MN 43 Mahāvedalla sutta - The Greater Series Of Questions And Answers

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthi, in Jeta‘s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

Then the venerable Mahākoṭṭhika, having emerged from seclusion in the evening time, approached venerable Sāriputta. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Sāriputta. After the exchange of courteous and polite conversation, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Mahākoṭṭhika said this to venerable Sāriputta:

Wisdom

1 “‘One who is undiscerning, one who is undiscerning,’ friend, it is said. |In what way::to what extent [kittāvatā]|, friend, is one said to be |undiscerning::immature person, one lacking in discernment, one who has not cultivated wisdom [duppañña]|?”

“‘One does not discern, one does not discern,’ friend, that is why one is called undiscerning. And what |does one not discern::does not clearly distinguish, does not understand [nappajānāti]|? One does not discern: ‘This is |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.’ One does not discern: ‘This is the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|.’ One does not discern: ‘This is the |ending of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|.’ One does not discern: ‘This is the |way of practice leading to the ending of suffering::i.e. the noble eightfold path [dukkhanirodhagāmī]|.’ ‘One does not discern, one does not discern,’ friend, that is why one is called undiscerning.”

Saying, “Good, friend,” the venerable Mahākoṭṭhika approved and rejoiced in the words of venerable Sāriputta. Then, he asked him a further question:

2 “‘One who is wise, one who is wise,’ friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is one said to be wise?”

“‘One discerns, one discerns,’ friend, that is why one is called wise. And what does one |discern::distinguishes, understands, knows clearly [pajānāti]|? One discerns: ‘This is suffering.’ One discerns: ‘This is the arising of suffering.’ One discerns: ‘This is the ending of suffering.’ One discerns: ‘This is the way of practice leading to the ending of suffering.’ ‘One discerns, one discerns,’ friend, that is why one is called wise.”

Consciousness

3 “‘Consciousness, consciousness,’ friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is consciousness so called?”

“‘It distinguishes, it distinguishes,’ friend, that is why |consciousness::quality of awareness — subjective awareness of experiences and the knowing of objects through the six sense doors [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind]; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]| is called so. It distinguishes: ‘This is pleasant,’ it distinguishes: ‘This is |painful::unpleasant, unsatisfactory [dukkha]|,’ it distinguishes: ‘This is neither-painful-nor-pleasant.’ ‘It distinguishes, it distinguishes,’ friend, what is why consciousness is called so.”

4 “Friend, wisdom and consciousness—are these qualities |closely associated::connected, entwined [saṃsaṭṭha]| or unassociated? And can these qualities be unpacked, unraveled, and their differences be explained?”

“Friend, wisdom and consciousness—these qualities are closely associated, not unassociated. And it is not possible to unpack them, unravel them, and explain their differences. For what one discerns, that one distinguishes; and what one distinguishes, that one discerns. That is why these qualities are closely associated, not unassociated. And it is not possible to unpack them, unravel them, and explain their differences.”

5 “Friend, wisdom and consciousness—if these qualities are closely associated, not unassociated, what is the basis for their distinction?”

“Friend, wisdom and consciousness—these qualities are closely associated, not unassociated. Wisdom should be |developed::cultivated [bhāvetabba]|, and consciousness should be |fully understood::completely comprehended [pariññeyya]|. This is their distinction.”

Felt Experience

6 “‘Felt experience, felt experience,’ friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is felt experience so called?”

“‘Experiences, experiences,” friend, that is why it is called |felt experience::pleasant, neutral or painful sensation, feeling felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|. And what does one experience? One experiences: ’This is pleasant,‘ one experiences: ’This is |painful::or unpleasant [dukkha]|,‘ one experiences: ’This is neither-painful-nor-pleasant.‘ ’Experiences, experiences,‘ friend, that is why felt experience is called so.“

Perception

7 ”’Perception, perception,‘ friend, it is said. In what way, friend, is perception so called?“

”’Perceives, perceives,‘ friend, that is why it is called |perception::the ability to recognize, identify, and conceptualize objects and experiences; third of the five aggregates [saññā]|. And what does one perceive? One perceives blue, one perceives yellow, one perceives red, one perceives white. ’Perceives, perceives,‘ friend, that is why perception is called so.“

8 ”Friend, felt experience, perception, and consciousness—are these qualities closely associated or unassociated? And can these qualities be unpacked, unraveled, and their differences be explained?“

”Friend, felt experience, perception, and consciousness—these qualities are closely associated, not unassociated. And it is not possible to unpack them, unravel them, and explain their differences. For what one senses, that one perceives; and what one perceives, that one distinguishes. That is why, these qualities are closely associated, not unassociated. And it is not possible to unpack them, unravel them, and explain their differences.“

