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- Digha Nikaya 21
- Sakka-pańha Sutta
- Sakka's Questions
- (excerpt)
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
...
Having been given leave by the Blessed One, Sakka the deva-king asked him his first
question: "Fettered with what, dear sir -- though they think, 'May we live free from
hostility, free from violence, free from rivalry, free from ill will, free from those who
are hostile' -- do devas, human beings, asuras, nagas, gandhabbas, & whatever other
many kinds of beings there are, nevertheless live in hostility, violence, rivalry, ill
will, with those who are hostile?"
Thus Sakka asked his first question of the Blessed One, and the Blessed One, when
asked, replied: "Devas, human beings, asuras, nagas, gandhabbas, & whatever other
many kinds of beings there are, are fettered with envy & stinginess, which is why --
even though they think, 'May we live free from hostility, free from violence, free from
rivalry, free from ill will, free from those who are hostile -- they nevertheless live in
hostility, violence, rivalry, ill will, with those who are hostile."
Thus the Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's words: "So
it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed One's answer to my
question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is overcome."
Then Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's
words, asked him a further question: "But what, dear sir, is the cause of envy &
stinginess, what is their origination, what gives them birth, what is their source? When
what exists do they come into being? When what doesn't exist do they not?"
"Envy & stinginess have dear-&-not-dear as their cause, have
dear-&-not-dear as their origination, have dear-&-not-dear as what gives them
birth, have dear-&-not-dear as their source. When dear-&-not-dear exist, they come
into being. When dear-&-not-dear are not, they don't."
"But what, dear sir, is the cause of dear-&-not-dear, what is their
origination, what gives them birth, what is their source? When what exists do they come
into being? When what doesn't exist do they not?"
"Dear-&-not-dear have desire as their cause, have desire as their origination,
have desire as what gives them birth, have desire as their source. When desire exists,
they come into being. When desire is not, they don't."
"But what, dear sir, is the cause of desire, what is its origination, what gives
it birth, what is its source? When what exists does it come into being? When what doesn't
exist does it not?"
"Desire has thinking as its cause, has thinking as its origination, has thinking
as what gives it birth, has thinking as its source. When thinking exists, desire comes
into being. When thinking is not, it doesn't."
"But what, dear sir, is the cause of thinking, what is its origination, what gives
it birth, what is its source? When what exists does it come into being? When what doesn't
exist does it not?"
"Thinking has the perceptions & categories of
complication[1] as its cause, has the perceptions &
categories of complication as its origination, has the perceptions & categories of
complication as what gives it birth, has the perceptions & categories of complication
as its source. When the perceptions & categories of complication exists, thinking
comes into being. When the perceptions & categories of complication are not, it
doesn't."
"And how has he practiced, dear sir: the monk who has practiced the practice
leading to the right cessation of the perceptions & categories of complication?"
"Joy is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued &
not to be pursued. Grief is of two sorts: to be pursued & not to be pursued.
Equanimity is of two sorts: to be pursued & not to be pursued.
"'Joy is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not to be
pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one knows of a
feeling of joy, 'As I pursue this joy, unskillful mental qualities increase, and skillful
mental qualities decline,' that sort of joy is not to be pursued. When one knows of a
feeling of joy, 'As I pursue this joy, unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful
mental qualities increase,' that sort of joy is to be pursued. And this sort of joy may be
accompanied by directed thought & evaluation or free of directed thought &
evaluation. Of the two, the latter is the more refined. 'Joy is of two sorts, I tell you,
deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to
this was it said.
"'Grief is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued & not
to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one knows of
a feeling of grief, 'As I pursue this grief, unskillful mental qualities increase, and
skillful mental qualities decline,' that sort of grief is not to be pursued. When one
knows of a feeling of grief, 'As I pursue this grief, unskillful mental qualities decline,
and skillful mental qualities increase,' that sort of grief is to be pursued. And this
sort of grief may be accompanied by directed thought & evaluation or free of directed
thought & evaluation. Of the two, the latter is the more refined. 'Grief is of two
sorts, I tell you: to be pursued & not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in
reference to this was it said.
"'Equanimity is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued
& not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one
knows of a feeling of equanimity, 'As I pursue this equanimity, unskillful mental
qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,' that sort of equanimity is not
to be pursued. When one knows of a feeling of equanimity, 'As I pursue this equanimity,
unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities increase,' that sort of
equanimity is to be pursued. And this sort of equanimity may be accompanied by directed
thought & evaluation or free of directed thought & evaluation. Of the two, the
latter is the more refined. 'Equanimity is of two sorts, I tell you: to be pursued &
not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"This is how he has practiced, deva-king: the monk who has practiced the practice
leading to the right cessation of the perceptions & categories of complication."
