MN115: Bahudhātukasutta - Many Elements
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
mn115:1.1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
mn115:1.5“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
mn115:2.1“Whatever dangers there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.Paṇḍita is normally used for a learned scholar, rather than a contemplative “sage”. Pali has many more terms for “a wise person” than does English, and it is not easy to distinguish the senses. “Astute” is meant to convey the sense of one who is observant and of sound judgment. Whatever perils there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute. Whatever hazards there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute. It’s like a fire that spreads from a hut made of reeds or grass, and burns down even a bungalow, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with doors fastened and windows shuttered. In the same way, whatever dangers there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute. Whatever perils there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute. Whatever hazards there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute. So, the fool is dangerous, but the astute person is safe. The fool is perilous, but the astute person is not. The fool is hazardous, but the astute person is not. There’s no danger, peril, or hazard that comes from the astute. So you should train like this: ‘We shall be astute, we shall be inquirers.’”
mn115:3.1When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “Sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘astute, an inquirer’?”Notice the different approaches used by Ānanda and Sāriputta in the previous discourse. Sāriputta took up the Buddha’s teaching and elaborated it, whereas Ānanda uses inquiry to prompt the Buddha himself to speak further.
mn115:3.3“Ānanda, it’s when a mendicant is skilled in the elements, in the sense fields, in dependent origination, and in the possible and the impossible. That’s how a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘astute, an inquirer’.”
mn115:4.1“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’?”As emphasized in this sutta, the notion of an “element” (dhātu) is a flexible one, including a range of different properties, qualities, or aspects of existence.
mn115:4.2“There are, Ānanda, these eighteen elements: the elements of the eye, sights, and eye consciousness; the ear, sounds, and ear consciousness; the nose, smells, and nose consciousness; the tongue, tastes, and tongue consciousness; the body, touches, and body consciousness; the mind, ideas, and mind consciousness.The “mind element” (manodhātu) appears a number of times (SN14.1, SN35.129, SN41.2 verse 3), but is not defined. See MN28:29-30.1 and note there. When a mendicant knows and sees these eighteen elements, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”
mn115:5.1“But sir, could there be another way in which a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’?”The method of building a lengthy discourse by asking for “another way” of exposition is also used at MN9, SN44.6, AN5.106, and Snp3.12.
mn115:5.2“There could, Ānanda. There are these six elements: the elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness. When a mendicant knows and sees these six elements, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”
mn115:6.1“But sir, could there be another way in which a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’?”
mn115:6.2“There could, Ānanda. There are these six elements: the elements of pleasure, pain, happiness, sadness, equanimity, and ignorance. When a mendicant knows and sees these six elements, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”
mn115:7.1“But sir, could there be another way in which a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’?”
mn115:7.2“There could, Ānanda. There are these six elements: the elements of sensuality and renunciation, malice and good will, and cruelty and harmlessness. When a mendicant knows and sees these six elements, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”
mn115:8.1“But sir, could there be another way in which a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’?”
mn115:8.2“There could, Ānanda. There are these three elements: the elements of the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm. When a mendicant knows and sees these three elements, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”
mn115:9.1“But sir, could there be another way in which a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’?”
mn115:9.2“There could, Ānanda. There are these two elements: the conditioned element and the unconditioned element. When a mendicant knows and sees these two elements, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”
mn115:10.1“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in the sense fields’?”Ānanda moves on to the next topic, the six senses. Perhaps this move was prompted by the mention of the “unconditioned element” of Nibbana, signifying that that method of analysis had reached its culmination.
mn115:10.2“There are these six interior and exterior sense fields: the eye and sights, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touches, and the mind and ideas. When a mendicant knows and sees these six interior and exterior sense fields, they’re qualified to be called ‘skilled in the sense fields’.”
mn115:11.1“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in dependent origination’?”
mn115:11.2“It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form. Name and form are requirements for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are requirements for contact. Contact is a requirement for feeling. Feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. When consciousness ceases, name and form cease. When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease. When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. When contact ceases, feeling ceases. When feeling ceases, craving ceases. When craving ceases, grasping ceases. When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’ That’s how a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in dependent origination’.”