Purified Mind-Consciousness

”Friend, with a purified mind-consciousness, released from the five faculties, the |base of boundless space::field of boundless expanse, sometimes translated as dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana]| can be cognized as ’space is boundless‘; the |base of boundless consciousness::field of limitless awareness [viññāṇañcāyatana]| can be cognized as ’consciousness is boundless‘; and the |base of nothingness::field of awareness centered on the absence of any distinct “something” to grasp or hold onto [ākiñcaññāyatana]| can be cognized as ’there is nothing.‘“

10 ”And friend, by what does one discern a |quality::mental quality, state [dhamma]| that can be known?“

”Friend, one discerns a quality that can be known through the |eye of wisdom::insight [paññācakkhu]|.“

11 ”And friend, what is the purpose of wisdom?“

”Friend, wisdom is |for the purpose of direct knowledge::for the sake of higher understanding [abhiññattha]|, |for the purpose of full understanding::for the sake of complete comprehension [pariññattha]|, and |for the purpose of letting go::for the sake of giving up [pahānattha]|.“

Right View

12 ”And friend, how many conditions are there for the arising of right view?“

”Friend, there are two conditions for the arising of right view: the |words::voice, utterance [ghosa]| of another and |wise attention::proper attention, prudent use of the mind, wise reflection, attention to the source [yoniso + manasikāra]|. These, friend, are the two conditions for the arising of right view.“

13 ”And friend, by how many factors is right view supported such that it leads to the fruit and benefit of |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| and the fruit and benefit of |liberation by wisdom::emancipation by insight [paññāvimutti]|?“

”Friend, supported by five factors, right view leads to the fruit and benefit of release of mind and the fruit and benefit of liberation by wisdom. Here, friend, right view is supported by |virtue::ethical conduct, moral integrity [sīla]|, by |learning::hearing [suta]|, by |discussion::conversation [sākacchā]|, by |tranquility::serenity, stilling, calming, peace, mental unification [samatha]| and by |insight::seeing clearly, penetrating internal vision [vipassanā]|. Friend, supported by these five factors, right view leads to the fruit and benefit of release of mind and the fruit and benefit of liberation by wisdom.“

Existence

14 ”And friend, how many |realms of existence::states of being [bhava]| are there?“

”Friend, there are three realms of existence: |the realm of sensual existence::existence in the realm of sense desire [kāmabhava]|, |the realm of form existence::existence in the realm of form [rūpabhava]|, and |the realm of formless existence::existence in the formless realm, immaterial being [arūpabhava]|.“

15 ”And friend, how does the |production::becoming, birth [abhinibbatti]| of |renewed existence::future life [punabbhava]| occur in the future?“

”Friend, through |thorough enjoyment in this and that::taking delight here and there, relishing this and that [tatratatrābhinandanā]| on the part of beings |obstructed by ignorance::shrouded by not understanding [avijjānīvaraṇa]| and bound by craving, the production of renewed existence occurs in the future.“

16 ”And friend, how does the production of renewed existence not occur in the future?“

”Friend, through the fading away of ignorance, through the arising of wisdom, and the |ending of craving::cessation of wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇhānirodha]|—thus, the production of renewed existence does not occur in the future.“

First Jhāna

17 ”And friend, what is the first jhāna?“

”Here, friend, a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| mental qualities, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is |accompanied by reflection::with thinking [savitakka]| and |examination::with investigation, evaluation [savicāra]|, |born from seclusion::secluded from the defilements [vivekaja]|, and is |filled with joyful pleasure::imbued with joy and happiness, with delight and ease, sometimes experienced as an intense joy or pleasure, rapture [pītisukha]|.“

18 ”And friend, how many factors does the first jhāna have?“

”Friend, the first jhāna has five factors. Here, friend, for a bhikkhu who has attained the first jhāna, there is reflection, examination, joy, pleasure, and |unification of mind::oneness of mind [cittekaggatā]|. Thus, friend, the first jhāna has five factors.“

19 ”And friend, how many factors are abandoned in the first jhāna, and how many factors is it endowed with?“

”Friend, in the first jhāna, five factors are abandoned and it is endowed with five factors. Here, friend, for a bhikkhu who has attained the first jhāna, |sensual desire::interest in sensual pleasure [kāmacchanda]| is abandoned, ill-will is abandoned, |dullness and drowsiness::fuzziness, sluggishness, lethargy [thinamiddha]| are abandoned, |restlessness and worry::agitation and edginess, distraction, fidgeting, fiddling, uneasiness [uddhaccakukkucca]| are abandoned, and doubt is abandoned; and there occur reflection, examination, joy, pleasure, and unification of mind. Thus, friend, in the first jhāna, five factors are abandoned and it is endowed with five factors.“

