Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.66

Translators: sujato

Linked Discourses 12.66

7. Mahāvagga
7. The Great Chapter

Sammasasutta

Self-examination

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṁ nāma kurūnaṁ nigamo.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“sammasatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, antaraṁ sammasan”ti.
“Mendicants, do you perform inner self-examination?”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,

“ahaṁ kho, bhante, sammasāmi antaraṁ sammasan”ti.
“Sir, I perform inner self-examination.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sammasasi antaraṁ sammasan”ti?
“But mendicant, how do you perform inner self-examination?”

Atha kho so bhikkhu byākāsi.
Then that mendicant answered,

Yathā so bhikkhu byākāsi na so bhikkhu bhagavato cittaṁ ārādhesi.
but the Buddha was not happy with the answer.

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he had spoken, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,

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

yaṁ bhagavā antaraṁ sammasaṁ bhāseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
Let the Buddha speak of the inner self-examination. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

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

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammasamāno sammasati antaraṁ sammasaṁ:
“Take a mendicant who performs inner self-examination:

‘yaṁ kho idaṁ anekavidhaṁ nānappakārakaṁ dukkhaṁ loke uppajjati jarāmaraṇaṁ.
‘The suffering that arises in the world starting with old age and death takes many and diverse forms.

Idaṁ kho dukkhaṁ kiṁnidānaṁ kiṁsamudayaṁ kiṁjātikaṁ kiṁpabhavaṁ, kismiṁ sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, kismiṁ asati jarāmaraṇaṁ na hotī’ti?
But what is the source of this suffering? When what exists do old age and death come to be? And when what does not exist do old age and death not come to be?’

So sammasamāno evaṁ jānāti:
While examining they know:

‘yaṁ kho idaṁ anekavidhaṁ nānappakārakaṁ dukkhaṁ loke uppajjati jarāmaraṇaṁ.
‘The suffering that arises in the world starting with old age and death takes many and diverse forms.

Idaṁ kho dukkhaṁ upadhinidānaṁ upadhisamudayaṁ upadhijātikaṁ upadhipabhavaṁ, upadhismiṁ sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, upadhismiṁ asati jarāmaraṇaṁ na hotī’ti.
The source of this suffering is attachment. When attachments exist old age and death come to be. And when attachments do not exist old age and death don’t come to be.’

So jarāmaraṇañca pajānāti jarāmaraṇasamudayañca pajānāti jarāmaraṇanirodhañca pajānāti yā ca jarāmaraṇanirodhasāruppagāminī paṭipadā tañca pajānāti.
They understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the fitting practice for their cessation.

Tathāpaṭipanno ca hoti anudhammacārī.
And they practice in line with that path.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya paṭipanno jarāmaraṇanirodhāya.
This is called a mendicant who is practicing for the complete ending of suffering, for the cessation of old age and death.

Athāparaṁ sammasamāno sammasati antaraṁ sammasaṁ:
They perform further inner self-examination:

‘upadhi panāyaṁ kiṁnidāno kiṁsamudayo kiṁjātiko kiṁpabhavo, kismiṁ sati upadhi hoti, kismiṁ asati upadhi na hotī’ti?
‘But what is the source of this attachment? When what exists does attachment come to be? And when what does not exist does attachment not come to be?’

So sammasamāno evaṁ jānāti:
While examining they know:

‘upadhi taṇhānidāno taṇhāsamudayo taṇhājātiko taṇhāpabhavo, taṇhāya sati upadhi hoti, taṇhāya asati upadhi na hotī’ti.
‘The source of this attachment is craving. When craving exists attachments come to be. And when craving doesn’t exist attachments don’t come to be.’

So upadhiñca pajānāti upadhisamudayañca pajānāti upadhinirodhañca pajānāti yā ca upadhinirodhasāruppagāminī paṭipadā tañca pajānāti.
They understand attachments, their origin, their cessation, and the fitting practice for their cessation.

Tathāpaṭipanno ca hoti anudhammacārī.
And they practice in line with that path.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya paṭipanno upadhinirodhāya.
This is called a mendicant who is practicing for the complete ending of suffering, for the cessation of attachments.

Athāparaṁ sammasamāno sammasati antaraṁ sammasaṁ:
They perform further inner self-examination:

‘taṇhā panāyaṁ kattha uppajjamānā uppajjati, kattha nivisamānā nivisatī’ti?
‘But where does that craving arise and where does it settle?’

So sammasamāno evaṁ jānāti—
While examining they know:

yaṁ kho loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ etthesā taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati, ettha nivisamānā nivisati.
‘That craving arises and settles on whatever in the world seems nice and pleasant.

Kiñca loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ?
And what in the world seems nice and pleasant?

