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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

45. Maggasaṁyutta: On the Path

I. Ignorance — SN45.8: Analysis

1At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, I will teach and analyze for you the noble eightfold path. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

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

2“And what is the noble eightfold path? It is right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

3And what is right view? Knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is called right view.

4And what is right thought? It is the thought of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. This is called right thought.

5And what is right speech? Avoiding speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called right speech.


6And what is right action? Avoiding killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual activity. This is called right action.

7And what is right livelihood? It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. This is called right livelihood.


8And what is right effort? It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have not arisen do arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. This is called right effort.

9And what is right mindfulness? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of the mind — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of principles — keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. This is called right mindfulness.


10And what is right immersion? 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. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain 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. And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain 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.’ Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. This is called right immersion.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

"Ariyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ desessāmi vibhajissāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

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

2"Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Seyyathidaṁ – sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāsamādhi.

3Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi? Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi.

4Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo? Yo kho, bhikkhave, nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyā pāda saṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo.

5Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāvācā? Yā kho, bhikkhave, musāvādā veramaṇī, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī, samphappalāpā veramaṇī – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvācā.


6Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammākammanto? Yā kho, bhikkhave, pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, adinnādānā veramaṇī, abrahmacariyā veramaṇī – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammākammanto.

7Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako micchāājīvaṁ pahāya sammāājīvena jīvitaṁ kappeti – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo.


8Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti … pe … anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti … pe … uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo.

9Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāsati? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī vihārati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu vedanānupassī vihārati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; citte cittānupassī vihārati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; dhammesu dhammānupassī vihārati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsati.


10Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihārati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihārati – ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhī"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.