Dhātuvibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 140

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

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So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘imañce ahaṁ upekkhaṁ evaṁ parisuddhaṁ evaṁ pariyodātaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasaṁhareyyaṁ, tadanudhammañca cittaṁ bhāveyyaṁ;
saṅkhatametaṁ.
Imañce ahaṁ upekkhaṁ evaṁ parisuddhaṁ evaṁ pariyodātaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasaṁhareyyaṁ, tadanudhammañca cittaṁ bhāveyyaṁ;
saṅkhatametaṁ.
Imañce ahaṁ upekkhaṁ evaṁ parisuddhaṁ evaṁ pariyodātaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasaṁhareyyaṁ, tadanudhammañca cittaṁ bhāveyyaṁ;
saṅkhatametaṁ.
Imañce ahaṁ upekkhaṁ evaṁ parisuddhaṁ evaṁ pariyodātaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasaṁhareyyaṁ, tadanudhammañca cittaṁ bhāveyyaṁ;
saṅkhatametan’ti.
So neva taṁ abhisaṅkharoti, na abhisañcetayati bhavāya vā vibhavāya vā.
So anabhisaṅkharonto anabhisañcetayanto bhavāya vā vibhavāya vā na kiñci loke upādiyati,
anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaṁyeva parinibbāyati.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.

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.’

So sukhañce vedanaṁ vedeti, ‘sā aniccā’ti pajānāti, ‘anajjhositā’ti pajānāti, ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti.
Dukkhañce vedanaṁ vedeti, ‘sā aniccā’ti pajānāti, ‘anajjhositā’ti pajānāti, ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti.
Adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṁ vedeti, ‘sā aniccā’ti pajānāti, ‘anajjhositā’ti pajānāti, ‘anabhinanditā’ti pajānāti.

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.

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.’

Tasmā evaṁ samannāgato bhikkhu iminā paramena paññādhiṭṭhānena samannāgato hoti.
Esā hi, bhikkhu, paramā ariyā paññā yadidaṁ—
sabbadukkhakkhaye ñāṇaṁ.

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.

Tassa sā vimutti sacce ṭhitā akuppā hoti.
Tañhi, bhikkhu, musā yaṁ mosadhammaṁ, taṁ saccaṁ yaṁ amosadhammaṁ nibbānaṁ.
Tasmā evaṁ samannāgato bhikkhu iminā paramena saccādhiṭṭhānena samannāgato hoti.
Etañhi, bhikkhu, paramaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yadidaṁ—
amosadhammaṁ nibbānaṁ.

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.

Tasseva kho pana pubbe aviddasuno upadhī honti samattā samādinnā.
Tyāssa pahīnā honti ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.
Tasmā evaṁ samannāgato bhikkhu iminā paramena cāgādhiṭṭhānena samannāgato hoti.
Eso hi, bhikkhu, paramo ariyo cāgo yadidaṁ—
sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo.

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.

Tasseva kho pana pubbe aviddasuno abhijjhā hoti chando sārāgo.
Svāssa pahīno hoti ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.
Tasseva kho pana pubbe aviddasuno āghāto hoti byāpādo sampadoso.
Svāssa pahīno hoti ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.
Tasseva kho pana pubbe aviddasuno avijjā hoti sammoho.
Svāssa pahīno hoti ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.
Tasmā evaṁ samannāgato bhikkhu iminā paramena upasamādhiṭṭhānena samannāgato hoti.
Eso hi, bhikkhu, paramo ariyo upasamo yadidaṁ—
rāgadosamohānaṁ 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.

‘Paññaṁ nappamajjeyya, saccamanurakkheyya, cāgamanubrūheyya, santimeva so sikkheyyā’ti—
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘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.

‘Yattha ṭhitaṁ maññassavā nappavattanti, maññassave kho pana nappavattamāne muni santoti vuccatī’ti—
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

‘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?

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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