113 (1) Ignorance

At Sāvatthi. Then a certain Bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘ignorance, ignorance.’ What now, venerable sir, is ignorance, and in what way is one immersed in ignorance?”

“Here, Bhikkhu, the uninstructed worldling does not understand form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. He does not understand feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. This is called ignorance, and in this way one is immersed in ignorance.”

114 (2) True Knowledge

At Sāvatthi…. Sitting to one side, that Bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:

“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘true knowledge, true knowledge.’ What now, venerable sir, is true knowledge, and in what way has one arrived at true knowledge?”

“Here, Bhikkhu, the instructed noble disciple understands form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. He understands feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. This is called true knowledge, and in this way one has arrived at true knowledge.”

115 (3) A Speaker on the Dhamma (1)

At Sāvatthi…. Sitting to one side, that Bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:

“Venerable, sir, it is said, ‘a speaker on the Dhamma, a speaker on the Dhamma.’ In what way, venerable sir, is one a speaker on the Dhamma?”

“Bhikkhu, if one teaches the Dhamma for the purpose of revulsion towards form, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a Bhikkhu who is a speaker on the Dhamma. If one is practising for the purpose of revulsion towards form, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a Bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma. If, through revulsion towards form, through its fading away and cessation, one is liberated by nonclinging, one can be called a Bhikkhu who has attained Nibbāna in this very life.

“Bhikkhu, if one teaches the Dhamma for the purpose of revulsion towards feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a Bhikkhu who is a speaker on the Dhamma. If one is practising for the purpose of revulsion towards consciousness, for its fading away and cessation, one can be called a Bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma. If, through revulsion towards consciousness, through its fading away and cessation, one is liberated by nonclinging, one can be called a Bhikkhu who has attained Nibbāna in this very life.”

116 (4) A Speaker on the Dhamma (2)

At Sāvatthi…. Sitting to one side, that Bhikkhu said to the Blessed One:

“Venerable, sir, it is said, ‘a speaker on the Dhamma, a speaker on the Dhamma.’ In what way, venerable sir, is one a speaker on the Dhamma? In what way is one practising in accordance with the Dhamma? In what way has one attained Nibbāna in this very life?”

(The rest of this sutta is identical with the preceding one.)

117 (5) Bondage

At Sāvatthi. “Here, Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling … regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. This is called, Bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling who is bound by bondage to form, who is bound by inner and outer bondage, who does not see the near shore and the far shore, who grows old in bondage, who dies in bondage, who in bondage goes from this world to the other world.

“He regards feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. This is called, Bhikkhus, an uninstructed worldling who is bound by bondage to consciousness … who in bondage goes from this world to the other world.

“But, Bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple … does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. This is called, Bhikkhus, an instructed noble disciple who is not bound by bondage to form, who is not bound by inner and outer bondage, who sees the near shore and the far shore. He is freed from suffering, I say.

“He does not regard feeling as self … perception as self … volitional formations as self … consciousness as self … or self as in consciousness. This is called, Bhikkhus, an instructed noble disciple who is not bound by bondage to consciousness…. He is freed from suffering, I say.”

118 (6) Interrogation (1)

At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, what do you think, do you regard form thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”

“No, venerable sir.”

“Good, Bhikkhus! Form should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’

“Do you regard feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”

“No, venerable sir.”

“Good, Bhikkhus! Consciousness should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’

“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”

119 (7) Interrogation (2)

At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, what do you think, do you regard form thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“Good, Bhikkhus! Form should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’

“Do you regard feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“Good, Bhikkhus! Consciousness should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’

“Seeing thus … He understands: ‘… there is no more for this state of being.’”

120 (8) Things That Fetter

At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the things that fetter and the fetter. Listen to that….

“And what, Bhikkhus, are the things that fetter, and what is the fetter? Form, Bhikkhus, is a thing that fetters; the desire and lust for it is the fetter there. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is a thing that fetters; the desire and lust for it is the fetter there. These are called the things that fetter, and this the fetter.”

121 (9) Things That Can Be Clung To

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the things that can be clung to and the clinging. Listen to that….

“And what, Bhikkhus, are the things that can be clung to, and what is the clinging? Form, Bhikkhus, is a thing that can be clung to; the desire and lust for it is the clinging there. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is a thing that can be clung to; the desire and lust for it is the clinging there. These are called the things that can be clung to, and this the clinging.”

122 (10) Virtuous

On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were dwelling at BārāṇasI in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita emerged from seclusion, approached the Venerable Sāriputta, exchanged greetings, and said to him: “Friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a virtuous Bhikkhu should carefully attend to?”

“Friend Koṭṭhita, a virtuous Bhikkhu should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. A virtuous Bhikkhu should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a virtuous Bhikkhu carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of stream-entry.”

“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a Bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to?”

“Friend Koṭṭhita, a Bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a Bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of once-returning.”

“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a Bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to?”

“Friend Koṭṭhita, a Bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a Bhikkhu who is a once-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of nonreturning.”

“But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a Bhikkhu who is a nonreturner should carefully attend to?”

“Friend Koṭṭhita, a Bhikkhu who is a nonreturner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as nonself. When, friend, a Bhikkhu who is a nonreturner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of arahantship.” “But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a Bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to?”

“Friend Koṭṭhita, a Bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as nonself. For the arahant, friend, there is nothing further that has to be done and no repetition of what he has already done. However, when these things are developed and cultivated, they lead to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension.”

123 (11) Instructed

(This sutta is identical with the preceding one except that the opening question and reply are phrased in terms of “an instructed Bhikkhu.”)

124 (12) Kappa (1)

At Sāvatthi. Then the Venerable Kappa approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit no longer occur within?”

(Remainder identical with §71, but addressed to Kappa.)

125 (13) Kappa (2)

At Sāvatthi. Then the Venerable Kappa approached the Blessed One … and said to him:

“Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, the mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit, has transcended discrimination, and is peaceful and well liberated?”

(Remainder identical with §72, but addressed to Kappa.)