Subhasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 99

With Subha · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Suppose there was a person blind from birth. They couldn’t see sights that are dark or bright, or blue, yellow, red, or magenta. They couldn’t see even and uneven ground, or the stars, or the moon and sun. They’d say: ‘There’s no such thing as dark and bright sights, and no one who sees them. There’s no such thing as blue, yellow, red, magenta, even and uneven ground, stars, moon and sun, and no one who sees these things. I don’t know it or see it, therefore it doesn’t exist.’

Would they be speaking rightly?” “No, worthy Gotama. There are such things as dark and bright sights, and one who sees them. There is blue, yellow, red, magenta, even and uneven ground, stars, moon and sun, and one who sees these things. So it’s not right to say this: ‘I don’t know it or see it, therefore it doesn’t exist.’”

just so“Evameva indeedkho, studentmāṇava, brahminbrāhmaṇo Pokkharasātipokkharasāti of Opamaññaopamañño of Subhagavanasubhagavaniko blindandho sightlessacakkhuko.
heSo surelyvata beyonduttari human·statesmanussadhammā worthy + noble + knowledge + vision + distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ will knowñassati orvā will seedakkhati orvā directlysacchi orvā do + not + thiskarissatīti—netaṁ placeṭhānaṁ existsvijjati.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, studentmāṇava,
whoye thosete of Kosalakosalakā well-to-do brahminsbrāhmaṇamahāsālā, that is to sayseyyathidaṁ—
Caṅkīcaṅkī brahminbrāhmaṇo Tārukkhatārukkho brahminbrāhmaṇo Pokkharasātipokkharasāti brahminbrāhmaṇo Jāṇussoṇijāṇussoṇi brahminbrāhmaṇo fatherpitā andca yourte Todeyyatodeyyo, whichkatamā of themnesaṁ betterseyyo, thatyaṁ orvā theyte in agreementsammuccā speechvācaṁ would speakbhāseyyuṁ thatyaṁ orvā in disagreementasammuccā”ti?
in agreement“Sammuccā, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
which“Katamā of themnesaṁ betterseyyo, thatyaṁ orvā theyte thoughtfulmantā speechvācaṁ would speakbhāseyyuṁ thatyaṁ orvā thoughtlessamantā”ti?
thoughtful“Mantā, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
which“Katamā of themnesaṁ betterseyyo, thatyaṁ orvā theyte after reflectionpaṭisaṅkhāya speechvācaṁ would speakbhāseyyuṁ thatyaṁ orvā unreflectiveappaṭisaṅkhāyā”ti?
after reflection“Paṭisaṅkhāya, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“In the same way, Pokkharasāti is blind and sightless. It is quite impossible for him to know or see or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. What do you think, student? There are well-to-do brahmins of Kosala such as the brahmins Caṅkī, Tārukkha, Pokkharasāti, Jānussoṇi, and your father Todeyya. What’s better for them: that their speech agrees or disagrees with the consensus of opinion?” “That it agrees, worthy Gotama.” “What’s better for them: that their speech is thoughtful or thoughtless?” “That it is thoughtful.” “What’s better for them: that their speech follows reflection or is unreflective?” “That it follows reflection.”

which“Katamā for themnesaṁ betterseyyo, whichyaṁ orvā theirte benefit·connectedatthasaṁhitaṁ speechvācaṁ they might speakbhāseyyuṁ whichyaṁ orvā worthless·connectedanatthasaṁhitan”ti?
beneficial“Atthasaṁhitaṁ, sirbho Gotamagotama”.

