Mahāvedalla Sutta

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in the Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.

Then, in the evening, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita emerged from seclusion and approached Venerable Sāriputta. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with Venerable Sāriputta.

After friendly and courteous talk, he sat down to one side.

Seated there, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita said to Venerable Sāriputta:

Friend, it is said, ‘one with little wisdom, one with little wisdom.

In what way, friend, is a person said to have little wisdom?

Friend, a person is referred to as having little wisdom because they do not know.

What do they not know?

They do not know: ‘This is suffering, ‘This is the origin of suffering, ‘This is the cessation of suffering, ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Because they do not know these, they are said to have little wisdom.

Well said, friend, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita expressed approval at Venerable Sāriputta’s words and, agreeing, further asked him:

Friend, it is said, ‘one with wisdom, one with wisdom.

In what way, friend, is a person said to have wisdom?

Friend, a person is referred to as having wisdom because they know.

What do they know?

They know: ‘This is suffering, ‘This is the origin of suffering, ‘This is the cessation of suffering, ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Because they know these, they are said to have wisdom.

It is said, ‘consciousness, consciousness.

Friend, in what way is it said to be consciousness?

Friend, consciousness is said to be because it discerns.

What does it discern?

It discerns what is pleasant, what is unpleasant, and what is neither pleasant nor unpleasant.

Because it discerns these, it is said to be consciousness.

Friend, the terms ‘wisdom and ‘consciousness:are these dhammas conjoined or disjoined?

And can a distinction be demonstrated between them?

Friend, the terms ‘wisdom and ‘consciousness:these dhammas are conjoined, not disjoined.

And a distinction cannot be demonstrated by separating them.

Friend, what one knows, that one discerns; what one discerns, that one knows.

Therefore, these phenomena are interlinked, not separate.

It is not possible to distinctly define them by repeatedly differentiating them.

Friend, how is wisdom and consciousness among the interlinked phenomena, not separate, distinguished?

Friend, wisdom and consciousness with these interlinked phenomena, not separate, wisdom is to be cultivated; consciousness is to be known.

This is their distinction.

Friend, the term ‘feeling is used.

Up to what extent, friend, is it called feeling?

It is called ‘feeling, friend, because one feels.

What does one feel?

One feels pleasure, one feels pain, and one feels neither pain nor pleasure.

Because one feels, it is called feeling.

Friend, the term ‘perception is used.

Up to what extent, friend, is it called perception?

It is called ‘perception, friend, because one perceives.

What does one perceive?

One perceives blue, one perceives yellow, one perceives red, one perceives white.

Because one perceives, it is called perception.

Friend, feeling, perception, and consciousness are these phenomena interlinked or separate?

Is it feasible to distinguish these phenomena distinctly by differentiating them?

Friend, feeling, perception, and consciousness these phenomena are interlinked, not separate.

It is not feasible to distinctly define them by differentiating them.

What one feels, one perceives; what one perceives, one knows.

Therefore, these phenomena are interlinked, not separate.

It is not feasible to distinctly define them by differentiating them.

When the five faculties are purified, friend, what is to be known with the purified mental consciousness?

When the five faculties are purified, friend, the realm of infinite space is to be known by thinking ‘infinite space, the realm of infinite consciousness is to be known by thinking ‘infinite consciousness, and the realm of nothingness is to be known by thinking ‘there is nothing.

By what is the knowable Dhamma known, friend?

The knowable Dhamma is known, friend, by the eye of wisdom.

For what purpose, friend, is wisdom?

Wisdom, friend, is for direct knowing, full understanding, and abandoning.

How many, friend, are the conditions for the arising of right view?

There are two conditions, friend, for the arising of right view: the voice of another and wise attention.

These are the two conditions for the arising of right view.

With how many factors supported, friend, does right view become fruitful in liberation of the mind and in liberation by wisdom?

Supported by five factors, friend, does right view become fruitful in liberation of the mind and in liberation by wisdom.

Here, friend, right view is supported by virtue, supported by learning, supported by discussion, supported by tranquility, and supported by insight.

