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
was stayingviharati
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
in the morningpubbaṇhasamayaṁ
having robed upnivāsetvā
taking bowl and robepattacīvaramādāya
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
of other religionsaññatitthiyānaṁ
of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ
monasteryārāmo
there we would approachtenupasaṅkameyyāmā”ti.
thenAtha
indeedkho
thosete
monksbhikkhū
whereyena
of other religionsaññatitthiyānaṁ
of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ
monasteryārāmo
there they approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu;
having approachedupasaṅkamitvā
with thosetehi
with other-religionaññatitthiyehi
with wanderersparibbājakehi
together withsaddhiṁ
exchanged greetingssammodiṁsu;
greetingsammodanīyaṁ
conversationkathaṁ
politesāraṇīyaṁ
having exchangedvītisāretvā
to one sideekamantaṁ
sat downnisīdiṁsu.
to one sideEkamantaṁ
seatednisinne
indeedkho
thosete
monksbhikkhū
thosete
other-religionaññatitthiyā
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 understandingpariññaṁ
advocatespaññapeti,
and we toomayampi
of sensual pleasureskāmānaṁ
complete understandingpariññaṁ
we advocatepaññapema;
asceticsamaṇo,
reverendāvuso,
Gotamagotamo
of formsrūpānaṁ
complete understandingpariññaṁ
advocatespaññapeti,
and we toomayampi
of formsrūpānaṁ
complete understandingpariññaṁ
we advocatepaññapema;
asceticsamaṇo,
reverendāvuso,
Gotamagotamo
of feelingsvedanānaṁ
complete understandingpariññaṁ
advocatespaññapeti,
and we toomayampi
of feelingsvedanānaṁ
complete understandingpariññaṁ
we advocatepaññapema;
hereidha
thenno,
reverendāvuso,
whatko
differenceviseso,
whatko
distinctionadhippayāso,
whatkiṁ
differencenānākaraṇaṁ
of the asceticsamaṇassa
orvā
of Gotamagotamassa
of oursamhākaṁ
orvā—
that isyadidaṁ
by teaching of dhammadhammadesanāya
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
of other religionsaññatitthiyānaṁ
of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ
statementbhāsitaṁ
neitherneva
approvedabhinandiṁsu,
nor rejectednappaṭikkosiṁsu;
having not approvedanabhinanditvā
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 understandingpariññaṁ
makes knownpaññapeti,
we toomayampi
of formsrūpānaṁ
full understandingpariññaṁ
we make knownpaññapema.
the asceticSamaṇo,
friendāvuso,
Gotamagotamo
of feelingsvedanānaṁ
full understandingpariññaṁ
makes knownpaññapeti,
we toomayampi
of feelingsvedanānaṁ
full understandingpariññaṁ
we make knownpaññapema.
hereIdha
thenno,
friendāvuso,
whatko
differenceviseso,
whatko
distinctionadhippayāso,
whatkiṁ
differencenānākaraṇaṁ
of the asceticsamaṇassa
orvā
of Gotamagotamassa
of usamhākaṁ
orvā,
that isyadidaṁ
in teaching of dhammadhammadesanāya
orvā
teaching of dhammadhammadesanaṁ
in instructionanusāsaniyā
orvā
instructionanusāsanin’ti.
thenAtha
indeedkho
wemayaṁ,
venerable sirbhante,
of thosetesaṁ
of other sectariansaññatitthiyānaṁ
of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ
speechbhāsitaṁ
neitherneva
we rejoiced atabhinandimha,
nor rejectednappaṭikkosimha;
not having rejoiced atanabhinanditvā
not having rejectedappaṭikkositvā
having risen from seatuṭṭhāyāsanā
we departedpakkamimha:
of the Blessed One‘bhagavato
in the presencesantike
of thisetassa
of the speechbhāsitassa
meaningatthaṁ
we will understandājānissāmā’”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,
of other religionsaññatitthiyā
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,
of other religionsaññatitthiyā
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.
I notNāhaṁ
thattaṁ,
monksbhikkhave,
I seepassāmi
with its godssadevake
worldloke
with its Mārassamārake
with its Brahmāssabrahmake
with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā
populationpajāya
with its gods and humanssadevamanussāya
whoyo
of theseimesaṁ
questionspañhānaṁ
with an answerveyyākaraṇena
mindcittaṁ
would satisfyārādheyya,
exceptaññatra
the Realized Onetathāgatena
orvā
the Realized One's 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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