Majjhima Nikāya 152

Translators: sujato

Middle Discourses 152

Indriyabhāvanāsutta

The Development of the Faculties

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gajaṅgalāyaṁ viharati suveḷuvane.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Kajaṅgalā in a bamboo grove.

Atha kho uttaro māṇavo pārāsiviyantevāsī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then the student Uttara, a pupil of the brahmin Pārāsariya, approached the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho uttaraṁ māṇavaṁ pārāsiviyantevāsiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“deseti, uttara, pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti?
“Uttara, does Pārāsariya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?”

“Deseti, bho gotama, pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti.
“He does, Mister Gotama.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, uttara, deseti pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti?
“But how does he teach it?”

“Idha, bho gotama, cakkhunā rūpaṁ na passati, sotena saddaṁ na suṇāti—
“Mister Gotama, it’s when the eye sees no sight and the ear hears no sound.

evaṁ kho, bho gotama, deseti pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti.
That’s how Pārāsariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties.”

“Evaṁ sante kho, uttara, andho bhāvitindriyo bhavissati, badhiro bhāvitindriyo bhavissati;
“In that case, Uttara, a blind person and a deaf person will have developed faculties

yathā pārāsiviyassa brāhmaṇassa vacanaṁ.
according to what Pārāsariya says.

Andho hi, uttara, cakkhunā rūpaṁ na passati, badhiro sotena saddaṁ na suṇātī”ti.
For a blind person sees no sight with the eye and a deaf person hears no sound with the ear.”

Evaṁ vutte, uttaro māṇavo pārāsiviyantevāsī tuṇhībhūto maṅkubhūto pattakkhandho adhomukho pajjhāyanto appaṭibhāno nisīdi.
When he said this, Uttara sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say.

Atha kho bhagavā uttaraṁ māṇavaṁ pārāsiviyantevāsiṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ maṅkubhūtaṁ pattakkhandhaṁ adhomukhaṁ pajjhāyantaṁ appaṭibhānaṁ viditvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
Knowing this, the Buddha addressed Venerable Ānanda,

“aññathā kho, ānanda, deseti pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanaṁ, aññathā ca panānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā hotī”ti.
“Ānanda, the development of the faculties taught by Pārāsariya is quite different from the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One.”

“Etassa, bhagavā, kālo; etassa, sugata, kālo
“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One.

yaṁ bhagavā ariyassa vinaye anuttaraṁ indriyabhāvanaṁ deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
Let the Buddha teach the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

“Tenahānanda, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Well then, Ānanda, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Kathañcānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā hoti?
“And how, Ānanda, is there the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One?

Idhānanda, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, in them arises what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable.

So evaṁ pajānāti:
They understand:

‘uppannaṁ kho me idaṁ manāpaṁ, uppannaṁ amanāpaṁ, uppannaṁ manāpāmanāpaṁ.
‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me.

Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ.
That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated.

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—
But this is peaceful and sublime, namely

upekkhā’ti.
equanimity.’

Tassa taṁ uppannaṁ manāpaṁ uppannaṁ amanāpaṁ uppannaṁ manāpāmanāpaṁ nirujjhati;
Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease,

upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
and equanimity becomes stabilized.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, cakkhumā puriso ummīletvā vā nimīleyya, nimīletvā vā ummīleyya;
It’s like how a person with clear eyes might open their eyes then shut them; or might shut their eyes then open them.

evameva kho, ānanda, yassa kassaci evaṁsīghaṁ evaṁtuvaṭaṁ evaṁappakasirena uppannaṁ manāpaṁ uppannaṁ amanāpaṁ uppannaṁ manāpāmanāpaṁ nirujjhati, upekkhā saṇṭhāti—
Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu.
In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sights known by the eye.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno sotena saddaṁ sutvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound with their ears, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So evaṁ pajānāti:
They understand:

Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ.
That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated.

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—
But this is peaceful and sublime, namely

upekkhā’ti.
equanimity.’

upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
and equanimity becomes stabilized.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, balavā puriso appakasireneva accharaṁ pahareyya;
It’s like how a strong person can effortlessly snap their fingers.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā sotaviññeyyesu saddesu.
In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sounds known by the ear.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
Furthermore, when a mendicant smells an odor with their nose, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So evaṁ pajānāti:
They understand:

Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ.
That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated.

