Saḷāyatanavibhaṅga Sutta
— An analysis of the senses —
All Societies to Attain Eternal Bliss
Do Good!
Grow Vegetable & Fruit Food!
Purify Mind !
Be Kind!
In
this deep and very interesting sutta, the Buddha defines among other
things what are the investigations of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral
mental feelings, and also defines the expression found in the standard
description of the Buddha: ‘anuttaro purisadammasārathī’.
The
eighteen explorations for the intellect should be known’: thus was it
said. And in reference to what was it said? Seeing a form via the eye,
one explores a form that can act as the basis for happiness, one
explores a form that can act as the basis for unhappiness, one explores a
form that can act as the basis for equanimity; hearing a sound via the
ear, one explores a form that can act as the basis for happiness, one
explores a form that can act as the basis for unhappiness, one explores a
form that can act as the basis for equanimity; smelling an aroma via
the nose, one explores an aroma that can act as the basis for happiness,
one explores an aroma that can act as the basis for unhappiness, one
explores an aroma that can act as the basis for equanimity; tasting a
flavor via the tongue, one explores a flavor that can act as the basis
for happiness, one explores a flavor that can act as the basis for
unhappiness, one explores a flavor that can act as the basis for
equanimity; feeling a tactile sensation via the body, one explores a
tactile sensation that can act as the basis for happiness, one explores a
tactile sensation that can act as the basis for unhappiness, one
explores a tactile sensation that can act as the basis for equanimity;
cognizing an idea via the intellect, one explores an idea that can act
as the basis for happiness, one explores an idea that can act as the
basis for unhappiness, one explores an idea that can act as the basis
for equanimity. Thus the six happiness-explorations, the six
distress-explorations, the six equanimity-explorations, the eighteen
explorations for the intellect should be known’: thus was it said. And
in reference to this was it said.
And
what are the six kinds of household joy? The joy that arises when one
regards as an acquisition the acquisition of forms cognizable by the eye
— agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, connected with worldly
baits — or when one recalls the previous acquisition of such forms after
they have passed, ceased, & changed: That is called household joy.
The joy that arises when one regards as an acquisition the acquisition
of sounds cognizable by the ear — agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the
previous acquisition of such sounds after they have passed, ceased,
& changed: That is called household joy. The joy that arises when
one regards as an acquisition the acquisition of aromas cognizable by
the nose — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, connected with
worldly baits — or when one recalls the previous acquisition of such
aromas after they have passed, ceased, & changed: That is called
household joy. The joy that arises when one regards as an acquisition
the acquisition of flavors cognizable by the tongue — agreeable,
pleasing, charming, endearing, connected with worldly baits — or when
one recalls the previous acquisition of such flavors after they have
passed, ceased, & changed: That is called household joy. The joy
that arises when one regards as an acquisition the acquisition of
tactile sensations cognizable by the body — agreeable, pleasing,
charming, endearing, connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls
the previous acquisition of such tactile sensations after they have
passed, ceased, & changed: That is called household joy. The joy
that arises when one regards as an acquisition the acquisition of ideas
cognizable by the intellect — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the previous
acquisition of such ideas after they have passed, ceased, & changed:
That is called household joy.
And
what are the six kinds of renunciation joy? The joy that arises when —
experiencing the inconstancy of those very forms, their change, fading,
& cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that
all forms, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to
change: That is called renunciation joy. The joy that arises when —
experiencing the inconstancy of those very sounds, their change, fading,
& cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is
that all sounds, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to
change: That is called renunciation joy. The joy that arises when —
experiencing the inconstancy of those very aromas, their change, fading,
& cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is
that all aromas, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to
change:
That
is called renunciation joy. The joy that arises when — experiencing the
inconstancy of those very tactile sensations, their change, fading,
& cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that
all tactile sensations, past or present, are inconstant, stressful,
subject to change: That is called renunciation joy. The joy that arises
when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very ideas, their change,
fading, & cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually
is that all ideas, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject
to change: That is called renunciation joy.
