MN128 — The Discourse on Corruptions
So I have heard:
at one time the Tathāgata was staying at Kosambī in Ghosita's Monastery.
Now at that time the disciples in Kosambī were given to arguing, quarreling, and disputing, wounding each other with the weapons of the mouth.
Then a certain disciple went to the Tathāgata, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:
Sir, the disciples here in Kosambī are given to arguing, quarreling, and disputing, wounding each other with the weapons of the mouth.
Please, sir, go to those disciples out of compassion.
The Tathāgata consented in silence.
Then the Tathāgata went up to those disciples, and said to them:
Enough, disciples. Stop arguing, quarreling, disputing, and fighting.
When he said this, a certain disciple said to the Tathāgata:
Wait, sir.
The Tathāgata is the Lord of the Dhamma.
Let the Tathāgata live inactive, devoted to a pleasant abiding in the present life.
We are the ones who will be known by this arguing, quarreling, disputing, and fighting.
For a second time the Tathāgata said to those disciples:
Enough, disciples. Stop arguing, quarreling, disputing, and fighting.
For a second time that disciple said to the Tathāgata:
Wait, sir.
The Tathāgata is the Lord of the Dhamma.
Let the Tathāgata live inactive, devoted to a pleasant abiding in the present life.
We are the ones who will be known by this arguing, quarreling, disputing, and fighting.
For a third time the Tathāgata said to those disciples:
Enough, disciples. Stop arguing, quarreling, disputing, and fighting.
For a third time that disciple said to the Tathāgata:
Wait, sir.
The Tathāgata is the Lord of the Dhamma.
Let the Tathāgata live inactive, devoted to a pleasant abiding in the present life.
We are the ones who will be known by this arguing, quarreling, disputing, and fighting.
Then the Tathāgata robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosambī for alms.
After wandering for alms in Kosambī, returning from the almsround after the meal, he set his lodgings in order. Taking his bowl and robe, he recited these verses while standing right there:
When the crowd all yells at once,
no one thinks themselves a fool.
While the Sangha is being split,
they don't consider anything else.
They have lost their senses, though seeming wise;
they speak whatever comes into their field of speech.
They say whatever they want,
unaware of what leads them on.
‘They abused me, they hit me,
they beat me, they robbed me!
For those who hold such a grudge,
hatred never ends.
‘They abused me, they hit me,
they beat me, they robbed me!
For those who don't hold such a grudge,
hatred does come to an end.
For never is hatred settled by hatred
here at any time;
it is settled by love,
this is an ancient law.
Others do not know
that here we must restrain ourselves.
But those who do know this,
their quarrels are settled.
Those who break bones and take lives,
stealing cattle, horses, and wealth,
those who plunder the realm:
even they can come together;
why can't you?
If you find an alert companion,
a wise and virtuous friend to walk with,
overcoming all dangers,
wander with them, joyful and mindful.
If you do not find an alert companion,
a wise and virtuous friend to walk with,
like a king who has abandoned his conquered realm,
wander alone like a bull elephant in the forest.
It is better to wander alone,
there is no fellowship with a fool.
Wander alone and do no wrong,
at ease like a bull elephant in the forest.
Then the Tathāgata, having spoken these verses while standing right there, went to the village of Bālaka the salt-maker.
Now at that time Venerable Bhagu was staying at the village of Bālaka the salt-maker.
Venerable Bhagu saw the Tathāgata coming off in the distance,
and prepared a seat and water to wash his feet.
The Tathāgata sat on the seat prepared
and washed his feet.
Venerable Bhagu bowed to the Tathāgata and sat to one side.
The Tathāgata said to him:
I hope you are keeping well, disciple; I hope you are getting by; I hope you are not having trouble getting almsfood.
I am keeping well, Tathāgata; I am getting by; I am not having trouble getting almsfood.
Then the Tathāgata instructed, urged, roused, and encouraged Venerable Bhagu with a Dhamma talk, after which he got up from his seat and went to the Eastern Bamboo Park.
