Dhātuvibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 140

The Analysis of the Elements · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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They understand: ‘If I were to apply this equanimity, so pure and bright, to the dimension of infinite space, my mind would develop accordingly. But that is conditioned. If I were to apply this equanimity, so pure and bright, to the dimension of infinite consciousness … nothingness … neither perception nor non-perception, my mind would develop accordingly. But that is conditioned.’ They neither make a choice nor form an intention for existence or nonexistence. Because of this, they don’t grasp at anything in the world. Not grasping, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’

If they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it. If they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it. If they feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.

heSo pleasant + ifsukhañce feelingvedanaṁ feelsvedeti, apart·attachedvisaṁyutto itnaṁ feelsvedeti;
painful + ifdukkhañce feelingvedanaṁ feelsvedeti, apart·attachedvisaṁyutto itnaṁ feelsvedeti;
neutral + ifadukkhamasukhañce feelingvedanaṁ feelsvedeti, apart·attachedvisaṁyutto itnaṁ feelsvedeti.
heSo body·boundedkāyapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ feelingvedayamāno 'bounded by the body‘kāyapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ I feel'vedayāmī’ti understandspajānāti, life·boundedjīvitapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ feelingvedayamāno 'bounded by life‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ I feel'vedayāmī’ti understandspajānāti,
'of the body‘kāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā afteruddhaṁ life·endingjīvitapariyādānā right hereidheva all·feltsabbavedayitāni not·delightedanabhinanditāni will become cool'sītībhavissantī’ti understandspajānāti.
just asSeyyathāpi, monkbhikkhu, oil + andtelañca depending onpaṭicca wick + andvaṭṭiñca depending onpaṭicca oil·lamptelappadīpo burnsjhāyati;
of that verytasseva of the oiltelassa andca of the wickvaṭṭiyā andca from exhaustionpariyādānā of otheraññassa andca not·fuelanupahārā not·fedanāhāro is extinguishednibbāyati;
even soevameva indeedkho, monkbhikkhu, body·boundedkāyapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ feelingvedayamāno 'bounded by the body‘kāyapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ I feel'vedayāmī’ti understandspajānāti, life·boundedjīvitapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ feelingvedayamāno 'bounded by life‘jīvitapariyantikaṁ feelingvedanaṁ I feel'vedayāmī’ti understandspajānāti,
'of the body‘kāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā afteruddhaṁ life·endingjīvitapariyādānā right hereidheva all·feltsabbavedayitāni not·delightedanabhinanditāni will become cool'sītībhavissantī’ti understandspajānāti.

If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a painful feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a neutral feeling, they feel it detached. Feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’ They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life has come to an end, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’ Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn. As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to not being fed. In the same way, feeling the end of the body draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body draw close.’ Feeling the end of life draw close, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life draw close.’ They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life has come to an end, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’

thereforeTasmā thusevaṁ endowedsamannāgato mendicantbhikkhu with thisiminā ultimateparamena foundation of wisdompaññādhiṭṭhānena endowedsamannāgato ishoti.
thisEsā indeedhi, mendicantbhikkhu, ultimateparamā nobleariyā wisdompaññā namelyyadidaṁ—
in the ending of all sufferingsabbadukkhakkhaye knowledgeñāṇaṁ.

Therefore a mendicant thus endowed is endowed with the ultimate foundation of wisdom. For this is the ultimate noble wisdom, namely, the knowledge of the ending of all suffering.

of thatTassa thatsā freedomvimutti on truthsacce foundedṭhitā un-·shakeakuppā ishoti.
that·forTañhi, monkbhikkhu, falsemusā whichyaṁ deceptive·naturemosadhammaṁ, thattaṁ truesaccaṁ whichyaṁ un-·deceptive·natureamosadhammaṁ extinguishmentnibbānaṁ.
thereforeTasmā thusevaṁ endowedsamannāgato monkbhikkhu with thisiminā ultimateparamena foundation of truthsaccādhiṭṭhānena endowedsamannāgato ishoti.
this·forEtañhi, monkbhikkhu, ultimateparamaṁ noble·truthariyasaccaṁ namelyyadidaṁ—
un-·deceptive·natureamosadhammaṁ extinguishmentnibbānaṁ.

Their freedom, being founded on truth, is unshakable. For that which is false has a deceptive nature, while that which is true has an undeceptive nature—extinguishment. Therefore a mendicant thus endowed is endowed with the ultimate foundation of truth. For this is the ultimate noble truth, namely, that which has an undeceptive nature—extinguishment.

that·veryTasseva indeedkho andpana formerlypubbe without·knowaviddasuno near·holdupadhī arehonti fully·takensamattā fully·toward·givensamādinnā.
him + thoseTyāssa forth·leftpahīnā arehonti cut·rootucchinnamūlā made like a palm stumptālāvatthukatā not·existence·madeanabhāvaṅkatā toward·goāyatiṁ not·arising·natureanuppādadhammā.
thereforeTasmā thusevaṁ with·gonesamannāgato mendicantbhikkhu with thisiminā ultimateparamena foundation of generositycāgādhiṭṭhānena with·gonesamannāgato ishoti.
thisEso forhi, mendicantbhikkhu, ultimateparamo nobleariyo generositycāgo which + thisyadidaṁ—
letting go of all attachmentssabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo.

