Ghoṭamukhasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 94

With Ghoṭamukha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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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 body-protectingkāyaparihārikena with robescīvarena, with belly-protectingkucchiparihārikena with almsfoodpiṇḍapātena. heSo whereveryena whereveryeneva forth·gopakkamati together·taking·onlysamādāyeva forth·gopakkamati.
just asSeyyathāpi indeednāma wingedpakkhī birdsakuṇo whereveryena whereveryeneva fliesḍeti wings its only burdensapattabhārova fliesḍeti;
thus·justevameva a mendicantbhikkhu contentsantuṭṭho ishoti with body-protectingkāyaparihārikena with robescīvarena, with belly-protectingkucchiparihārikena with almsfoodpiṇḍapātena. heSo whereveryena whereveryeneva forth·gopakkamati together·taking·onlysamādāyeva forth·gopakkamati.
heSo with thisiminā nobleariyena with 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 grasping the featuresnimittaggāhī ishoti not grasping the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī.
for whatever reasonYatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ eye·facultycakkhundriyaṁ not·restrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā would become overwhelminganvāssaveyyuṁ for that onetassa together·restrainsaṁvarāya practicespaṭipajjati, protectsrakkhati the faculty of sightcakkhundriyaṁ, eye·facultycakkhundriye together·restrainsaṁvaraṁ achievesāpajjati.
with the earSotena a soundsaddaṁ having heardsutvā pe…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 apart·knowviññāya notna grasping the featuresnimittaggāhī ishoti not grasping the detailsnānubyañjanaggāhī.
for whatever reasonYatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ mind·facultymanindriyaṁ not·restrainedasaṁvutaṁ dwellingviharantaṁ covetousness·displeasureabhijjhādomanassā badpāpakā not·skillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā would become overwhelminganvāssaveyyuṁ for that onetassa together·restrainsaṁvarāya practicespaṭipajjati, protectsrakkhati the faculty of mindmanindriyaṁ, mind·facultymanindriye together·restrainsaṁvaraṁ achievesāpajjati.
heSo with thisiminā nobleariyena faculty·together·restraintindriyasaṁvarena together·bringsamannāgato internallyajjhattaṁ not·sullied·blissabyāsekasukhaṁ 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 going outabhikkante coming backpaṭikkante acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, looking aheadālokite looking asidevilokite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, bendingsamiñjite extendingpasārite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, bearing the outer robe, bowl and robessaṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, eatingasite drinkingpīte chewingkhāyite tastingsāyite acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, urinating and defecatinguccārapassāvakamme acting with situational awarenesssampajānakārī ishoti, walkinggate standingṭhite sittingnisinne sleepingsutte wakingjāgarite speakingbhāsite 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.

heSo with thisiminā andca nobleariyena ethics·spectrumsīlakkhandhena endowedsamannāgato, with thisimāya andca nobleariyāya with contentmentsantuṭṭhiyā endowedsamannāgato, with thisiminā andca nobleariyena sense·restraintindriyasaṁvarena endowedsamannāgato, with thisiminā andca nobleariyena mindfulness·situational awarenesssatisampajaññena endowedsamannāgato
secludedvivittaṁ lodgingsenāsanaṁ they frequentbhajati a wildernessaraññaṁ tree·rootrukkhamūlaṁ a hillpabbataṁ a ravinekandaraṁ mountain·cavegiriguhaṁ a charnel groundsusānaṁ a forestvanapatthaṁ the open airabbhokāsaṁ a heap of strawpalālapuñjaṁ.

When they have this spectrum of noble ethics, this noble contentment, this noble sense restraint, and this noble mindfulness and situational awareness, they frequent a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw.

that oneSo after·mealpacchābhattaṁ almsround·returnedpiṇḍapātapaṭikkanto down·sit·3sgnisīdati cross-leggedpallaṅkaṁ having bentābhujitvā, straightujuṁ bodykāyaṁ having setpaṇidhāya, around·faceparimukhaṁ mindfulnesssatiṁ having establishedupaṭṭhapetvā.
that oneSo toward·covetabhijjhaṁ for the worldloke forth·leavepahāya with a heart rid of covetousnessvigatābhijjhena with mindcetasā meditatesviharati, toward·covetabhijjhāya mindcittaṁ cleansesparisodheti;
ill will·malevolencebyāpādapadosaṁ forth·leavepahāya not·ill-willed·mindabyāpannacitto apart·dwell·3sgviharati full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī, ill will·malevolencebyāpādapadosā mindcittaṁ cleansesparisodheti;
dullness·drowsinessthinamiddhaṁ forth·leavepahāya rid of·dullness·drowsinessvigatathinamiddho apart·dwell·3sgviharati light·perceivingālokasaññī mindfulsato awaresampajāno, dullness·drowsinessthinamiddhā mindcittaṁ cleansesparisodheti;
restlessness·remorseuddhaccakukkuccaṁ forth·leavepahāya not·restlessanuddhato apart·dwell·3sgviharati internallyajjhattaṁ with settled mindvūpasantacitto, restlessness·remorseuddhaccakukkuccā mindcittaṁ cleansesparisodheti;
doubtvicikicchaṁ forth·leavepahāya crossed·doubttiṇṇavicikiccho apart·dwell·3sgviharati not·undecidedakathaṅkathī about skillfulkusalesu qualitiesdhammesu, of doubtvicikicchāya mindcittaṁ cleansesparisodheti.

