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Majjhima Nikāya

MN138: Uddesavibhaṅgasutta - The Analysis of a Recitation Passage

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!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, I shall teach you the analysis of a recitation passage. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

2“A mendicant should examine in any such a way that their consciousness is neither scattered and diffused externally nor stuck internally, and they are not anxious because of grasping. When this is the case and they are no longer anxious, there is for them no coming to be of the origin of suffering — of rebirth, old age, and death in the future.”

That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.


3Soon after the Buddha left, those mendicants considered: “The Buddha gave this brief passage for recitation, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. Who can explain in detail the meaning of this brief passage for recitation given by the Buddha?”

Then those mendicants thought: “This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief passage for recitation given by the Buddha. Let’s go to him, and ask him about this matter.”


4-5Then those mendicants went to Mahākaccāna, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. They told him what had happened, and said, “May Venerable Mahākaccāna please explain this.”


6“Reverends, suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But he’d pass over the roots and trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves. Such is the consequence for the venerables. Though you were face to face with the Buddha, you passed him by, imagining that you should ask me about this matter. For he is the Buddha, who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the truth, he is supreme. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of the deathless, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. You should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

“Certainly he is the Buddha, who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the truth, he is supreme. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of the deathless, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. We should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer. Still, Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief passage for recitation given by the Buddha. Please explain this, if it’s no trouble.”

“Well then, reverends, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes, reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahākaccāna said this:

7“Reverends, the Buddha gave this brief passage for recitation, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘A mendicant should examine in any such a way that their consciousness is neither scattered and diffused externally nor stuck internally, and they are not anxious because of grasping. When this is the case and they are no longer anxious, there is for them no coming to be of the origin of suffering — of rebirth, old age, and death in the future.’ And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this passage for recitation.

8And how is consciousness scattered and diffused externally? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. Their consciousness follows after the features of that sight, tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in its features. So their consciousness is said to be scattered and diffused externally.

When they hear a sound with their ears … When they smell an odor with their nose … When they taste a flavor with their tongue … When they feel a touch with their body … When they know a thought with their mind, their consciousness follows after the features of that thought, tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in its features. So their consciousness is said to be scattered and diffused externally. That’s how consciousness is scattered and diffused externally.

9And how is consciousness not scattered and diffused externally? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. Their consciousness doesn’t follow after the features of that sight, and is not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in its features. So their consciousness is said to be not scattered and diffused externally.

When they hear a sound with their ears … When they smell an odor with their nose … When they taste a flavor with their tongue … When they feel a touch with their body … When they know a thought with their mind, their consciousness doesn’t follow after the features of that thought, and is not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in its features. So their consciousness is said to be not scattered and diffused externally. That’s how consciousness is not scattered and diffused externally.

10And how is their consciousness stuck internally? Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Their consciousness follows after that rapture and bliss born of seclusion, tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that rapture and bliss born of seclusion. So their mind is said to be stuck internally.

11Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. Their consciousness follows after that rapture and bliss born of immersion, tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that rapture and bliss born of immersion. So their mind is said to be stuck internally.

12Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, a mendicant enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ Their consciousness follows after that equanimity, tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that equanimous bliss. So their mind is said to be stuck internally.

13Furthermore, giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, a mendicant enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. Their consciousness follows after that neutral feeling, tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that neutral feeling. So their mind is said to be stuck internally. That’s how their consciousness is stuck internally.


14And how is their consciousness not stuck internally? It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Their consciousness doesn’t follow after that rapture and bliss born of seclusion, and is not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that rapture and bliss born of seclusion. So their mind is said to be not stuck internally.


15Furthermore, they enter the second absorption … Their consciousness doesn’t follow after that rapture and bliss born of immersion …

16Furthermore, they enter and remain in the third absorption … Their consciousness doesn’t follow after that equanimity, and is not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that equanimous bliss. So their mind is said to be not stuck internally.

17Furthermore, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption … Their consciousness doesn’t follow after that neutral feeling, and is not tied, attached, and fettered to gratification in that neutral feeling. So their mind is said to be not stuck internally. That’s how their consciousness is not stuck internally.


18And how are they anxious because of grasping? It’s when an uneducated ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen good persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the good persons. They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. But that form of theirs decays and perishes, and consciousness latches on to the perishing of form. Anxieties occupy their mind, born of latching on to the perishing of form, and originating in accordance with natural principles. So they become frightened, worried, concerned, and anxious because of grasping. They regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. But that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes, and consciousness latches on to the perishing of consciousness. Anxieties occupy their mind, born of latching on to the perishing of consciousness, and originating in accordance with natural principles. So they become frightened, worried, concerned, and anxious because of grasping. That’s how they are anxious because of grasping.


