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- Samyutta Nikaya XII.31
- Bhutamidam Sutta
- This Has Come Into Being
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed Ven. Sariputta, "Sariputta, it is said in Ajita's
Question in the Way to the Further Shore [Sn
V.1]:
Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life.
"How is the detailed meaning of this brief statement to be understood?"
When this was said, Ven. Sariputta remained silent.
A second time...A third time the Blessed One addressed Ven. Sariputta, "Sariputta,
it is said in Ajita's Question in the Way to the Further Shore:
Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life.
"How is the detailed meaning of this brief statement to be understood?"
A third time, Ven. Sariputta remained silent.
"Do you see, Sariputta, that 'this has come into being'?"
"One sees with right discernment, lord, that 'this has come into being.' Seeing
with right discernment that 'this has come into being,' one practices for disenchantment
with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what has come into being. One sees with
right discernment that 'it has come into being from this nutriment.' Seeing with right
discernment that 'it has come into being from this nutriment,' one practices for
disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of the nutriment by which it
has come into being. One sees with right discernment that 'from the cessation of this
nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation.' Seeing with right
discernment that 'from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is
subject to cessation,' one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for
the cessation of what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a learner.
"And how, lord, is one a person who has fathomed the Dhamma?
"One sees with right discernment, lord, that 'this has come into being.' Seeing
with right discernment that 'this has come into being,' one is -- through disenchantment,
dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance -- released from what has come
into being. One sees with right discernment that 'it has come into being from this
nutriment.' Seeing with right discernment that 'it has come into being from this
nutriment,' one is -- through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of
clinging/sustenance -- released from the nutriment by which it has come into being. One
sees with right discernment that 'from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into
being is subject to cessation.' Seeing with right discernment that 'from the cessation of
this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,' one is -- through
disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance -- released
from what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a person who has fathomed the
Dhamma.
"It is in this way, lord, that I understand the detailed meaning of the brief
statement in Ajita's Question in the Way to the Further Shore:
Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life."
"Excellent, Sariputta. Excellent. One sees with right discernment that 'this has
come into being.' Seeing with right discernment that 'this has come into being,' one
practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what has
come into being. One sees with right discernment that 'it has come into being from this
nutriment.' Seeing with right discernment that 'it has come into being from this
nutriment,' one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the
cessation of the nutriment by which it has come into being. One sees with right
discernment that 'from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is
subject to cessation.' Seeing with right discernment that 'from the cessation of this
nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,' one practices for
disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what is subject to
cessation. This is how one is a learner.
"And how is one a person who has fathomed the Dhamma?
"One sees with right discernment that 'this has come into being.' Seeing with
right discernment that 'this has come into being,' one is -- through disenchantment,
dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance -- released from what has come
into being. One sees with right discernment that 'it has come into being from this
nutriment.' Seeing with right discernment that 'it has come into being from this
nutriment,' one is -- through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of
clinging/sustenance -- released from the nutriment by which it has come into being. One
sees with right discernment that 'from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into
being is subject to cessation.' Seeing with right discernment that 'from the cessation of
this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,' one is -- through
disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance -- released
from what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a person who has fathomed the
Dhamma.
"It is in this way that the detailed meaning of the brief statement in Ajita's
Question in the Way to the Further Shore is to be understood:
Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life."