Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.89
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 22.89
9. Theravagga
9. Senior Mendicants
Khemakasutta
With Khemaka
Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū kosambiyaṁ viharanti ghositārāme.
At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā khemako badarikārāme viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.
Now at that time Venerable Khemaka was staying in the Jujube Tree Monastery, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill.
Atha kho therā bhikkhū sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā āyasmantaṁ dāsakaṁ āmantesuṁ:
In the late afternoon those senior mendicants came out of retreat and addressed Venerable Dāsaka,
“ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi:
“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him:
‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—
‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors
kacci te, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti no abhikkamanti, paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no abhikkamo’”ti?
hope you’re keeping well; they hope you’re getting by. They hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.’”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavoca:
“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He went to Khemaka and said to him:
“therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu:
“Reverend Khemaka, the seniors
‘kacci te, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ …pe… no abhikkamo’”ti?
hope you’re keeping well; they hope you’re getting by. They hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.”
“Na me, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ …pe… abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo”ti.
“Reverend, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.”
Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca:
Then Dāsaka went to those seniors and told them what had happened. They said,
“khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha:
‘na me, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ …pe… abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo’”ti.
“Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi:
“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him:
‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—
‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors say that
pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
these five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is:
rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Imesu āyasmā khemako pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassatī’”ti?
Do you regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self?’”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe…
“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied:
therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu:
“pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
Imesu āyasmā khemako pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassatī”ti?
“Pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
“These five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is:
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmī”ti.
I do not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self.”
Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca:
Then Dāsaka went to those seniors and told them what had happened. They said:
“khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha:
‘pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmī’”ti.
“Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi:
“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him:
‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—
‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors say that
pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
these five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is:
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
No ce kirāyasmā khemako imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassati.
If, as it seems, Venerable Khemaka does not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self,
Tenahāyasmā khemako arahaṁ khīṇāsavo’”ti.
then he is a perfected one, with defilements ended.’”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako …pe…
“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied:
therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu:
“pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho;
no ce kirāyasmā khemako imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassati, tenahāyasmā khemako arahaṁ khīṇāsavo”ti.
“Pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
“These five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is:
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmi, na camhi arahaṁ khīṇāsavo;
I do not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self, yet I am not a perfected one, with defilements ended.
api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ, ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmī”ti.
For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.”
Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū …pe…
Then Dāsaka went to those seniors and told them what had happened. They said:
there bhikkhū etadavoca:
“khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha—
pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—
rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho.
Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmi, na camhi arahaṁ khīṇāsavo;
api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ, ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmī”ti.
“Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi:
“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him:
‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—
‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors ask,
yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, asmīti vadesi, kimetaṁ asmīti vadesi?
when you say “I am”, what is it that you’re talking about?
Rūpaṁ asmīti vadesi, aññatra rūpā asmīti vadesi,
Is it form or apart from form?
vedanaṁ …
Is it feeling …
saññaṁ …
perception …
saṅkhāre …
choices …
viññāṇaṁ asmīti vadesi, aññatra viññāṇā asmīti vadesi.
consciousness, or apart from consciousness?
Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, asmīti vadesi. Kimetaṁ asmīti vadesī’”ti?
When you say “I am”, what is it that you’re talking about?”
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavoca—
“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied:
therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu:
“yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi?
Rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadesi?
Vedanaṁ …
saññaṁ …
saṅkhāre …
viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadesi?
Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesī”ti?
“Alaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, kiṁ imāya sandhāvanikāya.
“Enough, Reverend Dāsaka! What’s the point in running back and forth?
Āharāvuso, daṇḍaṁ;
Bring my staff,
ahameva yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkamissāmī”ti.
I’ll go to see the senior mendicants myself.”
Atha kho āyasmā khemako daṇḍamolubbha yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā therehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then Venerable Khemaka, leaning on a staff, went to those senior mendicants and exchanged greetings with them.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ therā bhikkhū etadavocuṁ:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. They said to him:
“yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi?
“Reverend Khemaka, when you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about?
Rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi, aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadesi?
Is it form or apart from form?
Vedanaṁ …
Is it feeling …
saññaṁ …
perception …
saṅkhāre …
choices …
viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi, aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadesi?
consciousness, or apart from consciousness?
Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesī”ti?
When you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about?”
“Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi; napi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi.
“Reverends, I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to form, or apart from form.
Na vedanaṁ …
I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to feeling …
na saññaṁ …
perception …
na saṅkhāre …
choices …
na viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi; napi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi.
consciousness, or apart from consciousness.
Api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmi.
For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, uppalassa vā padumassa vā puṇḍarīkassa vā gandho.
