3: The Book of the Threes
VII. The Great Chapter — AN 3.66: With Sāḷha and His Friend
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1So I have heard. Now at that time Venerable Nandaka was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother. Then Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, and Rohaṇa, Pekhuṇiya’s grandson went up to Venerable Nandaka, bowed, and sat down to one side. Then Venerable Nandaka said to Sāḷha:
2“Please, Sāḷha and friend, don’t go by oral transmission, don’t go by lineage, don’t go by testament, don’t go by canonical authority, don’t rely on logic, don’t rely on inference, don’t go by reasoned contemplation, don’t go by the acceptance of a view after consideration, don’t go by the appearance of competence, and don’t think ‘The ascetic is our respected teacher.’ But when you know for yourselves: ‘These things are unskillful, blameworthy, criticized by sensible people, and when you undertake them, they lead to harm and suffering’, then you should give them up.
3What do you think, Sāḷha? Is greed real?”
4“Yes, sir.”
5“‘Covetousness’ is what I mean by this. A person who is greedy and covetous kills living creatures, steals, commits adultery, lies, and encourages others to do the same. Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?”
6“Yes, sir.”
7“What do you think, Sāḷha? Is hate real?”
8“Yes, sir.”
9“‘Malice’ is what I mean by this. A hateful and malicious person kills living creatures, steals, commits adultery, lies, and encourages others to do the same. Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?”
10“Yes, sir.”
11“What do you think, Sāḷha? Is delusion real?”
12“Yes, sir.”
13“‘Ignorance’ is what I mean by this. A person who is deluded and ignorant kills living creatures, steals, commits adultery, lies, and encourages others to do the same. Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?”
14“Yes, sir.”
15“What do you think, Sāḷha, are these things skillful or unskillful?”
16“Unskillful, sir.”
17“Blameworthy or blameless?”
18“Blameworthy, sir.”
19“Criticized or praised by sensible people?”
20“Criticized by sensible people, sir.”
21“When you undertake them, do they lead to harm and suffering, or not? Or how do you see this?”
22“When you undertake them, they lead to harm and suffering. That’s how we see it.”
23“So, Sāḷha and friend, when I said: ‘Please, don’t go by oral transmission, don’t go by lineage, don’t go by testament, don’t go by canonical authority, don’t rely on logic, don’t rely on inference, don’t go by reasoned contemplation, don’t go by the acceptance of a view after consideration, don’t go by the appearance of competence, and don’t think “The ascetic is our respected teacher.” But when you know for yourselves: “These things are unskillful, blameworthy, criticized by sensible people, and when you undertake them, they lead to harm and suffering”, then you should give them up.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
24Please, Sāḷha and friend, don’t go by oral transmission, don’t go by lineage, don’t go by testament, don’t go by canonical authority, don’t rely on logic, don’t rely on inference, don’t go by reasoned contemplation, don’t go by the acceptance of a view after consideration, don’t go by the appearance of competence, and don’t think ‘The ascetic is our respected teacher.’ But when you know for yourselves: ‘These things are skillful, blameless, praised by sensible people, and when you undertake them, they lead to welfare and happiness’, then you should acquire them and keep them.
25What do you think? Is contentment real?”
26“Yes, sir.”
27“‘Satisfaction’ is what I mean by this. A person who is content and satisfied doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit adultery, lie, or encourage others to do the same. Is that for their lasting welfare and happiness?”
28“Yes, sir.”
29What do you think? Is love real?”
30“Yes, sir.”
31“‘Kindness’ is what I mean by this. A loving and kind-hearted person doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit adultery, lie, or encourage others to do the same. Is that for their lasting welfare and happiness?”
32“Yes, sir.”
33“What do you think, Sāḷha? Is understanding real?”
34“Yes, sir.”
35“‘Knowledge’ is what I mean by this. A person who understands and knows doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit adultery, lie, or encourage others to do the same. Is that for their lasting welfare and happiness?”
36“Yes, sir.”
37“What do you think, Sāḷha, are these things skillful or unskillful?”
38“Skillful, sir.”
39“Blameworthy or blameless?”
40“Blameless, sir.”
41“Criticized or praised by sensible people?”
42“Praised by sensible people, sir.”
43“When you undertake them, do they lead to welfare and happiness, or not? Or how do you see this?”
44“When you undertake them, they lead to welfare and happiness. That’s how we see it.”
45“So, Sāḷha and friend, when I said: ‘Please, don’t go by oral transmission, don’t go by lineage, don’t go by testament, don’t go by canonical authority, don’t rely on logic, don’t rely on inference, don’t go by reasoned contemplation, don’t go by the acceptance of a view after consideration, don’t go by the appearance of competence, and don’t think “The ascetic is our respected teacher.”
But when you know for yourselves: “These things are skillful, blameless, praised by sensible people, and when you undertake them, they lead to welfare and happiness”, then you should acquire them and keep them.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
46Then that noble disciple is rid of desire, rid of ill will, unconfused, aware, and mindful. They meditate spreading a heart full of love … compassion … rejoicing … equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world — abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
They understand: ‘There is this, there is what is worse than this, there is what is better than this, and there is an escape beyond the scope of perception.’
Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’
47They understand: ‘Formerly there was greed, which was unskillful. Now there is none, so that’s skillful. Formerly there was hate, which was unskillful. Now there is none, so that’s skillful. Formerly there was delusion, which was unskillful. Now there is none, so that’s skillful.’ So they live without wishes in the present life, extinguished, cooled, experiencing bliss, having become holy in themselves.”
