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- Anguttara Nikaya VI.63
- Nibbedhika Sutta
- Penetrative
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
"I will teach you the penetrative explanation that is a Dhamma explanation. Listen
& pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "And which penetrative sequence is a Dhamma explanation?
"Sensuality should be known. The cause by which sensuality comes into play should
be known. The diversity in sensuality should be known. The result of sensuality should be
known. The cessation of sensuality should be known. The path of practice for the cessation
of sensuality should be known.
"Feeling should be known. The cause by which feeling comes into play should be
known. The diversity in feeling should be known. The result of feeling should be known.
The cessation of feeling should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of
feeling should be known.
"Perception should be known. The cause by which perception comes into play should
be known. The diversity in perception should be known. The result of perception should be
known. The cessation of perception should be known. The path of practice for the cessation
of perception should be known.
"Fermentations (asava) should be known. The cause by which fermentations
come into play should be known. The diversity in fermentations should be known. The result
of fermentations should be known. The cessation of fermentations should be known. The path
of practice for the cessation of fermentations should be known
"Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known.
The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma should be known. The cessation
of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.
"Stress should be known. The cause by which stress comes into play should be
known. The diversity in stress should be known. The result of stress should be known. The
cessation of stress should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of stress
should be known.
[1] "'Sensuality should be known. The cause by which
sensuality comes into play...The diversity in sensuality...The result of sensuality...The
cessation of sensuality...The path of practice for the cessation of sensuality should be
known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?
"There are these five strands of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable via the
eye -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing; sounds
cognizable via the ear...aromas cognizable via the nose...flavors cognizable via the
tongue...tactile sensations cognizable via the body -- agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, fostering desire, enticing. But these are not sensuality. They are called
strands of sensuality in the discipline of the noble ones.
The
passion for his resolves is a man's sensuality,
not the beautiful sensual pleasures
found in the world.
The passion for his resolves is a man's sensuality.
The beauties remain as they are in the world,
while the wise, in this regard,
subdue their desire.
"And what is the cause by which sensuality comes into play? Contact is the cause
by which sensuality comes into play.
"And what is the diversity in sensuality? Sensuality with regard to forms is one
thing, sensuality with regard to sounds is another, sensuality with regard to aromas is
another, sensuality with regard to flavors is another, sensuality with regard to tactile
sensations is another. This is called the diversity in sensuality.
"And what is the result of sensuality? One who wants sensuality produces a
corresponding state of existence, on the side of merit or demerit. This is called the
result of sensuality.
"And what is the cessation of sensuality? From the cessation of contact is the
cessation of sensuality; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration -- is the way leading to the cessation of sensuality.
"Now when a noble disciple discerns sensuality in this way, the cause by which
sensuality comes into play in this way, the diversity of sensuality in this way, the
result of sensuality in this way, the cessation of sensuality in this way, & the path
of practice leading to the cessation of sensuality in this way, then he discerns this
penetrative holy life as the cessation of sensuality.
"'Sensuality should be known. The cause by which sensuality comes into play...The
diversity in sensuality...The result of sensuality...The cessation of sensuality...The
path of practice for the cessation of sensuality should be known.' Thus it has been said,
and in reference to this was it said.
[2] "'Feeling should be known. The cause by which feeling
comes into play...The diversity in feeling...The result of feeling...The cessation of
feeling...The path of practice for the cessation of feeling should be known.' Thus it has
been said. In reference to what was it said?
"There are these three kinds of feeling: a feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain,
& feeling of neither pleasure nor pain.
"And what is the cause by which feeling comes into play? Contact is the cause by
which feeling comes into play.
"And what is the diversity in feeling? There is the feeling of pleasure connected
with the baits of the world. There is the feeling of pleasure not connected with the baits
of the world. There is the feeling of pain connected with the baits of the world. There is
the feeling of pain not connected with the baits of the world. There is the feeling of
neither pleasure nor pain connected with the baits of the world. There is the feeling of
neither pleasure nor pain not connected with the baits of the world. This is called the
diversity in feeling. [See The Wings to
Awakening, passage §179.]
"And what is the result of feeling? One who feels a feeling produces a
corresponding state of existence, on the side of merit or demerit. This is called the
result of feeling.
"And what is the cessation of feeling? From the cessation of contact is the
cessation of feeling; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration -- is the way leading to the cessation of feeling.
"Now when a noble disciple discerns feeling in this way, the cause by which
feeling comes into play in this way, the diversity of feeling in this way, the result of
feeling in this way, the cessation of feeling in this way, & the path of practice
leading to the cessation of feeling in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy
life as the cessation of feeling.
"'Feeling should be known. The cause by which feeling comes into play...The
diversity in feeling...The result of feeling...The cessation of feeling...The path of
practice for the cessation of feeling should be known.' Thus it has been said, and in
reference to this was it said.
[3] "'Perception should be known. The cause by which
perception comes into play...The diversity in perception...The result of perception...The
cessation of perception...The path of practice for the cessation of perception should be
known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?
"There are these six kinds of perception (mental labels): the perception of form,
the perception of sound, the perception of aroma, the perception of flavor, the perception
of tactile sensation, the perception of ideas.
