Saṁyutta Nikāya 18.1
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 18.1
1. Paṭhamavagga
Chapter One
Cakkhusutta
The Eye, Etc.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Atha kho āyasmā rāhulo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Venerable Rāhula went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.
“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula,
“What do you think, Rāhula?
cakkhuṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Suffering, sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sotaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Is the ear permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe….
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“Ghānaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Is the nose permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“Jivhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Is the tongue permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“Kāyo nicco vā anicco vā”ti?
“Is the body permanent or impermanent?”
“Anicco, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“Mano nicco vā anicco vā”ti?
“Is the mind permanent or impermanent?”
“Anicco, bhante”.
“Impermanent, sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?
“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”
“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.
“Suffering, sir.”
“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:
“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:
‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?
‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati …pe… sotasmimpi nibbindati … ghānasmimpi nibbindati … jivhāyapi nibbindati … kāyasmimpi nibbindati … manasmimpi nibbindati;
“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mind.
nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.
They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”
(Etena peyyālena dasa suttantā kātabbā.)
(The ten discourses of this series should be told in full the same way.)
Paṭhamaṁ.