41 (1) Subject to Aging

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in the Eastern Park in the Mansion of Migāra’s Mother. Now on that occasion the Blessed One had emerged from seclusion in the evening and was sitting warming his back in the last rays of the sun.

Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage, while massaging the Blessed One’s limbs, he said to him: “It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! The Blessed One’s complexion is no longer pure and bright, his limbs are all flaccid and wrinkled, his body is stooped, and some alteration is seen in his faculties— in the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty.”

“So it is, Ānanda! In youth one is subject to aging; in health one is subject to illness; while alive one is subject to death. The complexion is no longer pure and bright, the limbs are all flaccid and wrinkled, the body is stooped, and some alteration is seen in the faculties—in the eye faculty … the body faculty.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“Fie on you, wretched aging,
Aging which makes beauty fade!
So much has the charming puppet
Been crushed beneath advancing age.

One who might live a hundred years
Also has death as destination.
Death spares none along the way
But comes crushing everything.”

42 (2) The Brahmin Uṇṇābha

At Sāvatthi. Then the brahmin Uṇṇābha approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:

“Master Gotama, these five faculties have different domains, different resorts; they do not experience each others’ resort and domain. What five? The eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty. Now, Master Gotama, as these five faculties have different domains, different resorts, and do not experience each others’ resort and domain, what is it that they take recourse in? And what is it that experiences their resort and domain?”

“Brahmin, these five faculties have different domains, different resorts; they do not experience each others’ resort and domain. What five? The eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, the body faculty. Now, brahmin, these five faculties having different domains, different resorts, not experiencing each others’ resort and domain—they take recourse in the mind, and the mind experiences their resort and domain.”

“But, Master Gotama, what is it that the mind takes recourse in?”

“The mind, brahmin, takes recourse in mindfulness.”

“But, Master Gotama, what is it that mindfulness takes recourse in?”

“Mindfulness, brahmin, takes recourse in liberation.”

“But, Master Gotama, what is it that liberation takes recourse in?”

“Liberation, brahmin, takes recourse in Nibbāna.”

“But, Master Gotama, what is it that Nibbāna takes recourse in?”

“You have gone beyond the range of questioning, brahmin. You weren’t able to grasp the limit to questioning. For, brahmin, the holy life is lived with Nibbāna as its ground, Nibbāna as its destination, Nibbāna as its final goal.”

Then the brahmin Uṇṇābha, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s statement, rose from his seat and paid homage to the Blessed One, after which he departed keeping him on his right.

Then, not long after the brahmin Uṇṇābha had departed, the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus:

“Bhikkhus, suppose in a house or hall with a peaked roof, opposite a window facing east, the sun was rising. When its rays enter through the window, where would they settle?”

“On the western wall, venerable sir.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, the brahmin Uṇṇābha has gained faith in the Tathāgata that is settled, deeply rooted, established, firm. It cannot be removed by any ascetic or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world. If, Bhikkhus, the brahmin Uṇṇābha were to die at this time, there is no fetter bound by which he might again come to this world.”

43 (3) Sāketa

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāketa in the Añjana Grove, in the Deer Park. There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus:

“Bhikkhus, is there a method of exposition by means of which the five faculties become the five powers and the five powers become the five faculties?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, take recourse in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the Bhikkhus will remember it.”…

“There is a method of exposition, Bhikkhus, by means of which the five faculties become the five powers and the five powers become the five faculties. And what is that method of exposition? That which is the faculty of faith is the power of faith; that which is the power of faith is the faculty of faith. That which is the faculty of energy is the power of energy; that which is the power of energy is the faculty of energy. That which is the faculty of mindfulness is the power of mindfulness; that which is the power of mindfulness is the faculty of mindfulness. That which is the faculty of concentration is the power of concentration; that which is the power of concentration is the faculty of concentration. That which is the faculty of wisdom is the power of wisdom; that which is the power of wisdom is the faculty of wisdom.

“Suppose, Bhikkhus, there is a river which slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, with an island in the middle. There is a method of exposition by means of which that river could be considered to have one stream, but there is a method of exposition by means of which it could be considered to have two streams.

“And what is the method of exposition by means of which that river could be considered to have one stream? Taking into account the water to the east of the island and the water to its west—this is the method of exposition by means of which that river could be considered to have one stream.

“And what is the method of exposition by means of which that river could be considered to have two streams? Taking into account the water to the north of the island and the water to the south—this is the method of exposition by means of which that river could be considered to have two streams.

“So too, Bhikkhus, that which is the faculty of faith is the power of faith … that which is the power of wisdom is the faculty of wisdom.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated these five faculties that a Bhikkhu, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge.”