In their ignorance, they used to acquire attachments. Those have been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so they are unable to arise in the future. Therefore a mendicant thus endowed is endowed with the ultimate foundation of generosity. For this is the ultimate noble generosity, namely, letting go of all attachments.

that·indeedTasseva indeedkho butpana formerlypubbe not·knowaviddasuno covetousnessabhijjhā ishoti desirechando lust.sārāgo.
that + for himSvāssa abandonedpahīno ishoti cut off at the rootucchinnamūlo made like a palm stumptālāvatthukato obliteratedanabhāvaṅkato in the futureāyatiṁ unable to arise.anuppādadhammo.
that·indeedTasseva indeedkho butpana formerlypubbe not·knowaviddasuno ill willāghāto ishoti malevolencebyāpādo ill will.sampadoso.
that + for himSvāssa abandonedpahīno ishoti cut off at the rootucchinnamūlo made like a palm stumptālāvatthukato obliteratedanabhāvaṅkato in the futureāyatiṁ unable to arise.anuppādadhammo.
that·indeedTasseva indeedkho butpana formerlypubbe not·knowaviddasuno not·knowledgeavijjā ishoti delusion.sammoho.
that + for himSvāssa abandonedpahīno ishoti cut off at the rootucchinnamūlo made like a palm stumptālāvatthukato obliteratedanabhāvaṅkato in the futureāyatiṁ unable to arise.anuppādadhammo.
thereforeTasmā thusevaṁ endowedsamannāgato mendicantbhikkhu with thisiminā ultimateparamena with the foundation of peaceupasamādhiṭṭhānena endowedsamannāgato is.hoti.
thisEso indeed,hi, mendicant,bhikkhu, ultimateparamo nobleariyo peaceupasamo namely—yadidaṁ—
greed·hate·delusionrāgadosamohānaṁ peace.upasamo.

In their ignorance, they used to be covetous, full of desire and lust. That has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so it’s unable to arise in the future. In their ignorance, they used to be contemptuous, full of ill will and malevolence. That has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so it’s unable to arise in the future. In their ignorance, they used to be ignorant, full of delusion. That has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so it’s unable to arise in the future. Therefore a mendicant thus endowed is endowed with the ultimate foundation of peace. For this is the ultimate noble peace, namely, the pacification of greed, hate, and delusion.

wisdom‘Paññaṁ should not neglectnappamajjeyya, should preserve truthsaccamanurakkheyya, should foster generositycāgamanubrūheyya, peace onlysantimeva heso should trainsikkheyyā’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ, this is thatidametaṁ because ofpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ.

‘Do not neglect wisdom; preserve truth; foster generosity; and train only for peace.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

where‘Yattha standingṭhitaṁ streams of conceivingmaññassavā do not flownappavattanti, streams of conceivingmaññassave indeedkho andpana not·flownappavattamāne a sagemuni at peacesantoti call·quotation markervuccatī’ti—
thusiti indeedkho and thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ. and why thisKiñcetaṁ owing topaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ?

‘Where they stand, the streams of conceiving do not flow. And where the streams of conceiving do not flow, they are called a sage at peace.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

I am + quotation marker‘Asmī’ti, monkbhikkhu, conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, this + I·am + quotation marker‘ayamahamasmī’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, will be + quotation marker‘bhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, 'not‘na will be + quotation markerbhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, 'having form‘rūpī will be + quotation markerbhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, 'formless‘arūpī will be + quotation markerbhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, 'percipient‘saññī will be + quotation markerbhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, 'non-percipient‘asaññī will be + quotation markerbhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ, 'neither percipient nor non-percipient‘nevasaññīnāsaññī will be + quotation markerbhavissan’ti conceiving + thismaññitametaṁ.
conceivingMaññitaṁ, monkbhikkhu, a diseaserogo conceivingmaññitaṁ a boilgaṇḍo conceivingmaññitaṁ a dart.sallaṁ.
all·conceivingsSabbamaññitānaṁ indeedtveva, monkbhikkhu, by passing beyondsamatikkamā a sagemuni at peace + quotation markersantoti is called.vuccati.
the sageMuni indeedkho furtherpana, monkbhikkhu, at peacesanto notna is rebornjāyati, notna grows oldjīyati, notna diesmīyati, notna is shakenkuppati, notna yearns.piheti.
for that one indeedTañhissa, monkbhikkhu, there is notnatthi because of whichyena would be rebornjāyetha, not·be bornajāyamāno howkiṁ will grow oldjīyissati, not·grow oldajīyamāno howkiṁ will diemīyissati, not·dieamīyamāno howkiṁ will be shakenkuppissati, not·be shakenakuppamāno for whatkissa will yearn?pihessati?

These are all forms of conceiving: ‘I am’, ‘I am this’, ‘I will be’, ‘I will not be’, ‘I will have form’, ‘I will be formless’, ‘I will be percipient’, ‘I will be non-percipient’, ‘I will be neither percipient nor non-percipient.’ Conceiving is a disease, a boil, a dart. Having gone beyond all conceiving, one is called a sage at peace. The sage at peace is not reborn, does not grow old, and does not die. They are not shaken, and do not yearn. For they have nothing which would cause them to be reborn. Not being reborn, how could they grow old? Not growing old, how could they die? Not dying, how could they be shaken? Not shaking, for what could they yearn?

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