mn115:12.1“But sir, how is a mendicant qualified to be called ‘skilled in the possible and impossible’?”Said to be one of the ten powers of a Realized One (MN12:10.1, AN10.22 verse 3), and to be restricted to those with meditative immersion (samādhi, AN6.64 verse 13). Each item here, split into separate suttas, is found at AN1.168-169. Briefer examples of this trope are found at MN122:3.1, SN12.30, AN6.70, and SN6.93. These all focus on cause and effect as it pertains to development of the path.
mn115:12.2“It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to take any condition as permanent. That is not possible.A stream-enterer (or above) might unthinkingly act as if something were permanent (etc.), but on reflection they would know right away that this is not the case. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as permanent. That is possible.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to take any condition as pleasant. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take some condition as pleasant.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to take anything as self. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to take something as self.’
mn115:13.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to murder their mother.Murder of mother, father, or an arahant, injuring a Buddha, and causing schism are said to be specially heinous deeds that result in rebirth in hell. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to murder their mother.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to murder their father … or murder a perfected one. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to murder their father … or a perfected one.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to injure a Realized One with malicious intent. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to injure a Realized One with malicious intent.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to cause a schism in the Saṅgha. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to cause a schism in the Saṅgha.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a person accomplished in view to dedicate themselves to another teacher.This does not mean that they cannot learn from another teacher; rather, they know that the Buddha’s path leads to liberation because they have realized it for themselves. But it’s possible for an ordinary person to dedicate themselves to another teacher.’
mn115:14.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible for two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas to arise in the same solar system at the same time.A lokadhātu is a single system with an earth, a sun and moon, planets, and a set of heavenly realms. Thus with due allowance for the different context, it is similar to a “solar system”. While many Buddhas may arise in the same solar system, they may not arise in the same region at the same time. There may, however, be many Buddhas simultaneously throughout the galaxy, an idea developed in later texts (eg. Mahāvastu 1.122). But it is possible for just one perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, to arise in one solar system.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for two wheel-turning monarchs to arise in the same solar system at the same time.A wheel-turning monarch was conceived as establishing dominion over the entire land from ocean to ocean, which apparently was believed to be the civilized world at the time the myth was created. But it is possible for just one wheel-turning monarch to arise in one solar system.’
mn115:15.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.It is unclear why this is mentioned, and since the Chinese parallel MA 181 lacks this passage entirely, it may be a later addition. It is of no apparent spiritual relevance, since in early Buddhist texts there is no concept of aspiring to become a Buddha in future lives. A woman may, of course, realize full liberation as an arahant, so the issue is not spiritual prowess. As to the reasoning underlying the claim, in this passage the Buddha is followed by a wheel-turning monarch, Sakka, Māra, and Brahmā. What they all have in common is that they are leaders. Since leaders of the time were men, perhaps it was assumed that people would not follow a woman in that role. This reasoning would also seem to be behind the idea that the Buddha was born either an aristocrat or a brahmin, whichever was the leading class of the time (DN14:1.5.1). But it is possible for a man to be a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to be a wheel-turning monarch. But it is possible for a man to be a wheel-turning monarch.’ They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a woman to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity.While we encounter these divinities as individuals, they are understood as being stations or offices in the leading role of their particular realms. Thus, for example, Moggallāna said that he used to be Māra in a past life (MN50:8.1). But it is possible for a man to perform the role of Sakka, Māra, or the Divinity.’
mn115:16.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible for a likable, desirable, agreeable result to come from bad conduct of body, speech, and mind. But it is possible for an unlikable, undesirable, disagreeable result to come from bad conduct of body, speech, and mind.’
mn115:17.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible for an unlikable, undesirable, disagreeable result to come from good conduct of body, speech, and mind. But it is possible for a likable, desirable, agreeable result to come from good conduct of body, speech, and mind.’
mn115:18.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible that someone who has engaged in bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, could for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.The qualification “for that reason” (taṁnidānā tappaccayā) is essential, as it is quite possible for someone to engage in bad conduct and later take a good rebirth due to other deeds. This case is discussed in MN136:18.1.
But it is possible that someone who has engaged in bad conduct of body, speech, and mind could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.’
mn115:19.1They understand: ‘It’s impossible that someone who has engaged in good conduct of body, speech, and mind could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
But it is possible that someone who has engaged in good conduct of body, speech, and mind could, for that reason alone, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’
That’s how a mendicant is qualified to be called ‘skilled in the possible and impossible’.”
mn115:20.1When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! What is the name of this exposition of the teaching?”
mn115:20.4“Well then, Ānanda, you may remember this exposition of the teaching as ‘The Many Elements’, or else ‘The Four Rounds’, or else ‘The Mirror of the Teaching’, or else ‘The Drum of Freedom From Death’, or else ‘The Supreme Victory in Battle’.”The “four rounds” are the four main topics (elements, sense fields, dependent origination, the possible and the impossible); elsewhere it is said to be the four noble truths (SN22.56).
