Avassutapariyāyasutta

At one time, the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Park.

Now at that time, a new meeting hall of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu had been recently built, but it had not yet been occupied by any ascetic, brahmin, or human being.

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

As they were sitting there, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu said to the Blessed One: Here, venerable sir, a new meeting hall of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu has been recently built, but it has not yet been occupied by any ascetic, brahmin, or human being.

Let the Blessed One be the first to use it.

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

This will be for the welfare and happiness of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu for a long time.

The Blessed One consented by silence.

Then, knowing that the Blessed One had consented, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, and departed, keeping him on their right.

They went to the new meeting hall; having arrived, they spread coverings all over the hall, arranged seats, set up a water jar, and placed an oil lamp. Then they approached the Blessed One; having approached, they said to the Blessed One: The meeting hall, venerable sir, has been spread with coverings, seats have been arranged, the water jar has been set up, and the oil lamp has been placed.

Whenever the Blessed One considers it the right time.

Then the Blessed One, having dressed and taken his bowl and outer robe, went to the new meeting hall together with the community of disciples. Having arrived, he washed his feet, entered the hall, and sat down by the central pillar facing the east.

The community of disciples also washed their feet, entered the hall, and sat down against the western wall facing the east, with the Blessed One in front of them.

The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu washed their feet, entered the hall, and sat down against the eastern wall facing the west, with the Blessed One in front of them.

Then the Blessed One, having given much Dhamma talk to the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu during the night, instructed, inspired, fired up, and encouraged them, and then dismissed them, saying: The night is far spent, Gotamas.

Do now as you think fit.

Very well, venerable sir, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu replied to the Blessed One. They rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, and departed, keeping him on their right.

Then, not long after the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu had departed, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: Moggallāna, the community of disciples is free from sloth and torpor.

Give them a Dhamma talk, Moggallāna.

My back is aching; I will stretch it.

Very well, venerable sir, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna replied to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One spread out his outer robe folded in four, lay down on his right side in the lions posture, with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and clearly knowing, with the intention of rising.

Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the disciples: Friends, disciples.

Friend, those disciples replied to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.

The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this: Friends, I will teach you the exposition on being defiled and the exposition on being undefiled.

Listen to it, pay close attention, I will speak.

Yes, friend, those disciples replied to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.

The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this: How, friends, is one defiled?

Here, friends, a disciple, having seen a form with the eye, is attached to a pleasing form, and repelled by a displeasing form. He abides with body-mindfulness unestablished, with limited awareness, and does not know as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those unskillful unwholesome states that have arisen cease without remainder...

Having tasted a flavor with the tongue...

Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is attached to a pleasing mental phenomenon, and repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He abides with body-mindfulness unestablished, with limited awareness, and does not know as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those unskillful unwholesome states that have arisen cease without remainder.

This is called, friends, a disciple who is defiled with respect to forms cognizable by the eye...

defiled with respect to flavors cognizable by the tongue...

defiled with respect to mental phenomena cognizable by the mind.

A disciple who abides thus, friends, if Māra approaches him through the eye, Māra finds an opportunity, Māra finds a support...

If Māra approaches him through the tongue, Māra finds an opportunity, Māra finds a support...

If Māra approaches him through the mind... Māra finds an opportunity, Māra finds a foothold.

Just as, friend, a dry grass hut or a dry reed hut, a three-year-old dry bundle of grass.

If a man were to approach it from the east with a burning torch, the fire would find an opportunity, the fire would find a foothold; if a man were to approach it from the west with a burning torch...

if a man were to approach it from the north...

if a man were to approach it from the south...

if a man were to approach it from below...

if a man were to approach it from above...

from wherever a man were to approach it with a burning torch, the fire would find an opportunity, the fire would find a foothold.

In the same way, friend, if Māra approaches a disciple who lives in such a way through the eye, Māra finds an opportunity, Māra finds a foothold... if Māra approaches through the ear... if Māra approaches through the nose...

if Māra approaches through the tongue...

if Māra approaches through the body... if Māra approaches through the mind, Māra finds an opportunity, Māra finds a foothold.

In such a way, forms overpower the disciple, but the disciple does not overpower forms; sounds overpower the disciple, but the disciple does not overpower sounds;

smells overpower the disciple, but the disciple does not overpower smells;

tastes overpower the disciple, but the disciple does not overpower tastes;

tangibles overpower the disciple, but the disciple does not overpower tangibles;

mental objects overpower the disciple, but the disciple does not overpower mental objects.

This is called, friend, a disciple overpowered by forms, overpowered by sounds, overpowered by smells, overpowered by tastes, overpowered by tangibles, overpowered by mental objects, overpowered, not overpowering, overpowered by unskillful, unwholesome states that defile, lead to rebirth, are accompanied by suffering, result in future birth, aging, and death.

In this way, friend, one is overwhelmed.

And how, friend, is one not overwhelmed?

Here, friend, a disciple, having seen a form with the eye, does not become attached to a pleasing form, does not become repelled by a displeasing form, and dwells with mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind, and he knows as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those arisen unskillful, unwholesome states cease without remainder...

having tasted a taste with the tongue...

having cognized a mental object with the mind, does not become attached to a pleasing mental object, does not become repelled by a displeasing mental object, and dwells with mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind,

and he knows as it really is the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those arisen unskillful, unwholesome states cease without remainder.

This is called, friend, a disciple not overwhelmed by forms cognizable by the eye...

not overwhelmed by mental objects cognizable by the mind.

In such a way, friend, if Māra approaches a disciple who lives in such a way through the eye, Māra does not find an opportunity, Māra does not find a foothold...

if Māra approaches through the ear...

if Māra approaches through the nose... if Māra approaches through the tongue... if Māra approaches through the body...

if Māra approaches through the mind, Māra does not find an opportunity, Māra does not find a foothold.

Just as, friend, a solid house or a hall thickly plastered with clay. If a man were to approach it from the east with a burning torch, the fire would not find an opportunity, the fire would not find a foothold...

if a man were to approach it from the west...

if a man were to approach it from the north...

if a man were to approach it from the south...

if a man were to approach it from below...

if a man were to approach it from above...

from wherever a man were to approach it with a burning torch, the fire would not find an opportunity, the fire would not find a foothold.

In the same way, friend, if Māra approaches a disciple who lives in such a way through the eye, Māra does not find an opportunity, Māra does not find a foothold...

if Māra approaches through the mind, Māra does not find an opportunity, Māra does not find a foothold.

In such a way, friend, the disciple overpowers forms, forms do not overpower the disciple; the disciple overpowers sounds, sounds do not overpower the disciple;

the disciple overpowers smells, smells do not overpower the disciple;

the disciple overpowers tastes, tastes do not overpower the disciple;

the disciple overpowers tangibles, tangibles do not overpower the disciple;

the disciple overpowers mental objects, mental objects do not overpower the disciple.

This is called, friend, a disciple who overpowers forms, overpowers sounds, overpowers smells, overpowers tastes, overpowers tangibles, overpowers mental objects, overpowering, not overpowered, overpowering those unskillful, unwholesome states that defile, lead to rebirth, are accompanied by suffering, result in future birth, aging, and death.

In this way, friend, one is not overwhelmed.

Then the Blessed One rose and addressed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna:

Well done, well done, Moggallāna.

Well done, Moggallāna, you have spoken about the way of being overwhelmed and the way of not being overwhelmed for the disciples.

Thus spoke the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.

The Teacher approved.

The disciples were delighted with the Venerable Mahāmoggallānas words.