Cakkhuṁ loke piyarūpaṁ, sātarūpaṁ, etthesā taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati, ettha nivisamānā nivisati.
The eye in the world seems nice and pleasant, and it is there that craving arises and settles.

Sotaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ …pe…
The ear …

ghānaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ …
nose …

jivhā loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ …
tongue …

kāyo loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ …
body …

mano loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ, etthesā taṇhā uppajjamānā uppajjati ettha nivisamānā nivisati.
mind in the world seems nice and pleasant, and it is there that craving arises and settles.’

Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ niccato addakkhuṁ sukhato addakkhuṁ attato addakkhuṁ ārogyato addakkhuṁ khemato addakkhuṁ.
There were ascetics and brahmins of the past who saw the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as permanent, as pleasurable, as self, as healthy, and as safe.

Te taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhesuṁ.
Their craving grew.

Ye taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhesuṁ te upadhiṁ vaḍḍhesuṁ.
As their craving grew, their attachments grew.

Ye upadhiṁ vaḍḍhesuṁ te dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhesuṁ.
As their attachments grew, their suffering grew.

Ye dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhesuṁ te na parimucciṁsu jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimucciṁsu dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And as their suffering grew, they were not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They were not freed from suffering, I say.

Yepi hi keci, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ niccato dakkhissanti sukhato dakkhissanti attato dakkhissanti ārogyato dakkhissanti khemato dakkhissanti.
There will be ascetics and brahmins in the future who will see the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as permanent, as pleasurable, as self, as healthy, and as safe.

Te taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhissanti.
Their craving will grow.

Ye taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhissanti te upadhiṁ vaḍḍhissanti.
As their craving grows, their attachments will grow.

Ye upadhiṁ vaḍḍhissanti te dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhissanti.
As their attachments grow, their suffering will grow.

Ye dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhissanti te na parimuccissanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimuccissanti dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And as their suffering grows, they will not be freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They will not be freed from suffering, I say.

Yepi hi keci, bhikkhave, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ niccato passanti sukhato passanti attato passanti ārogyato passanti khemato passanti.
There are ascetics and brahmins in the present who see the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as permanent, as pleasurable, as self, as healthy, and as safe.

Te taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhenti.
Their craving grows.

Ye taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhenti te upadhiṁ vaḍḍhenti.
As their craving grows, their attachments grow.

Ye upadhiṁ vaḍḍhenti te dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhenti.
As their attachments grow, their suffering grows.

Ye dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhenti te na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimuccanti dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And as their suffering grows, they are not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They are not freed from suffering, I say.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āpānīyakaṁso vaṇṇasampanno gandhasampanno rasasampanno.
Suppose there was a bronze cup of beverage that had a nice color, aroma, and flavor.

So ca kho visena saṁsaṭṭho.
But it was mixed with poison.

Atha puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipāsito.
Then along comes a man struggling in the oppressive heat, weary, thirsty, and parched.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
They’d say to him:

‘ayaṁ te, ambho purisa, āpānīyakaṁso vaṇṇasampanno gandhasampanno rasasampanno;
‘Here, mister, this bronze cup of beverage has a nice color, aroma, and flavor.

so ca kho visena saṁsaṭṭho.
But it’s mixed with poison.

Sace ākaṅkhasi piva.
Drink it if you like.

Pivato hi kho taṁ chādessati vaṇṇenapi gandhenapi rasenapi, pivitvā ca pana tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchasi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhan’ti.
If you drink it, the color, aroma, and flavor will be appetizing, but it will result in death or deadly pain.’

So taṁ āpānīyakaṁsaṁ sahasā appaṭisaṅkhā piveyya, nappaṭinissajjeyya.
He wouldn’t reject that beverage. Hastily, without reflection, he’d drink it,

So tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.
resulting in death or deadly pain.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ …pe…
In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins of the past …

anāgatamaddhānaṁ …pe…
future …

etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ niccato passanti sukhato passanti attato passanti ārogyato passanti khemato passanti, te taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhenti.
There are ascetics and brahmins in the present who see the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as permanent, as pleasurable, as self, as healthy, and as safe. Their craving grows.

Ye taṇhaṁ vaḍḍhenti te upadhiṁ vaḍḍhenti.
As their craving grows, their attachments grow.

Ye upadhiṁ vaḍḍhenti te dukkhaṁ vaḍḍhenti.
As their attachments grow, their suffering grows.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ aniccato addakkhuṁ dukkhato addakkhuṁ anattato addakkhuṁ rogato addakkhuṁ bhayato addakkhuṁ,
There were ascetics and brahmins of the past who saw the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as impermanent, as suffering, as not-self, as diseased, and as dangerous.

te taṇhaṁ pajahiṁsu.
They gave up craving.

Ye taṇhaṁ pajahiṁsu te upadhiṁ pajahiṁsu.
Giving up craving, they gave up attachments.

