DN10 — Subha Sutta

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Venerable Ānanda was staying in Sāvatthī, in the Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, shortly after the Blessed One had passed away.

At that time, Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya, was residing in Sāvatthī for some business.

Then Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya, addressed a certain young man: Come, go to the ascetic Ānanda and, on my behalf, ask him if he is in good health, free from illness, strong, and living comfortably.

And say this: It would be good if the Venerable Ānanda, out of compassion, would come to the residence of Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya.

Yes, sir, the young man replied to Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya, and went to the Venerable Ānanda. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda.

After the exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the young man said to the Venerable Ānanda:

Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya, asks after the health of the Venerable Ānanda, if he is in good health, free from illness, strong, and living comfortably.

And he says this: It would be good if the Venerable Ānanda, out of compassion, would come to the residence of Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya.

When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda replied to the young man: It is not the right time, young man. I have taken some medicine today. Perhaps we can come tomorrow, taking into account the time and occasion.

Yes, sir, the young man replied to the Venerable Ānanda, and, rising from his seat, he went to Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya. Having approached, he said to Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya: We have conveyed your message to the Venerable Ānanda.

When this was said, the ascetic Ānanda replied to me:

It is not the right time, young man. I have taken some medicine today. Perhaps we can come tomorrow, taking into account the time and occasion.

Even so, sir, this is what was done, as the Venerable Ānanda made an allowance for coming tomorrow.

Then, after that night had passed, in the morning, the Venerable Ānanda, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, went to the residence of Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya, accompanied by a certain disciple named Ceta.

Having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat.

Then Subha, the son of the brahmin Todeyya, approached the Venerable Ānanda. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda.

Venerable Ānanda, you have been an attendant and close companion of the Blessed One, the Venerable Gotama, for a long time.

You would know, Venerable Ānanda, the teachings that the Blessed One, the Venerable Gotama, praised and where he established and settled this community. Which teachings, Venerable Ānanda, did the Blessed One, the Venerable Gotama, praise, and where did he establish and settle this community?

Young man, the Blessed One praised three groups of teachings and established and settled this community in them. Which three?

The aggregate of noble virtue, the aggregate of noble concentration, and the aggregate of noble wisdom.

These three aggregates of teachings, the Blessed One praised, and in these he established and settled this community.

1. The Aggregate of Virtue

And what, Venerable Ānanda, is the aggregate of noble virtue that the Blessed One, the Venerable Gotama, praised, and where he established and settled this community?

Here, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One, perfect in knowing and conduct, sublime, knower of the worlds, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.

He, having realized it by his own super- knowing, proclaims this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.

He teaches the Dhamma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and he reveals the perfectly complete and purified holy life.

A householder or householder's son, or someone else, hears that Dhamma.

Born into a noble family, he hears the Dhamma and gains faith in the Tathagata. With this newfound faith, he reflects: The household life is crowded and dusty; the life of renunciation is open and free. It is not easy to live the household life and practice the complete and pure holy life. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, don the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?

At a later time, whether having abandoned a small or large fortune, or having left behind a small or large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, dons the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.

Having gone forth, he lives restrained by the rules of the monastic code, accomplished in proper conduct and sphere of activity, seeing danger in the slightest faults, and training in the precepts. He is endowed with wholesome bodily and verbal conduct, living purely, accomplished in virtue, guarding the doors of his senses, endowed with mindfulness and clear knowing, and content.

And how, is a disciple accomplished in virtue? Here, a disciple, having abandoned the taking of life, abstains from taking life. He has laid down the rod and weapon, is conscientious, merciful, and dwells compassionate towards all living beings. This is part of his virtue.

Just as some ascetics and brahmins, after receiving faith-based alms, live by wrong livelihood through various animal arts, such as fortune-telling, palmistry, divination, casting spells, offering sacrifices, interpreting dreams, and other similar practices, a disciple abstains from such wrong livelihood. This is part of his virtue.

Thus, a disciple accomplished in virtue sees no danger anywhere due to his restraint in virtue. Just as a king, having defeated his enemies, sees no danger anywhere, so too, a disciple accomplished in virtue sees no danger anywhere due to his restraint in virtue. Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, he experiences within himself a blameless happiness. This is how a disciple is accomplished in virtue.

This is the noble aggregate of virtue praised by the Blessed One, in which he instructed, established, and encouraged the people. There is still more to be done.

Wonderful, venerable Ananda, marvelous, venerable Ananda. This noble aggregate of virtue is complete, not incomplete. I do not see any other ascetics or brahmins outside of this who are as accomplished in this noble aggregate of virtue. If other ascetics or brahmins outside of this were as accomplished in this noble aggregate of virtue, they would be content with just that, thinking, We have achieved the goal of liberation, there is nothing more to be done. But venerable Ananda says there is still more to be done.