44 (4) The Eastern Gatehouse

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in the Eastern Gatehouse. There the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta thus:

“Sāriputta, do you have faith that the faculty of faith, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal?… That the faculty of wisdom, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal.”

“Venerable sir, I do not go by faith in the Blessed One about this: that the faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal. Those by whom this has not been known, seen, understood, realized, and contacted with wisdom—they would have to go by faith in others about this: that the faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal. But those by whom this has been known, seen, understood, realized, and contacted with wisdom—they would be without perplexity or doubt about this: that the faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal.

“I am one, venerable sir, by whom this has been known, seen, understood, realized, and contacted with wisdom. I am without perplexity or doubt about this: that the faculty of faith … the faculty of wisdom, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal.”

“Good, good Sāriputta! Those by whom this has not been known … they would have to go by faith in others about this…. But those by whom this has been known … they would be without perplexity or doubt about this: that the faculty of faith … … the faculty of wisdom, when developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal.”

45 (5) The Eastern Park (1)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in the Eastern Park, in the Mansion of Migāra’s Mother. There the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus:

“Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated how many faculties does a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declare final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being’?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….” “It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated one faculty that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus. What is that one faculty? The faculty of wisdom. For a noble disciple who possesses wisdom, the faith that follows from it becomes stabilized, the energy that follows from it becomes stabilized, the mindfulness that follows from it becomes stabilized, the concentration that follows from it becomes stabilized.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because this one faculty has been developed and cultivated that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”

46 (6) The Eastern Park (2)

The same setting. “Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated how many faculties does a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declare final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being’?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….”

“It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated two faculties that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus. What two? Noble wisdom and noble liberation. For his noble wisdom is his faculty of wisdom; his noble liberation is his faculty of concentration.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because these two faculties have been developed and cultivated that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth … there is no more for this state of being.’”

47 (7) The Eastern Park (3)

The same setting. “Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated how many faculties does a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declare final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being’?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….” “It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated four faculties that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus. What four? The faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because these four faculties have been developed and cultivated that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth … there is no more for this state of being.’”

48 (8) The Eastern Park (4)

The same setting. “Bhikkhus, by having developed and cultivated how many faculties does a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declare final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being’?”

“Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One….” “It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated five faculties that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus. What five? The faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom.

“It is, Bhikkhus, because these five faculties have been developed and cultivated that a Bhikkhu who has destroyed the taints declares final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth … there is no more for this state of being.’”

49 (9) Piṇḍola

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at KosambI in Ghosita’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja had declared final knowledge thus: “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.”

Then a number of Bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Venerable sir, the Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth….’ Considering what reason has the Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja declared final knowledge thus?”

“It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed and cultivated three faculties that the Bhikkhu Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus. What are those three? The faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of wisdom. It is because he has developed and cultivated these three faculties that the Bhikkhu Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus.

“In what, Bhikkhus, do these three faculties end? They end in destruction. End in the destruction of what? Of birth, aging, and death. Considering that they end in the destruction of birth, aging, and death, the Bhikkhu Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja has declared final knowledge thus: ‘I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”

50 (10) At fipaṇa

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Aṅgans, where there was a town of the Aṅgans named fipaṇa. There the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta thus:

“Sāriputta, does the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching?”

“Venerable sir, the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him does not entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching. It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith will dwell with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states; that he will be strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility of cultivating whole some states. That energy of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of energy.

“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith and whose energy is aroused will be mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and discretion, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. That mindfulness of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of mindfulness.

“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith, whose energy is aroused, and whose mindfulness is established, will gain concentration, will gain one-pointedness of mind, having made release the object. That concentration of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of concentration.

“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith, whose energy is aroused, whose mindfulness is established, and whose mind is concentrated, will understand thus: ‘This saṃsāra is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on, hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. But the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance, the mass of darkness: this is the peaceful state, this is the sublime state, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ That wisdom of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of wisdom.

“And, venerable sir, when he has again and again strived in such a way, again and again recollected in such a way, again and again concentrated his mind in such a way, again and again understood with wisdom in such a way, that noble disciple gains complete faith thus: ‘As to these things that previously I had only heard about, now I dwell having contacted them with the body and, having pierced them through with wisdom, I see.’ That faith of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of faith.”

“Good, good, Sāriputta! Sāriputta, the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him does not entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching.”

(The Buddha then repeats verbatim Sāriputta’s entire statement regarding the noble disciple’s faculties.)