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- Majjhima Nikaya 149
- Maha-Salayatanika Sutta
- The Great Six Sense-media Discourse
- 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 great six sense-media [discourse]. Listen & pay
close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "Not knowing, not seeing the eye as it actually is present;
not knowing, not seeing forms...consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye as they
actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact
at the eye -- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it
actually is present, one is infatuated with the eye...forms...consciousness at the
eye...contact at the eye...whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is
experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their
drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future accumulation. The
craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing
now this & now that -- grows within him. His bodily disturbances & mental
disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily distresses
& mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress & mental stress.
"Not knowing, not seeing the ear...Not knowing, not seeing the nose...Not knowing,
not seeing the tongue...Not knowing, not seeing the body...
"Not knowing, not seeing the intellect as it actually is present; not knowing, not
seeing ideas...consciousness at the intellect...contact at the intellect as they actually
are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises conditioned through intellect-contact
-- experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is
present, one is infatuated with the intellect...ideas...consciousness at the
intellect...contact at the intellect...whatever arises conditioned by contact at the
intellect and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their
drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future accumulation. The
craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing
now this & now that -- grows within him. His bodily disturbances & mental
disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily distresses
& mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress & mental stress.
"However, knowing & seeing the eye as it actually is present, knowing &
seeing forms...consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye as they actually are present,
knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye -- experienced
as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is present, one is not
infatuated with the eye...forms...consciousness at the eye...contact at the eye...whatever
arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or
neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their
drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future diminution. The craving
that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now
this & now that -- is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental
disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His
bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of
body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any
resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right
mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions,
speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed
the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their
development. The four right exertions...the four bases of power...the five faculties...the
five strengths...the seven factors of Awakening go to the culmination of their
development.[1] [And] for him these two qualities occur in
tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be
abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities
are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge
whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five
aggregates of clinging/sustenance,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as an aggregate
of clinging/sustenance...feeling...perception...fabrications...consciousness as an
aggregate of clinging/sustenance. These are the qualities that are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance &
craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through direct
knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity
& insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing
& release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"Knowing & seeing the ear...Knowing & seeing the nose...Knowing &
seeing the tongue...Knowing & seeing the body...
"Knowing & seeing the intellect as it actually is present, knowing &
seeing ideas...consciousness at the intellect...contact at the intellect as they actually
are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through intellect-contact --
experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain -- as it actually is present,
one is not infatuated with the intellect...ideas...consciousness at the
intellect...contact at the intellect...whatever arises conditioned by contact at the
intellect and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him -- uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their
drawbacks -- the five aggregates for sustenance head toward future diminution. The craving
that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now
this & now that -- is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental
disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His
bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of
body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any
resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right
mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions,
speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed
the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their
development. The four right exertions...the four bases of power...the five faculties...the
five strengths...the seven factors of Awakening go to the culmination of their
development. [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity &
insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be
abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities
are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge
whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five
aggregates of clinging/sustenance,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as an aggregate
of clinging/sustenance...feeling...perception...fabrications...consciousness as an
aggregate of clinging/sustenance. These are the qualities that are to be comprehended
through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance &
craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through direct
knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity
& insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing
& release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct
knowledge."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's
words.
Note
1. These thirty-seven qualities are collectively termed the
"wings to awakening" (bodhipakkhiyadhamma). For a thorough discussion,
see The Wings to Awakening, by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu. [Go back]