Sekha Pāṭipada Sutta - The Trainee's Mode of Progress

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Blessed One was residing among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the park of Nigrodha.

At that particular time, a new assembly hall had been recently constructed in Kapilavatthu by the Sakyans but had not yet been used or visited by any recluse, brahmin, or human being.

Then the Sakyans from Kapilavatthu approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to him and sat down to one side.

Seated at one side, the Sakyans from Kapilavatthu said to the Blessed One: Here, venerable sir, the new assembly hall of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu has been recently constructed and not yet occupied by any recluse, brahmin, or human.

May the Blessed One use it first.

Once it has been used first by the Blessed One, then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu will use it.

This shall be for the long-term welfare and happiness of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.

The Blessed One consented with silence.

Then, knowing the Blessed One's consent, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, and circumambulated him, keeping him on their right, and departed for the new assembly hall. Having arrived, they prepared the entire hall with coverings, arranged the seats, set up water for washing hands, and lit an oil lamp. Then they approached the Blessed One.

Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side.

Standing there, they addressed the Blessed One: Venerable sir, the entire assembly hall is covered, the seats are arranged, water for washing hands is set, and the oil lamp is lit.

Now, venerable sir, whenever the Blessed One deems it appropriate.

Then the Blessed One, having put on his robe and taking his bowl and outer robe, along with the community of disciples, went to the assembly hall. Upon arrival, he washed his feet, entered the hall, and sat down facing the east, leaning upon the central pillar.

The community of disciples also washed their feet, entered the hall, and sat down against the western wall, facing east, giving precedence to the Blessed One.

The Sakyans from Kapilavatthu also washed their feet, entered the hall, and sat down against the eastern wall, facing west, giving precedence to the Blessed One.

Then, the Blessed One, having expounded, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu with a Dhamma talk for much of the night, addressed Venerable Ananda:

Venerable Ananda, it is time for you, a disciple in higher training, to address the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.

My back is weary; I will take a rest.

Yes replied Venerable Ananda to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One arranged his robe in four layers, lay down on his right side in the lion's posture, placing one foot over the other, mindful and with clear knowing, and attended to the thought of rising.

Then Venerable Ananda addressed Mahānāma the Sakyan:

Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is endowed with virtue, guards the sense faculties, is mindful of moderation in eating, is devoted to wakefulness, and is endowed with the seven true qualities. He attains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhanas, which are the higher mental states for abiding in happiness here and now.

And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple endowed with virtue?

Here, a noble disciple is virtuous, dwelling restrained by the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, and training in the training rules he has undertaken.

Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is endowed with virtue.

And how, Mahānāma, does a noble disciple guard the sense faculties?

Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple, upon seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp at its signs or features.

Since, if he left the eye faculties uncontrolled, unskillful, unwholesome states of craving and aversion might invade him, for the restraint of them he practices, guards the eye faculty, and undertakes its restraint.

Upon hearing a sound with the ear…

smelling an odor with the nose…

tasting a flavor with the tongue…

feeling a tangible object with the body…

cognizing a mental phenomenon with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs or features.

Since, if he left the mind faculties uncontrolled, unskillful, unwholesome states of craving and aversion might invade him, for the restraint of them he practices, guards the mind faculty, and undertakes its restraint.

Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple guards the sense faculties.

And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple mindful of moderation in eating?

Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple reflects wisely and consumes food with mindfulness and knowing…

Neither for pleasure, nor for intoxication, nor for adornment, nor for beautification; but only to maintain this body, to sustain it, to end discomfort, and to support the holy life.

Thus, I shall dispel old feelings and not arouse new feelings, and I shall be healthy, blameless, and live in comfort.

In this way, Mahānāma, a noble disciple knows moderation in eating.

And how, Mahānāma, does a noble disciple engage in wakefulness?

Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple purifies the mind from obstructive states during the day through walking and sitting, purifies the mind from obstructive states during the first watch of the night through walking and sitting, and in the middle watch of the night he lies down with mindfulness and clear knowing, resting on his right side like a lion, placing one foot over the other, and realizes the perception of waking. In the last watch of the night, he rises and purifies the mind through walking and sitting, free from obstructive states.

In this way, Mahānāma, a noble disciple engages in wakefulness.

And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple endowed with the seven true qualities?

Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is faithful, having faith in the enlightenment of the Tathāgata:

‘Indeed, the Blessed One is an Arahant, fully enlightened, perfect in true knowing and conduct, Sugata, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed.

He is possessed of a sense of shame, feeling shame for misconduct by body, speech, and mind, and feeling shame for corrupt and unwholesome states.

He is possessed of moral dread, feeling moral dread for misconduct by body, speech, and mind, and feeling dread for corrupt and unwholesome states.

He is learned, retaining and accumulating what he has learned.

