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- Samyutta Nikaya XXXV.63
- Migajala Sutta
- To Migajala
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
At Savatthi. Then Ven. Migajala went to
the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was
sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "'A person living alone. A person living
alone,' thus it is said. To what extent, lord, is one a person living alone, and to what
extent is one a person living with a companion?"
"Migajala, there are forms cognizable via the eye -- agreeable, pleasing,
charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing -- and a monk relishes them, welcomes
them, & remains fastened to them. As he relishes them, welcomes them, & remains
fastened to them, delight arises. There being delight, he is impassioned. Being
impassioned, he is fettered. A monk joined with the fetter of delight is said to be a
person living with a companion.
"There are sounds cognizable via the ear...aromas cognizable via the
nose...flavors cognizable via the tongue...tactile sensations cognizable via the
body...ideas cognizable via the intellect -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
fostering desire, enticing -- and a monk relishes them, welcomes them, & remains
fastened to them. As he relishes them, welcomes them, & remains fastened to them,
delight arises. There being delight, he is impassioned. Being impassioned, he is fettered.
A monk joined with the fetter of delight is said to be a person living with a companion.
"A person living in this way -- even if he frequents isolated
forest & wilderness dwellings, with an unpopulated atmosphere, lying far from
humanity, appropriate for seclusion -- is still said to be living with a companion. Why is
that? Because craving is his companion, and it has not been abandoned by him. Thus he is
said to be a person living with a companion.
"Now, there are forms cognizable via the eye -- agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, fostering desire, enticing -- and a monk does not relish them, welcome them, or
remain fastened to them. As he doesn't relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to
them, delight ceases. There being no delight, he is not impassioned. Being not
impassioned, he is not fettered. A monk disjoined from the fetter of delight is said to be
a person living alone.
"There are sounds cognizable via the ear...aromas cognizable via the
nose...flavors cognizable via the tongue...tactile sensations cognizable via the
body...ideas cognizable via the intellect -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing,
fostering desire, enticing -- and a monk does not relish them, welcome them, or remain
fastened to them. As he doesn't relish them, welcome them, or remain fastened to them,
delight ceases. There being no delight, he is not impassioned. Being not impassioned, he
is not fettered. A monk disjoined from the fetter of delight is said to be a person living
alone.
"A person living in this way -- even if he lives near a village, associating with
monks & nuns, with male & female lay followers, with king & royal ministers,
with sectarians & their disciples -- is still said to be living alone. A person living
alone is said to be a monk. Why is that? Because craving is his companion, and it has been
abandoned by him. Thus he is said to be a person living alone."