Mahādhammasamādānasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 46

Mahādhammasamādānasutta

The Great Discourse on Taking Up Practices · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, which + thisyamidaṁ practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ present·painfulpaccuppannadukkhaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ resulting in pleasuresukhavipākaṁ, thattaṁ ignorantavidvā ignorance·goneavijjāgato as·realyathābhūtaṁ does not understandnappajānāti:
this‘idaṁ indeedkho practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ present·painfulpaccuppannadukkhaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ resulting in pleasuresukhavipākan’ti.
thatTaṁ ignorantavidvā ignorance·goneavijjāgato as·realyathābhūtaṁ not·understandingappajānanto thattaṁ notna cultivatessevati, thattaṁ avoidsparivajjeti.
for himTassa thattaṁ not cultivatingasevato, thattaṁ avoidingparivajjayato, not·agreeableaniṭṭhā not·pleasantakantā not·welcomeamanāpā dhammasdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti, agreeableiṭṭhā pleasantkantā welcomemanāpā dhammasdhammā declineparihāyanti.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
thus indeed thisEvañhetaṁ, monksbhikkhave, ishoti asyathā thattaṁ of the ignoramusaviddasuno.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pleasure, an ignoramus … doesn’t cultivate it … and disagreeable things increase …

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, which + thisyamidaṁ practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ pleasant nowpaccuppannasukhañceva future·andāyatiñca results in pleasuresukhavipākaṁ, thattaṁ not·knowingavidvā not·knowledge·goneavijjāgato as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ does not understandnappajānāti:
this‘idaṁ indeedkho practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ pleasant nowpaccuppannasukhañceva future·andāyatiñca results in pleasuresukhavipākan’ti.
thatTaṁ not·knowingavidvā not·knowledge·goneavijjāgato as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ not·understandingappajānanto thattaṁ notna cultivatessevati, thattaṁ avoidsparivajjeti.
for himTassa thattaṁ not cultivatingasevato, thattaṁ avoidingparivajjayato, not·agreeableaniṭṭhā not·pleasantakantā not·lovelyamanāpā thingsdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti, agreeableiṭṭhā pleasantkantā lovelymanāpā thingsdhammā declineparihāyanti.
of thatTaṁ whatkissa causehetu?
thus + indeed·thisEvañhetaṁ, monksbhikkhave, ishoti asyathā thattaṁ of the ignorantaviddasuno.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure, an ignoramus … doesn’t cultivate it … and disagreeable things increase … Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for the ignorant.

thereTatra, O monksbhikkhave, which + thisyamidaṁ practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ painful now andpaccuppannadukkhañceva future·andāyatiñca pain·resultdukkhavipākaṁ thattaṁ wise onevidvā endowed with knowledgevijjāgato as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ understandspajānāti:
this‘idaṁ indeedkho practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ painful now andpaccuppannadukkhañceva future·andāyatiñca results in paindukkhavipākan’ti.
thatTaṁ wise onevidvā endowed with knowledgevijjāgato as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ understandingpajānanto thattaṁ notna cultivatessevati, thattaṁ avoidsparivajjeti.
for himTassa thattaṁ not cultivatingasevato, thattaṁ avoidingparivajjayato, not·likedaniṭṭhā not·desiredakantā not·agreeableamanāpā thingsdhammā decreaseparihāyanti, likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā thingsdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reason?hetu?
for thus indeed thisEvañhetaṁ, O monksbhikkhave, it ishoti asyathā thattaṁ for the knowledgableviddasuno.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain, a wise person, knowing this, truly understands: ‘This is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.’ So instead of cultivating that practice, they avoid it. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things decrease, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things increase. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for the knowledgable.

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, that which hereyamidaṁ taking up of practicesdhammasamādānaṁ pleasant nowpaccuppannasukhaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ resulting in sufferingdukkhavipākaṁ thattaṁ having knownvidvā endowed with knowledgevijjāgato as it really isyathābhūtaṁ he understandspajānāti:
this‘idaṁ indeedkho taking up of practicesdhammasamādānaṁ pleasant nowpaccuppannasukhaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ results in sufferingdukkhavipākan’ti.
thatTaṁ having knownvidvā endowed with knowledgevijjāgato as it really isyathābhūtaṁ understandingpajānanto thattaṁ notna he cultivatessevati, thattaṁ he avoidsparivajjeti.
for himTassa thattaṁ not cultivatingasevato, thattaṁ avoidingparivajjayato, unwished-foraniṭṭhā unpleasantakantā disagreeableamanāpā thingsdhammā they diminishparihāyanti, wished-foriṭṭhā pleasantkantā agreeablemanāpā thingsdhammā they increaseabhivaḍḍhanti.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
thus indeed thisEvañhetaṁ, monksbhikkhave, it ishoti asyathā thattaṁ for one who knowsviddasuno.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pain, a wise person … doesn’t cultivate it … and agreeable things increase …

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, which + thisyamidaṁ practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ present·painfulpaccuppannadukkhaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ pleasure·resultsukhavipākaṁ thattaṁ wisevidvā knowledge·possessedvijjāgato as·reallyyathābhūtaṁ understandspajānāti:
this‘idaṁ indeedkho practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ present·painfulpaccuppannadukkhaṁ in the futureāyatiṁ resulting in pleasuresukhavipākan’ti.
thatTaṁ wisevidvā knowledge·possessedvijjāgato as·reallyyathābhūtaṁ understandingpajānanto thattaṁ cultivatessevati, thattaṁ notna avoidsparivajjeti.
for himTassa thattaṁ cultivatingsevato, thattaṁ not avoidingaparivajjayato, not·agreeableaniṭṭhā not·pleasantakantā not·pleasingamanāpā thingsdhammā decreaseparihāyanti, agreeableiṭṭhā pleasantkantā pleasingmanāpā thingsdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
thus indeed thisEvañhetaṁ, monksbhikkhave, ishoti asyathā thattaṁ for one who knowsviddasuno.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pleasure, a wise person … cultivates it … and agreeable things increase …

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, which + thisyamidaṁ practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ present·pleasure·and·justpaccuppannasukhañceva future·andāyatiñca pleasure·resultsukhavipākaṁ thattaṁ knowingvidvā knowledge·gonevijjāgato as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ understandspajānāti:
this‘idaṁ indeedkho practice·taking updhammasamādānaṁ present·pleasure·and·justpaccuppannasukhañceva future·andāyatiñca resulting in pleasuresukhavipākan’ti.
thatTaṁ knowingvidvā knowledge·gonevijjāgato as·becomeyathābhūtaṁ forth·knowingpajānanto thattaṁ cultivatessevati, thattaṁ notna avoidsparivajjeti.
for himTassa thattaṁ cultivatingsevato, thattaṁ not avoidingaparivajjayato, not·likedaniṭṭhā not·desiredakantā not·agreeableamanāpā thingsdhammā decreaseparihāyanti, likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā thingsdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti.
thatTaṁ whatkissa reasonhetu?
thus indeed thisEvañhetaṁ, monksbhikkhave, ishoti asyathā thattaṁ for one who knowsviddasuno.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure, a wise person, knowing this, truly understands: ‘This is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.’ So instead of avoiding that practice, they cultivate it. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things decrease, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things increase. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for the knowledgable.

And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain? It’s when someone in pain and sadness kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. Because of these things they experience pain and sadness.

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