sutta » sn » sn35 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.244

Dukkhadhammasutta

Entailing Suffering

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
“Mendicants, when a mendicant truly understands the origin and ending of all things that entail suffering,

Tathā kho panassa kāmā diṭṭhā honti, yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti.
then they’ve seen sensual pleasures in such a way that they have no underlying tendency for desire, affection, infatuation, and passion for sensual pleasures.

Tathā kho panassa cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti, yathā carantaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānusenti.
And they’ve awakened to a way of conduct and a way of living such that, when they live in that way, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure don’t overwhelm them.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti?
And how does a mendicant truly understand the origin and ending of all things that entail suffering?

‘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 …
perception …

iti saṅkhārā …
choices …

iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti—
consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’

evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbesaṁyeva dukkhadhammānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.
That’s how a mendicant truly understands the origin and ending of all things that entail suffering.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno kāmā diṭṭhā honti? Yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti.
And how has a mendicant seen sensual pleasures in such a way that they have no underlying tendency for desire, affection, infatuation, and passion for sensual pleasures?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, aṅgārakāsu sādhikaporisā puṇṇā aṅgārānaṁ vītaccikānaṁ vītadhūmānaṁ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikūlo. Tamenaṁ dve balavanto purisā nānābāhāsu gahetvā, taṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ upakaḍḍheyyuṁ. So iticīticeva kāyaṁ sannāmeyya.
Suppose there was a pit of glowing coals deeper than a man’s height, filled with glowing coals that neither flamed nor smoked. Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain. Two strong men would grab each arm and drag them towards the pit of glowing coals. They’d writhe and struggle to and fro.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Ñātañhi, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa imañcāhaṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ papatissāmi, tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchissāmi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhanti.
For that person knows, ‘If I fall in that pit of glowing coals, that will result in my death or deadly pain.’

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno aṅgārakāsūpamā kāmā diṭṭhā honti, yathāssa kāme passato, yo kāmesu kāmacchando kāmasneho kāmamucchā kāmapariḷāho, so nānuseti.
In the same way, when a mendicant has seen sensual pleasures as like a pit of glowing coals, they have no underlying tendency for desire, affection, infatuation, and passion for sensual pleasures.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti, yathā carantaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānussavanti?
And how has a mendicant awakened to a way of conduct and a way of living such that, when they live in that way, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure don’t overwhelm them?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso bahukaṇṭakaṁ dāyaṁ paviseyya. Tassa puratopi kaṇṭako, pacchatopi kaṇṭako, uttaratopi kaṇṭako, dakkhiṇatopi kaṇṭako, heṭṭhatopi kaṇṭako, uparitopi kaṇṭako. So satova abhikkameyya, satova paṭikkameyya: ‘mā maṁ kaṇṭako’ti.
Suppose a person was to enter a thicket full of thorns. They’d have thorns before and behind, to the left and right, below and above. So they’d go forward mindfully and come back mindfully, thinking, ‘May I not get any thorns!’

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yaṁ loke piyarūpaṁ sātarūpaṁ, ayaṁ vuccati ariyassa vinaye kaṇṭako”ti.
In the same way, whatever in the world seems nice and pleasant is called a thorn in the training of the Noble One.

Iti viditvā saṁvaro ca asaṁvaro ca veditabbo.
When they understand what a thorn is, they should understand restraint and lack of restraint.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti?
And how is someone unrestrained?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso,
Take a mendicant who sees a sight with the eye. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart restricted.

tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe…
And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe…
They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch …

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso,
know an idea with the mind. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and a limited heart.

tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti.
This is how someone is unrestrained.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti?
And how is someone restrained?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso,
Take a mendicant who sees a sight with the eye. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.

tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe…
And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe…
They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch …

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso,
know an idea with the mind. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.

tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without anything left over.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti.
This is how someone is restrained.

Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṁ carato evaṁ viharato kadāci karahaci satisammosā uppajjanti, pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā, dandho, bhikkhave, satuppādo. Atha kho naṁ khippameva pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.
Though that mendicant conducts themselves and lives in this way, every so often they might lose mindfulness, and bad, unskillful memories and thoughts prone to fetters arise. If this happens, their mindfulness is slow to come up, but they quickly give them up, get rid of, eliminate, and obliterate those thoughts.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso divasaṁsantatte ayokaṭāhe dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni nipāteyya. Dandho, bhikkhave, udakaphusitānaṁ nipāto, atha kho naṁ khippameva parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya.
Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day, and a person let two or three drops of water fall onto it. The drops would be slow to fall, but they’d quickly dry up and evaporate.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tassa ce bhikkhuno evaṁ carato, evaṁ viharato kadāci karahaci satisammosā uppajjanti pāpakā akusalā sarasaṅkappā saṁyojaniyā, dandho, bhikkhave, satuppādo. Atha kho naṁ khippameva pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.
In the same way, though that mendicant conducts themselves and lives in this way, every so often they might lose mindfulness, and bad, unskillful memories and thoughts prone to fetters arise. If this happens, their mindfulness is slow to come up, but they quickly give them up, get rid of, eliminate, and obliterate those thoughts.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno cāro ca vihāro ca anubuddho hoti; yathā carantaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā nānussavanti.
This is how a mendicant has awakened to a way of conduct and a way of living such that, when they live in that way, bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure don’t overwhelm them.

Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ evaṁ carantaṁ evaṁ viharantaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā, bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ:
While that mendicant conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way, it may be that rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family would invite them to accept wealth, saying,

‘ehi, bho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti,
‘Please, mister, why let these ocher robes torment you?

kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanucarasi,
Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?

ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti.
Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’

So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ caranto evaṁ viharanto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
But it is quite impossible for a mendicant who conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way to resign the training and return to a lesser life.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. Atha mahājanakāyo āgaccheyya kuddālapiṭakaṁ ādāya: ‘mayaṁ imaṁ gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ karissāma pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran’ti.
Suppose that, although the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east, a large crowd were to come along with a spade and basket, saying: ‘We’ll make this Ganges river slant, slope, and incline to the west!’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
What do you think, mendicants?

api nu kho so mahājanakāyo gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ kareyya pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran”ti?
Would they still succeed?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.

“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
Why is that?

“Gaṅgā, bhante, nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā;
The Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.

sā na sukarā pacchāninnā kātuṁ pacchāpoṇā pacchāpabbhārā.
It’s not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline to the west.

Yāvadeva ca pana so mahājanakāyo kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.
That large crowd will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tañce bhikkhuṁ evaṁ carantaṁ evaṁ viharantaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ:
“In the same way, while that mendicant conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way, it may be that rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family should invite them to accept wealth, saying,

‘ehi, bho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti,
‘Please, mister, why let these ocher robes torment you?

kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanucarasi,
Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?

ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti.
Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’

So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ caranto evaṁ viharanto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
But it is quite impossible for a mendicant who conducts themselves in this way and lives in this way to resign the training and return to a lesser life.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ vivekaninnaṁ vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ, tathā hīnāyāvattissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.
Because for a long time that mendicant’s mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined to seclusion. So it’s impossible for them to return to a lesser life.”

Sattamaṁ.