The “mirror of the teaching” is the ability of a noble one to see the truth of the Dhamma in themselves (SN55.8 verse 4, DN16:2.8.3).
The “drum of freedom from death” was sounded by the Buddha after his awakening (MN26:25.18).
The “supreme victory in battle” was also suggested as a title for the Brahmajālasutta (DN1:3.74.3), while elsewhere it is said to be a name for the noble eightfold path (SN45.4 verse 4).
mn115:20.5That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.
"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
2"Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato; ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato; ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷāgārā vā tiṇāgārā vā aggi mutto kūṭāgārānipi dahati ullittāvalittāni nivātāni phusitaggaḷāni pihitavātapānāni; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato; ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato; ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappaṭibhayo bālo, appaṭibhayo paṇḍito; saupaddavo bālo, anupaddavo paṇḍito; saupasaggo bālo, anupasaggo paṇḍito. Natthi, bhikkhave, paṇḍitato bhayaṁ, natthi paṇḍitato upaddavo, natthi paṇḍitato upasaggo. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘paṇḍitā bhavissāma vīmaṁsakā’ti – evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.
3Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, paṇḍito bhikkhu ‘vīmaṁsako’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu dhātukusalo ca hoti, āyatanakusalo ca hoti, paṭiccasamuppādakusalo ca hoti, ṭhānāṭhānakusalo ca hoti — ettāvatā kho, ānanda, paṇḍito bhikkhu ‘vīmaṁsako’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti.
4"Kittāvatā pana, bhante, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Aṭṭhārasa kho imā, ānanda, dhātuyo — cakkhudhātu, rūpadhātu, cakkhuviññāṇadhātu; sotadhātu, saddadhātu, sotaviññāṇadhātu; ghānadhātu, gandhadhātu, ghānaviññāṇadhātu; jivhādhātu, rasadhātu, jivhāviññāṇadhātu; kāyadhātu, phoṭṭhabbadhātu, kāyaviññāṇadhātu; manodhātu, dhammadhātu, manoviññāṇadhātu. Imā kho, ānanda, aṭṭhārasa dhātuyo yato jānāti passati — ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti. (1)
5"Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo, yathā ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Siyā, ānanda. Chayimā, ānanda, dhātuyo — pathavīdhātu, āpodhātu, tejodhātu, vāyodhātu, ākāsadhātu, viññāṇadhātu. Imā kho, ānanda, cha dhātuyo yato jānāti passati — ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti. (2)
6"Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo, yathā ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Siyā, ānanda. Chayimā, ānanda, dhātuyo — sukhadhātu, dukkhadhātu, somanassadhātu, domanassadhātu, upekkhādhātu, avijjādhātu. Imā kho, ānanda, cha dhātuyo yato jānāti passati — ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti. (3)
7"Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo, yathā ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Siyā, ānanda. Chayimā, ānanda, dhātuyo — kāmadhātu, nekkhammadhātu, byāpādadhātu, abyāpādadhātu, vihiṁsādhātu, avihiṁsādhātu. Imā kho, ānanda, cha dhātuyo yato jānāti passati — ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti. (4)
8"Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo, yathā ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Siyā, ānanda. Tisso imā, ānanda, dhātuyo — kāmadhātu, rūpadhātu, arūpadhātu. Imā kho, ānanda, tisso dhātuyo yato jānāti passati – ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti. (5)
9"Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo, yathā ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Siyā, ānanda. Dve imā, ānanda, dhātuyo — saṅkhatādhātu, asaṅkhatādhātu. Imā kho, ānanda, dve dhātuyo yato jānāti passati — ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, ‘dhātukusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti. (6)
10"Kittāvatā pana, bhante, ‘āyatanakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Cha kho panimāni, ānanda, ajjhattikabāhirāni āyatanāni — cakkhu ceva rūpā ca sotañca saddā ca ghānañca gandhā ca jivhā ca rasā ca kāyo ca phoṭṭhabbā ca mano ca dhammā ca. Imāni kho, ānanda, cha ajjhattikabāhirāni āyatanāni yato jānāti passati — ettāvatā kho, ānanda, ‘āyatanakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti.