19And how are they not anxious because of grasping? It’s when an educated noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen good persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the good persons. They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. When that form of theirs decays and perishes, consciousness doesn’t latch on to the perishing of form. Anxieties — born of latching on to the perishing of form and originating in accordance with natural principles — don’t occupy their mind. So they don’t become frightened, worried, concerned, or anxious because of grasping.

They don’t regard feeling … perception … choices … consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. When that consciousness of theirs decays and perishes, consciousness doesn’t latch on to the perishing of consciousness. Anxieties — born of latching on to the perishing of consciousness and originating in accordance with natural principles — don’t occupy their mind. So they don’t become frightened, worried, concerned, or anxious because of grasping. That’s how they are not anxious because of grasping.


20The Buddha gave this brief passage for recitation, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘A mendicant should examine in any such a way that their consciousness is neither scattered and diffused externally nor stuck internally, and they are not anxious because of grasping. When this is the case and they are no longer anxious, there is for them no coming to be of the origin of suffering — of rebirth, old age, and death in the future.’ And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this passage for recitation. If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”


21-23“Yes, reverend,” said those mendicants, approving and agreeing with what Mahākaccāna said. Then they rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, saying:


24“Mahākaccāna clearly explained the meaning to us in this manner, with these words and phrases.”

25“Mahākaccāna is astute, mendicants, he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as Mahākaccāna. That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.”


26That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with 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:

"uddesavibhaṅgaṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī"ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.


3Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ, acirapakkantassa bhagavato, etadahosi: "Idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī’ti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā"ti?

Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: "Ayaṁ kho āyasmā mahākaccāno satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ; pahoti cāyasmā mahākaccāno imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāmā"ti.


4Atha kho te bhikkhū yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā mahākaccānena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavocuṁ: 

5"Idaṁ kho no, āvuso kaccāna, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī’ti. Tesaṁ no, āvuso kaccāna, amhākaṁ, acirapakkantassa bhagavato, etadahosi: ‘idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: "tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya, yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī"ti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā’ti. Tesaṁ no, āvuso kaccāna, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘Ayaṁ kho āyasmā mahākaccāno satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito, sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā mahākaccāno imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāmā’ti –  vibhajatāyasmā mahākaccāno"ti.


6"Seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva mūlaṁ atikkamma khandhaṁ sākhāpalāse sāraṁ pariyesitabbaṁ maññeyya, evaṁ sampadamidaṁ āyasmantānaṁ satthari sammukhībhūte taṁ bhagavantaṁ atisitvā amhe etamatthaṁ paṭipucchitabbaṁ maññatha. So hāvuso, bhagavā jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passati, cakkhubhūto ñāṇabhūto dhammabhūto brahmabhūto vattā pavattā atthassa ninnetā amatassa dātā dhammassāmī tathāgato. So ceva panetassa kālo ahosi yaṁ bhagavantaṁyeva etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha; yathā vo bhagavā byākareyya tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā"ti.

"Addhāvuso kaccāna, bhagavā jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passati, cakkhubhūto ñāṇabhūto dhammabhūto brahmabhūto vattā pavattā atthassa ninnetā amatassa dātā dhammassāmī tathāgato. So ceva panetassa kālo ahosi yaṁ bhagavantaṁyeva etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāma; yathā no bhagavā byākareyya tathā naṁ dhāreyyāma. Api cāyasmā mahākaccāno satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā mahākaccāno imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Vibhajatāyasmā mahākaccāno agaruṁ karitvā"ti.

"Tena hāvuso, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahākaccānassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahākaccāno etadavoca: 

7"Yaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya, yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya, bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī’ti. Imassa kho ahaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi.

8Kathañcāvuso, bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ vikkhittaṁ visaṭanti vuccati? Idhāvuso, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā rūpanimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti rūpanimittassādagadhitaṁ rūpanimittassādavinibandhaṁ rūpanimittassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ vikkhittaṁ visaṭanti vuccati.

Sotena saddaṁ sutvā … pe … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya dhammanimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti; dhammanimittassādagadhitaṁ dhammanimittassādavinibandhaṁ dhammanimittassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ vikkhittaṁ visaṭanti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ vikkhittaṁ visaṭanti vuccati.