2. The Aggregate of Concentration

And what, venerable Ananda, is the noble aggregate of concentration praised by the Blessed One, in which he instructed, established, and encouraged the people?

And how, is a disciple guarded in the doors of his senses? Here, a disciple, having seen a form with the eye, does not grasp at its signs and features. Since, if he left the eye faculty unguarded, evil, unwholesome states of longing and dejection might invade him, he practices guarding it, protects the eye faculty, and undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear... having smelled an odor with the nose... having tasted a flavor with the tongue... having felt a tangible object with the body... having cognized a mental object with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs and features.

If one were to live with an unrestrained mind, evil and unwholesome states of covetousness and grief would invade him. Therefore, he practices restraint, guards his mind, and attains control over his mind. Thus endowed with noble restraint of the faculties, he experiences inwardly a bliss that is free from defilement.

In this way, a disciple is guarded in the faculties.

And how, is a disciple endowed with mindfulness and clear knowing? Here, a disciple is endowed with clear knowing when going forward and returning; when looking ahead and looking away; when flexing and extending his limbs; when wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when defecating and urinating; when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent.

In this way, a disciple is endowed with mindfulness and clear knowing.

And how, is a disciple content? Here, a disciple is content with robes to protect his body and alms food to sustain his stomach. Wherever he goes, he sets out only with these. Just as a bird, wherever it flies, flies with its wings as its only burden, so too a disciple is content with robes to protect his body and alms food to sustain his stomach. Wherever he goes, he sets out only with these. In this way, a disciple is content.

Thus endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, with this noble restraint of the faculties, with this noble mindfulness and clear knowing, and with this noble contentment, he resorts to a secluded dwelling: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, or a heap of straw.

After his meal, having returned from his alms round, he sits down cross-legged, holding his body erect and establishing mindfulness before him.

Abandoning covetousness for the world, he dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies his mind from covetousness. Abandoning ill will and hatred, he dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies his mind from ill will and hatred.

Abandoning sloth and torpor, he dwells free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and clearly knowing; he purifies his mind from sloth and torpor. Abandoning restlessness and worry, he dwells unagitated, with an inwardly peaceful mind; he purifies his mind from restlessness and worry. Abandoning doubt, he dwells having gone beyond doubt, unperplexed about wholesome states; he purifies his mind from doubt.

Just as a man who has taken a loan and invested it in his business, and his business succeeds, and he repays his old debts, and there is a surplus for maintaining his wife, would be glad about this, so too, a disciple who has abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, would be glad.

Just as a man who was sick, in pain, and gravely ill, and later recovered, would be glad about this, so too, a disciple who has abandoned these five hindrances would be glad.

Just as a man who was in prison, and later released, safe and secure, with no loss of property, would be glad about this, so too, a disciple who has abandoned these five hindrances would be glad.

Just as a man who was a slave, not his own master, dependent on others, unable to go where he wants, and later freed from slavery, independent, his own master, able to go where he wants, would be glad about this, so too, a disciple who has abandoned these five hindrances would be glad.

Just as a man with wealth and property, traveling through a desert, and later safely crossing the desert, would be glad about this, so too, a disciple who has abandoned these five hindrances would be glad.

He would then, at another time, cross that wilderness and reach the village boundary safely, secure and free from fear. He would think: Previously, I set out on a journey through a wilderness, lacking food and full of dangers. But now I have crossed that wilderness and reached the village boundary safely, secure and free from fear.

Because of this, he would feel joy and experience happiness.

In the same way, a disciple sees the five hindrances within himself as debts, diseases, imprisonment, slavery, and a dangerous journey. Just as, one sees freedom from debt, good health, release from imprisonment, freedom from slavery, and a safe land.

In the same way, a disciple sees the five hindrances within himself as abandoned. When he sees the five hindrances within himself as abandoned, joy arises in him. With joy, rapture arises. With a rapturous mind, the body becomes tranquil. With a tranquil body, he feels happiness. With happiness, the mind becomes concentrated.

He enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and happiness.

He saturates, permeates, and suffuses his body with the rapture and happiness born of seclusion, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the rapture and happiness born of seclusion.

Just as, a skilled bath attendant or his apprentice would knead bath powder with water, so that the ball of bath powder is saturated, permeated, and suffused with moisture, inside and out, yet does not ooze.

In the same way, a disciple saturates, permeates, and suffuses his body with the rapture and happiness born of seclusion, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the rapture and happiness born of seclusion.

Again, a disciple, with the subsiding of thought and examination, enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and examination, and is filled with rapture and happiness born of concentration.

He saturates, permeates, and suffuses his body with the rapture and happiness born of concentration, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the rapture and happiness born of concentration.

