Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 38

Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhayasutta

The Longer Discourse on the Ending of Craving · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thatTaṁ teachingdhammaṁ hearssuṇāti a householdergahapati orvā a householder's childgahapatiputto orvā in someaññatarasmiṁ orvā familykule rebornpaccājāto.
theySo thattaṁ teachingdhammaṁ having heardsutvā in the Realized Onetathāgate faithsaddhaṁ gainspaṭilabhati.
theySo with thattena gain of faithsaddhāpaṭilābhena endowedsamannāgato thusiti reflectspaṭisañcikkhati:
cramped‘sambādho life at homegharāvāso dirtyrajāpatho, wide openabbhokāso life gone forthpabbajjā.
this is notNayidaṁ easysukaraṁ while living at homeagāraṁ living at homeajjhāvasatā utterly fullekantaparipuṇṇaṁ utterly pureekantaparisuddhaṁ like a polished shellsaṅkhalikhitaṁ spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ to leadcarituṁ.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā, ocher robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā, from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ should go forthpabbajeyyan’”ti.
theySo after some timeaparena timesamayena smallappaṁ orvā fortunebhogakkhandhaṁ having given uppahāya, largemahantaṁ orvā fortunebhogakkhandhaṁ having given uppahāya, smallappaṁ orvā family circleñātiparivaṭṭaṁ having given uppahāya, largemahantaṁ orvā family circleñātiparivaṭṭaṁ having given uppahāya, hair and beardkesamassuṁ having shaved offohāretvā, ocher robeskāsāyāni clothesvatthāni having dressed inacchādetvā, from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ goes forthpabbajati.

A householder hears that teaching, or a householder’s child, or someone reborn in a good family. They gain faith in the Realized One and reflect: ‘Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?’ After some time they give up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. They shave off hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

heSo thusevaṁ gone forthpabbajito beingsamāno of monksbhikkhūnaṁ undertaken the training and livelihoodsikkhāsājīvasamāpanno killing living creaturespāṇātipātaṁ having given uppahāya from killing living creaturespāṇātipātā refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti, having laid down the rodnihitadaṇḍo having laid down the swordnihitasattho scrupulouslajjī kinddayāpanno full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī dwellsviharati.
taking what is not givenAdinnādānaṁ having given uppahāya from taking what is not givenadinnādānā refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti, accepting what is givendinnādāyī expecting only what is givendinnapāṭikaṅkhī not by thievingathenena cleansucibhūtena by oneselfattanā dwellsviharati.
unchastityAbrahmacariyaṁ having given uppahāya chastebrahmacārī ishoti, set apartārācārī refrainingvirato from sexmethunā the vulgar actgāmadhammā.
lyingMusāvādaṁ having given uppahāya from lyingmusāvādā refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti, speaking the truthsaccavādī sticking to the truthsaccasandho honesttheto dependablepaccayiko not trickingavisaṁvādako of the worldlokassa.
backbitingPisuṇaṁ speechvācaṁ having given uppahāya from backbiting speechpisuṇāya speechvācāya refrainingpaṭivirato is—from herehoti—ito having heardsutvā notna thereamutra a reporterakkhātā of theseimesaṁ for dividingbhedāya, thereamutra orvā having heardsutvā notna of theseimesaṁ a reporterakkhātā of thoseamūsaṁ for dividingbhedāya. thusIti of those who are dividedbhinnānaṁ orvā a reconcilersandhātā, of those who are unitedsahitānaṁ orvā a supporteranuppadātā delighting in harmonysamaggārāmo loving harmonysamaggarato rejoicing in harmonysamagganandī, promoting harmonysamaggakaraṇiṁ speechvācaṁ a speakerbhāsitā ishoti.

Once they’ve gone forth, they take up the training and livelihood of the mendicants. They give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. They give up stealing. They take only what’s given, and expect only what’s given. They keep themselves clean by not thieving. They give up unchastity. They are chaste, set apart, refraining from the vulgar act of sex. They give up lying. They speak the truth and stick to the truth. They’re honest and dependable, and don’t trick the world with their words. They give up backbiting. They don’t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.