Now at that time the venerables Anuruddha, Nandiya, and Kimbila were staying in the Eastern Bamboo Park.
The park keeper saw the Tathāgata coming off in the distance
and said to him:
Do not enter this park, great ascetic.
There are three young men of good family staying here, seeking their own good.
Do not disturb them.
Venerable Anuruddha heard the park keeper talking with the Tathāgata,
and he said to him:
Friend park keeper, do not stop the Tathāgata.
Our teacher, the Tathāgata, has arrived.
Then Venerable Anuruddha went up to Venerable Nandiya and Venerable Kimbila and said:
Come out, venerables, come out! Our teacher, the Tathāgata, has arrived.
Then the venerables Anuruddha, Nandiya, and Kimbila went out to meet the Tathāgata.
One took his bowl and robe, one prepared a seat, and one set out water for washing his feet.
The Tathāgata sat on the seat prepared
and washed his feet.
And those venerables bowed to the Tathāgata and sat to one side.
The Tathāgata said to Venerable Anuruddha:
I hope you are keeping well, Anuruddhas; I hope you are getting by; I hope you are not having trouble getting almsfood.
We are keeping well, Tathāgata; we are getting by; we are not having trouble getting almsfood.
But I hope you are living in harmony, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, looking at each other with kindly eyes?
Indeed, sir, we are living in harmony, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, looking at each other with kindly eyes.
But how do you live in such harmony?
Here, sir, I consider:
‘It is truly a gain for me, a great gain for me,
that I am living with such spiritual companions.
I maintain bodily acts of goodwill toward these venerables, both openly and privately.
I maintain verbal acts of goodwill toward them, both openly and privately.
I maintain mental acts of goodwill toward them, both openly and privately.
I consider:
‘Why don't I set aside my own mind and just fall in with the minds of these venerables?
So I set aside my own mind and fall in with the minds of these venerables.
Our bodies are different, sir, but our minds, I think, are one.
And Venerable Nandiya …
and Venerable Kimbila said to the Tathāgata:
I too, sir, consider:
‘It is truly a gain for me, a great gain for me,
that I am living with such spiritual companions.
I maintain bodily acts of goodwill toward these venerables, both openly and privately.
I maintain verbal acts of goodwill toward them, both openly and privately.
I maintain mental acts of goodwill toward them, both openly and privately.
I consider:
‘Why don't I set aside my own mind and just fall in with the minds of these venerables?
So I set aside my own mind and fall in with the minds of these venerables.
Our bodies are different, sir, but our minds, I think, are one.
That is how we live in harmony, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, looking at each other with kindly eyes.
Good, good, Anuruddhas.
But I hope you live diligent, keen, and resolute?
Indeed, sir, we live diligent, keen, and resolute.
But how do you live so diligent, keen, and resolute?
Here, sir, whoever returns first from the village from almsround prepares the seats, and sets out the drinking water, the washing water, and the waste bin.
Whoever returns last from the village from almsround eats any leftovers, if they want; if not, they throw them out where there is little grass or drop them into water where there are no living creatures.
They put away the seats, the drinking water, and the washing water. They wash the waste bin and put it away, and they sweep the dining hall.
Whoever sees the pot for drinking water, the pot for washing water, or the pot for the restroom empty and hollow sets it up.
If they cannot do it alone, they gesture with their hand to ask for help, and they set it up together. But we do not break into speech for this reason.
And every five days we sit together all night discussing the Dhamma.
That is how we live diligent, keen, and resolute.
Good, good, Anuruddhas.
But as you live so diligent, keen, and resolute, have you achieved any superhuman state, an extraordinary knowing and vision worthy of the noble ones, a pleasant abiding?
Here, sir, as we live diligent, keen, and resolute, we perceive light and we see forms.
But soon that light vanishes, and the vision of forms.
And we have not penetrated that sign.
You should penetrate that sign, Anuruddhas.
