā soundssaddā ……pe…
known by the noseghānaviññeyyā smellsgandhā ……
known by the tonguejivhāviññeyyā tastesrasā ……
known by the bodykāyaviññeyyā touchesphoṭṭhabbā likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā pleasantpiyarūpā sensualkāmūpasaṁhitā arousingrajanīyā—
theseime indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, fivepañca kinds of sensual stimulationkāmaguṇā.
theYaṁ indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, theseime fivepañca kinds of sensual stimulationkāmaguṇe dependent onpaṭicca arisesuppajjati pleasuresukhaṁ happiness—thissomanassaṁ—ayaṁ of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ gratificationassādo.

And what is the gratification of sensual pleasures? There are these five kinds of sensual stimulation. What five? Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation. The pleasure and happiness that arise from these five kinds of sensual stimulation: this is the gratification of sensual pleasures.

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