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- Majjhima Nikaya 148
- Chachakka Sutta
- The Six Sextets
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's
Grove, Anathapindika's Monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
"Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the
middle, admirable in the end; I will expound the holy life both in its particulars &
in its essence, entirely complete, surpassingly pure -- in other words, the six sextets.
Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "The six internal media should be known. The six external
media should be known. The six classes of consciousness should be known. The six classes
of contact should be known. The six classes of feeling should be known. The six classes of
craving should be known.
"'The six internal media should be known.' Thus it was
said. In reference to what was it said? The eye-medium, the ear-medium, the nose-medium,
the tongue-medium, the body-medium, the intellect-medium. 'The six internal media should
be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the first
sextet.
"'The six external media should be known.' Thus it was
said. In reference to what was it said? The form-medium, the sound-medium, the
aroma-medium, the flavor-medium, the tactile sensation-medium, the idea-medium. 'The six
external media should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.
This is the second sextet.
"'The six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus it
was said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises
consciousness at the eye. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness at
the ear. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose.
Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. Dependent
on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. Dependent on
the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. 'The six classes of
consciousness should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.
This is the third sextet.
"'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus it was
said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises
consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the ear &
sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact.
Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The meeting of
the three is contact. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at
the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the body & tactile
sensations there arises consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact.
Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The
meeting of the three is contact. 'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus it was
said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the fourth sextet.
"'The six classes of feeling should be known.' Thus it was
said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises
consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite
condition there is feeling. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness
at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition
there is feeling. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the
nose. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is
feeling. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue.
The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is
feeling. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the
body. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is
feeling. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the
intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition
there is feeling. 'The six classes of feeling should be known.' Thus it was said. And in
reference to this was it said. This is the fifth sextet.
"'The six classes of craving should be known.' Thus it was
said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises
consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite
condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is craving.
Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of
the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling
as a requisite condition there is craving. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises
consciousness at the nose. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a
requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is
craving. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue.
The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is
feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is craving. Dependent on the body
& tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three
is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling as a
requisite condition there is craving. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises
consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a
requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is
craving. 'The six classes of craving should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference
to this was it said. This is the sixth sextet.
"If anyone were to say, 'The eye is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The
arising & falling away of the eye are discerned. And when its arising & falling
away are discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises & falls away.' That's why it
wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'The eye is the self.' So the eye is not-self.
If anyone were to say, 'Forms are the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...Thus the eye is
not-self and forms are not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Consciousness at the eye is the
self,' that wouldn't be tenable...Thus the eye is not-self, forms are not-self,
consciousness at the eye is not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Contact at the eye is the
self,' that wouldn't be tenable...Thus the eye is not-self, forms are not-self,
consciousness at the eye is not-self, contact at the eye is not-self. If anyone were to
say, 'Feeling is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...Thus the eye is not-self, forms are
not-self, consciousness at the eye is not-self, contact at the eye is not-self, feeling is
not self. If anyone were to say, 'Craving is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The
arising & falling away of craving are discerned. And when its arising & falling
away are discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises & falls away.' That's why it
wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'Craving is the self.' Thus the eye is
not-self, forms are not-self, consciousness at the eye is not-self, contact at the eye is
not-self, feeling is not self, craving is not-self.
"If anyone were to say, 'The ear is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If anyone were to say, 'The nose is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If anyone were to say, 'The tongue is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If anyone were to say, 'The body is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If anyone were to say, 'The intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The
arising & falling away of the intellect are discerned. And when its arising &
falling away are discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises & falls away.' That's
why it wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'The intellect is the self.' So the
intellect is not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Ideas are the self,' that wouldn't be
tenable...Thus the intellect is not-self and ideas are not-self. If anyone were to say,
'Consciousness at the intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...Thus the
intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self. If
anyone were to say, 'Contact at the intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be
tenable...Thus the intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at the
intellect is not-self, contact at the intellect is not-self. If anyone were to say,
'Feeling is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...Thus the intellect is not-self, ideas
are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self, contact at the intellect is
not-self, feeling is not self. If anyone were to say, 'Craving is the self,' that wouldn't
be tenable. The arising & falling away of craving are discerned. And when its arising
& falling away are discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises & falls away.'
That's why it wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'Craving is the self.' Thus the
intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self,
contact at the intellect is not-self, feeling is not self, craving is not-self.
"This, monks, is the path of practice leading to
self-identification. One assumes about the eye that 'This is me, this is my self, this is
what I am.' One assumes about forms...One assumes about consciousness at the eye...One
assumes about contact at the eye...One assumes about feeling...One assumes about craving
that 'This is me, this is my self, this is what I am.'
"One assumes about the ear...
"One assumes about the nose...
"One assumes about the tongue...
"One assumes about the body...