The Five Faculties

20 ”Friend, these five faculties each have a |distinct field::highlights the distinct experiential objects of each sense faculty [nānāvisaya]| and a |distinct domain::refers to the diverse operational range of each sense faculty, e.g. eye faculty operates within the visual range, ear faculty within the auditory range [nānāgocara]|, and do not experience each other’s fields and domains, i.e.—the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty. Now, for these five faculties, each having a distinct field, a distinct domain, not experiencing each other‘s field and domain, what is their |recourse::dependence on [paṭisaraṇa]|, and what experiences their fields and domains?“

”Friend, these five faculties each have a distinct field and a distinct domain, and they do not experience each other’s fields and domains, i.e.—the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty. Now, for these five faculties, each having a distinct field, a distinct domain, not experiencing each other‘s fields and domains, |mind::mental faculty [mana]| is their recourse, and mind experiences their fields and domains.“

21 ”Friend, these five faculties, i.e.—the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty—|dependent on::contingent on, supported by, grounded on [paṭicca]| what do these five faculties |exist::persist, stand [tiṭṭhati]|?

“Friend, these five faculties, i.e.—the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty—exist dependent on |vitality::life force, life principle [āyu]|.”

22 “And friend, dependent on what does vitality exist?”

“Friend, vitality exists dependent on body heat.”

23 “And friend, dependent on what does body heat exist?”

“Friend, body heat exists dependent on vitality.”

24 “Just now, friend, we learned the venerable Sāriputta’s statement as follows: ‘Body heat exists dependent on vitality.’ And just now, friend, we also learned the venerable Sāriputta‘s statement as follows: ’Vitality exists dependent on body heat.‘ How should the meaning of these statements be seen?”

“In that case, friend, I shall give you a simile, for some wise persons here understand the meaning of a statement by means of a simile. Just as, friend, in the case of a burning oil lamp, its radiance is seen in dependence on its flame and its flame is seen in dependence on its radiance; in the same way, friend, vitality exists dependent on body heat and body heat exists dependent on vitality.”

Vital Formations

25 “Friend, are the vital formations things that can be felt, or are the vital formations one thing and the things that can be felt another?”

“Friend, the |vital formations::life force, life-sustaining conditions [āyusaṅkhāra]| are not things that can be felt. For if, friend, vital formations were things that can be felt, then a bhikkhu who has entered upon the |cessation of perception and feeling::cessation of conception and what is experienced [saññāvedayitanirodha]| would not be seen to emerge from it. However, friend, because the vital formations are one thing and the things that can be felt are another, a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling is seen to emerge from it.”

26 “Friend, when how many things leave this body, it is abandoned and discarded, left lying senseless like a log?”

“Friend, when three things leave this body—vitality, heat, and consciousness—then this body is abandoned and discarded, left lying senseless like a log.”

27 “Friend, what is the distinction between one who is dead, who has completed his time, and a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling?”

“Friend, in the case of one who is dead, who has completed his time, his |bodily formations::bodily processes associated with breathing, specifically the in-and-out breath. It encompasses the physical movements and sensations that arise from the act of breathing. [kāyasaṅkhāra]| have ended and settled, his |verbal formations::thoughts in language, internal dialogue [vacīsaṅkhāra]| have ended and settled, his |mental formations::mental activity, feeling and perception [cittasaṅkhāra]| have ended and settled, his vitality is exhausted, his heat has been dissipated, and his faculties are broken. In the case of a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling, his bodily formations have ended and settled, his verbal formations have ended and settled, his mental formations have ended and settled, but his vitality is not exhausted, his heat has not been dissipated, and his faculties become |tranquil::serene, calm [vippasanna]|. This is the distinction between one who is dead, who has completed his time, and a bhikkhu who has entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling.”

Release Of The Mind

28 “And friend, how many conditions are there for the attainment of the neither-painful-nor-pleasant release of the mind?”

“Friend, there are four conditions for the attainment of the neither-painful-nor-pleasant release of the mind. Here, friend, a bhikkhu, with the abandoning of ease and |discontentment::discomfort, unpleasantness, something unsatisfactory, stress [dukkha]|, and with the settling down of |joy and sorrow::craving and aversion, pleasure and displeasure, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, gladness and dejection, positive state of mind and negative state of mind [somanassadomanassa]|, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is characterized by purification of |mindfulness::clear comprehension and full awareness of body, felt experiences, mind, and mental qualities [sati]| through |equanimity::mental poise, mental balance, equipoise, non-reactivity, composure [upekkhā]|, experiencing a feeling which is neither-painful-nor-pleasant.”

