Cūḷavedallasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 44

The Shorter Classification · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Sabbāya nu kho, ayye, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti?
“Na kho, āvuso visākha, sabbāya sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, na sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, na sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.

“Do these underlying tendencies always underlie these feelings?” “No, they do not.”

“Sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṁ pahātabbaṁ, dukkhāya vedanāya kiṁ pahātabbaṁ, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya kiṁ pahātabban”ti?
“Sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo”ti.

“What should be given up in regard to each of these three feelings?” “The underlying tendency to greed should be given up when it comes to pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency to aversion should be given up when it comes to painful feeling. The underlying tendency to ignorance should be given up when it comes to neutral feeling.”

“Sabbāya nu kho, ayye, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo”ti?
“Na kho, āvuso visākha, sabbāya sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, na sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, na sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo.
Idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Rāgaṁ tena pajahati, na tattha rāgānusayo anuseti.
Idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:
‘kudāssu nāmāhaṁ tadāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharissāmi yadariyā etarahi āyatanaṁ upasampajja viharantī’ti?
Iti anuttaresu vimokkhesu pihaṁ upaṭṭhāpayato uppajjati pihāppaccayā domanassaṁ.
Paṭighaṁ tena pajahati, na tattha paṭighānusayo anuseti.

“Should these underlying tendencies be given up regarding all instances of these feelings?” “No, not in all instances. Take a mendicant who, 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. With this they give up greed, and the underlying tendency to greed does not lie within that. And take a mendicant who reflects: ‘Oh, when will I enter and remain in the same dimension that the noble ones enter and remain in today?’ Nursing such a longing for the supreme liberations gives rise to sadness due to longing. With this they give up aversion, and the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within that.

Idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā, dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā, adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Avijjaṁ tena pajahati, na tattha avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.

Take a mendicant who, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. With this they give up ignorance, and the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie within that.”

“But ma’am, what is the counterpart of pleasant feeling?” “Painful feeling.” “What is the counterpart of painful feeling?” “Pleasant feeling.” “What is the counterpart of neutral feeling?” “Ignorance.” “What is the counterpart of ignorance?” “Knowledge.” “What is the counterpart of knowledge?” “Freedom.” “What is the counterpart of freedom?” “Extinguishment.” “What is the counterpart of extinguishment?” “Your question goes too far, Visākha. You weren’t able to grasp the limit of questioning. For extinguishment is the objective, destination, and culmination of the spiritual life.

Ākaṅkhamāno ca tvaṁ, āvuso visākha, bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, yathā ca te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti.

If you wish, go to the Buddha and ask him this question. You should remember it in line with his answer.”

Atha kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā dhammadinnaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho visākho upāsako yāvatako ahosi dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.
Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā visākhaṁ upāsakaṁ etadavoca:
“paṇḍitā, visākha, dhammadinnā bhikkhunī, mahāpaññā, visākha, dhammadinnā bhikkhunī.
Mañcepi tvaṁ, visākha, etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, ahampi taṁ evamevaṁ byākareyyaṁ, yathā taṁ dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā byākataṁ.
Eso cevetassa attho. Evañca naṁ dhārehī”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamano visākho upāsako bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Cūḷavedallasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

And then the layman Visākha approved and agreed with what the nun Dhammadinnā said. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled her, keeping her on his right. Then he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and informed the Buddha of all they had discussed. When he had spoken, the Buddha said to him, “The nun Dhammadinnā is astute, Visākha, she has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as the nun Dhammadinnā. That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the layman Visākha approved what the Buddha said.

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