With these five factors supported, right view becomes fruitful in the liberation of the mind and in liberation by wisdom.

How many, friend, are the realms of existence?

There are three realms of existence, friend: the realm of sense satisfaction, the realm of form, and the realm of formlessness.

How, friend, does the re-arising in future existence occur?

For beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, with delight in this and that, thus the re-arising in future existence occurs.

How, friend, does the non-re-arising in future existence occur?

With the fading of ignorance, friend, through the arising of true knowing, and with the cessation of craving, thus the re-arising in future existence does not occur.

What, friend, is the first jhāna?

Here, friend, a disciple, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by directed and sustained attention, with pīti and pleasure born of seclusion. This is called the first jhāna.

How many factors are there in the first jhāna, friend?

The first jhāna, friend, has five factors.

Here, in the first jhāna, a disciple has directed and sustained attention, pīti, pleasure, and one-pointedness of mind.

Thus, the first jhāna has five factors.

Of which factors is the first jhāna free, friend, and to which factors does it adhere?

The first jhāna, friend, is free from five factors and is endowed with five factors.

Here, friend, for a disciple who has attained the first jhāna, sense satisfaction is abandoned, ill-will is abandoned, sloth and torpor are abandoned, restlessness and remorse are abandoned, doubt is abandoned; and directed and sustained attention, pīti, happiness, and one-pointedness of mind manifest.

Indeed, friend, this is how the first jhāna is distinguished by the abandoning of five factors and the presence of five factors.

There are these five faculties, friend, each with different fields and different ranges, not experiencing the realm of each other, namely: the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty.

Friend, for these five faculties, each with different fields and different ranges, not experiencing the realm of each other, what is their support, and what experiences their realm?

There are these five faculties, friend, each with different fields and different ranges, not experiencing the realm of each other, namely: the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty.

Friend, for these five faculties, each with different fields and different ranges, not experiencing the realm of each other, mind is their support, and mind experiences their realm.

There are these five faculties, friend, namely: the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty.

Friend, what do these five faculties depend on?

There are these five faculties, friend, namely: the eye faculty, the ear faculty, the nose faculty, the tongue faculty, and the body faculty.

Friend, these five faculties depend on life to persist.

On what, then, friend, does life depend to persist?

Life persists depending on heat.

On what, then, friend, does heat depend to persist?

Heat persists depending on life.

Just now, friend, we know the statement of the Venerable Sāriputta as life persists depending on heat.

And just now, friend, we know the statement of the Venerable Sāriputta as heat persists depending on life.

In which way, then, friend, should this statement be known?

Therefore, friend, I will give you an analogy; for some wise men know the meaning of a statement by an analogy.

Just as, friend, for a burning oil lamp, the radiance is seen depending on the flame, and the flame is seen depending on the radiance.

Just as, friend, life persists dependent on heat, and heat persists dependent on life.

Are the formations of life the same as the experiences, or are they different, friend?

No, friend, the formations of life are not the same as experiences.

If, friend, the formations of life were the experiences, then for a disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, an emergence would not be discerned.

But because, friend, the formations of life are different from the experiences, an emergence is discerned for a disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.

When, friend, do these things leave the body, and the body is left discarded and lifeless, like a log?

When, friend, life, heat, and consciousness leave the body, then the body is left discarded and lifeless, like a log.

What is the distinction, friend, between one who has died and passed away, and the disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling?

The one who has died and passed away, his bodily formations have ceased and subsided, verbal formations have ceased and subsided, mental formations have ceased and subsided, life is exhausted, heat has subsided, faculties are broken apart.

The disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, his bodily formations have ceased and subsided, verbal formations have ceased and subsided, mental formations have ceased and subsided, but life is not exhausted, heat has not subsided, faculties are clear.

This, friend, is the distinction between one who has died, passed away, and the disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.

How many conditions, friend, are there for the attainment of the liberation of mind that is neither painful nor pleasant?

There are, friend, four conditions for the attainment of the liberation of mind that is neither painful nor pleasant.