29 “And friend, how many conditions are there for the attainment of the signless release of the mind?”

“Friend, there are two conditions for the attainment of the |signless::featureless, free of mental images [animitta]| release of the mind: non-attention to all signs and attention to the signless element. These, friend, are the two conditions for the attainment of the signless release of the mind.”

30 “And friend, how many conditions are there for the persistence of the signless release of the mind?”

“Friend, there are three conditions for the persistence of the signless release of the mind: non-attention to all signs, attention to the signless element, and a prior determination [of its duration]. These, friend, are the three conditions for the persistence of the signless release of the mind.”

31 “And friend, how many conditions are there for the emergence from the signless release of the mind?”

“Friend, there are two conditions for the emergence from the signless release of the mind: attention to all signs and non-attention to the signless element. These, friend, are the two conditions for the emergence from the signless release of the mind.”

32 “Friend, the boundless release of the mind, the release of the mind through nothingness, the release of the mind through |emptiness::voidness, non-subjectivity [suññatā]|, and the signless release of the mind—are these states different in meaning and differ in expression, or are they the same in meaning but differ only in expression?”

“Friend, the boundless release of the mind, the release of the mind through nothingness, the release of the mind through emptiness, and the signless release of the mind—there is a context in which these states are different in meaning and differ in expression, and there is a context in which these states are the same in meaning but differ only in expression.”

33 “Friend, in what context do these states differ in meaning and differ in expression?”

“Here, friend, a bhikkhu dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with |loving-kindness::goodwill towards, friendliness to, benevolence for [mettā]|, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and with total inclusiveness, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, expansive, exalted, immeasurable, free of ill-will and without harm. He does the same with a mind imbued with |compassion::mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty [karuṇā]|, ... with |sympathetic joy::mental quality of rejoicing in the success and happiness of others, which counters envy [muditā]|, ... with equanimity, pervading one direction, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and with total inclusiveness, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity: expansive, exalted, immeasurable, free of ill-will and without harm. This, friend, is called the boundless release of the mind.

And friend, what is the release of the mind through nothingness? Here, friend, a bhikkhu, having completely transcended the base of boundless consciousness, enters and dwells in the base of nothingness. This, friend, is called the release of the mind through nothingness.

And friend, what is the release of the mind through emptiness? Here, friend, a bhikkhu who has gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling reflects thus: ’This is empty of a self or anything pertaining to a self.’ This, friend, is called the release of the mind through emptiness.

And friend, what is the signless release of the mind? Here, friend, a bhikkhu, through non-attention to all signs, attains and dwells in the signless stillness of mind. This, friend, is called the signless release of the mind.

Friend, this is the context in which these states are different in meaning and differ in expression.”

34 “And friend, in what context are these states the same in meaning but differ only in expression?”

“Friend, |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]| is a maker of limitation, |aversion::ill-will, hate, hatred, fault, resentment [dosa]| is a maker of limitation, and |illusion::delusion, hallucination, misperception, distorted view; that which fuels further confusion and doubt [moha]| is a maker of limitation. In a bhikkhu |whose mental defilements have ended::who is awakened through the complete exhaustion of the mental effluents, taints [khīṇāsava]|, these [passion, aversion, and illusion] are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and are no more subject to future arising. Friends, as far as boundless releases of the mind extend, the |unshakeable release of the mind::unassailable, unwavering and indisputable liberation of the mind [akuppa + cetovimutti]| is considered the best. And that unshakeable release of the mind is empty of passion, empty of aversion, and empty of illusion.

Friend, passion is a something, aversion is a something, and illusion is a something. In a bhikkhu whose mental defilements are ended, these [passion, aversion, and illusion] are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and are no more subject to future arising. Friends, as far as releases of the mind through nothingness extend, the unshakeable release of the mind is considered the best. And that unshakeable release of the mind is empty of passion, empty of aversion, and empty of illusion.

Friend, passion is a maker of signs, aversion is a maker of signs, and illusion is a maker of signs. In a bhikkhu whose mental defilements are ended, these [passion, aversion, and illusion] are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and are no more subject to future arising. Friends, as far as the signless releases of the mind extend, the unshakeable release of the mind is considered the best. And that unshakeable release of the mind is empty of passion, empty of aversion, and empty of illusion.

Friend, this is the context in which these states are the same in meaning but differ only in expression.”

Venerable Sāriputta said this. The venerable Mahākoṭṭhika was satisfied and rejoiced in the words of venerable Sāriputta.