SN24:9 The World Is Eternal
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, by adhering to what, does such a view as this arise: ‘The world is eternal′?"[n.263] The next ten suttas are each devoted to one of the ten "undeclared points," also dealt with from still different angles in SN 33 and SN 44.
"Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One … ."
2"When there is form, bhikkhus, when there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, by adhering to consciousness, such a view as this arises: ‘The world is eternal.’ … sn.iii.214
3"What do you think, bhikkhus, is form permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could such a view as that arise?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could such a view as that arise?"
"No, venerable sir."
"That which is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and ranged over by the mind:[n.250] This is a fourfold classification of all objects. According to Spk, the seen (diṭṭha) is the visible-form base; the heard (suta), the sound base; the sensed (muta), the objects of smell, taste, and touch; and the cognized (viññāta), the other seven bases (i.e., the six internal sense bases and the mental-phenomena base). The words "attained, sought after, and ranged over by the mind" (pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā) are just an elaboration of the fourth. is that permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"But without clinging to what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, could such a view as that arise?"
"No, venerable sir."
4"When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has abandoned perplexity in these six cases,[n.251] I read imesu chasu ṭhānesu, with Se and Ee, as against Be imesu ca ṭhānesu. Spk is silent, but it seems the six cases are the five aggregates and the tetrad of sense objects taken collectively as one. Cp. MN I 135,34–36, where the tetrad of sense objects actually replaces viññāṇa as a basisfor wrong views (diṭṭhiṭṭhāna).
and when, further, he has abandoned perplexity about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the way leading to the cessation of suffering,
he is then called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as his destination."
1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. "Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘sassato loko’"ti?
"Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā … pe …
2"Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘sassato loko’ti. Vedanāya sati … pe … saṅkhāresu sati … viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘sassato loko’ti.
3Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti? "Aniccaṁ, bhante" … pe …
vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘sassato loko’"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti? "Aniccaṁ, bhante … pe
… api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘sassato loko’"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā tampi niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
"Aniccaṁ, bhante".
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?
"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘sassato loko’"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
4"Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti,
dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti … pe … dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti –
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano"ti.
Navamaṁ.
