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Majjhima Nikāya 8

Sallekhasutta

Self-Effacement · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho āyasmā mahācundo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahācundo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahācunda came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

“yā imā, bhante, anekavihitā diṭṭhiyo loke uppajjanti—
attavādapaṭisaṁyuttā vā lokavādapaṭisaṁyuttā vā—
ādimeva nu kho, bhante, bhikkhuno manasikaroto evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ pahānaṁ hoti, evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ paṭinissaggo hotī”ti?
“Yā imā, cunda, anekavihitā diṭṭhiyo loke uppajjanti—
attavādapaṭisaṁyuttā vā lokavādapaṭisaṁyuttā vā—
yattha cetā diṭṭhiyo uppajjanti yattha ca anusenti yattha ca samudācaranti taṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na me so attā’ti—evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññā passato evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ pahānaṁ hoti, evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ paṭinissaggo hoti.

“Sir, there are many different views that arise in the world connected with theories of self or with theories of the cosmos. How does a mendicant who is focusing on the starting point give up and let go of these views?” “Cunda, there are many different views that arise in the world connected with theories of self or with theories of the cosmos. A mendicant gives up and lets go of these views by truly seeing with right wisdom where they arise, where they settle in, and where they operate as: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārā ete ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that a certain mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, might enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘blissful meditations in this life’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārā ete ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some mendicant, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, might 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. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘blissful meditations in this life’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihareyya, sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeyya, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārā ete ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some mendicant, with the fading away of rapture, might 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.’ They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘blissful meditations in this life’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārā ete ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some mendicant, with the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, might enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘blissful meditations in this life’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā, paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā, nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā, ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Santā ete vihārā ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some 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’, might enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘peaceful meditations’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Santā ete vihārā ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, might enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘peaceful meditations’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Santā ete vihārā ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, might enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘peaceful meditations’.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, cunda, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco bhikkhu sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihareyya.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sallekhena viharāmī’ti.
Na kho panete, cunda, ariyassa vinaye sallekhā vuccanti.
Santā ete vihārā ariyassa vinaye vuccanti.

It’s possible that some mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, might enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They might think they’re practicing self-effacement. But in the training of the Noble One these are not called ‘self-effacement’; they’re called ‘peaceful meditations’.

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