Then a certain bhikkhu approached another bhikkhu, and after approaching, he said to that bhikkhu: “To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu‘s |vision::realization [dassana]| |well purified::well cleansed, well refined [suvisuddha]|?”
“Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, |as it truly is::as it has come to be, in reality [yathābhūta]|, the |arising::appearance, origination [samudaya]| and |passing away::disappearing, vanishing, subsiding [atthaṅgama]| of the |six sense bases::fields of experience, fields of sense impression [phassāyatana]|, to that extent, friend, a bhikkhu’s vision is well purified.”
Then that bhikkhu, dissatisfied with the explanation given by the other bhikkhu, approached another bhikkhu. After approaching, he said to that bhikkhu: “To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu‘s vision well purified?”
“Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, the arising and passing away of the |five aggregates that are subject to being held onto as a self::pile of matter and mind that are held onto as a self, physical and mental conglomerations that are clung to [pañca + upādānakkhandha]|, to that extent, friend, a bhikkhu’s vision is well purified.”
Then that bhikkhu, dissatisfied with the explanation given by the other bhikkhu, approached still another bhikkhu. After approaching, he said to that bhikkhu: “To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu‘s vision well purified?”
“Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, the arising and passing away of the |four great elements::the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and air—are the basic components of all conditioned phenomena [mahābhūta]|, to that extent, friend, a bhikkhu’s vision is well purified.”
Then that bhikkhu, dissatisfied with the explanation given by the other bhikkhu, approached still another bhikkhu. After approaching, he said to that bhikkhu: “To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu‘s vision well purified?”
“Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, ’whatever is subject to arising, all that is |subject to ending::liable to naturally end [nirodhadhamma]|,‘ to that extend, a bhikkhu’s vision is well purified.”
Then that bhikkhu, dissatisfied with the explanation given by the other bhikkhu, approached the Blessed One. After approaching, he said to he Blessed One: “Venerable sir, here I approached a certain bhikkhu and said to him: ‘To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu’s vision well purified?‘ When this was said, venerable sir, that bhikkhu replied to me: ’Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, the arising and passing away of the six sense bases, to that extent, friend, a bhikkhu‘s vision is well purified.’ Dissatisfied with the explanation given by that bhikkhu, I approached another bhikkhu and said to him: ‘To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu’s vision well purified?‘ When this was said, venerable sir, that bhikkhu replied to me: ’Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, the arising and passing away of the five aggregates that are subject to being held onto as a self, to that extent, friend, a bhikkhu‘s vision is well purified.’ Still dissatisfied with the explanation given by that bhikkhu, I approached still another bhikkhu and said to him: ‘To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu’s vision well purified?‘ When this was said, venerable sir, that bhikkhu replied to me: ’Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, the arising and passing away of the four great elements, to that extent, friend, a bhikkhu‘s vision is well purified.’ Still dissatisfied with the explanation given by that bhikkhu, I approached still another bhikkhu and said to him: ‘To what extent, friend, is a bhikkhu’s vision well purified?‘ When this was said, venerable sir, that bhikkhu replied to me: ’Friend, when a bhikkhu knows, as it truly is, ‘whatever is subject to arising, all that is subject to ending,’ to that extent, a bhikkhu‘s vision is well purified.’ Dissatisfied with the explanation given by that bhikkhu, venerable sir, I have now approached the Blessed One. Venerable sir, to what extent is a bhikkhu‘s vision well purified?”
“Suppose, bhikkhu, a man had never seen a |kiṁsuka tree::commonly identified as the flame of the forest, Butea monosperma, changes its appearance depending on the season; used here to illustrate how perceptions can be conditioned by circumstances [kiṁsuka]| before. He might approach another person who knows about the kiṁsuka tree and ask: ’What is the kiṁsuka tree like, sir?‘
That person might reply: ’Good man, the kiṁsuka tree is black, like a burnt stump.‘ At that time, bhikkhu, the kiṁsuka tree might have been exactly as that person had seen it.
Bhikkhu, suppose that man, dissatisfied with the explanation given by the first person, approached another person who knows about kiṁsuka tree and asked: ’What is the kiṁsuka tree like, sir?‘ That person might reply: ’Good man, the kiṁsuka tree is red, like a lump of meat.‘ At that time, bhikkhu, the kiṁsuka tree might have been exactly as that person had seen it.
