MN16: Cetokhila Sutta — Hard-heartedness
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
mn16:1.1So 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!”
mn16:1.5“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
mn16:2.1“Mendicants, when a mendicant has not given up five kinds of hard-heartedness and severed five shackles of the heart, it’s not possible for them to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training.The two sets of five are also found at AN10.14. The five kinds of “hard-heartedness” are also at AN5.205, AN9.71, DN33:2.1.76, and DN34:1.6.23, and the five “shackles of the heart” are at AN5.206, AN9.72, AN9.82, AN9.92, and DN33:2.1.84.
While this sutta is addressed as normal to the bhikkhus, the parallels at AN10.14, MA 206, and EA 51.4 are all addressed to both monks and nuns. This is one of the instances showing that the term bhikkhu is meant to include both monks and nuns, a common feature of Pali where the default gender is masculine. Hence I translate bhikkhu with “mendicant”, which is both literal and gender-neutral, unless it is clear that males are meant, in which case I use “monk”.
mn16:3.1What are the five kinds of hard-heartedness they haven’t given up?“Hard-heartedness” or “emotional barrenness” (cetokhila): ceto is one of several words for “mind, heart” and is functionally equivalent to citta, yet it tends to be used in contexts that emphasize the emotional dimensions of the mind such as here. Khila is said, in the commentary to Snp1.2, to be land so barren that nothing grows even if it rains for four months. Firstly, a mendicant has doubts about the Teacher. They’re uncertain, undecided, and lacking confidence. This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the first kind of hard-heartedness they haven’t given up.
mn16:4.1Furthermore, a mendicant has doubts about the teaching … This is the second kind of hard-heartedness.
mn16:5.1They have doubts about the Saṅgha … This is the third kind of hard-heartedness.
mn16:6.1They have doubts about the training …While “training” includes the threefold training of ethics, meditation, and wisdom, it specially indicates the foundational training in ethics. This is emphasized in the Chinese parallels, which mention the “precepts” here. This is the fourth kind of hard-heartedness.
mn16:7.1Furthermore, a mendicant is angry and upset with their spiritual companions, resentful and closed off. This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the fifth kind of hard-heartedness they haven’t given up.
These are the five kinds of hard-heartedness they haven’t given up.
mn16:8.1What are the five shackles of the heart they haven’t severed? Firstly, a mendicant isn’t free of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the first shackle of the heart they haven’t severed.
mn16:9.1Furthermore, a mendicant isn’t free of greed for the body … This is the second shackle of the heart.
mn16:10.1Furthermore, a mendicant isn’t free of greed for form … This is the third shackle of the heart.
mn16:11.1They eat as much as they like until their belly is full, then indulge in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing … This is the fourth heart shackle.
mn16:12.1They lead the spiritual life hoping to be reborn in one of the orders of gods, thinking: ‘By this precept or observance or fervent austerity or spiritual life, may I become one of the gods!’ This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the fifth shackle of the heart they haven’t severed.
These are the five shackles of the heart they haven’t severed.
mn16:13.1When a mendicant has not given up these five kinds of hard-heartedness and severed these five shackles of the heart, it’s not possible for them to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training.
mn16:14.1When a mendicant has given up these five kinds of hard-heartedness and severed these five shackles of the heart, it is possible for them to achieve growth, improvement, and maturity in this teaching and training.
mn16:15.1What are the five kinds of hard-heartedness they’ve given up? Firstly, a mendicant has no doubts about the Teacher. They’re not uncertain, undecided, or lacking confidence. This being so, their mind inclines toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the first kind of hard-heartedness they’ve given up.
mn16:16.1Furthermore, a mendicant has no doubts about the teaching …
mn16:17.1They have no doubts about the Saṅgha …
mn16:18.1They have no doubts about the training …
mn16:19.1They’re not angry and upset with their spiritual companions, not resentful or closed off. This being so, their mind inclines toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the fifth kind of hard-heartedness they’ve given up.
These are the five kinds of hard-heartedness they’ve given up.
mn16:20.1What are the five shackles of the heart they’ve severed? Firstly, a mendicant is rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. This being so, their mind inclines toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the first shackle of the heart they’ve severed.
mn16:21.1Furthermore, a mendicant is rid of greed for the body …
mn16:22.1They’re rid of greed for form …
mn16:23.1They don’t eat as much as they like until their belly is full, then indulge in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing …
mn16:24.1They don’t lead the spiritual life hoping to be reborn in one of the orders of gods, thinking: ‘By this precept or observance or fervent austerity or spiritual life, may I become one of the gods!’ This being so, their mind inclines toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the fifth shackle of the heart they’ve severed.
