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Majjhima Nikāya 13

Mahādukkhakkhandhasutta

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

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Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tameva bhaginiṁ passeyya sarīraṁ sivathikāya chaḍḍitaṁ—
aṭṭhikāni setāni saṅkhavaṇṇapaṭibhāgāni, aṭṭhikāni puñjakitāni terovassikāni, aṭṭhikāni pūtīni cuṇṇakajātāni.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
yā purimā subhā vaṇṇanibhā sā antarahitā, ādīnavo pātubhūtoti?
‘Evaṁ, bhante’.
Ayampi, bhikkhave, rūpānaṁ ādīnavo.

Furthermore, suppose that you were to see that same sister as a corpse discarded in a charnel ground. And it had been reduced to white bones, the color of shells … Decrepit bones, heaped in a pile … Bones rotted and crumbled to powder. What do you think, mendicants? Has not that former beauty vanished and the drawback become clear?” “Yes, sir.” “This too is the drawback of forms.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, rūpānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ?
Yo, bhikkhave, rūpesu chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ—idaṁ rūpānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ.

And what is the escape from forms? Removing and giving up desire and greed for forms: this is the escape from forms.

Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā evaṁ rūpānaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti te vata sāmaṁ vā rūpe parijānissanti, paraṁ vā tathattāya samādapessanti yathā paṭipanno rūpe parijānissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā evaṁ rūpānaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti te vata sāmaṁ vā rūpe parijānissanti paraṁ vā tathattāya samādapessanti yathā paṭipanno rūpe parijānissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand forms’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are. It’s impossible for them to completely understand forms themselves, or to instruct another so that, practicing accordingly, they will completely understand forms. There are ascetics and brahmins who do truly understand forms’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are. It is possible for them to completely understand forms themselves, or to instruct another so that, practicing accordingly, they will completely understand forms.

Ko ca, bhikkhave, vedanānaṁ assādo?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, neva tasmiṁ samaye attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti;
abyābajjhaṁyeva tasmiṁ samaye vedanaṁ vedeti.
Abyābajjhaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, vedanānaṁ assādaṁ vadāmi.

And what is the gratification of feelings? 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. At that time a mendicant doesn’t intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, or hurt both; they feel only feelings that are not hurtful. Freedom from being hurt is the ultimate gratification of feelings, I say.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe…
yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā, upekkhako ca viharati, sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe…
yasmiṁ samaye, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, neva tasmiṁ samaye attabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na parabyābādhāyapi ceteti, na ubhayabyābādhāyapi ceteti;
abyābajjhaṁyeva tasmiṁ samaye vedanaṁ vedeti.
Abyābajjhaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, vedanānaṁ assādaṁ vadāmi.

Furthermore, a mendicant enters and remains in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption. At that time a mendicant doesn’t intend to hurt themselves, hurt others, or hurt both; they feel only feelings that are not hurtful. Freedom from being hurt is the ultimate gratification of feelings, I say.

Ko ca, bhikkhave, vedanānaṁ ādīnavo?
Yaṁ, bhikkhave, vedanā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā—ayaṁ vedanānaṁ ādīnavo.

And what is the drawback of feelings? That feelings are impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is their drawback.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, vedanānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ?
Yo, bhikkhave, vedanāsu chandarāgavinayo, chandarāgappahānaṁ—idaṁ vedanānaṁ nissaraṇaṁ.

And what is the escape from feelings? Removing and giving up desire and greed for feelings: this is the escape from feelings.

Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā evaṁ vedanānaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te vata sāmaṁ vā vedanaṁ parijānissanti, paraṁ vā tathattāya samādapessanti yathā paṭipanno vedanaṁ parijānissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā evaṁ vedanānaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti te vata sāmaṁ vā vedanaṁ parijānissanti, paraṁ vā tathattāya samādapessanti yathā paṭipanno vedanaṁ parijānissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Mahādukkhakkhandhasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.

There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand feelings’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are. It’s impossible for them to completely understand feelings themselves, or to instruct another so that, practicing accordingly, they will completely understand feelings. There are ascetics and brahmins who do truly understand feelings’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are. It is possible for them to completely understand feelings themselves, or to instruct another so that, practicing accordingly, they will completely understand feelings.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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