sutta » sn » sn22 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.55

Udānasutta

An Inspired Saying

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.

Tatra kho bhagavā udānaṁ udānesi:
There the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, nābhavissa, na me bhavissatī’ti—
“‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine.’

evaṁ adhimuccamāno bhikkhu chindeyya orambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti.
A mendicant who makes such a resolution can cut off the five lower fetters.”

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

“yathā kathaṁ pana, bhante, ‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, nābhavissa, na me bhavissatī’ti—
“But sir, how

evaṁ adhimuccamāno bhikkhu chindeyya orambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti?
can a mendicant who makes such a resolution cut off the five lower fetters?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī …pe…
“Mendicant, take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in their teaching. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in their teaching.

sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.
They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.

Vedanaṁ …
They regard feeling …

saññaṁ …
perception …

saṅkhāre …
choices …

viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.
consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.

So aniccaṁ rūpaṁ ‘aniccaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
They don’t truly understand form—which is impermanent—as impermanent.

aniccaṁ vedanaṁ ‘aniccā vedanā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
They don’t truly understand feeling …

aniccaṁ saññaṁ ‘aniccā saññā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
perception …

anicce saṅkhāre ‘aniccā saṅkhārā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
choices …

aniccaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘aniccaṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
consciousness—which is impermanent—as impermanent.

Dukkhaṁ rūpaṁ ‘dukkhaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
They don’t truly understand form—which is suffering—as suffering.

dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ …
They don’t truly understand feeling …

dukkhaṁ saññaṁ …
perception …

dukkhe saṅkhāre …
choices …

dukkhaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘dukkhaṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
consciousness—which is suffering—as suffering.

Anattaṁ rūpaṁ ‘anattā rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
They don’t truly understand form—which is not-self—as not-self.

anattaṁ vedanaṁ ‘anattā vedanā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
They don’t truly understand feeling …

anattaṁ saññaṁ ‘anattā saññā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
perception …

anatte saṅkhāre ‘anattā saṅkhārā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
choices …

anattaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘anattā viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
consciousness—which is not-self—as not-self.

Saṅkhataṁ rūpaṁ ‘saṅkhataṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti,
They don’t truly understand form—which is conditioned—as conditioned.

saṅkhataṁ vedanaṁ …
They don’t truly understand feeling …

saṅkhataṁ saññaṁ …
perception …

saṅkhate saṅkhāre …
choices …

saṅkhataṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘saṅkhataṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
consciousness—which is conditioned—as conditioned.

Rūpaṁ vibhavissatīti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
They don’t truly understand that form will disappear.

Vedanā vibhavissati …
They don’t truly understand that feeling …

saññā vibhavissati …
perception …

saṅkhārā vibhavissanti …
choices …

viññāṇaṁ vibhavissatīti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti.
consciousness will disappear.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhu, ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto
But a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.

na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati …pe…
They don’t regard form as self …

na vedanaṁ …
They don’t regard feeling …

na saññaṁ …
perception …

na saṅkhāre …
choices …

na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati.
consciousness as self.

So aniccaṁ rūpaṁ ‘aniccaṁ rūpan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
They truly understand form—which is impermanent—as impermanent.

Aniccaṁ vedanaṁ …
They truly understand feeling …

aniccaṁ saññaṁ …
perception …

anicce saṅkhāre …
choices …

aniccaṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘aniccaṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
consciousness—which is impermanent—as impermanent.

Dukkhaṁ rūpaṁ …pe… dukkhaṁ viññāṇaṁ …
They truly understand form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is suffering—as suffering.

anattaṁ rūpaṁ …pe… anattaṁ viññāṇaṁ …
They truly understand form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is not-self—as not-self.

saṅkhataṁ rūpaṁ …pe… saṅkhataṁ viññāṇaṁ ‘saṅkhataṁ viññāṇan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
They truly understand form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness—which is conditioned—as conditioned.

Rūpaṁ vibhavissatīti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
They truly understand that form will disappear.