After the meal, they return from almsround, sit down cross-legged, set their body straight, and bring mindfulness to the present. Giving up covetousness for the world, they meditate with a heart rid of covetousness, cleansing the mind of covetousness. Giving up ill will and malevolence, they meditate with a mind rid of ill will, full of sympathy for all living beings, cleansing the mind of ill will. Giving up dullness and drowsiness, they meditate with a mind rid of dullness and drowsiness, perceiving light, mindful and aware, cleansing the mind of dullness and drowsiness. Giving up restlessness and remorse, they meditate without restlessness, their mind settled internally, cleansing the mind of restlessness and remorse. Giving up doubt, they meditate having gone beyond doubt, not undecided about skillful qualities, cleansing the mind of doubt.

heSo theseime fivepañca hindrancesnīvaraṇe having given uppahāya of the heartcetaso near·defilementupakkilese of wisdompaññāya weak·makingdubbalīkaraṇe
quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca not·skillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with·placingsavitakkaṁ with·keepingsavicāraṁ seclusion·bornvivekajaṁ rapture·blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ near·attainupasampajja he remainsviharati.

They give up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Then, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

placing the mind + keeping it connectedVitakkavicārānaṁ through the stillingvūpasamā internalajjhattaṁ with·forth·claritysampasādanaṁ of mindcetaso one·stateekodibhāvaṁ without·placing the mindavitakkaṁ without·keeping it connectedavicāraṁ immersion·bornsamādhijaṁ rapture·blisspītisukhaṁ seconddutiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ near·with·enteredupasampajja they remain.viharati.

As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they 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.

with the fading away of rapturePītiyā andca away·fadevirāgā equanimousupekkhako andca one meditatesviharati mindfulsato andca fully·knowsampajāno, bliss + andsukhañca with the bodykāyena for oneself·experiencepaṭisaṁvedeti, whichyaṁ thattaṁ the noble onesariyā declare:ācikkhanti: ‘equanimous‘upekkhako mindfulsatimā bliss·meditatesukhavihārī’ti thirdtatiyaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ having enteredupasampajja one meditates.viharati.

And with the fading away of rapture, they 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.’

of pleasureSukhassa andca giving uppahānā of paindukkhassa andca giving uppahānā, previous·justpubbeva happiness·sadnesssomanassadomanassānaṁ disappearanceatthaṅgamā, not·pain·pleasureadukkhamasukhaṁ equanimity·mindfulness·pureupekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ fourthcatutthaṁ absorptionjhānaṁ near·attainupasampajja remainviharati.

With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

heSo thusevaṁ composedsamāhite mindcitte purifiedparisuddhe brightpariyodāte flawlessanaṅgaṇe rid of corruptionsvigatūpakkilese pliablemudubhūte workablekammaniye steadyṭhite imperturbableāneñjappatte toward knowledge of recollection of past livespubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya mindcittaṁ extendsabhininnāmeti.
heSo many·arrangedanekavihitaṁ before·abodepubbenivāsaṁ recollectsanussarati, as follows·oneseyyathidaṁ—ekampi birthjātiṁ twodvepi birthsjātiyo threetissopi birthsjātiyo fourcatassopi birthsjātiyo fivepañcapi birthsjātiyo tendasapi birthsjātiyo twentyvīsampi birthsjātiyo thirtytiṁsampi birthsjātiyo fortycattālīsampi birthsjātiyo fiftypaññāsampi birthsjātiyo a hundred birthsjātisatampi a thousand birthsjātisahassampi a hundred thousand birthsjātisatasahassampi, manyanekepi contraction·eonsaṁvaṭṭakappe manyanekepi expansion·eonvivaṭṭakappe manyanekepi contraction·expansion·eonsaṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: there I was‘amutrāsiṁ thus·nameevaṁnāmo of this clanevaṅgotto thus·appearanceevaṁvaṇṇo thus·foodevamāhāro thus·pleasure·pain·experiencerevaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī thus·life·endingevamāyupariyanto; heso from theretato passed awaycuto somewhere elseamutra I was rebornudapādiṁ; there too I wastatrāpāsiṁ thus·nameevaṁnāmo of this clanevaṅgotto thus·appearanceevaṁvaṇṇo thus·foodevamāhāro thus·pleasure·pain·experiencerevaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī thus·life·endingevamāyupariyanto; heso from theretato passed awaycuto reborn hereidhūpapanno’ti. thusIti with featuressākāraṁ with·detailsauddesaṁ many·arrangedanekavihitaṁ before·abodepubbenivāsaṁ recollectsanussarati.

When their mind has become immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—they extend it toward recollection of past lives. They recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.

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