Just as, a deep lake with water welling up from within, having no inflow from the east, west, north, or south, and with no timely rain, yet the cool water welling up from within would saturate, permeate, and suffuse the lake, so that no part of the entire lake is untouched by the cool water.

In the same way, a disciple saturates, permeates, and suffuses his body with the rapture and happiness born of concentration, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the rapture and happiness born of concentration.

Again, a disciple, with the fading away of rapture, dwells in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, and experiences happiness with the body. He enters and dwells in the third jhāna, which the noble ones declare: He dwells in equanimity, mindful, and happy.

He saturates, permeates, and suffuses his body with the happiness free from rapture, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the happiness free from rapture.

Just as, in a pond of blue, red, or white lotuses, some lotuses born and grown in the water, immersed in the water, and flourishing while submerged, would be saturated, permeated, and suffused from their roots to their tips with cool water, so that no part of the entire lotuses is untouched by the cool water.

In the same way, a disciple saturates, permeates, and suffuses his body with the happiness free from rapture, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the happiness free from rapture.

He pervades his body with a pure, bright mind, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the pure, bright mind. This is his state of concentration.

Again, a disciple, having abandoned pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance of previous joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is beyond pleasure and pain, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness.

He sits pervading his body with a pure, bright mind, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the pure, bright mind.

Just as if a man were to sit covered from head to foot with a white cloth, so that no part of his body was untouched by the white cloth.

In the same way, a disciple... having abandoned pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance of previous joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is beyond pleasure and pain, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness.

He sits pervading his body with a pure, bright mind, so that no part of his entire body is untouched by the pure, bright mind. This is his state of concentration.

This, is the noble state of concentration praised by the Blessed One, in which he trained the people, established them, and made them firm. There is still more to be done here. Wonderful, venerable Ānanda, marvelous, venerable Ānanda. This noble state of concentration is complete, not incomplete. I do not see any other ascetics or brahmins outside of this who have such a complete noble state of concentration. If other ascetics or brahmins outside of this were to have such a complete noble state of concentration, they would be satisfied with just that much: This is enough, we have done enough, we have attained the goal of liberation, there is nothing more to be done.

But venerable Ānanda says: There is still more to be done here.

3. The Aggregate of Wisdom

What, venerable Ānanda, is the noble aggregate of wisdom praised by the Blessed One, in which he trained the people, established them, and made them firm?

With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowing and vision.

He understands thus: This body of mine is material, made up of the four great elements, born of mother and father, nourished by rice and gruel, subject to impermanence, to being worn and rubbed away, to breaking apart and destruction; and this consciousness of mine is dependent on it and bound up with it.

Just as if, there were a beautiful beryl gem, eight-faceted, well-made, clear, bright, unblemished, and perfect in every way. If a string were threaded through it, blue, yellow, red, white, or orange, a man with good eyesight, taking it in his hand, would examine it thus: This is a beautiful beryl gem, eight-faceted, well-made, clear, bright, unblemished, and perfect in every way. And this string is threaded through it, blue, yellow, red, white, or orange.

In the same way, a disciple, with the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, directs and inclines it to knowing and vision.

With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the creation of a mind-made body.

From this body, he creates another body, material, mind-made, complete in all its parts, not deficient in any faculties. Just as if, a man were to draw a reed from its sheath.

He would know: This is the reed, this is the sheath; the reed is one thing, the sheath is another; it is from the sheath that the reed has been drawn. Or as if a man were to draw a sword from its scabbard.

He would know: This is the sword, this is the scabbard; the sword is one thing, the scabbard is another; it is from the scabbard that the sword has been drawn. Or as if a man were to draw a snake from its basket.

He would know: This is the snake, this is the basket; the snake is one thing, the basket is another; it is from the basket that the snake has been drawn.

In the same way, when the mind of a disciple is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the creation of a mind-made body.

This is for his wisdom.

When the mind of a disciple is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the various kinds of supernormal powers.

He experiences various kinds of supernormal powers: being one, he becomes many; being many, he becomes one; he appears and vanishes; he goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space; he dives in and out of the earth as if it were water; he walks on water without sinking as if it were earth; seated cross-legged, he flies through the air like a winged bird; with his hand he touches and strokes the moon and sun, mighty and powerful as they are; he exercises influence with his body as far as the Brahma world.

Just as a skilled potter or his apprentice can create whatever kind of pottery he wishes from well-prepared clay, or just as a skilled ivory carver or his apprentice can create whatever kind of ivory work he wishes from well-prepared ivory, or just as a skilled goldsmith or his apprentice can create whatever kind of gold work he wishes from well-prepared gold, so too, when the mind of a disciple is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the various kinds of supernormal powers.

This is for his wisdom.

With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing the human, he hears both kinds of sounds, divine and human, whether near or far.