Here, friend, the disciple, by abandoning pleasure and abandoning pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness.

These are the four conditions for the attainment of the liberation of mind that is neither painful nor pleasant.

How many conditions, friend, are there for the attainment of the signless liberation of mind?

There are, friend, two conditions for the attainment of the signless liberation of mind:

Non-attention to all signs and attention to the signless element.

These, friend, are the two conditions for the attainment of signless liberation of the mind.

But how many conditions, friend, are there for the stability of the signless liberation of the mind?

There are three conditions, friend, for the stability of the signless liberation of the mind:non-attention to all signs, attention to the signless element, and prior preparation.

These, friend, are the three conditions for the stability of the signless liberation of the mind.

But how many conditions, friend, are there for the emergence from the signless liberation of the mind?

There are two conditions, friend, for the emergence from the signless liberation of the mind:attention to all signs and non-attention to the signless element.

These, friend, are the two conditions for the emergence from the signless liberation of the mind.

And this, friend, boundless liberation of the mind, and the nothingness liberation of the mind, and the emptiness liberation of the mind, and the signless liberation of the mind:are these phenomena of different meaning and different expression, or of the same meaning with different expression?

This, friend, boundless liberation of the mind, and the nothingness liberation of the mind, and the emptiness liberation of the mind, and the signless liberation of the mind:there is, friend, a mode by which these phenomena are of different meaning and different expression; and there is, friend, a mode by which these phenomena are of the same meaning with different expression.

And what, friend, is the mode by which these phenomena are of different meaning and different expression?

Here, friend, a disciple abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with goodwill, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.

Thus above, below, around, and everywhere, and as to all beings, he abides pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with goodwill, vast, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without ill-will.

They abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion…with a mind imbued with joy…with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.

Thus above, below, around, and everywhere, and as to all beings, they abide pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without ill-will.

This, friend, is called boundless liberation of the mind.

And what, friend, is the nothingness liberation of the mind?

Here, friends, a disciple, having completely transcended the realm of infinite consciousness, enters and dwells in the sphere of nothingness, realizing There is nothing.

This is called the emancipation of mind through nothingness, friends.

And what, friends, is the emancipation of mind through emptiness?

Here, friends, a disciple, having gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty place, reflects, This is empty of self or of anything pertaining to self.

This is called the emancipation of mind through emptiness, friends.

And what, friends, is the emancipation of mind through signlessness?

Here, friends, a disciple, not attending to any of the signs, enters and dwells in the concentration of mind that is signless.

This is called the emancipation of mind through signlessness, friends.

This, friends, is the explanation through which these teachings are different in meaning as well as different in expression.

And what, friends, is the explanation through which these teachings are of one meaning, differing only in expression?

Greed, friends, is a maker of measurements; hatred is a maker of measurements; delusion is a maker of measurements.

For a disciple whose taints are destroyed, these are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and incapable of arising in the future.

To the extent, friends, that there are limitless emancipations of mind, the concentration unshakable by these is declared to be supreme.

This unshakable emancipation of mind is empty of greed, empty of hatred, empty of delusion.

Greed, friends, is an obstacle; hatred is an obstacle; delusion is an obstacle.

For a disciple whose taints are destroyed, these are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and incapable of arising in the future.

To the extent, friends, that there are emancipations of mind through nothingness, the concentration unshakable by these is declared to be supreme.

This unshakable emancipation of mind is empty of greed, empty of hatred, empty of delusion.

Greed, friends, creates signs; hatred creates signs; delusion creates signs.

For a disciple whose taints are destroyed, these are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and incapable of arising in the future.

To the extent, friends, that there are emancipations of mind through signlessness, the concentration unshakable by these is declared to be supreme.

This unshakable emancipation of mind is empty of greed, empty of hatred, empty of delusion.

This, friends, is the explanation through which these teachings are of one meaning, differing only in expression.

Thus spoke Venerable Sariputta.

The Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika rejoiced in the words of Venerable Sariputta.

Thus concludes the Mahāvedalla Sutta.