Thus the Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's words: "So
it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed One's answer to my
question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is overcome."
Then Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's
words, asked him a further question: "But how has he practiced, dear sir: the monk
who has practiced for restraint in the Patimokkha?"
"Bodily conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued. Verbal conduct is of two sorts: to be pursued & not
to be pursued. Searching is of two sorts: to be pursued & not to be pursued.
"'Bodily conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not
to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? When one knows of
bodily conduct, 'As I pursue this bodily conduct, unskillful mental qualities increase,
and skillful mental qualities decline,' that sort of bodily conduct is not to be pursued.
When one knows of bodily conduct, 'As I pursue this bodily conduct, unskillful mental
qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities increase,' that sort of bodily conduct is
to be pursued. 'Bodily conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued &
not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"'Verbal conduct is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to
be pursued & not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it
said? When one knows of verbal conduct, 'As I pursue this verbal conduct, unskillful
mental qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,' that sort of verbal
conduct is not to be pursued. When one knows of verbal conduct, 'As I pursue this verbal
conduct, unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities increase,'
that sort of verbal conduct is to be pursued. 'Verbal conduct is of two sorts, I tell you,
deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to
this was it said.
"'Searching is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be
pursued & not to be pursued.' Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said?
When one knows of a search, 'As I pursue this search, unskillful mental qualities
increase, and skillful mental qualities decline,' that sort of search is not to be
pursued. When one knows of a search, 'As I pursue this search, unskillful mental qualities
decline, and skillful mental qualities increase,' that sort of search is to be pursued.
'Searching is of two sorts, I tell you, deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued.'
Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"This is how has he practiced, deva-king: the monk who has practiced the practice
for restraint in the Patimokkha."
Thus the Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's words: "So
it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed One's answer to my
question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is overcome."
Then Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's
words, asked him a further question: "But how has he practiced, dear sir: the monk
who has practiced for restraint with regard to the sense faculties?"
"Forms cognizable by the eye are of two sorts, I tell you,
deva-king: to be pursued & not to be pursued. Sounds cognizable by the ear .... Aromas
cognizable by the nose .... Flavors cognizable by the tongue .... Tactile sensations
cognizable by the body .... Ideas cognizable by the intellect are of two sorts: to be
pursued & not to be pursued."
When this was said, Sakka the deva-king said to the Blessed One, "Dear sir, I
understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One's brief statement. If, as one pursues a
certain type of form cognizable by the eye, unskillful mental qualities increase, and
skillful mental qualities decline, that sort of form cognizable by the eye is not to be
pursued. But if, as one pursues a certain type of form cognizable by the eye, unskillful
mental qualities decline, and skillful mental qualities increase, that sort of form
cognizable by the eye is to be pursued.
"If, as one pursues a certain type of sound cognizable by the ear ....
"If, as one pursues a certain type of aroma cognizable by the nose ....
"If, as one pursues a certain type of flavor cognizable by the tongue ....
"If, as one pursues a certain type of tactile sensation cognizable by the body
....
"If, as one pursues a certain type of idea cognizable by the intellect, unskillful
mental qualities increase, and skillful mental qualities decline, that sort of idea
cognizable by the intellect is not to be pursued. But if, as one pursues a certain type of
idea cognizable by the intellect, unskillful mental qualities decline, and skillful mental
qualities increase, that sort of idea cognizable by the intellect is to be pursued.
"This is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One's brief
statement. Hearing the Blessed One's answer to my question, my doubt is now cut off, my
perplexity is overcome."
Then Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the
Blessed One's words, asked him a further question: "Dear sir, do all priests &
contemplatives teach the same doctrine, adhere to the same precepts, desire the same
thing, aim at the same goal?"
"No, deva-king, not all priests & contemplatives teach the same doctrine,
adhere to the same precepts, desire the same thing, aim at the same goal."
"Why, dear sir, don't all priests & contemplatives teach the same doctrine,
adhere to the same precepts, desire the same thing, aim at the same goal?"