“What’s better for them: that their speech is beneficial or worthless?” “That it’s beneficial.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, studentmāṇava,
ifyadi thusevaṁ being sosante, by the brahminbrāhmaṇena Pokkharasātipokkharasātinā of Opamaññaopamaññena of the Subhaga forestsubhagavanikena in agreementsammuccā speechvācā spokenbhāsitā not·agreementasammuccā”ti?
in disagreement“Asammuccā, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
thoughtful“Mantā speechvācā spokenbhāsitā not·thoughtfulamantā orvā”ti?
thoughtless“Amantā, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
reflective“Paṭisaṅkhāya speechvācā spokenbhāsitā or unreflective?appaṭisaṅkhāyā”ti?
unreflective“Appaṭisaṅkhāya, worthybho Gotamagotama”.
beneficial“Atthasaṁhitā speechvācā spokenbhāsitā or worthless?anatthasaṁhitā”ti?
worthless“Anatthasaṁhitā, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“What do you think, student? If this is so, does Pokkharasāti’s speech agree or disagree with the consensus of opinion?” “It disagrees, worthy Gotama.” “Is it thoughtful or thoughtless?” “Thoughtless.” “Is it reflective or unreflective?” “Unreflective.” “Is it beneficial or worthless?” “Worthless.”

five“Pañca indeedkho theseime, studentmāṇava, hindrancesnīvaraṇā.
whichKatame five?pañca?
sensual desire·desire·hindranceKāmacchandanīvaraṇaṁ, ill will·hindrancebyāpādanīvaraṇaṁ, dullness·drowsiness·hindrancethinamiddhanīvaraṇaṁ restlessness·remorse·hindranceuddhaccakukkuccanīvaraṇaṁ, doubt·hindrancevicikicchānīvaraṇaṁ—
theseime indeedkho, studentmāṇava, fivepañca hindrancesnīvaraṇā.
by theseImehi indeedkho, studentmāṇava, fivepañcahi by hindrancesnīvaraṇehi brahminbrāhmaṇo Pokkharasātipokkharasāti Opamaññaopamañño Subhagavanikasubhagavaniko obstructedāvuto hinderednivuto engulfedophuṭo envelopedpariyonaddho.
heSo indeedvata beyonduttari human·dhammamanussadhammā worthy of the noble ones·knowledge·vision·distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ will knowñassati orvā will seedakkhati orvā realizesacchi orvā do + thiskarissatīti—netaṁ groundṭhānaṁ existsvijjati.

“Student, there are these five hindrances. What five? The hindrances of sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. These are the five hindrances. Pokkharasāti is obstructed, hindered, engulfed, and enveloped by these five hindrances. It is quite impossible for him to know or see or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.

fivePañca indeedkho theseime, studentmāṇava, sensual·strandkāmaguṇā.
whatKatame fivepañca?
eye·knowableCakkhuviññeyyā sightsrūpā likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā pleasant·formpiyarūpā sensual·connectedkāmūpasaṁhitā arousingrajanīyā;
ear·knowablesotaviññeyyā soundssaddā …pe……pe…
nose·knowableghānaviññeyyā smellsgandhā ……
tonguejivhā knowableviññeyyā tastesrasā ……
body·knowablekāyaviññeyyā touchesphoṭṭhabbā likableiṭṭhā desirablekantā agreeablemanāpā pleasant·formpiyarūpā sensual·connectedkāmūpasaṁhitā arousingrajanīyā—
theseime indeedkho, studentmāṇava, fivepañca sensual·strandkāmaguṇā.
with theseImehi indeedkho, studentmāṇava, with fivepañcahi sensual·strandkāmaguṇehi brahminbrāhmaṇo Pokkharasātipokkharasāti Opamaññaopamañño Subhagavanikasubhagavaniko tiedgathito infatuatedmucchito attachedajjhopanno not·drawback·seeinganādīnavadassāvī not·escape·understandinganissaraṇapañño around·enjoysparibhuñjati.
heSo indeedvata beyonduttari human·dhammamanussadhammā worthy·noble·knowledge-vision-distinctionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ will knowñassati orvā will seedakkhati orvā directlysacchi orvā will do + not·thatkarissatīti—netaṁ groundṭhānaṁ existsvijjati.

There are these five kinds of sensual stimulation. What five? There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. There are sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation. Pokkharasāti enjoys these five kinds of sensual stimulation, tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. It is quite impossible for him to know or see or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.

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