And
what are the six kinds of household distress? The distress that arises
when one regards as a non-acquisition the non-acquisition of forms
cognizable by the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the previous
non-acquisition of such forms after they have passed, ceased, &
changed: That is called household distress. The distress that arises
when one regards as a non-acquisition the non-acquisition of sounds
cognizable by the ear — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the previous
non-acquisition of such sounds after they have passed, ceased, &
changed: That is called household distress. The distress that arises
when one regards as a non-acquisition the non-acquisition of aromas
cognizable by the nose — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the previous
non-acquisition of such aromas after they have passed, ceased, &
changed: That is called household distress. The distress that arises
when one regards as a non-acquisition the non-acquisition of flavors
cognizable by the tongue — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the previous
non-acquisition of such flavors after they have passed, ceased, &
changed: That is called household distress. The distress that arises
when one regards as a non-acquisition the non-acquisition of tactile
sensations cognizable by the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls the
previous non-acquisition of such tactile sensations after they have
passed, ceased, & changed: That is called household distress. The
distress that arises when one regards as a non-acquisition the
non-acquisition of ideas cognizable by the mind — agreeable, pleasing,
charming, endearing, connected with worldly baits — or when one recalls
the previous non-acquisition of such ideas after they have passed,
ceased, & changed: That is called household distress.
And
what are the six kinds of renunciation distress? The distress coming
from the longing that arises in one who is filled with longing for the
unexcelled liberations when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very
forms, their change, fading, & cessation — he sees with right
discernment as it actually is that all forms, past or present, are
inconstant, stressful, subject to change and he is filled with this
longing: ‘O when will I enter & remain in the dimension that the
noble ones now enter & remain in?’ This is called renunciation
distress. The distress coming from the longing that arises in one who is
filled with longing for the unexcelled liberations when — experiencing
the inconstancy of those very sounds, their change, fading, &
cessation — he sees with right discernment as it actually is that all
sounds, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to change
and he is filled with this longing: ‘O when will I enter & remain in
the dimension that the noble ones now enter & remain in?’ This is
called renunciation distress. The distress coming from the longing that
arises in one who is filled with longing for the unexcelled liberations
when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very aromas, their change,
fading, & cessation — he sees with right discernment as it actually
is that all aromas, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject
to change and he is filled with this longing: ‘O when will I enter &
remain in the dimension that the noble ones now enter & remain in?’
This is called renunciation distress. The distress coming from the
longing that arises in one who is filled with longing for the unexcelled
liberations when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very flavors,
their change, fading, & cessation — he sees with right discernment
as it actually is that all flavors, past or present, are inconstant,
stressful, subject to change and he is filled with this longing: ‘O when
will I enter & remain in the dimension that the noble ones now
enter & remain in?’ This is called renunciation distress.
The
distress coming from the longing that arises in one who is filled with
longing for the unexcelled liberations when — experiencing the
inconstancy of those very tactile sensations, their change, fading,
& cessation — he sees with right discernment as it actually is that
all tactile sensations, past or present, are inconstant, stressful,
subject to change and he is filled with this longing: ‘O when will I
enter & remain in the dimension that the noble ones now enter &
remain in?’ This is called renunciation distress. The distress coming
from the longing that arises in one who is filled with longing for the
unexcelled liberations when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very
ideas, their change, fading, & cessation — he sees with right
discernment as it actually is that all ideas, past or present, are
inconstant, stressful, subject to change and he is filled with this
longing: ‘O when will I enter & remain in the dimension that the
noble ones now enter & remain in?’ This is called renunciation
distress.
And
what are the six kinds of household equanimity? The equanimity that
arises when a foolish, deluded person — a run-of-the-mill, untaught
person who has not conquered his limitations or the results of action{2}
& who is blind to danger{3} — sees a form with the eye. Such
equanimity does not go beyond forms, which is why it is called household
equanimity. The equanimity that arises when a foolish, deluded person —
a run-of-the-mill, untaught person who has not conquered his
limitations or the results of action & who is blind to danger —
hears a sound with the ear. Such equanimity does not go beyond sounds,
which is why it is called household equanimity. The equanimity that
arises when a foolish, deluded person — a run-of-the-mill, untaught
person who has not conquered his limitations or the results of action
& who is blind to danger — odors an aroma with the nose. Such
equanimity does not go beyond aromas, which is why it is called
household equanimity. The equanimity that arises when a foolish, deluded
person — a run-of-the-mill, untaught person who has not conquered his
limitations or the results of action & who is blind to danger —
tastes a flavor with the tongue. Such equanimity does not go beyond
flavors, which is why it is called household equanimity. The equanimity
that arises when a foolish, deluded person — a run-of-the-mill, untaught
person who has not conquered his limitations or the results of action
& who is blind to danger — feels a tactile sensation with the body.
Such equanimity does not go beyond tactile sensations, which is why it
is called household equanimity. The equanimity that arises when a
foolish, deluded person — a run-of-the-mill, untaught person who has not
conquered his limitations or the results of action & who is blind
to danger — cognizes an idea with the intellect. Such equanimity does
not go beyond ideas, which is why it is called household equanimity.
