Mahāmālukyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 64

The Longer Discourse With Māluṅkya · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Tassa so byāpādo sānusayo pahīyati.
Yo, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ anāgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato tacaṁ acchetvā phegguṁ acchetvā sāracchedo bhavissatīti—
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati;
evameva kho, ānanda, yo maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ anāgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

That ill will, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them. There is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It’s not possible to know or see or give up the five lower fetters without relying on that path and that practice. Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood. It’s not possible to cut out the heartwood without having cut through the bark and the softwood. In the same way, there is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It’s not possible to know or see or give up the five lower fetters without relying on that path and that practice.

Yo ca kho, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ āgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

But it is possible to know and see and give up the five lower fetters by relying on that path and that practice.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato tacaṁ chetvā phegguṁ chetvā sāracchedo bhavissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
evameva kho, ānanda, yo maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ āgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
Seyyathāpi, ānanda, gaṅgā nadī pūrā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā.
Atha dubbalako puriso āgaccheyya:
‘ahaṁ imissā gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gacchissāmī’ti;
so na sakkuṇeyya gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gantuṁ.
Evameva kho, ānanda, yesaṁ kesañci sakkāyanirodhāya dhamme desiyamāne cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati;
seyyathāpi so dubbalako puriso evamete daṭṭhabbā.

Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood. It is possible to cut out the heartwood after having cut through the bark and the softwood. In the same way, there is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It is possible to know and see and give up the five lower fetters by relying on that path and that practice. Suppose the Ganges River was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Then along comes a feeble person, who thinks: ‘By swimming with my arms I’ll safely cross over to the far shore of the Ganges.’ But they’re not able to do so. In the same way, when the Dhamma is being taught to them for the cessation of substantial reality, those whose mind does not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided should be regarded as being like that feeble person.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, gaṅgā nadī pūrā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā.
Atha balavā puriso āgaccheyya:
‘ahaṁ imissā gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gacchissāmī’ti;
so sakkuṇeyya gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gantuṁ.
Evameva kho, ānanda, yesaṁ kesañci sakkāyanirodhāya dhamme desiyamāne cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati;
seyyathāpi so balavā puriso evamete daṭṭhabbā.

Suppose the Ganges River was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Then along comes a strong person, who thinks: ‘By swimming with my arms I’ll safely cross over to the far shore of the Ganges.’ And they are able to do so. In the same way, when the Dhamma is being taught to them for the cessation of substantial reality, those whose mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided should be regarded as being like that strong person.

Katamo cānanda, maggo, katamā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya?
Idhānanda, bhikkhu upadhivivekā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānā sabbaso kāyaduṭṭhullānaṁ paṭippassaddhiyā vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.
So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.
So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:
‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.
So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti;

And what, Ānanda, is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters? It’s when a mendicant—due to the seclusion from attachments, the giving up of unskillful qualities, and the complete settling of physical discomforts—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. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as gloom, as an affliction, as alien, as breaking apart, as empty, as not-self. They turn their mind away from those things, and apply it to the element free of death: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.’ Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.

no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti, tattha parinibbāyī, anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya.

If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe…
tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe…
catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ …
pe…
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya.

Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant enters and remains in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent … They turn their mind away from those things … If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ …
pe…
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya.

Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent … They turn their mind away from those things … If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ …
pe…
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya.

Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent … They turn their mind away from those things … If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ …
pe…
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. They contemplate the phenomena there—included in feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness—as impermanent … They turn their mind away from those things … If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.”

“Eso ce, bhante, maggo esā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya, atha kiñcarahi idhekacce bhikkhū cetovimuttino ekacce bhikkhū paññāvimuttino”ti?
“Ettha kho panesāhaṁ, ānanda, indriyavemattataṁ vadāmī”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Mahāmālukyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

“Sir, if this is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters, how then are some mendicants here released in heart while others are released by wisdom?” “In that case, I say it is the disparity of their faculties.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

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