9Kathañcāvuso, bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭanti vuccati? Idhāvuso, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na rūpanimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti, na rūpanimittassādagadhitaṁ na rūpanimittassādavinibandhaṁ na rūpanimittassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭanti vuccati.

Sotena saddaṁ sutvā … pe … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na dhammanimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na dhammanimittassādagadhitaṁ na dhammanimittassādavinibandhaṁ na dhammanimittassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭanti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, bahiddhā viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭanti vuccati.

10Kathañcāvuso, ajjhattaṁ saṇṭhitanti vuccati? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa vivekajapītisukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti vivekajapītisukhassādagadhitaṁ vivekajapītisukhassādavinibandhaṁ vivekajapītisukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ saṇṭhitanti vuccati.

11Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa samādhijapītisukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti samādhijapītisukhassādagadhitaṁ samādhijapītisukhassādavinibandhaṁ samādhijapītisukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ saṇṭhitanti vuccati.

12Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa upekkhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti upekkhāsukhassādagadhitaṁ upekkhāsukhassādavinibandhaṁ upekkhāsukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ saṇṭhitanti vuccati.

13Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa adukkhamasukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti adukkhamasukhassādagadhitaṁ adukkhamasukhassādavinibandhaṁ adukkhamasukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, ajjhattaṁ saṇṭhitanti vuccati.


14Kathañcāvuso, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi … pe … paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa na vivekajapītisukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na vivekajapītisukhassādagadhitaṁ na vivekajapītisukhassādavinibandhaṁ na vivekajapītisukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.


15Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā … pe … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa na samādhijapītisukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na samādhijapītisukhassādagadhitaṁ na samādhijapītisukhassādavinibandhaṁ na samādhijapītisukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.

16Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa na upekkhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na upekkhāsukhassādagadhitaṁ na upekkhāsukhassādavinibandhaṁ na upekkhāsukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.

17Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa na adukkhamasukhānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti na adukkhamasukhassādagadhitaṁ na adukkhamasukhassādavinibandhaṁ na adukkhamasukhassādasaṁyojanasaṁyuttaṁ ajjhattaṁ cittaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitanti vuccati.


18Kathañcāvuso, anupādā paritassanā hoti? Idhāvuso, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ attani vā rūpaṁ rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca anupādāya ca paritassati. Vedanaṁ … pe … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ attani vā viññāṇaṁ viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca anupādāya ca paritassati. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, anupādā paritassanā hoti.


19Kathañcāvuso, anupādānā aparitassanā hoti? Idhāvuso, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ na attani vā rūpaṁ na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na ca rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa na rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā anupādāya ca na paritassati.

Na vedanaṁ … na saññaṁ … na saṅkhāre … na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ na attani vā viññāṇaṁ na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. Tassa taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati, aññathā hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā na ca viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṁ hoti. Tassa na viññāṇavipariṇāmānuparivattajā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Cetaso pariyādānā na cevuttāsavā hoti na ca vighātavā na ca apekkhavā, anupādāya ca na paritassati. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, anupādā aparitassanā hoti.


20Yaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī’ti. Imassa kho ahaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Ākaṅkhamānā ca pana tumhe āyasmanto bhagavantaṁyeva upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha; yathā vo bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā"ti.


21Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahākaccānassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: 

22"Yaṁ kho no, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho:

‘tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotī’ti.

23Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ, acirapakkantassa bhagavato, etadahosi: ‘idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho — tathā tathā, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upaparikkheyya, yathā yathā upaparikkhato bahiddhā cassa viññāṇaṁ avikkhittaṁ avisaṭaṁ, ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhitaṁ anupādāya na paritasseyya. Bahiddhā, bhikkhave, viññāṇe avikkhitte avisaṭe sati ajjhattaṁ asaṇṭhite anupādāya aparitassato āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇadukkhasamudayasambhavo na hotīti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā’ti? Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘Ayaṁ kho āyasmā mahākaccāno satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā mahākaccāno imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāmā’ti.


24Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkamimha; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipucchimha. Tesaṁ no, bhante, āyasmatā mahākaccānena imehi ākārehi imehi padehi imehi byañjanehi attho vibhatto"ti.

25"Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, mahākaccāno; mahāpañño, bhikkhave, mahākaccāno. Mañcepi tumhe, bhikkhave, etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha, ahampi evamevaṁ byākareyyaṁ yathā taṁ mahākaccānena byākataṁ. Eso cevetassa attho. Evañca naṁ dhāreyyāthā"ti.


26Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Uddesavibhaṅgasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.