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—
But this is peaceful and sublime, namely

upekkhā’ti.
equanimity.’

upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
and equanimity becomes stabilized.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, īsakampoṇe padumapalāse udakaphusitāni pavattanti, na saṇṭhanti;
It’s like how a drop of water would roll off a gently sloping lotus leaf, and would not stay there.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā ghānaviññeyyesu gandhesu.
In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding smells known by the nose.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
Furthermore, when a mendicant tastes a flavor with their tongue, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So evaṁ pajānāti:
They understand:

Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ.
That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated.

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—
But this is peaceful and sublime, namely

upekkhā’ti.
equanimity.’

upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
and equanimity becomes stabilized.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, balavā puriso jivhagge kheḷapiṇḍaṁ saṁyūhitvā appakasirena vameyya;
It’s like how a strong person who’s formed a glob of spit on the tip of their tongue could easily spit it out.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu.
In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding tastes known by the tongue.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
Furthermore, when a mendicant feels a touch with their body, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So evaṁ pajānāti:
They understand:

Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ.
That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated.

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—
But this is peaceful and sublime, namely

upekkhā’ti.
equanimity.’

upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
and equanimity becomes stabilized.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya;
It’s like how a strong person can extend or contract their arm.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā kāyaviññeyyesu phoṭṭhabbesu.
In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding touches known by the body.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
Furthermore, when a mendicant knows a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So evaṁ pajānāti:
They understand:

Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ.
That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated.

Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—
But this is peaceful and sublime, namely

upekkhā’ti.
equanimity.’

upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
and equanimity becomes stabilized.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, balavā puriso divasaṁsantatte ayokaṭāhe dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni nipāteyya.
It’s like how a strong person could let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron cauldron that had been heated all day.

Dandho, ānanda, udakaphusitānaṁ nipāto, atha kho naṁ khippameva parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya;
The drops would be slow to fall, but they’d quickly dry up and evaporate.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā manoviññeyyesu dhammesu.
In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding ideas known by the mind.

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā hoti.
That’s how there is the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One.

Kathañcānanda, sekho hoti pāṭipado?
And how are they a practicing trainee?

Idhānanda, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So tena uppannena manāpena uppannena amanāpena uppannena manāpāmanāpena aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati.
They are horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that.

Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …pe…
When they hear a sound with their ears …

ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …
When they smell an odor with their nose …

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …
When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …
When they feel a touch with their body …

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ.
When they know a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them.

So tena uppannena manāpena uppannena amanāpena uppannena manāpāmanāpena aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati.
They are horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that.

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, sekho hoti pāṭipado.
That’s how they are a practicing trainee.

Kathañcānanda, ariyo hoti bhāvitindriyo?
And how are they a noble one with developed faculties?

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhuno sotena saddaṁ sutvā …pe…
When they hear a sound with their ear …

ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …
When they smell an odor with their nose …

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …
When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …
When they feel a touch with their body …

Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayampi abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, ariyo hoti bhāvitindriyo.
That’s how they are a noble one with developed faculties.

Iti kho, ānanda, desitā mayā ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā, desito sekho pāṭipado, desito ariyo bhāvitindriyo.
So, Ānanda, I have taught the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One, I have taught the practicing trainee, and I have taught the noble one with developed faculties.

Yaṁ kho, ānanda, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā.
Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.

Etāni, ānanda, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni, jhāyathānanda, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī”ti.
Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, Ānanda! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.

Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

Indriyabhāvanāsuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.

Saḷāyatanavaggo niṭṭhito pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Anāthapiṇḍiko channo,

puṇṇo nandakarāhulā;

Chachakkaṁ saḷāyatanikaṁ,

nagaravindeyyasuddhikā;

Indriyabhāvanā cāpi,

vaggo ovādapañcamoti.

Idaṁ vaggānamuddānaṁ

Devadahonupado ca,

Suññato ca vibhaṅgako;

Saḷāyatanoti vaggā,

Uparipaṇṇāsake ṭhitāti.

Uparipaṇṇāsakaṁ samattaṁ.

Tīhi paṇṇāsakehi paṭimaṇḍito sakalo

majjhimanikāyo samatto.
The Middle Discourses are completed.