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā nandako sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde. Atha kho sāḷho ca migāranattā sāṇo ca sekhuniyanattā yenāyasmā nandako tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ nandakaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho sāḷhaṁ migāranattāraṁ āyasmā nandako etadavoca:
2"Etha tumhe, sāḷhā, mā anussavena, mā paramparāya, mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena, mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena, mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti. Yadā tumhe, sāḷhā, attanāva jāneyyātha ‘ime dhammā akusalā, ime dhammā sāvajjā, ime dhammā viññugarahitā, ime dhammā samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṁvattantī’ti, atha tumhe, sāḷhā, pajaheyyātha.
3Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, atthi lobho"ti?
5"Abhijjhāti kho ahaṁ, sāḷhā, etamatthaṁ vadāmi. Luddho kho ayaṁ, sāḷhā, abhijjhālu pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, parampi tathattāya samādapeti, yaṁ sa hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyā"ti.
7"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, atthi doso"ti?
9"Byāpādoti kho ahaṁ, sāḷhā, etamatthaṁ vadāmi. Duṭṭho kho ayaṁ, sāḷhā, byāpannacitto pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, parampi tathattāya samādapeti, yaṁ sa hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyā"ti.
11"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, atthi moho"ti?
13"Avijjāti kho ahaṁ, sāḷhā, etamatthaṁ vadāmi. Mūḷho kho ayaṁ, sāḷhā, avijjāgato pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, parampi tathattāya samādapeti, yaṁ sa hoti dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyā"ti.
15"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, ime dhammā kusalā vā akusalā vā"ti?
19"Viññugarahitā vā viññuppasatthā vā"ti?
21"Samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṁvattanti, no vā? Kathaṁ vā ettha hotī"ti?
22"Samattā, bhante, samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṁvattantīti. Evaṁ no ettha hotī"ti.
23"Iti kho, sāḷhā, yaṁ taṁ avocumhā: ‘etha tumhe, sāḷhā, mā anussavena, mā paramparāya, mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena, mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena, mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti. Yadā tumhe, sāḷhā, attanāva jāneyyātha – ime dhammā akusalā, ime dhammā sāvajjā, ime dhammā viññugarahitā, ime dhammā samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṁvattantīti, atha tumhe, sāḷhā, pajaheyyāthā’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
24Etha tumhe, sāḷhā, mā anussavena, mā paramparāya, mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena, mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena, mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti. Yadā tumhe, sāḷhā, attanāva jāneyyātha: ‘ime dhammā kusalā, ime dhammā anavajjā, ime dhammā viññuppasatthā, ime dhammā samattā samādinnā hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantī’ti, atha tumhe, sāḷhā, upasampajja vihareyyātha.
25Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, atthi alobho"ti?
27"Anabhijjhāti kho ahaṁ, sāḷhā, etamatthaṁ vadāmi. Aluddho kho ayaṁ, sāḷhā, anabhijjhālu neva pāṇaṁ hanati, na adinnaṁ ādiyati, na paradāraṁ gacchati, na musā bhaṇati, parampi na tathattāya samādapeti, yaṁ sa hoti dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.
29"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, atthi adoso"ti?
31"Abyāpādoti kho ahaṁ, sāḷhā, etamatthaṁ vadāmi. Aduṭṭho kho ayaṁ, sāḷhā, abyāpannacitto neva pāṇaṁ hanati, na adinnaṁ ādiyati, na paradāraṁ gacchati, na musā bhaṇati, parampi na tathattāya samādapeti, yaṁ sa hoti dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.
33"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, atthi amoho"ti?
35"Vijjāti kho ahaṁ, sāḷhā, etamatthaṁ vadāmi. Amūḷho kho ayaṁ, sāḷhā, vijjāgato neva pāṇaṁ hanati, na adinnaṁ ādiyati, na paradāraṁ gacchati, na musā bhaṇati, parampi na tathattāya samādapeti, yaṁ sa hoti dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.
37"Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, sāḷhā, ime dhammā kusalā vā akusalā vā"ti?
41"Viññugarahitā vā viññuppasatthā vā"ti?
43"Samattā samādinnā hitāya sukhāya saṁvattanti, no vā? Kathaṁ vā ettha hotī"ti?
44"Samattā, bhante, samādinnā hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantīti. Evaṁ no ettha hotī"ti.
45"Iti kho, sāḷhā, yaṁ taṁ avocumhā: ‘etha tumhe, sāḷhā, mā anussavena, mā paramparāya, mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena, mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena, mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti.
Yadā tumhe, sāḷhā, attanāva jāneyyātha – ime dhammā kusalā, ime dhammā anavajjā, ime dhammā viññuppasatthā, ime dhammā samattā samādinnā dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya saṁvattantīti, atha tumhe, sāḷhā, upasampajja vihareyyāthā’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
46Sa kho so, sāḷhā, ariyasāvako evaṁ vigatābhijjho vigatabyāpādo asammūḷho sampajāno patissato mettāsahagatena cetasā … pe … karuṇā … muditā … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ, iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjhena pharitvā viharati.
So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘atthi idaṁ, atthi hīnaṁ, atthi paṇītaṁ, atthi imassa saññāgatassa uttari nissaraṇan’ti.
Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
47So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ahu pubbe lobho, tadahu akusalaṁ, so etarahi natthi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ; ahu pubbe doso … pe … ahu pubbe moho, tadahu akusalaṁ, so etarahi natthi, iccetaṁ kusalan’ti. So diṭṭheva dhamme nicchāto nibbuto sītibhūto sukhappaṭisaṁvedī brahmabhūtena attanā viharatī"ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.