The Majjhima Nikaya
The Middle Length Discourses
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Majjhima Nikaya 149
Maha-Salayatanika Sutta
The Great Six Sense-media Discourse
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was
staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's
Monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
"Monks, I will teach you the great six sense-media [discourse]. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "Not knowing, not seeing the eye as it actually is present; not knowing, not seeing forms...consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye -- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is present, one is infatuated with the eye...forms...consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye...whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future accumulation. The craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that -- grows within him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily distresses & mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress & mental stress.
"Not knowing, not seeing the ear...Not knowing, not seeing the nose...Not knowing, not seeing the tongue...Not knowing, not seeing the body...
"Not knowing, not seeing the intellect as it actually is present; not
knowing, not seeing ideas...consciousness at the intellect...contact at the
intellect as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises
conditioned through intellect-contact -- experienced as pleasure, pain, or
neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is present, one is infatuated with
the intellect...ideas...consciousness at the intellect...contact at the
intellect...whatever arises conditioned by contact at the intellect and is
experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future accumulation. The craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that -- grows within him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily distresses & mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress & mental stress.
"However, knowing & seeing the eye as it actually is present, knowing & seeing forms...consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye as they actually are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye -- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is present, one is not infatuated with the
eye..
forms...
consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye...whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future diminution. The craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that -- is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view.
Any resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness,
his right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as
earlier his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus
for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of
reference go to the culmination of their development. The four right
exertions...the four bases of power...the five
faculties...
the five
strengths...the seven factors of Awakening go to the culmination of their
development.[1] [And] for him these two qualities
occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"And
what
qualities
are
to
be
comprehended
through
direct
knowledge?
'The
five
aggregates
of
clinging
/
sustenance,'
should
be
the
reply.
Which
five?
Form
as
an
aggregate
of
clinging
/
sustenance...feeling..
.perception..
fabrications...
consciousness
as
an
aggregate
of
clinging
/
sustenance.
These
are
the
qualities
that
are
to
be
comprehended
through
direct
knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance & craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity & insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing & release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"Knowing & seeing the
ear...
Knowing & seeing the
nose...
Knowing & seeing the
tongue...
Knowing & seeing the body...
"Knowing & seeing the intellect as it actually is present, knowing & seeing ideas...consciousness at the intellect...contact at the intellect as they actually are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through intellect-contact -- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is present, one is not infatuated with the
intellect...
ideas...
consciousness at the
intellect...
contact at the
intellect...
whatever arises conditioned by contact at the intellect and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future diminution. The craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that -- is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions...the four bases of power...the five faculties...the five strengths...the seven factors of Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"And
what
qualities
are
to
be
comprehended
through
direct
knowledge?
'The
five
aggregates
of
clinging
/
sustenance,'
should
be
the
reply.
Which
five?
Form
as
an
aggregate
of
clinging
/
sustenance...
feeling...
perception
...
fabrications...
consciousness
as
an
aggregate
of
clinging
/
sustenance.
These
are
the
qualities
that
are
to
be
comprehended
through
direct
knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance & craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity & insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing & release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct knowledge."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.
Note
1. These thirty-seven qualities are collectively termed
the "wings to awakening" (bodhipakkhiyadhamma). For a thorough
discussion, see The Wings to Awakening,
by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. [Go back]
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