04 12 2011 456
LESSON About Samiddhi Sutta In all the world, every world, you should do no evil with speech,
body, or mind. Having abandoned sensual pleasures β mindful, alert β don’t
consort with suffering & stress, with what doesn’t pertain to the
goal.”
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LESSON 455
Practice a Sutta a Day Keeps Dukkha Away
SN 1.20
PTS: S i 8
CDB i 97
Samiddhi Sutta: About Samiddhi
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation: Walshe
Translator’s note:
The Pali canon is unique in its approach to the spirit world. While confirming
the existence of spirits and other more refined levels of beings, it insists
that they are not worthy of worship. The Buddha, after all, is the teacher not
only of human beings but also of heavenly beings; and many heavenly beings are
not especially knowledgeable or spiritually advanced, in spite of their refined
state. The Canon illustrates this point in a number of gentle satires. The most
famous is the Kevatta Sutta (DN 14), where the ignorance & pomposity of a
supposedly all-knowing creator is lampooned. This discourse is another
entertaining example of the same genre, pointing out the difficulties of
teaching more advanced Dhamma to any being β human or divine β who is obsessed
with sensual pleasures. On hearing some verses concerning the awakened one’s
state of mind β which is not subject to time and is visible here-&-now β
the devata cannot understand them, and is able to grasp only a few very basic
principles of Dhamma practice. It’s unusual for the Buddha to aim his words so
far over the heads of his listeners. Perhaps in this case, as in SN 1.1, he wants to subdue the devata’s pride. At any rate, there is hope
for her: as the Commentary points out, her understanding covers in a
rudimentary fashion all the elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. If she
follows through with her understanding, she’s on the road to the higher
attainments.
This discourse also contains
some word play on the words “time” (kala) and “subject to
time” (kalika). “Time” can mean not only time in the
general sense, but also one’s time of death (a person who has died is said to
have “done his/her time”). These two meanings of the word underlie
the first exchange between Ven. Samiddhi and the devata. “Subject to
time” can mean “obtainable only after a certain time” or
“good only for a certain length of time”: these meanings underlie
their second exchange.
I have heard that on one
occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha at Tapoda monastery. Then Ven. Samiddhi, as
night was ending, got up & went to the Tapoda Hot Springs to bathe his
limbs. Having bathed his limbs and gotten out of the springs, he stood wearing
only his lower robe, letting his limbs dry.
Then a certain devata, in the
far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entire Tapoda
Hot Springs, approached Ven. Samiddhi. On arrival, while standing in the air,
she addressed him with this verse:
Without having enjoyed [sensual pleasures], you go for alms, monk.
You don’t go for alms after having enjoyed. Having enjoyed, monk, then
go for alms. Don’t let time pass you by.
[Ven.
Samiddhi replied:]
I don’t know my time. My time is hidden. It can’t be seen. That’s
why, not having enjoyed, I go for alms: Don’t let my time pass me by.
Then the devata, coming down
to earth, said to Ven. Samiddhi, “You have gone forth while young, monk β black-haired,
endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life β without having
played with sensual pleasures. Enjoy human sensuality, monk. Don’t drop what is
visible here-&-now in pursuit of what’s subject to time.”
“My friend, I’m not dropping
what’s visible here-&-now in pursuit of what’s subject to time. I’m
dropping what’s subject to time in pursuit of what’s visible here-&-now. For the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are
subject to time, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks; whereas
this Dhamma is visible here-&-now, not subject to time, inviting all to
come & see, pertinent, to be known by the wise for themselves.”
“But, monk, in what way
has the Blessed One said that sensual pleasures are subject to time, of much
stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks? And how is this Dhamma visible
here-&-now, not subject to time, inviting all to come & see, pertinent,
to be known by the wise for themselves?”
“I’m new, my friend, not
long gone forth, only recently come to this Dhamma & discipline. I can’t
explain it in detail. But the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened,
is staying here in Rajagaha at Tapoda monastery. Having gone to him, ask him
this matter. As he explains it, that’s how you should remember it.”
“Monk, it’s not easy for
us to go to the Blessed One, as he is surrounded by other devas of great
influence. But if you go to the Blessed One and ask him this matter, I will
come along to hear the Dhamma.”
Responding to the devata,
“As you say, my friend,” Ven. Samiddhi went to the Blessed One. On
arrival, he bowed down to the Blessed One and sat to one side. As he was
sitting there [he told the Blessed One his entire conversation with the
devata]. “Now, lord, if that devata was telling the truth, she is not far
from here.”
When this was said, the devata
said to Ven. Samiddhi, “Ask, monk! Ask! I’ve gotten through.”
Then the Blessed One recited
this verse to the devata:
Perceiving in terms of signs, beings take a stand on signs. Not
fully comprehending signs, they come into the bonds of death. But fully
comprehending signs, one doesn’t construe a signifier. Yet nothing exists for
him by which one would say, ‘To him no thought occurs.’ If you know this,
spirit, then say so.
“I don’t understand,
lord, the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement. It would be
good if the Blessed One would speak in such a way that I would understand the
detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement.”
[The Blessed One said:]
Whoever construes ‘equal,’ ’superior,’ or ‘inferior,’ by that he’d
dispute. Whereas to one unaffected by these three, ‘equal’ ’superior’ do not
occur. If you know this, spirit, then say so.
“I don’t understand,
lord, the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement. It would be
good if the Blessed One would speak in such a way that I would understand the
detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement.”
[The Blessed
One said:]
Having shed classifications, gone beyond conceit, he has here cut
through craving for name & form: This one β his bonds cut through, free
from trouble, from longing β though they search they can’t find him, human
& heavenly beings, here & beyond, in heaven or any abode. If you know
this, spirit, then say so.
“Lord, here’s how I
understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement:
In all the world, every world, you should do no evil with speech,
body, or mind. Having abandoned sensual pleasures β mindful, alert β don’t
consort with suffering & stress, with what doesn’t pertain to the
goal.”