Just as a man traveling along a road might hear the sound of a drum, a conch, a cymbal, or a small drum, and he would know that it is the sound of a drum, a conch, a cymbal, or a small drum, so too, when the mind of a disciple is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the divine ear element.

With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing the human, he hears both kinds of sounds, divine and human, whether near or far. This is for his wisdom.

He understands the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with his own mind.

He understands a mind with lust as a mind with lust, and a mind without lust as a mind without lust; a mind with hate as a mind with hate, and a mind without hate as a mind without hate; a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion; a contracted mind as a contracted mind, and a distracted mind as a distracted mind; an exalted mind as an exalted mind, and an unexalted mind as an unexalted mind; a surpassed mind as a surpassed mind, and an unsurpassed mind as an unsurpassed mind; a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind; a liberated mind as a liberated mind, and an unliberated mind as an unliberated mind.

Just as a young woman or man, fond of adornment, examining the reflection of their own face in a clear, bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water, would know whether there is a blemish or not, so too, when the mind of a disciple is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, free from impurities, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowing of the minds of others.

He understands the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with his own mind.

This is for his wisdom.

There is wisdom.

With the mind thus concentrated ... directed and inclined to the knowing of the recollection of past lives.

He recollects his manifold past lives.

That is to say, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many eons of world-contraction, many eons of world-expansion, many eons of world-contraction and expansion: There I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, such was my sustenance, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my lifes end.

Passing away from there, I reappeared elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, such was my sustenance, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my lifes end.

Passing away from there, I reappeared here. Thus he recollects his manifold past lives in their modes and details.

Just as a man might go from his own village to another village, and from that village to another village, and from that village return to his own village. He would think: I went from my own village to that village, there I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, spoke in such a way, was silent in such a way.

From that village I went to another village, there too I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, spoke in such a way, was silent in such a way. From that village I returned to my own village.

In the same way, a disciple ... with the mind thus concentrated ... directed and inclined to the knowing of the recollection of past lives.

He recollects his manifold past lives. That is to say, one birth ... thus he recollects his manifold past lives in their modes and details.

This is his wisdom.

With the mind thus concentrated ... directed and inclined to the knowing of the passing away and reappearance of beings.

With the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions: These beings, who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views, with the breakup of the body, after death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, even in hell.

But these beings, who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, and mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views, with the breakup of the body, after death, have reappeared in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

Thus with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions.

Just as if there were a mansion in the central square, and a man with good sight standing there might see people entering a house, leaving it, walking along the street, and sitting in the central square. He would think: These people are entering a house, these are leaving it, these are walking along the street, and these are sitting in the central square.

In the same way, a disciple ... with the mind thus concentrated ... directed and inclined to the knowing of the passing away and reappearance of beings.

This is his wisdom.

With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the knowing of the destruction of the taints.

He understands as it really is: This is suffering; he understands as it really is: This is the origin of suffering; he understands as it really is: This is the cessation of suffering; he understands as it really is: This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

He understands as it really is: These are the taints; he understands as it really is: This is the origin of the taints; he understands as it really is: This is the cessation of the taints; he understands as it really is: This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.

When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance.

When it is liberated, there comes the knowing: It is liberated. He understands: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.

Just as if there were a clear, undisturbed, and unclouded lake in a mountain recess. A man with good sight standing on the bank would see shells, gravel, and pebbles, and shoals of fish moving about and staying still.

Standing still. He would think: This water pond is clear, bright, and undisturbed. Here, these shells, pebbles, and schools of fish are moving and standing still.

In the same way, a disciple...

When, a disciple with a mind thus concentrated... having attained imperturbability, directs and inclines his mind towards the knowing of the destruction of the taints.

He understands as it really is: This is suffering...

He understands as it really is: This is the path leading to the cessation of the taints.

Knowing and seeing thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, the taint of becoming, and the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated, there comes the knowing: It is liberated. He understands: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.

This is his wisdom.

This, is the noble aggregate of wisdom praised by the Blessed One, in which he instructed, established, and grounded the people.

There is nothing further to be done here.

Wonderful, venerable Ānanda, marvelous, venerable Ānanda.

This noble aggregate of wisdom is complete, not incomplete.

Thus complete, venerable Ānanda, I do not see this noble aggregate of wisdom outside of this in other ascetics and brahmins.

There is nothing further to be done here.

Excellent, venerable Ānanda, excellent, venerable Ānanda.

Just as, venerable Ānanda, one might set upright what was overturned, reveal what was hidden, show the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms; in the same way, venerable Ānanda, the Dhamma has been made clear by you in many ways.

I go to the Blessed One Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of disciples.

May venerable Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone to refuge from this day forth for life.

The discourse on Subha is finished.