Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.84
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 22.84
9. Theravagga
9. Senior Mendicants
Tissasutta
With Tissa
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti:
Now at that time Venerable Tissa, the Buddha’s paternal cousin, informed several mendicants:
“api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo; disāpi me na pakkhāyanti; dhammāpi maṁ na paṭibhanti; thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati; anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā”ti.
“Reverends, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.”
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.
“āyasmā, bhante, tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti:
‘api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo; disāpi me na pakkhāyanti; dhammāpi maṁ na paṭibhanti; thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati; anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:
So the Buddha addressed one of the monks,
“ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena tissaṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehī”ti.
“Please, monk, in my name tell the mendicant Tissa that the Teacher summons him.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā tisso tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ etadavoca:
“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Tissa and said to him,
“satthā taṁ, āvuso tissa, āmantetī”ti.
“Reverend Tissa, the teacher summons you.”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā tisso tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, reverend,” Tissa replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, tissa, sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamārocesi:
“Is it really true, Tissa, that you informed several mendicants that
‘api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo …pe… hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti?
your body feels like it’s drugged … and you have doubts about the teachings?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa,
“What do you think, Tissa?
rūpe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa, tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?
If you’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form, when that form decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Sādhu sādhu, tissa.
“Good, good, Tissa!
Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti.
That’s how it is, Tissa,
Yathā taṁ rūpe avigatarāgassa …
when you’re not rid of greed for form.
vedanāya …
If you’re not rid of greed for feeling …
saññāya …
perception …
saṅkhāresu avigatarāgassa …pe…
choices …
tesaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Sādhu sādhu, tissa.
Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti.
Yathā taṁ saṅkhāresu anigatarāgassa, viññāṇe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa, tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?
consciousness, when that consciousness decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Sādhu sādhu, tissa.
“Good, good, Tissa!
Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti.
That’s how it is, Tissa,
Yathā taṁ viññāṇe avigatarāgassa.
when you’re not rid of greed for consciousness.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa,
What do you think, Tissa?
rūpe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa, tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?
If you are rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form, when that form decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.”
“Sādhu sādhu, tissa.
“Good, good, Tissa!
Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti.
That’s how it is, Tissa,
Yathā taṁ rūpe vigatarāgassa …
when you are rid of greed for form …
vedanāya …
feeling …
saññāya …
perception …
saṅkhāresu vigatarāgassa …
choices …
viññāṇe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Sādhu sādhu, tissa.
Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti.
Yathā taṁ viññāṇe vigatarāgassa.
consciousness.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa,
What do you think, Tissa?
rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
Is form permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, sir.”
“Vedanā …
“Is feeling …
saññā …
perception …
saṅkhārā …
choices …
viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
consciousness permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, sir.”
“Tasmātiha …pe…
“So you should truly see …
evaṁ passaṁ …pe…
Seeing this …
nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti.
They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’
Seyyathāpi, tissa, dve purisā—
Suppose, Tissa, there were two people.
eko puriso amaggakusalo, eko puriso maggakusalo.
One was not skilled in the path, the other was.
Tamenaṁ so amaggakusalo puriso amuṁ maggakusalaṁ purisaṁ maggaṁ puccheyya.
The one not skilled in the path would question the one skilled in the path,
So evaṁ vadeyya:
who would reply:
‘ehi, bho purisa, ayaṁ maggo.
‘Come, good man, this is the path.
Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha.
Go down it a little,
Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi dvedhāpathaṁ, tattha vāmaṁ muñcitvā dakkhiṇaṁ gaṇhāhi.
and you’ll see a fork in the road. Ignore the left, and take the right-hand path.
Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha.
Go a little further,
Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi tibbaṁ vanasaṇḍaṁ.
and you’ll see a sweltering forest grove.
Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha.
Go a little further,
Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi mahantaṁ ninnaṁ pallalaṁ.
and you’ll see an expanse of low-lying marshes.
Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha.
Go a little further,
Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi sobbhaṁ papātaṁ.
and you’ll see a large, steep cliff.
Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha.
Go a little further,
Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi samaṁ bhūmibhāgaṁ ramaṇīyan’ti.
and you’ll see level, cleared parkland.’
Upamā kho myāyaṁ, tissa, katā atthassa viññāpanāya.
I’ve made up this simile to make a point.
Ayaṁ cevettha attho:
And this is what it means.
‘puriso amaggakusalo’ti kho, tissa, puthujjanassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘A person who is not skilled in the path’ is a term for an ordinary unlearned person.
‘Puriso maggakusalo’ti kho, tissa, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
‘A person who is skilled in the path’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
‘Dvedhāpatho’ti kho, tissa, vicikicchāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘A fork in the road’ is a term for doubt.
‘Vāmo maggo’ti kho, tissa, aṭṭhaṅgikassetaṁ micchāmaggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
‘The left-hand path’ is a term for the wrong eightfold path, that is,
micchādiṭṭhiyā …pe… micchāsamādhissa.
wrong view … wrong immersion.
‘Dakkhiṇo maggo’ti kho, tissa, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
‘The right-hand path’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is,
sammādiṭṭhiyā …pe… sammāsamādhissa.
right view … right immersion.
‘Tibbo vanasaṇḍo’ti kho, tissa, avijjāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘A sweltering forest grove’ is a term for ignorance.
‘Mahantaṁ ninnaṁ pallalan’ti kho, tissa, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘An expanse of low-lying marshes’ is a term for sensual pleasures.
‘Sobbho papāto’ti kho, tissa, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘A large, steep cliff’ is a term for anger and distress.
‘Samo bhūmibhāgo ramaṇīyo’ti kho, tissa, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘Level, cleared parkland’ is a term for extinguishment.
Abhirama, tissa, abhirama, tissa.
Rejoice, Tissa, rejoice!
Ahamovādena ahamanuggahena ahamanusāsaniyā”ti.
I’m here to advise you, to support you, and to teach you.”
Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.
Attamano āyasmā tisso bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Satisfied, Venerable Tissa was happy with what the Buddha said.
Dutiyaṁ.