"One assumes about the intellect that 'This is me, this is my self, this is what I
am.' One assumes about ideas...One assumes about consciousness at the intellect...One
assumes about contact at the intellect...One assumes about feeling...One assumes about
craving that 'This is me, this is my self, this is what I am.'
"Now, this is the path of practice leading to the cessation
of self-identification. One assumes about the eye that 'This is not me, this is not my
self, this is not what I am.' One assumes about forms...One assumes about consciousness at
the eye...One assumes about contact at the eye...One assumes about feeling...One assumes
about craving that 'This is not me, this is not my self, this is not what I am.'
"One assumes about the ear...
"One assumes about the nose...
"One assumes about the tongue...
"One assumes about the body...
"One assumes about the intellect that 'This is not me, this is not my self, this
is not what I am.' One assumes about ideas...One assumes about consciousness at the
intellect...One assumes about contact at the intellect...One assumes about feeling...One
assumes about craving that 'This is not me, this is not my self, this is not what I am.'
"Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The
meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there arises what
is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when touched by a
feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes it, or remains fastened to it, then the
underlying tendency to passion lies latent within one. If, when touched by a feeling of
pain, one sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats one's breast, becomes distraught, then
the underlying tendency to resistance lies latent within one. If, when touched by a
feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it actually is present, the
origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape from that feeling, then the
underlying tendency to ignorance lies latent within one. That a person -- without
abandoning the underlying tendency to passion with regard to a feeling of pleasure,
without abolishing the underlying tendency to resistance with regard to a feeling of pain,
without uprooting the underlying tendency to ignorance with regard to a feeling of neither
pleasure nor pain, without abandoning ignorance and giving rise to clear knowing -- would
put an end to suffering & stress in the here & now: such a thing isn't possible.
"Dependent on the ear & sounds...
"Dependent on the nose & aromas...
"Dependent on the tongue & flavors...
"Dependent on the body & tactile sensations...
"Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the
intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition,
there arises what is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when
touched by a feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes it, or remains fastened to it,
then the underlying tendency to passion lies latent within one. If, when touched by a
feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats one's breast, becomes
distraught, then the underlying tendency to resistance lies latent within one. If, when
touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it actually is
present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape from that feeling,
then the underlying tendency to ignorance lies latent within one. That a person -- without
abandoning the underlying tendency to passion with regard to a feeling of pleasure,
without abolishing the underlying tendency to resistance with regard to a feeling of pain,
without uprooting the underlying tendency to ignorance with regard to a feeling of neither
pleasure nor pain, without abandoning ignorance and giving rise to clear knowing -- would
put an end to suffering & stress in the here & now: such a thing isn't possible.
"Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The
meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there arises what
is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when touched by a
feeling of pleasure, one does not relish it, welcome it, or remain fastened to it, then
the underlying tendency to passion does not lie latent within one. If, when touched by a
feeling of pain, one does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, beat one's breast or become
distraught, then the underlying tendency to resistance does not lie latent within one. If,
when touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one discerns, as it actually is
present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, & escape from that feeling,
then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie latent within one. That a person --
through abandoning the underlying tendency to passion with regard to a feeling of
pleasure, through abolishing the underlying tendency to resistance with regard to a
feeling of pain, through uprooting the underlying tendency to ignorance with regard to a
feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, through abandoning ignorance and giving rise to
clear knowing -- would put an end to suffering & stress in the here & now: such a
thing is possible.
"Dependent on the ear & sounds...
"Dependent on the nose & aromas...
"Dependent on the tongue & flavors...
"Dependent on the body & tactile sensations...
"Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the
intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition,
there arises what is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when
touched by a feeling of pleasure, one does not relish it, welcome it, or remain fastened
to it, then the underlying tendency to passion does not lie latent within one. If, when
touched by a feeling of pain, one does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, beat one's breast or
become distraught, then the underlying tendency to resistance does not lie latent within
one. If, when touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one discerns, as it
actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, & escape from
that feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie latent within one.
That a person -- through abandoning the underlying tendency to passion with regard to a
feeling of pleasure, through abolishing the underlying tendency to resistance with regard
to a feeling of pain, through uprooting the underlying tendency to ignorance with regard
to a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, through abandoning ignorance and giving rise to
clear knowing -- would put an end to suffering & stress in the here & now: such a
thing is possible.
"Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple grows disenchanted with the eye,
disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with consciousness at the eye, disenchanted with
contact at the eye, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with craving.
"He grows disenchanted with the ear...
"He grows disenchanted with the nose...
"He grows disenchanted with the tongue...
"He grows disenchanted with the body...
"He grows disenchanted with the intellect, disenchanted with ideas, disenchanted
with consciousness at the intellect, disenchanted with contact at the intellect,
disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with craving. Disenchanted, he becomes
dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the
knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled,
the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted at his words. And
while this explanation was being given, the hearts of 60 monks, through no clinging (not
being sustained), were fully released from fermentation/effluents.