sutta » sn » sn46 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 46.56

Abhayasutta

With Prince Abhaya

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Atha kho abhayo rājakumāro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho abhayo rājakumāro bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Prince Abhaya went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“pūraṇo, bhante, kassapo evamāha:
“Sir, Pūraṇa Kassapa says this:

‘natthi hetu, natthi paccayo aññāṇāya adassanāya.
‘There is no cause or reason for not knowing and not seeing.

Ahetu, appaccayo aññāṇaṁ adassanaṁ hoti.
Not knowing and not seeing have no cause or reason.

Natthi hetu, natthi paccayo ñāṇāya dassanāya.
There is no cause or reason for knowing and seeing.

Ahetu, appaccayo ñāṇaṁ dassanaṁ hotī’ti.
Knowing and seeing have no cause or reason.’

Idha bhagavā kimāhā”ti?
What does the Buddha say about this?”

“Atthi, rājakumāra, hetu, atthi paccayo aññāṇāya adassanāya.
“Prince, there are causes and reasons for not knowing and not seeing.

Sahetu, sappaccayo aññāṇaṁ adassanaṁ hoti.
Not knowing and not seeing have causes and reasons.

Atthi, rājakumāra, hetu, atthi paccayo ñāṇāya dassanāya.
There are causes and reasons for knowing and seeing.

Sahetu, sappaccayo ñāṇaṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.
Knowing and seeing have causes and reasons.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, hetu, katamo paccayo aññāṇāya adassanāya?
“But sir, what is the cause and reason for not knowing and not seeing?

Kathaṁ sahetu, sappaccayo aññāṇaṁ adassanaṁ hotī”ti?
How do not knowing and not seeing have causes and reasons?”

“Yasmiṁ kho, rājakumāra, samaye kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ na jānāti na passati—
“There’s a time when the heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire, without truly knowing and seeing the escape from sensual desire that has arisen.

ayampi kho, rājakumāra, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo aññāṇāya adassanāya.
This is a cause and reason for not knowing and not seeing.

Evampi sahetu sappaccayo aññāṇaṁ adassanaṁ hoti.
And this is how not knowing and not seeing have causes and reasons.

Puna caparaṁ, rājakumāra, yasmiṁ samaye byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena …pe…
Furthermore, there’s a time when the heart is overcome and mired in ill will …

thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena …pe…
dullness and drowsiness …

uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena …pe…
restlessness and remorse …

vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ na jānāti na passati—
doubt, without truly knowing and seeing the escape from doubt that has arisen.

ayampi kho, rājakumāra, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo aññāṇāya adassanāya.
This is a cause and reason for not knowing and not seeing.

Evampi sahetu sappaccayo aññāṇaṁ adassanaṁ hotī”ti.
And this is how not knowing and not seeing have causes and reasons.”

“Ko nāmāyaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo”ti?
“Sir, what is the name of this exposition of the teaching?”

“Nīvaraṇā nāmete, rājakumārā”ti.
“These are called the ‘hindrances’, prince.”

“Taggha, bhagavā, nīvaraṇā;
“Indeed, Blessed One, these are hindrances!

taggha, sugata, nīvaraṇā.
Indeed, Holy One, these are hindrances!

Ekamekenapi kho, bhante, nīvaraṇena abhibhūto yathābhūtaṁ na jāneyya na passeyya, ko pana vādo pañcahi nīvaraṇehi?
Overcome by even a single hindrance you wouldn’t truly know or see, let alone all five hindrances.

Katamo pana, bhante, hetu, katamo paccayo ñāṇāya dassanāya?
But sir, what is the cause and reason for knowing and seeing?

Kathaṁ sahetu, sappaccayo ñāṇaṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti?
How do knowing and seeing have causes and reasons?”

“Idha, rājakumāra, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
“It’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factor of mindfulness, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go.

So satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvitena cittena yathābhūtaṁ jānāti passati—
They truly know and see with a mind that has developed the awakening factor of mindfulness.

ayampi kho, rājakumāra, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo ñāṇāya dassanāya.
This is a cause and reason for knowing and seeing.

Evampi sahetu, sappaccayo ñāṇaṁ dassanaṁ hoti.
And this is how knowing and seeing have causes and reasons.

Puna caparaṁ, rājakumāra, bhikkhu …pe…
Furthermore, a mendicant develops the awakening factor of investigation of principles … energy … rapture … tranquility … immersion …

upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

So upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāvitena cittena yathābhūtaṁ jānāti passati—
They truly know and see with a mind that has developed the awakening factor of equanimity.

ayampi kho, rājakumāra, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo ñāṇāya dassanāya.
This is a cause and reason for knowing and seeing.

Evaṁ sahetu, sappaccayo ñāṇaṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.
And this is how knowing and seeing have causes and reasons.”

“Ko nāmāyaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo”ti?
“Sir, what is the name of this exposition of the teaching?”

“Bojjhaṅgā nāmete, rājakumārā”ti.
“These are called the ‘awakening factors’, prince.”

“Taggha, bhagavā, bojjhaṅgā;
“Indeed, Blessed One, these are awakening factors!

taggha, sugata, bojjhaṅgā.
Indeed, Holy One, these are awakening factors!

Ekamekenapi kho, bhante, bojjhaṅgena samannāgato yathābhūtaṁ jāneyya passeyya, ko pana vādo sattahi bojjhaṅgehi?
Endowed with even a single awakening factor you would truly know and see, let alone all seven awakening factors.

Yopi me, bhante, gijjhakūṭaṁ pabbataṁ ārohantassa kāyakilamatho cittakilamatho, sopi me paṭippassaddho, dhammo ca me abhisamito”ti.
When climbing Mount Vulture’s Peak I became fatigued in body and mind. But this has now faded away. And I’ve comprehended the teaching.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Sākacchavaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Āhārā pariyāyamaggi,

mettaṁ saṅgāravena ca;

Abhayo pucchito pañhaṁ,

gijjhakūṭamhi pabbateti.