They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial. They refrain from injuring plants and seeds. They eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time. They refrain from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music. They refrain from attiring and adorning themselves with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. They refrain from high and luxurious beds. They refrain from receiving gold and currency, raw grains, raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land. They refrain from running errands and messages; buying and selling; falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence.

heSo contentsantuṭṭho ishoti with robes for looking after the bodykāyaparihārikena with robescīvarena with almsfood for looking after the stomachkucchiparihārikena with almsfood.piṇḍapātena. heSo whereveryena whereveryeneva goespakkamati taking only these thingssamādāyeva sets out.pakkamati.
just asSeyyathāpi indeednāma wingedpakkhī birdsakuṇo whereveryena whereveryeneva fliesḍeti wings as its only burdensapattabhārova flies;ḍeti;
in the same wayevameva a mendicantbhikkhu contentsantuṭṭho ishoti with robes for looking after the bodykāyaparihārikena with robes,cīvarena, with almsfood for looking after the stomachkucchiparihārikena with almsfood.piṇḍapātena. heSo whereveryena whereveryeneva goespakkamati taking only these thingssamādāyeva sets out.pakkamati.
heSo with thisiminā nobleariyena with the spectrum of ethicssīlakkhandhena endowedsamannāgato internallyajjhattaṁ blameless happinessanavajjasukhaṁ experiencespaṭisaṁvedeti.

They’re content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever they go, they set out taking only these things. They’re like a bird: wherever it flies, wings are its only burden. In the same way, a mendicant is content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever they go, they set out taking only these things. When they have this spectrum of noble ethics, they experience a blameless happiness inside themselves.

heSo with the eyecakkhunā a sightrūpaṁ having seendisvā notna one who grasps the signnimittaggāhī ishoti nor one who grasps the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī.
for whatever reasonYatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ the faculty of sightcakkhundriyaṁ unrestrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā would flow in uponanvāssaveyyuṁ for himtassa for restraintsaṁvarāya he practicespaṭipajjati, he protectsrakkhati the faculty of sightcakkhundriyaṁ, in the faculty of sightcakkhundriye restraintsaṁvaraṁ he achievesāpajjati.
with the earSotena a soundsaddaṁ having heardsutvā ……pe…
with the noseghānena an odorgandhaṁ having smelledghāyitvā ……pe…
with the tonguejivhāya a flavorrasaṁ having tastedsāyitvā ……pe…
with the bodykāyena a touchphoṭṭhabbaṁ having feltphusitvā ……pe…
with the mindmanasā an ideadhammaṁ having knownviññāya notna one who grasps the signnimittaggāhī ishoti nor one who grasps the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī.
for whatever reasonYatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ the faculty of mindmanindriyaṁ unrestrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness and displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā would flow in uponanvāssaveyyuṁ for himtassa for restraintsaṁvarāya he practicespaṭipajjati, he protectsrakkhati the faculty of mindmanindriyaṁ in the faculty of mindmanindriye restraintsaṁvaraṁ he achievesāpajjati.
heSo with thisiminā nobleariyena sense restraintindriyasaṁvarena endowedsamannāgato internallyajjhattaṁ unsullied blissabyāsekasukhaṁ he experiencespaṭisaṁvedeti.

When they see a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint. When they hear a sound with their ears … When they smell an odor with their nose … When they taste a flavor with their tongue … When they feel a touch with their body … When they know an idea with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint. When they have this noble sense restraint, they experience an unsullied bliss inside themselves.

heSo when going outabhikkante when coming backpaṭikkante acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, when looking aheadālokite when looking asidevilokite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, when bendingsamiñjite when extendingpasārite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robessaṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, when eatingasite when drinkingpīte when chewingkhāyite when tastingsāyite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, when urinating and defecatinguccārapassāvakamme acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, when walkinggate when standingṭhite when sittingnisinne when sleepingsutte when wakingjāgarite when speakingbhāsite when keeping silenttuṇhībhāve acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti.

They act with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.

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