(…) Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca candikāputto rājagahe viharanti veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Discourse on the Stone Pillar
Tatra kho āyasmā candikāputto bhikkhū āmantesi (…): “devadatto, āvuso, bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā citaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’”ti.
At one time, the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Candikāputta were dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo grove, the Squirrels’ feeding ground.
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ candikāputtaṁ etadavoca: “na kho, āvuso candikāputta, devadatto bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā citaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti. Evañca kho, āvuso, candikāputta, devadatto bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’”ti.
There the venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, Devadatta teaches the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”‘”
Dutiyampi kho āyasmā candikāputto bhikkhū āmantesi: “devadatto, āvuso, bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā citaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’”ti. Dutiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ candikāputtaṁ etadavoca: “na kho, āvuso candikāputta, devadatto bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā citaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti. Evañca kho, āvuso candikāputta, devadatto bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’”ti.
Having said this, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Candikāputta: “Friend, Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”’ But rather, friend, Candikāputta, Devadatta teaches the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is well-composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”‘”
Tatiyampi kho āyasmā candikāputto bhikkhū āmantesi: “devadatto, āvuso, bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā citaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’”ti.
For a second time, the venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, Devadatta teaches the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”’” For a second time, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Candikāputta: “Friend, Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”‘ But rather, friend, Candikāputta, Devadatta teaches the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is well-composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”’”
Tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ candikāputtaṁ etadavoca: “na kho, āvuso candikāputta, devadatto bhikkhūnaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā citaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti. Evañca kho, āvuso candikāputta, devadatto bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti, tassetaṁ bhikkhuno kallaṁ veyyākaraṇāya—khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.
For a third time, the venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, Devadatta teaches the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”‘”
Kathañca, āvuso, bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti? ‘Vītarāgaṁ me cittan’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘vītadosaṁ me cittan’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘vītamohaṁ me cittan’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘asarāgadhammaṁ me cittan’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘asadosadhammaṁ me cittan’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘asamohadhammaṁ me cittan’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘anāvattidhammaṁ me cittaṁ kāmabhavāyā’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘anāvattidhammaṁ me cittaṁ rūpabhavāyā’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti; ‘anāvattidhammaṁ me cittaṁ arūpabhavāyā’ti cetasā cittaṁ suparicitaṁ hoti.
For a third time, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Candikāputta: “Friend, Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”’ But rather, friend, Candikāputta, Devadatta teaches the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is well-composed, it is proper for that bhikkhu to declare: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.”’
Evaṁ sammā vimuttacittassa kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno bhusā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ, vayaṁ cassānupassati.
And how, friend, is a bhikkhu’s mind well-composed? My mind is free from passion,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is free from aversion,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is free from delusion,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is free from the tendencies of passion,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is free from the tendencies of aversion,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is free from the tendencies of delusion,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is not turning towards the sense realm,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is not turning towards the form realm,’ thus the mind is well-composed; ‘My mind is not turning towards the formless realm,’ thus the mind is well-composed.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, silāyūpo soḷasakukkuko. Tassassu aṭṭha kukkū heṭṭhā nemaṅgamā, aṭṭha kukkū upari nemassa. Atha puratthimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva naṁ saṅkampeyya na sampavedheyya; atha pacchimāya … atha uttarāya … atha dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva naṁ saṅkampeyya na sampavedheyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Gambhīrattā, āvuso, nemassa, sunikhātattā silāyūpassa. Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, sammā vimuttacittassa bhikkhuno bhusā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ, vayaṁ cassānupassati.
Thus, friend, when a bhikkhu’s mind is rightly released, even if many forms cognizable by the eye come into the range of the eye, they do not obsess the mind; the mind remains untainted, steady, and attained to imperturbability, and he observes their passing away.
Bhusā cepi sotaviññeyyā saddā … ghānaviññeyyā gandhā … jivhāviññeyyā rasā … kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā … manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ, vayaṁ cassānupassatī”ti.
Just as, friend, a stone pillar sixteen spans deep stands firm. It has eight parts below well-fixed, and eight parts above. If strong wind and rain were to come from the east, it would neither shake nor tremble; if strong wind and rain were to come from the west, from the north, from the south, it would neither shake nor tremble. And why is that? Because of the depth and the well-planted nature of the stone pillar. So too, friend, when a bhikkhu’s mind is rightly released, even if many forms cognizable by the eye come into the range of the eye, they do not obsess the mind; the mind remains untainted, steady, and attained to imperturbability, and he observes their passing away.
Even if many sounds cognizable by the ear, odors cognizable by the nose, tastes cognizable by the tongue, tactile objects cognizable by the body, or mental objects cognizable by the mind come into the range of the mind, they do not obsess the mind; the mind remains untainted, steady, and attained to imperturbability, and he observes their passing away.”