Then, bhikkhu, suppose that man, still dissatisfied with the explanation given by the second person, approached another person who knows about the kiṁsuka tree and asked: ’What is the kiṁsuka tree like, sir?‘ That person might reply: ’Good man, the kiṁsuka tree has hanging bark strips and has burst seed pods, like a |sirīsa tree::commonly known as East Indian walnut tree, Albizia lebbeck, noted for its distinct appearance, particularly its hanging bark open, flattened seed pods|.‘ At that time, bhikkhu, the kiṁsuka tree might have been exactly as that person had seen it.
Then, bhikkhu, suppose that man, still dissatisfied with the explanation given by the third person, approached another person who knows about the kiṁsuka tree and asked: ’What is the kiṁsuka tree like, sir?‘ That person might reply: ’Good man, the kiṁsuka tree is dense with leaves and foliage, providing abundant shade, like a banyan tree.‘ At that time, bhikkhu, the kiṁsuka tree might have been exactly as that person had seen it.
In the same way, bhikkhu, those noble persons each answered according to what they were |focused on::resolved on, accustomed to [adhimutta]| when their vision was well purified.
Suppose, bhikkhu, a king had a |border::frontier, outlying [paccantima]| city with solid fortifications, a strong encircling wall and gateways with gates at six points. In that city, there is a wise, |experienced::competent [byatta]|, and |discerning::who has good judgement [medhāvī]| gatekeeper who prevents the entry of strangers and admits those who he knows.
From the eastern direction, a swift pair of messengers might approach that gatekeeper and say: ’Good man, where is the lord of this city?‘
He would reply: ’Venerable sirs, he is sitting in the central hall.‘
Then that swift pair of messengers would accurately deliver a |message of reality::unaltered truth, as it actually is [yathābhūta]| to the lord of the city and leave by the route by which they had arrived.
From the western direction, a swift pair of messengers might approach that gatekeeper and say: ’Good man, where is the lord of this city?‘ He would reply: ’Venerable sirs, he is sitting in the central hall.‘ Then that swift pair of messengers would accurately deliver a message of reality to the lord of the city and leave by the route by which they had arrived.
From the northern direction, a swift pair of messengers might approach that gatekeeper and say: ’Good man, where is the lord of this city?‘ He would reply: ’Venerable sirs, he is sitting in the central hall.‘ Then that swift pair of messengers would accurately deliver a message of reality to the lord of the city and leave by the route by which they had arrived.
From the southern direction, a swift pair of messengers might approach that gatekeeper and say: ’Good man, where is the lord of this city?‘ He would reply: ’Venerable sirs, he is sitting in the central hall.‘ Then that swift pair of messengers would accurately deliver a message of reality to the lord of the city and leave by the route by which they had arrived.
Bhikkhu, this simile has been given by me to convey a meaning. And this is the meaning here:
’City,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for this body composed of the four great elements, originating from mother and father, sustained by rice and porridge, subject to |instability::impermanence [anicca]|, rubbing, pressing, injury, and falling apart.
’Six gates,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for the |six internal sense bases::the six internal sense faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—that enable sensory experience [saḷāyatana]|.
’Gatekeeper,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for |mindfulness::recollection, awareness, presence, observing the body in and of itself, felt experience in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [sati]|.
’Swift pair of messengers,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for |tranquility::serenity, stilling, calming, peace, mental unification [samatha]| and |insight::seeing clearly, penetrating internal vision [vipassanā]|.
’Lord of the city,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for |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]|.
’Central square,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for four great elements—|earth element::whatever internal or external that is solid, hard, resistant, appears stable and supporting, which can be considered as belonging to oneself, and can be clung to [pathavīdhātu]|, the |water element::whatever internal or external, that is liquid, cohesive, flowing, binding, moist, which can be considered as belonging to oneself, and can be clung to [āpodhātu]|, the |fire element::whatever internal or external that is hot, fiery, transformative, warming, cooling, which can be considered as belonging to oneself and can be clung to [tejodhātu]|, and the |air element::whatever internal or external that is airy, gaseous, moving, vibrating, wind-like, which can be considered as belonging to oneself and can be clung to [vāyodhātu]|.
’Message of reality,‘ bhikkhu, is a designation for |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|.
’Route by which way they had arrived,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for the Noble Eightfold Path, i.e.—right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness.”