"The world is made up of many properties, various properties. Because of the many
& various properties in the world, then whichever property living beings get fixated
on, they become entrenched & latch onto it, saying, 'Only this is true; anything else
is worthless.' This is why not all priests & contemplatives teach the same doctrine,
adhere to the same precepts, desire the same thing, aim at the same goal."
"But, dear sir, are all priests & contemplatives utterly complete, utterly
free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate?"
"No, deva-king, not all priests & contemplatives are utterly complete, utterly
free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate."
"But why, dear sir, are not all priests & contemplatives utterly complete,
utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate?"
"Those monks who are released through the total ending of craving are the ones who
are utterly complete, utterly free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly
consummate. This is why not all priests & contemplatives are utterly complete, utterly
free from bonds, followers of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate."
Thus the Blessed One answered, having been asked by Sakka the deva-king. Gratified,
Sakka was delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's words: "So
it is, O Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. Hearing the Blessed One's answer to my
question, my doubt is now cut off, my perplexity is overcome."
Then Sakka, having delighted in & expressed his approval of the Blessed One's
words, said to him: "Obsession is a disease, obsession is a boil, obsession is an
arrow. It seduces one, drawing one into this or that state of being, which is why one is
reborn in high states & low. Whereas other outside priests & contemplatives gave
me no chance to ask them these questions, the Blessed One has answered at length, so that
he has removed the arrow of my uncertainty & perplexity."
"Deva-king, do you recall having asked other priests & contemplatives these
questions?"
"Yes, lord, I recall having asked other priests & contemplatives these
questions."
"If it's no inconvenience, could you tell me how they answered?"
"It's no inconvenience when sitting with the Blessed One or one who is like
him."
"Then tell me, deva-king."
"Having gone to those whom I considered to be priests & contemplatives living
in isolated dwellings in the wilderness, I asked them these questions. But when asked by
me, they were at a loss. Being at a loss, they asked me in return, 'What is your
name?'
"Being asked, I responded, 'I, dear sir, am Sakka, the deva-king.'
"So they questioned me further, 'But what kamma did you do to attain to this
state?'
"So I taught them the Dhamma as far as I had heard & mastered it. And they
were gratified with just this much: 'We have seen Sakka, the deva-king, and he has
answered our questions!' So, instead of my becoming their disciple, they simply became
mine. But I, lord, am the Blessed One's disciple, a stream-winner, steadfast, never again
destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening."
"Deva-king, do you recall ever having previously experienced such happiness &
joy?"
"Yes, lord, I do."
"And how do you recall ever having previously experienced such happiness &
joy?"
"Once, lord, the devas & asuras were arrayed in battle. And in that battle the
devas won, while the asuras lost. Having won the battle, as the victor in the battle, this
thought occurred to me: 'Whatever has been the divine nourishment of the asuras, whatever
has been the divine nourishment of the devas, the devas will now enjoy both of them.' But
my attainment of happiness & joy of mine was in the sphere of violence & weapons.
It didn't lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct
knowledge to self-awakening, to Unbinding. But my attainment of happiness & joy on
hearing the Blessed One's Dhamma is in the sphere of no violence, the sphere of no
weapons. It leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct
knowledge to self-awakening, to Unbinding." ....
Then Sakka, the deva-king, touched the earth with his hand and
said three times, "Homage to the Worthy One, the Blessed One, the Rightly
Self-awakened One! Homage to the Worthy One, the Blessed One, the Rightly Self-awakened
One! Homage to the Worthy One, the Blessed One, the Rightly Self-awakened One!"
While this explanation was being given, there arose to Sakka the dustless, stainless
Dhamma eye -- "Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation"
-- as it also did to [his following of] 80,000 other devas.
Such were the questions that the Blessed One answered at Sakka's bidding. And so this
discourse is called "Sakka's Questions."
Note
1. Complication = papańca. The tendency of the mind to
proliferate issues from the sense of "self." This term can also be translated as
self-reflexive thinking, reification, falsification, distortion, elaboration, or
exaggeration. In the discourses, it is frequently used in analyses of the psychology of
conflict. The categories of complexity stem from the self-reflexive thought, "I am
the thinker," (see Sn IV.14), and
include the categories of inappropriate attention (see MN 2):
being/not-being, me/not-me, mine/not-mine, doer/done-to. The perceptions of complexity
include such thoughts as "This is me. This is mine. This is my self." These
perceptions and categories turn back on the person who allows them to proliferate, giving
rise to internal conflict & strife, which then expand outward. For more on these
terms, see MN 18. [Go back]