Vedanā …
They truly understand that feeling …

saññā …
perception …

saṅkhārā …
choices …

viññāṇaṁ vibhavissatīti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
consciousness will disappear.

So rūpassa vibhavā, vedanāya vibhavā, saññāya vibhavā, saṅkhārānaṁ vibhavā, viññāṇassa vibhavā, evaṁ kho, bhikkhu,
It’s because of the disappearance of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness that a mendicant who makes such a resolution—

‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, nābhavissa, na me bhavissatī’ti—
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine’—

evaṁ adhimuccamāno bhikkhu chindeyya orambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti.
can cut off the five lower fetters.”

“Evaṁ adhimuccamāno, bhante, bhikkhu chindeyya orambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti.
“Sir, a mendicant who makes such a resolution can cut off the five lower fetters.

“Kathaṁ pana, bhante, jānato kathaṁ passato anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hotī”ti?
But how are they to know and see in order to end the defilements in the present life?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, assutavā puthujjano atasitāye ṭhāne tāsaṁ āpajjati.
“Mendicant, an unlearned ordinary person worries about things that aren’t a worry.

Tāso heso bhikkhu assutavato puthujjanassa:
For an unlearned ordinary person worries:

‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, nābhavissa, na me bhavissatī’ti.
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine.’

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhu, ariyasāvako atasitāye ṭhāne na tāsaṁ āpajjati.
A learned noble disciple doesn’t worry about things that aren’t a worry.

Na heso, bhikkhu, tāso sutavato ariyasāvakassa:
For a learned noble disciple doesn’t worry:

‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, nābhavissa, na me bhavissatī’ti.
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine.’

Rūpupayaṁ vā, bhikkhu, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, rūpārammaṇaṁ rūpappatiṭṭhaṁ nandūpasecanaṁ vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.
As long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with form, supported by form, founded on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Vedanupayaṁ vā, bhikkhu …
Or consciousness would remain involved with feeling …

saññupayaṁ vā, bhikkhu …
Or consciousness would remain involved with perception …

saṅkhārupayaṁ vā, bhikkhu, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, saṅkhārārammaṇaṁ saṅkhārappatiṭṭhaṁ nandūpasecanaṁ vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.
Or consciousness would remain involved with choices, supported by choices, grounded on choices. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Yo, bhikkhu, evaṁ vadeyya:
Suppose, mendicant, you were to say:

‘ahamaññatra rūpā, aññatra vedanāya, aññatra saññāya, aññatra saṅkhārehi viññāṇassa āgatiṁ vā gatiṁ vā cutiṁ vā upapattiṁ vā vuddhiṁ vā virūḷhiṁ vā vepullaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
‘Apart from form, feeling, perception, and choices, I will describe the coming and going of consciousness, its passing away and reappearing, its growth, increase, and maturity.’ That is not possible.

Rūpadhātuyā ce, bhikkhu, bhikkhuno rāgo pahīno hoti. Rāgassa pahānā vocchijjatārammaṇaṁ patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti.
If a mendicant has given up greed for the form element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

Vedanādhātuyā ce, bhikkhu, bhikkhuno …
If a mendicant has given up greed for the feeling element …

saññādhātuyā ce, bhikkhu, bhikkhuno …
perception element …

saṅkhāradhātuyā ce, bhikkhu, bhikkhuno …
choices element …

viññāṇadhātuyā ce, bhikkhu, bhikkhuno rāgo pahīno hoti. Rāgassa pahānā vocchijjatārammaṇaṁ patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti.
consciousness element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

Tadappatiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ anabhisaṅkhacca vimuttaṁ.
Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, with no power to regenerate, it is freed.

Vimuttattā ṭhitaṁ. Ṭhitattā santusitaṁ. Santusitattā na paritassati. Aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati.
Being free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.

‘Khīṇā jāti …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended … there is no return to any state of existence.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, jānato evaṁ passato anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hotī”ti.
The ending of the defilements is for one who knows and sees this.”

Tatiyaṁ.