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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Connected Discourses

SN49: Connected Discourses on the Right Strivings

SN49:33 The Guest House

1"Bhikkhus, suppose there is a guest house. People come from the east, west, north, and south and lodge there; khattiyas, brahmins, vessas, and suddas come and lodge there.

"So too, when a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the four right strivings,
- he fully understands by direct knowledge those things that are to be fully understood by direct knowledge;
- he abandons by direct knowledge those things that are to be abandoned by direct knowledge;
- he realizes by direct knowledge those things that are to be realized by direct knowledge;
- he develops by direct knowledge those things that are to be developed by direct knowledge.

2"And what, bhikkhus, are the things to be fully understood by direct knowledge? It should be said: the five aggregates subject to clinging. What five?

The form aggregate subject to clinging,
the feeling aggregate subject to clinging,
the perception aggregate subject to clinging,
the volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging,
the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging.
These are the things to be fully understood by direct knowledge.

"And what, bhikkhus, are the things to be abandoned by direct knowledge?
Ignorance and craving for existence.
These are the things to be abandoned by direct knowledge.

"And what, bhikkhus, are the things to be realized by direct knowledge?
True knowledge and liberation.
These are the things to be realized by direct knowledge.

"And what, bhikkhus, are the things to be developed by direct knowledge?
Serenity and insight.
These are the things to be developed by direct knowledge.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that when a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the four right strivings,
- he fully understands by direct knowledge those things that are to be fully understood by direct knowledge;
- he abandons by direct knowledge those things that are to be abandoned by direct knowledge;
- he realizes by direct knowledge those things that are to be realized by direct knowledge;
- he develops by direct knowledge those things that are to be developed by direct knowledge?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

He generates desire for the maintenance of arisen wholesome states, for their nondecay, increase, expansion, and fulfilment by development; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and strives,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

"It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the four right strivings so that
- he fully understands by direct knowledge those things that are to be fully understood by direct knowledge;
- he abandons by direct knowledge those things that are to be abandoned by direct knowledge;
- he realizes by direct knowledge those things that are to be realized by direct knowledge;
- he develops by direct knowledge those things that are to be developed by direct knowledge."

1"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āgantukāgāraṁ. Tattha puratthimāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, pacchimāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, uttarāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, dakkhiṇāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, khattiyāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, brāhmaṇāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, vessāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti, suddāpi āgantvā vāsaṁ kappenti; …


Ekādasamaṁ.