It’s like the scent of a blue water lily, or a pink or white lotus.
Yo nu kho evaṁ vadeyya: ‘pattassa gandho’ti vā ‘vaṇṇassa gandho’ti vā ‘kiñjakkhassa gandho’ti vā sammā nu kho so vadamāno vadeyyā”ti?
Would it be right to say that the scent belongs to the petals or the stalk or the pistil?”
“No hetaṁ, āvuso”.
“No, reverend.”
“Yathā kathaṁ, panāvuso, sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti?
“Then, reverends, how should it be said?”
“‘Pupphassa gandho’ti kho, āvuso, sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti.
“It would be right to say that the scent belongs to the flower.”
“Evameva khvāhaṁ, āvuso, na rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi, napi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi.
“In the same way, reverends, I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to form, or apart from form.
Na vedanaṁ …
I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to feeling …
na saññaṁ …
perception …
na saṅkhāre …
choices …
na viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi, napi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi.
consciousness, or apart from consciousness.
Api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmi.
For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.
Kiñcāpi, āvuso, ariyasāvakassa pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni bhavanti, atha khvassa hoti: ‘yo ca pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato asmīti māno, asmīti chando, asmīti anusayo asamūhato.
Although a noble disciple has given up the five lower fetters, they still have a lingering residue of the conceit ‘I am’, the desire ‘I am’, and the underlying tendency ‘I am’ which has not been eradicated.
So aparena samayena pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati—
After some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.
iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo;
‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.
iti vedanā …
Such is feeling …
iti saññā …
Such is perception …
iti saṅkhārā …
Such are choices …
iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti.
Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’
Tassimesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino viharato yopissa hoti pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchati.
As they do so, that lingering residue is eradicated.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ. Tamenaṁ sāmikā rajakassa anupadajjuṁ.
Suppose there was a cloth that was dirty and soiled, so the owners give it to a launderer.
Tamenaṁ rajako ūse vā khāre vā gomaye vā sammadditvā acche udake vikkhāleti.
The launderer kneads it thoroughly with salt, lye, and cow dung, and rinses it in clear water.
Kiñcāpi taṁ hoti vatthaṁ parisuddhaṁ pariyodātaṁ, atha khvassa hoti yeva anusahagato ūsagandho vā khāragandho vā gomayagandho vā asamūhato.
Although that cloth is clean and bright, it still has a lingering scent of salt, lye, or cow dung that had not been eradicated.
Tamenaṁ rajako sāmikānaṁ deti. Tamenaṁ sāmikā gandhaparibhāvite karaṇḍake nikkhipanti.
The launderer returns it to its owners, who store it in a fragrant casket.
Yopissa hoti anusahagato ūsagandho vā khāragandho vā gomayagandho vā asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchati.
And that lingering scent would be eradicated.
Evameva kho, āvuso, kiñcāpi ariyasāvakassa pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni bhavanti, atha khvassa hoti yeva pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato.
In the same way, although a noble disciple has given up the five lower fetters, they still have a lingering residue of the conceit ‘I am’, the desire ‘I am’, and the underlying tendency ‘I am’ which has not been eradicated.
So aparena samayena pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati.
After some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.
‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo;
‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.
iti vedanā …
Such is feeling …
iti saññā …
Such is perception …
iti saṅkhārā …
Such are choices …
iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti.
Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’
Tassa imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino viharato yopissa hoti pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchatī”ti.
As they do so, that lingering residue is eradicated.”
Evaṁ vutte, therā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavocuṁ:
When he said this, the senior mendicants said to Venerable Khemaka,
“na kho mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ vihesāpekhā pucchimha, api cāyasmā khemako pahosi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ vitthārena ācikkhituṁ desetuṁ paññāpetuṁ paṭṭhapetuṁ vivarituṁ vibhajituṁ uttānīkātuṁ.
“We didn’t want to trouble Venerable Khemaka with our questions. But you’re capable of explaining, teaching, asserting, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing the Buddha’s instructions in detail.
Tayidaṁ āyasmatā khemakena tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ vitthārena ācikkhitaṁ desitaṁ paññāpitaṁ paṭṭhapitaṁ vivaritaṁ vibhajitaṁ uttānīkatan”ti.
And that’s just what you’ve done.”
Idamavoca āyasmā khemako.
That’s what Venerable Khemaka said.
Attamanā therā bhikkhū āyasmato khemakassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanduṁ.
Satisfied, the senior mendicants approved what Venerable Khemaka said.
Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne saṭṭhimattānaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsu, āyasmato khemakassa cāti.
And while this discourse was being spoken, the minds of sixty senior mendicants and of Venerable Khemaka were freed from defilements by not grasping.
Sattamaṁ.