Ye upadhiṁ pajahiṁsu te dukkhaṁ pajahiṁsu.
Giving up attachments, they gave up suffering.

Ye dukkhaṁ pajahiṁsu te parimucciṁsu jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, parimucciṁsu dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
Giving up suffering, they were freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They were freed from suffering, I say.

Yepi hi keci, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ aniccato dakkhissanti dukkhato dakkhissanti anattato dakkhissanti rogato dakkhissanti bhayato dakkhissanti,
There will be ascetics and brahmins in the future who will see the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as impermanent, as suffering, as not-self, as diseased, and as dangerous.

te taṇhaṁ pajahissanti.
They will give up craving.

Ye taṇhaṁ pajahissanti …pe…
Giving up craving …

parimuccissanti dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
they will be freed from suffering, I say.

Yepi hi keci, bhikkhave, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ aniccato passanti dukkhato passanti anattato passanti rogato passanti bhayato passanti,
There are ascetics and brahmins in the present who see the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as impermanent, as suffering, as not-self, as diseased, and as dangerous.

te taṇhaṁ pajahanti.
They give up craving.

Ye taṇhaṁ pajahanti te upadhiṁ pajahanti.
Giving up craving, they give up attachments.

Ye upadhiṁ pajahanti te dukkhaṁ pajahanti.
Giving up attachments, they give up suffering.

Ye dukkhaṁ pajahanti te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, parimuccanti dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
Giving up suffering, they are freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They are freed from suffering, I say.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āpānīyakaṁso vaṇṇasampanno gandhasampanno rasasampanno.
Suppose there was a bronze cup of beverage that had a nice color, aroma, and flavor.

So ca kho visena saṁsaṭṭho.
But it was mixed with poison.

Atha puriso āgaccheyya ghammābhitatto ghammapareto kilanto tasito pipāsito.
Then along comes a man struggling in the oppressive heat, weary, thirsty, and parched.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
They’d say to him:

‘ayaṁ te, ambho purisa, āpānīyakaṁso vaṇṇasampanno gandhasampanno rasasampanno
‘Here, mister, this bronze cup of beverage has a nice color, aroma, and flavor.

so ca kho visena saṁsaṭṭho.
But it’s mixed with poison.

Sace ākaṅkhasi piva.
Drink it if you like.

Pivato hi kho taṁ chādessati vaṇṇenapi gandhenapi rasenapi; pivitvā ca pana tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchasi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhan’ti.
If you drink it, its nice color, aroma, and flavor will refresh you. But drinking it will result in death or deadly pain.’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa evamassa:
Then that man might think:

‘sakkā kho me ayaṁ surāpipāsitā pānīyena vā vinetuṁ dadhimaṇḍakena vā vinetuṁ bhaṭṭhaloṇikāya vā vinetuṁ loṇasovīrakena vā vinetuṁ, na tvevāhaṁ taṁ piveyyaṁ, yaṁ mama assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā’ti.
‘I could quench my thirst with water, whey, seasoned drink, or broth. But I shouldn’t drink that beverage, for it would be for my lasting harm and suffering.’

So taṁ āpānīyakaṁsaṁ paṭisaṅkhā na piveyya, paṭinissajjeyya.
He’d reject that beverage. After appraisal, he wouldn’t drink it,

So tatonidānaṁ na maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.
and it wouldn’t result in death or deadly pain.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ aniccato addakkhuṁ dukkhato addakkhuṁ anattato addakkhuṁ rogato addakkhuṁ bhayato addakkhuṁ,
In the same way, there were ascetics and brahmins of the past who saw the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as impermanent, as suffering, as not-self, as diseased, and as dangerous.

te taṇhaṁ pajahiṁsu.
They gave up craving.

Ye taṇhaṁ pajahiṁsu te upadhiṁ pajahiṁsu.
Giving up craving, they gave up attachments.

Ye upadhiṁ pajahiṁsu te dukkhaṁ pajahiṁsu.
Giving up attachments, they gave up suffering.

Yepi hi keci, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ …pe…
There will be ascetics and brahmins in the future …

etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ taṁ aniccato passanti dukkhato passanti anattato passanti rogato passanti bhayato passanti,
There are ascetics and brahmins in the present who see the things that seem nice and pleasant in the world as impermanent, as suffering, as not-self, as diseased, and as dangerous.

te taṇhaṁ pajahanti.
They give up craving.

Ye taṇhaṁ pajahanti te upadhiṁ pajahanti.
Giving up craving, they give up attachments.

Ye upadhiṁ pajahanti te dukkhaṁ pajahanti.
Giving up attachments, they give up suffering.

Ye dukkhaṁ pajahanti te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, parimuccanti dukkhasmāti vadāmī”ti.
Giving up suffering, they are freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They are freed from suffering, I say.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.