SN18:7 Volition
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1… "What do you think, Rahula, is volition regarding forms permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Is volition regarding sounds permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Is volition regarding odours permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Is volition regarding tastes permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
sn.ii.248"Is volition regarding tactile objects permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Is volition regarding mental phenomena permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Seeing thus, Rahula, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards volition regarding forms, revulsion towards volition regarding sounds, revulsion towards volition regarding odours, revulsion towards volition regarding tastes, revulsion towards volition regarding tactile objects, revulsion towards volition regarding mental phenomena.
Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated.[n.338] Spk explains the three "grips" (gāha) of "mine, I, and my self" exactly as in n. 155. It takes dispassion (virāga) to denote the four paths, liberation (vimutti) the four fruits. Spk does not comment on nibbindati, "experiences revulsion," but the commentaries consistently identify the corresponding noun nibbidā with strong insight knowledge. See above n. 69 When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It's liberated.’
He understands: ‘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.’"
1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, rūpasañcetanā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti? "Aniccā, bhante" …
"saddasañcetanā … pe …
gandhasañcetanā …
rasasañcetanā …
phoṭṭhabbasañcetanā …
dhammasañcetanā niccā vā aniccā vā"ti? "Aniccā, bhante" …
"evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasañcetanāyapi nibbindati … pe … saddasañcetanāyapi nibbindati … gandhasañcetanāyapi nibbindati … rasasañcetanāyapi nibbindati … phoṭṭhabbasañcetanāyapi nibbindati … dhammasañcetanāyapi nibbindati
… pe …
pajānātī"ti.
Sattamaṁ.
