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2. Marīcikammaṭṭhānikattheravatthu4.2 The Story about the Elder Who Meditated on a Mirage
Pheṇūpamanti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā sāvatthiyaṃ viharanto aññataraṃ marīcikammaṭṭhānikaṃ bhikkhuṃ ārabbha kathesi.“Like froth,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while in residence at Sāvatthī with reference to a certain bhikkhu who meditated on a mirage.The Pāli introduction quotes only the opening word of the verse, meaning “like froth.” The original translation quoted the full first line. {1.336} marks page 336 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
So kira bhikkhu satthu santike kammaṭṭhānaṃ gahetvā,This bhikkhu, we are told, obtained a subject of meditation from the Teacher and entered the forest for the purpose of practicing meditation.[29.30] marks page 30 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation.
“samaṇadhammaṃ karissāmī”ti araññaṃ pavisitvā ghaṭetvā vāyamitvā arahattaṃ pattuṃ asakkonto “visesetvā kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathāpessāmī”ti satthu santikaṃ āgacchantoBut when, after striving and struggling with might and main, he was unable to attain Arahatship, he said to himself: “I will ask the Teacher to explain the subject of meditation more fully.” With this thought in mind he set out to return to the Teacher.The elder intends to ask the Teacher to explain his meditation subject more fully. The original translation says he asks for a different subject better suited to his needs.
antarāmagge marīciṃ disvā, “yathā ayaṃ gimhasamaye uṭṭhitā marīci dūre ṭhitānaṃ rūpagatā viya paññāyati, santikaṃ āgacchantānaṃ neva paññāyati,On the way he saw a mirage. He said to himself: “Even as this mirage seen in the season of the heat appears substantial to those that are far off, but vanishes on nearer approach,
ayaṃ attabhāvopi uppādavayaṭṭhena evarūpo”ti marīcikammaṭṭhānaṃ bhāventoso also is this body, in that it arises and passes away.” And fixing his mind on the mirage, he exercised himself in meditation on the mirage.The Pāli compares this body to a mirage in its arising and passing away. The original translation referred to “this existence” and described birth and decay.
āgantvā maggakilanto aciravatiyaṃ nhāyitvā ekasmiṃ caṇḍasotatīre rukkhachāyāya nisinno udakavegābhighātena uṭṭhahitvā mahante mahante pheṇapiṇḍe bhijjamāne disvā,On his return, wearied with the journey, he bathed in the river Aciravatī and seated himself in the shade of a tree on the bank of a swift current. As he sat there watching great masses of foam rising and bursting from the force of the current,The Pāli places the elder on the bank of a swift current. The original translation described a waterfall. The Pāli describes large masses of foam rising and breaking through the force of the current. The original translation called them bubbles and added rocks, which the Pāli does not mention.
“ayaṃ attabhāvopi uppajjitvā bhijjanaṭṭhena evarūpoyevā”ti ārammaṇaṃ aggahesi.he said to himself: “Just so does this body arise and break up.” And this he took for his subject of meditation.
Satthā gandhakuṭiyaṃ ṭhitova taṃ theraṃ disvā, “evameva, bhikkhu,The Teacher, standing in his Perfumed Chamber, saw the elder and said: “Bhikkhu, it is even so.The Teacher is standing in his chamber. The original translation described him as seated.
evarūpovāyaṃ attabhāvo pheṇapiṇḍo viya marīci viya uppajjanabhijjanasabhāvoyevā”ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –Like a mass of foam or a mirage is this body. Precisely thus does it arise and precisely thus does it break up.” And when he had thus spoken, he pronounced the following verse:
46. “Pheṇūpamaṃ kāyamimaṃ viditvā, Marīcidhammaṃ abhisambudhāno; Chetvāna mārassa papupphakāni, Adassanaṃ maccurājassa gacche”ti.Knowing that this body is just like froth, understanding it is like a mirage, cutting off Māra’s flowers, one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.The commentary explains Māra’s “flowers” as the cycles of existence in the three realms, cut off by the noble path. The original translation called them “flower-tipped arrows.” {1.337} marks page 337 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text. The commentary explains going unseen by the King of Death as reaching the deathless, great Nibbāna beyond his reach.
Tattha pheṇūpamanti imaṃ kesādisamūhasaṅkhātaṃ kāyaṃ abaladubbalaṭṭhena anaddhaniyatāvakālikaṭṭhena pheṇapiṇḍasarikkhakoti viditvā.
Marīcidhammanti yathā marīci dūre ṭhitānaṃ rūpagatā viya gayhūpagā viya hoti, santike upagacchantānaṃ rittā tucchā agayhūpagā sampajjati,
evameva khaṇikaittarapaccupaṭṭhānaṭṭhena ayaṃ kāyopi marīcidhammoti abhisambudhāno bujjhanto, jānantoti attho.
Mārassa papupphakānīti mārassa papupphakasaṅkhātāni tebhūmakāni vaṭṭāni ariyamaggena chinditvā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu maccurājassa adassanaṃ avisayaṃ amatamahānibbānaṃ gaccheyyāti.
Gāthāpariyosāne thero saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ patvā satthu suvaṇṇavaṇṇaṃ sarīraṃ thomento vaṇṇento vandantova āgatoti.At the conclusion of the verse the elder attained Arahatship, together with the analytic knowledges, and returned praising, glorifying and honouring the golden body of the Teacher.
Marīcikammaṭṭhānikattheravatthu dutiyaṃ.