And
what are the six kinds of renunciation equanimity? The equanimity that
arises when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very forms, their
change, fading, & cessation — one sees with right discernment as it
actually is that all forms, past or present, are inconstant, stressful,
subject to change: This equanimity goes beyond forms, which is why it is
called renunciation equanimity. The equanimity that arises when —
experiencing the inconstancy of those very sounds, their change, fading,
& cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is
that all sounds, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to
change: This equanimity goes beyond sounds, which is why it is called
renunciation equanimity. The equanimity that arises when — experiencing
the inconstancy of those very aromas, their change, fading, &
cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that all
aromas, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to change:
This equanimity goes beyond aromas, which is why it is called
renunciation equanimity. The equanimity that arises when — experiencing
the inconstancy of those very flavors, their change, fading, &
cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that all
flavors, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to change:
This equanimity goes beyond flavors, which is why it is called
renunciation equanimity. The equanimity that arises when — experiencing
the inconstancy of those very tactile sensations, their change, fading,
& cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that
all tactile sensations, past or present, are inconstant, stressful,
subject to change: This equanimity goes beyond tactile sensations, which
is why it is called renunciation equanimity. The equanimity that arises
when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very ideas, their change,
fading, & cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually
is that all ideas, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject
to change:
This
equanimity goes beyond tactile sensations, which is why it is called
renunciation equanimity. The equanimity that arises when — experiencing
the inconstancy of those very ideas, their change, fading, &
cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that all
ideas, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to change:
This equanimity goes beyond ideas, which is why it is called
renunciation equanimity.
But
steered by the Tathagata — worthy and rightly self-awakened — the
person to be tamed fans out in eight directions. Possessed of form,
he/she sees forms. This is the first direction.
The thirty-six states to which beings are attached should be known’: thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
…
…
So
vuccati yoggācariyānaṃ ‘anuttaro purisadammasārathī’ti: iti kho panetaṃ
vuttaṃ. Kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? Hatthidamakena, bhikkhave, hatthidammo
sārito ekaṃyeva disaṃ dhāvati: puratthimaṃ vā pacchimaṃ vā uttaraṃ vā
dakkhiṇaṃ vā. Assadamakena, bhikkhave, assadammo sārito ekaññeva disaṃ
dhāvati: puratthimaṃ vā pacchimaṃ vā uttaraṃ vā dakkhiṇaṃ vā.
Godamakena, bhikkhave, godammo sārito ekaṃyeva disaṃ dhāvati:
puratthimaṃ vā pacchimaṃ vā uttaraṃ vā dakkhiṇaṃ vā.
‘Among
master trainers, he is said to be ‘the unexcelled trainer of those
people fit to be tamed’: thus was it said. And in reference to what was
it said? Steered by the elephant trainer, the elephant to be tamed runs
in only one direction: east, west, north, or south. Steered by the horse
trainer, the horse to be tamed runs in only one direction: east, west,
north, or south. Steered by the ox trainer, the ox to be tamed runs in
only one direction: east, west, north, or south.
Not percipient of form internally, he/she sees forms externally. This is the second direction.
Subhantveva adhimutto hoti: ayaṃ tatiyā disā;
He/she is intent only on the beautiful. This is the third direction.
With
the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the
disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions
of diversity, [perceiving,] ‘Infinite space,’ he/she enters and remains
in the dimension of the infinitude of space. This is the fourth
direction.
Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma ‘anantaṃ viññāṇa’nti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati: ayaṃ pañcamī disā;
With
the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space,
[perceiving,] ‘Infinite consciousness,’ he/she enters and remains in the
dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This is the fifth
direction.
With
the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of
consciousness, [perceiving,] ‘There is nothing,’ he/she enters and
remains in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth direction.
With
the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, he/she
enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception. This is the seventh direction.
With
the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception, he/she enters and remains in the cessation of perception
and feeling. This is the eighth direction.
In
this deep & very interesting sutta,the Buddha defines among other
things what are the investigations of pleasant,unpleasant & neutral
mental feelings, & also defines the expression found in the standard
description of the Buddha: ‘anuttaro purisadammasārathī’.
——————
Steered
by the Tathagata worthy & rightly self-awakened—the person to be
tamed fans out in eight directions.’Among master trainers,he is said to
be the unexcelled trainer of those people fit to be tamed’: thus was it
said & in reference to this was it said
—————–
That is what the Blessed One said.Gratified,the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words.