Saccavibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 141

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

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Katamañcāvuso, domanassaṁ?
Yaṁ kho, āvuso, cetasikaṁ dukkhaṁ cetasikaṁ asātaṁ manosamphassajaṁ dukkhaṁ asātaṁ vedayitaṁ,
idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘domanassaṁ’.

And what is sadness? Mental pain, mental displeasure, the painful, unpleasant feeling that’s born from mind contact. This is called sadness.

Katamo cāvuso, upāyāso?
Yo kho, āvuso, aññataraññatarena byasanena samannāgatassa aññataraññatarena dukkhadhammena phuṭṭhassa āyāso upāyāso āyāsitattaṁ upāyāsitattaṁ,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘upāyāso’.

And what is distress? The stress, distress, state of stress and distress in someone who has undergone misfortune, who has experienced suffering. This is called distress.

Katamañcāvuso, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ?
Jātidhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ evaṁ icchā uppajjati:
‘aho vata mayaṁ na jātidhammā assāma; na ca vata no jāti āgaccheyyā’ti.
Na kho panetaṁ icchāya pattabbaṁ.
Idampi: ‘yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ’.
Jarādhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ …pe…
byādhidhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ …
maraṇadhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ …
sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammānaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ evaṁ icchā uppajjati:
‘aho vata mayaṁ na sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā assāma; na ca vata no sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā āgaccheyyun’ti.
Na kho panetaṁ icchāya pattabbaṁ.
Idampi: ‘yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ’.

And what is ‘not getting what you wish for is suffering’? In sentient beings who are liable to be reborn, such a wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not liable to be reborn! If only rebirth would not come to us!’ But you can’t get that by wishing. This is: ‘not getting what you wish for is suffering’. In sentient beings who are liable to grow old … fall ill … die … experience sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress, such a wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not liable to experience sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress! If only sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress would not come to us!’ But you can’t get that by wishing. This is: ‘not getting what you wish for is suffering’.

Katame cāvuso, saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā?
Seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
Ime vuccantāvuso: ‘saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā’.
Idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

And what is ‘in brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering’? They are the grasping aggregates that consist of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. This is called ‘in brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering’. This is called the noble truth of suffering.

Katamañcāvuso, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ?
Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ—
kāmataṇhā bhavataṇhā vibhavataṇhā,
idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

And what is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence. This is called the noble truth of the origin of suffering.

Katamañcāvuso, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ?
Yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo,
idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ’.

And what is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering? It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving no residue left behind; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it. This is called the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.

Katamañcāvuso, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ?
Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—
sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi.

And what is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Katamā cāvuso, sammādiṭṭhi?
Yaṁ kho, āvuso, dukkhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammādiṭṭhi’.

And what is right view? Knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is called right view.

Katamo cāvuso, sammāsaṅkappo?
Nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāsaṅkappo’.

And what is right purpose? Purposes of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. This is called right purpose.

Katamā cāvuso, sammāvācā?
Musāvādā veramaṇī, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī, samphappalāpā veramaṇī,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāvācā’.

And what is right speech? Refraining from lying, backbiting, harsh speech, and talking nonsense. This is called right speech.

Katamo cāvuso, sammākammanto?
Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, adinnādānā veramaṇī, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammākammanto’.

And what is right action? Refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct. This is called right action.

Katamo cāvuso, sammāājīvo?
Idhāvuso, ariyasāvako micchāājīvaṁ pahāya sammāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāājīvo’.

And what is right livelihood? It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. This is called right livelihood.

Katamo cāvuso, sammāvāyāmo?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati,
uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati,
anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati,
uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāvāyāmo’.

And what is right effort? It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fully developed. This is called right effort.

Katamā cāvuso, sammāsati?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe…
citte cittānupassī viharati …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāsati’.

And what is right mindfulness? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is called right mindfulness.

Katamo cāvuso, sammāsamādhi?
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati,
vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati,
pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe…
catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati,
ayaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘sammāsamādhi’.
Idaṁ vuccatāvuso: ‘dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṁ’.

And what is right immersion? 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. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. This is called right immersion. This is called the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

Tathāgatenāvuso, arahatā sammāsambuddhena bārāṇasiyaṁ isipatane migadāye anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ appaṭivattiyaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ, yadidaṁ—
imesaṁ catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhanā desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkamman”ti.
Idamavoca āyasmā sāriputto.
Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Saccavibhaṅgasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ ekādasamaṁ.

Near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana, the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma. And that wheel cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world. It is the teaching, advocating, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing of the four noble truths.” That is what Venerable Sāriputta said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what Sāriputta said.

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