11"Kittāvatā pana, bhante, ‘paṭiccasamuppādakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ pajānāti: ‘imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati, imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati, yadidaṁ — avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ, nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ, saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ, upādānapaccayā bhavo, bhavapaccayā jāti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā sambhavanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho, saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho, viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho, nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho, saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho, phassanirodhā vedanānirodho, vedanānirodhā taṇhānirodho, taṇhānirodhā upādānanirodho, upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho, bhavanirodhā jātinirodho, jātinirodhā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā nirujjhanti. Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti’. Ettāvatā kho, ānanda, ‘paṭiccasamuppādakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti.
12"Kittāvatā pana, bhante, ‘ṭhānāṭhānakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti?
"Idhānanda, bhikkhu ‘aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo kañci saṅkhāraṁ niccato upagaccheyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano kañci saṅkhāraṁ niccato upagaccheyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo kañci saṅkhāraṁ sukhato upagaccheyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano kañci saṅkhāraṁ sukhato upagaccheyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo kañci dhammaṁ attato upagaccheyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti, ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano kañci dhammaṁ attato upagaccheyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
13‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo mātaraṁ jīvitā voropeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano mātaraṁ jīvitā voropeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo pitaraṁ jīvitā voropeyya … pe … arahantaṁ jīvitā voropeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo duṭṭhacitto tathāgatassa lohitaṁ uppādeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano duṭṭhacitto tathāgatassa lohitaṁ uppādeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo saṅghaṁ bhindeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano saṅghaṁ bhindeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ diṭṭhisampanno puggalo aññaṁ satthāraṁ uddiseyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puthujjano aññaṁ satthāraṁ uddiseyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
14‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā dve arahanto sammāsambuddhā apubbaṁ acarimaṁ uppajjeyyuṁ, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā eko arahaṁ sammāsambuddho uppajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā dve rājāno cakkavattino apubbaṁ acarimaṁ uppajjeyyuṁ, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā eko rājā cakkavattī uppajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
15‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ itthī arahaṁ assa sammāsambuddho, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puriso arahaṁ assa sammāsambuddho, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ itthī rājā assa cakkavattī, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puriso rājā assa cakkavattī, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ itthī sakkattaṁ kareyya … mārattaṁ kareyya … brahmattaṁ kareyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ puriso sakkattaṁ kareyya … mārattaṁ kareyya … brahmattaṁ kareyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
16‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ kāyaduccaritassa iṭṭho kanto manāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ kāyaduccaritassa aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ vacīduccaritassa … pe … yaṁ manoduccaritassa iṭṭho kanto manāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ vacīduccaritassa … pe … yaṁ manoduccaritassa aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatīti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ kāyasucaritassa aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ kāyasucaritassa iṭṭho kanto manāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti. ‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ vacīsucaritassa … pe … yaṁ manosucaritassa aniṭṭho akanto amanāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ vacīsucaritassa … pe … yaṁ manosucaritassa iṭṭho kanto manāpo vipāko nibbatteyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
17‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ kāyaduccaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ kāyaduccaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ vacīduccaritasamaṅgī … pe … yaṁ manoduccaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ vacīduccaritasamaṅgī … pe … yaṁ manoduccaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ kāyasucaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ kāyasucaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
‘Aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ vacīsucaritasamaṅgī … pe … yaṁ manosucaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti; ‘ṭhānañca kho etaṁ vijjati yaṁ vacīsucaritasamaṅgī … pe … yaṁ manosucaritasamaṅgī taṁnidānā tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyya, ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī’ti pajānāti.
Ettāvatā kho, ānanda, ‘ṭhānāṭhānakusalo bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā"ti.
18Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Konāmo ayaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo"ti?
"Tasmātiha tvaṁ, ānanda, imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ ‘bahudhātuko’tipi naṁ dhārehi, ‘catuparivaṭṭo’tipi naṁ dhārehi, ‘dhammādāso’tipi naṁ dhārehi, ‘amatadundubhī’tipi naṁ dhārehi, ‘anuttaro saṅgāmavijayo’tipi naṁ dhārehī"ti.
19Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Bahudhātukasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.