Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano imasmiṁ cātumahābhūtikasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Dissati, bhikkhave, imassa cātumahābhūtikassa kāyassa ācayopi apacayopi ādānampi nikkhepanampi. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi.
“An |uninstructed::uninitiated, untaught, untrained [assutavant]| ordinary person, bhikkhus, might become |disenchanted with::disinterested in, disillusioned with [nibbindati]|, |dispassionate toward::detached from [virajjati]|, and freed from this body |composed of the four great elements::The four great elements are of earth (solidity), water (cohesion), fire (temperature), and air (movement). This classification offered by the Buddha is based on how the body is experienced—as structure, fluidity, energy, and motion. It forms a basis for further insights into the nature of body and mind. [cātumahābhūtika]|. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, it is seen that this body composed of the four great elements undergoes |accumulation::e.g. growth of tissues such as muscle and fat gain, storage of energy such as fat stores, water retention [ācaya]| and |reduction::e.g. gradual loss of strength due to aging; tissue breakdown or cell death during illness; fat and muscle breakdown for energy during fasting or exercise; nails, hair, skin renewal as part of natural shedding [apacaya]|, |taking up::absorbing nutrients when eating food and drink; breathing in air [ādāna]| and |casting off::e.g. removal of solid and liquid waste during excretion; breathing out during exhalation; sweating, shedding of skin; releasing body heat to regulate temperature [nikkhepana]|. Therefore, an uninstructed ordinary person might become disenchanted with, detached from, and freed from it.
Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Dīgharattañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa ajjhositaṁ mamāyitaṁ parāmaṭṭhaṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ.
But, bhikkhus, as to that which is called ‘mind’, or ‘intellect’, or ‘consciousness’—in regard to that, the uninstructed ordinary person is not able to become disenchanted with it, not able to become detached from it, and not able to be freed from it. For what reason? Because, for a long time, bhikkhus, this has been |clung to::attached to, fixed on [ajjhosita]|, |appropriated as ‘mine’::treasured, cherished [mamāyita]|, and misapprehended by the uninstructed ordinary person as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ Therefore, the uninstructed ordinary person is not able to become disenchanted with it, not able to become detached from it, and not able to be freed from it.
Varaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano imaṁ cātumahābhūtikaṁ kāyaṁ attato upagaccheyya, na tveva cittaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Dissatāyaṁ, bhikkhave, cātumahābhūtiko kāyo ekampi vassaṁ tiṭṭhamāno dvepi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno tīṇipi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno cattāripi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno pañcapi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno dasapi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno vīsatipi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno tiṁsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno cattārīsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno paññāsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno vassasatampi tiṭṭhamāno, bhiyyopi tiṭṭhamāno. Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, taṁ rattiyā ca divasassa ca aññadeva uppajjati aññaṁ nirujjhati.
It would be better, bhikkhus, for an uninstructed ordinary person to take as self this body composed of the four great elements rather than the mind. For what reason? Because this body composed of the four great elements is seen |persisting::remaining [tiṭṭhamāna]| for one year, for two years, persisting for three, four, five, or ten years, for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years, persisting for a hundred years, or even longer. But that which is called ‘mind’, or ‘intellect’, or ‘consciousness’ |appears::arises [uppajjati]| as one thing and |ceases::finishes, vanishes [nirujjhati]| as another by day and by night.
Tatra, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaṁyeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti: ‘iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati; imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhatī’ti. Sukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhavedanā. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati. Dukkhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati dukkhavedanā. Tasseva dukkhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati. Adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ, bhikkhave, phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhavedanā. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati.
Therein, bhikkhus, a learned disciple of the Noble Ones, carefully and |wisely::properly, prudently, thoroughly, carefully [yoniso]| applies the mind to |dependent co-arising::the process of arising together from a cause, chain of causation, dependent origination [paṭiccasamuppāda]| thus: ‘When this exists, that comes to be, with the arising of this, that arises; when this does not exist, that does not come to be, with the cessation of this, that ceases. Pleasant feeling, bhikkhus arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as pleasant, the pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and |subsides completely::is fully stilled [vūpasammati]|. Painful feeling, bhikkhus, arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as painful. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as painful, the painful feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely. A neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, bhikkhus, arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ kaṭṭhānaṁ saṅghaṭṭanasamodhānā usmā jāyati tejo abhinibbattati. Tesaṁyeva dvinnaṁ kaṭṭhānaṁ nānākatavinibbhogā yā tajjā usmā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhavedanā. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati …pe… dukkhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca … adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhavedanā. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhavedanā sā nirujjhati sā vūpasammati.
Just as, bhikkhus, with the rubbing together and contact of two pieces of wood, heat is produced and fire is generated, and with the separation of those same two pieces of wood, the heat that was produced from that ceases and subsides completely; similarly, bhikkhus, pleasant feeling arises dependent on contact that is to be experienced as pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as pleasant, the pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely. In the same way, bhikkhus, painful feeling arises dependent on contact to be experienced as painful … and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises dependent on contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant. With the cessation of that very contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant, the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling that arose dependent on it ceases and subsides completely.
Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako phassepi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati; nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati, vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the |learned::well-studied, instructed [sutavant]| disciple of the Noble Ones becomes |disenchanted with::disillusioned with [nibbindati]| |form::a visible object such as a beautiful sight, a face, an expression, art, ornament, possession, status symbol, admired appearance, or enticing scenery—anything seen that can produce desire, attachment, or self-view [rūpa]|, becomes disenchanted with |felt experience::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, becomes disenchanted with |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]|, becomes disenchanted with |intentional constructs::intentions, volitions, and choices expressed as mental, verbal, and bodily activities; thought formations and constructed experiences (including proliferative tendencies); processes that produce kamma [saṅkhāra]|, becomes disenchanted with |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]|. Experiencing disenchantment, they become dispassionate; through dispassion, there is release. When released, there arises the knowledge: ‘Released.’
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.
They understand: ‘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.’”