He knows those teachings that are beneficial in the beginning, beneficial in the middle, and beneficial in the end, with both the letter and the spirit, perfectly complete and pure in the holy life. Such teachings he retains, recites, critically examines with the mind, and penetrates well by view.

He is energetic, dwelling in effort to abandon unwholesome states and acquire wholesome states, strong and firm in exertion, not casting aside the burden of wholesome states.

He is mindful, endowed with supreme mindfulness and discernment, able to recall and remember what was done and said long ago.

He is wise, endowed with wisdom that sees the rising and passing away of phenomena, noble and penetrating, and leading to the complete destruction of suffering.

Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is endowed with seven factors of true teaching.

And how, Mahānāma, does a noble disciple, at will, without difficulty, and without trouble, attain the four contemplative absorptions, which are higher states of mental concentration and peaceful abiding in the present life?

Here, Mahānāma, the noble disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures...

enters and abides in the first jhāna; with the subsiding of directed and sustained attention and with internal confidence...

enters and abides in the second jhāna; with the fading away of pīti...

enters and abides in the third jhāna; with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and grief...

enters and abides in the fourth jhāna.

Thus, Mahānāma, the noble disciple attains at will, without difficulty, and without trouble, the four contemplative absorptions, which are higher states of mental concentration and peaceful abiding in the present life.

Therefore, Mahānāma, when the noble disciple is thus endowed with moral virtue, guards the sense faculties, knows moderation in eating, is devoted to wakefulness, is endowed with the seven factors of true teaching, attains at will, without difficulty, and without trouble, the four contemplative absorptions, which are higher states of mental concentration and peaceful abiding in the present life. This, Mahānāma, is called a noble disciple who is a learner on the path, one who has entered the way due to absence of obstruction, capable of breaking through, capable of full awakening, capable of realizing the supreme security from bondage.

Just as, Mahānāma, if there were eight, ten, or twelve eggs of a hen, closely incubated by the hen, well-covered, well-developed, even if the thought does not occur to the hen, ‘Oh, may my chicks break the eggshell with their claws or beak and hatch safely, still the chicks are capable of breaking the eggshell with their claws or beak and hatching safely.

Just so, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple is endowed with such virtue, guards the sense faculties, is moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, endowed with the seven qualities of a good person, and easily obtains the four jhānas, which are the basis for a happy abiding in this very life, without difficulty and with ease, such a person is called, Mahānāma, a noble disciple in training, practicing for the destruction of defilements, capable of breaking through, capable of awakening, capable of attaining the supreme security from bondage.

Such a noble disciple, Mahānāma, upon reaching this supreme purity of equanimity and mindfulness, recollects many kinds of past lives, thus: one birth, two births, and so on, recollecting various past existences with their aspects and details; this is their first breaking out, like the chick breaking through the eggshell.

Such a noble disciple, Mahānāma, upon reaching this supreme purity of equanimity and mindfulness, with the divine eye, clarified and surpassing the human, sees beings passing away and being reborn, low and high, beautiful and ugly, in good paths and bad, knows them according to their deeds; this is their second breaking out, like the chick breaking through the eggshell.

Such a noble disciple, Mahānāma, upon reaching this supreme purity of equanimity and mindfulness, through the destruction of the taints, attains the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, realizing it for themselves with direct knowing, and dwells therein; this is their third breaking out, like the chick breaking through the eggshell.

Moreover, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple is endowed with virtue, this is their conduct; when they have guarded sense faculties, this is their conduct; when they are moderate in eating, this is their conduct; when they are devoted to wakefulness, this is their conduct; when they are endowed with the seven qualities of a good person, this is their conduct; when they attain with ease the four jhānas, which are the basis for a happy abiding here and now, this is their conduct.

Mahānāma, when a noble disciple recollects their manifold past lives, such as one, two...

thus recollecting in detail and specifically their manifold previous abodes, this is part of their knowing.

Furthermore, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple sees with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good and bad destinations... they know how beings fare according to their actions. This, too, is part of their knowing.

Moreover, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple, through the destruction of the taints, attains and dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that is taintless, having realized it through their own direct knowing here and now, this is considered their knowing.

Such a person, Mahānāma, is called a noble disciple endowed with wisdom, conduct, and both wisdom and conduct.

This, Mahānāma, is a verse spoken by the Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra: Among people, the noble warrior is supreme when they cling to their lineage; among deities and humans, the one endowed with wisdom and conduct is supreme.

This verse, Mahānāma, was well-spoken by Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, not poorly spoken, well-expressed, not poorly expressed, meaningful, not meaningless, and approved by the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One, having arisen, addressed the Venerable Ānanda: Well done, well done, Ānanda, you have spoken well in the presence of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.

This was said by the Venerable Ānanda.

The teacher approved.

Delighted, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu rejoiced in the words of the Venerable Ānanda.

Thus ends the Sekha Sutta.