"And what is the cause by which perception comes into play? Contact is the cause
by which perception comes into play.
"And what is the diversity in perception? Perception with regard to forms is one
thing, perception with regard to sounds is another, perception with regard to aromas is
another, perception with regard to flavors is another, perception with regard to tactile
sensations is another, perception with regard to ideas is another. This is called the
diversity in perception.
"And what is the result of perception? Perception has expression as its result, I
tell you. However a person perceives something, that is how he expresses it: 'I have this
sort of perception.' This is called the result of perception.
"And what is the cessation of perception? From the cessation of contact is the
cessation of perception; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration -- is the way leading to the cessation of perception.
"Now when a noble disciple discerns perception in this way, the cause by which
perception comes into play in this way, the diversity of perception in this way, the
result of perception in this way, the cessation of perception in this way, & the path
of practice leading to the cessation of perception in this way, then he discerns this
penetrative holy life as the cessation of perception.
"'Perception should be known. The cause by which perception comes into play...The
diversity in perception...The result of perception...The cessation of perception...The
path of practice for the cessation of perception should be known.' Thus it has been said,
and in reference to this was it said.
[4] "'Fermentations should be known. The cause by which
fermentations come into play...The diversity in fermentations...The result of
fermentations...The cessation of fermentations...The path of practice for the cessation of
fermentations should be known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?
"There are these three kinds of fermentations: the fermentation of sensuality, the
fermentation of becoming, the fermentation of ignorance.
"And what is the cause by which fermentations comes into play? Ignorance is the
cause by which fermentations comes into play.
"And what is the diversity in fermentations? There are fermentations that lead to
hell, those that lead to the animal womb, those that lead to the realm of the hungry
shades, those that lead to the human world, those that lead to the world of the devas.
This is called the diversity in fermentations.
"And what is the result of fermentations? One who is immersed in ignorance
produces a corresponding state of existence, on the side of merit or demerit. This is
called the result of fermentations.
"And what is the cessation of fermentations? From the cessation of ignorance is
the cessation of fermentations; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness,
right concentration -- is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.
"Now when a noble disciple discerns fermentations in this way, the cause by which
fermentations comes into play in this way, the diversity of fermentations in this way, the
result of fermentations in this way, the cessation of fermentations in this way, & the
path of practice leading to the cessation of fermentations in this way, then he discerns
this penetrative holy life as the cessation of fermentations.
"'Fermentations should be known. The cause by which fermentations come into
play...The diversity in fermentations...The result of fermentations...The cessation of
fermentations...The path of practice for the cessation of fermentations should be known.'
Thus it has been said, and in reference to this was it said.
[5] "'Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes
into play should be known. The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma
should be known. The cessation of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the
cessation of kamma should be known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it
said?
"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body,
speech, & intellect.
"And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by
which kamma comes into play.
"And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell,
kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma to be experienced in the
realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world, kamma to be
experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma.
"And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell
you: that which arises right here & now, that which arises later [in this lifetime],
and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma.
"And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the
cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right resolve, right
speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration -- is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.
"Now when a noble disciple discerns kamma in this way, the cause by which kamma
comes into play in this way, the diversity of kamma in this way, the result of kamma in
this way, the cessation of kamma in this way, & the path of practice leading to the
cessation of kamma in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy life as the
cessation of kamma.
"'Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play...The diversity
in kamma...The result of kamma...The cessation of kamma...The path of practice for the
cessation of kamma should be known.' Thus it has been said, and in reference to this was
it said.
[6] "'Stress should be known. The cause by which stress
comes into play should be known. The diversity in stress should be known. The result of
stress should be known. The cessation of stress should be known. The path of practice for
the cessation of stress should be known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was
it said?
"Birth is stress, aging is stress, death is stress; sorrow, lamentation, pain,
distress, & despair are stress; association with what is not loved is stress,
separation from what is loved is stress, not getting what is wanted is stress. In short,
the five aggregates for sustenance are stress.
"And what is the cause by which stress comes into play? Craving is the cause by
which stress comes into play.
"And what is the diversity in stress? There is major stress & minor, slowly
fading & quickly fading. This is called the diversity in stress.
"And what is the result of stress? There are some cases in which a person overcome
with pain, his mind exhausted, grieves, mourns, laments, beats his breast, & becomes
bewildered. Or one overcome with pain, his mind exhausted, comes to search outside, 'Who
knows a way or two to stop this pain?' I tell you, monks, that stress results either in
bewilderment or in search. This is called the result of stress.
"And what is the cessation of stress? From the cessation of craving is the
cessation of stress; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right resolve,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration -- is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.
"Now when a noble disciple discerns stress in this way, the cause by which stress
comes into play in this way, the diversity of stress in this way, the result of stress in
this way, the cessation of stress in this way, & the path of practice leading to the
cessation of stress in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy life as the
cessation of stress.
"'Stress should be known. The cause by which stress comes into play...The
diversity in stress...The result of stress...The cessation of stress...The path of
practice for the cessation of stress should be known.' Thus it has been said, and in
reference to this was it said.
"And this is the penetrative explanation that is a Dhamma explanation."