These are the five shackles of the heart they’ve severed.
mn16:25.1When a mendicant has given up these five kinds of hard-heartedness and severed these five shackles of the heart, it is possible for them to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training.Up to this point, the discourse is mostly identical to AN10.14. In the next section, the Buddha goes on to show what “growth” means; with the emotional fundamentals in place, meditation can proceed.
mn16:26.1They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort …The four iddhipada are included in the so-called 37 “wings to awakening” (bodhipakkhiyadhamma). They are an alternate presentation of the path of meditation, with a special focus on developing samādhi. It seems the Buddha designed this presentation of Dhamma to appeal to the many meditators who are fascinated by psychic powers, with the aim to lead them on to the higher goal of liberation.
“Enthusiasm” (chanda) is the desire or will to practice the Dhamma for liberation. the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy, and active effort …One who has the requisite enthusiasm will put forth “effort” to achieve the goal. the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development, and active effort …When striving, one will purify and develop the “mind”. When citta appears in meditation contexts, it is often virtually a synonym of samādhi (see eg. cittabhāvanā, cittasampadā). the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to inquiry, and active effort. And the fifth is sheer vigor.The mind clarified in samādhi can investigate the true nature of reality.
Ussoḷhi (“vigor”) is similar in meaning to “energy” (viriya) and “active effort” (saṅkhāra), underscoring the importance of effort here. A mendicant who possesses these fifteen factors, including vigor, is capable of breaking out, becoming awakened, and reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.Yogakkhema (“sanctuary from the yoke”) is a metaphor for Nibbana that draws from the literal sense of khema as an oasis or sanctuary for men and beasts. After a hard day’s journey, a caravan would stop to rest, “unyoke” the draft animals, lay down the burden, and refresh themselves in the cool waters.
Suppose there was a chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs.This simile recurs at MN53:19.2 and elsewhere. And she properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated.
Even if that chicken doesn’t wish: ‘If only my chicks could break out of the eggshell with their claws and beak and hatch safely!’ Still they can break out and hatch safely.
mn16:27.7In the same way, a mendicant who possesses these fifteen factors, including vigor, is capable of breaking out, becoming awakened, and reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.”
mn16:27.8That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants 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"Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno pañca cetokhilā appahīnā, pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti — netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
3Katamāssa pañca cetokhilā appahīnā honti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhamme kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati … pe … evamassāyaṁ dutiyo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saṅghe kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati … pe … evamassāyaṁ tatiyo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
6Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhāya kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhāya kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
7Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
Imāssa pañca cetokhilā appahīnā honti.
8Katamāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā honti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme avītarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme avītarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
9Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye avītarāgo hoti … pe … evamassāyaṁ dutiyo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
10Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpe avītarāgo hoti … pe … evamassāyaṁ tatiyo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
11Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
12Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
Imāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā honti.
13Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ime pañca cetokhilā appahīnā, ime pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti — netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
14Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno pañca cetokhilā pahīnā, pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti — ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
15Katamāssa pañca cetokhilā pahīnā honti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
16Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhamme na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati … pe … evamassāyaṁ dutiyo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
17Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saṅghe na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati … pe … evamassāyaṁ tatiyo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
18Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhāya na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati … pe … evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
19Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu na kupito hoti na anattamano anāhatacitto akhilajāto. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu na kupito hoti na anattamano anāhatacitto akhilajāto, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
Imāssa pañca cetokhilā pahīnā honti.
20Katamāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā honti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme vītarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme vītarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetasovinibandho susamucchinno hoti.
21Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye vītarāgo hoti … pe … rūpe vītarāgo hoti … pe … na yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati.
Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetasovinibandho susamucchinno hoti.
22Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti. Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya. Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetasovinibandho susamucchinno hoti.
Imāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā honti.
23Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ime pañca cetokhilā pahīnā, ime pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti — ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
24So chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, vīriyasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, cittasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, vīmaṁsāsamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, ussoḷhīyeva pañcamī. Sa kho so, bhikkhave, evaṁ ussoḷhipannarasaṅgasamannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo abhinibbidāya, bhabbo sambodhāya, bhabbo anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā. Tānassu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni sammā pariseditāni sammā paribhāvitāni.
Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya: ‘aho vatime kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti. Atha kho bhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ ussoḷhipannarasaṅgasamannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo abhinibbidāya, bhabbo sambodhāya, bhabbo anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāyā"ti.
25Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Cetokhilasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.