Before my awakening, when I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, I too perceived light and saw forms.
But soon my light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I considered:
‘What is the cause, what is the condition why my light vanished, and the vision of forms?
I considered:
‘Doubt arose in me, and because of doubt my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt does not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light and saw forms.
But soon my light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I considered:
‘What is the cause, what is the condition why my light vanished, and the vision of forms?
I considered:
‘Loss of focus arose in me, and because of loss of focus my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt and loss of focus do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Dullness and drowsiness arose in me, and because of dullness and drowsiness my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, and dullness and drowsiness do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Terror arose in me, and because of terror my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
Suppose a man was traveling along a road, and assassins jumped out on both sides; because of that terror would arise in him.
In the same way, terror arose in me, and because of terror my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, and terror do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Elation arose in me, and because of elation my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
Suppose a man was seeking one hidden treasure, and all at once he came upon five hidden treasures; because of that elation would arise in him.
In the same way, elation arose in me, and because of elation my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, and elation do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Heaviness arose in me, and because of heaviness my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, and heaviness do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Over-exertion arose in me, and because of over-exertion my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
Suppose a man gripped a quail tightly with both hands; it would die right there.
In the same way, over-exertion arose in me, and because of over-exertion my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, heaviness, and over-exertion do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Lax energy arose in me, and because of lax energy my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
Suppose a man gripped a quail loosely; it would fly out of his hands.
In the same way, lax energy arose in me, and because of lax energy my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, heaviness, over-exertion, and lax energy do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Longing arose in me, and because of longing my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, heaviness, over-exertion, lax energy, and longing do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute …
I considered:
‘Perception of diversity arose in me, and because of perception of diversity my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, heaviness, over-exertion, lax energy, longing, and perception of diversity do not arise in me again.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light and saw forms.
But soon my light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I considered:
‘What is the cause, what is the condition why my light vanished, and the vision of forms?
I considered:
‘Excessive contemplation of forms arose in me, and because of excessive contemplation of forms my concentration fell away.
When concentration fell away, the light vanished, and the vision of forms.
I will act so that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, heaviness, over-exertion, lax energy, longing, perception of diversity, and excessive contemplation of forms do not arise in me again.
Understanding that doubt is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned doubt as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that loss of focus is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned loss of focus as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that dullness and drowsiness is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned dullness and drowsiness as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that terror is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned terror as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that elation is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned elation as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that heaviness is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned heaviness as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that over-exertion is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned over-exertion as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that lax energy is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned lax energy as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that longing is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned longing as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that perception of diversity is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned perception of diversity as a corruption of the mind.
Understanding that excessive contemplation of forms is a corruption of the mind, I abandoned excessive contemplation of forms as a corruption of the mind.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light, but I did not see forms.
And I saw forms, but I did not perceive light
for a whole night, or a whole day, or a whole day and night.
I considered:
‘What is the cause, what is the condition why I perceive light but do not see forms,
and I see forms but do not perceive light
for a whole night, or a whole day, or a whole day and night?
I considered:
‘At a time when I lose focus on the sign of form and attend to the sign of light, I perceive light but do not see forms.
At a time when I lose focus on the sign of light and attend to the sign of form, I see forms but do not perceive light:
for a whole night, or a whole day, or a whole day and night.
Living diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived limited light and saw limited forms.
And I perceived limitless light and saw limitless forms
for a whole night, or a whole day, or a whole day and night.
I considered:
‘What is the cause, what is the condition why I perceive limited light and see limited forms,
and I perceive limitless light and see limitless forms:
for a whole night, or a whole day, or a whole day and night?
I considered:
‘When my concentration is limited, my vision is limited.
With limited vision I perceive limited light and see limited forms.
But when my concentration is limitless, my vision is limitless.
With limitless vision I perceive limitless light and see limitless forms:
for a whole night, or a whole day, or a whole day and night.
When I known that doubt is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that loss of focus is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that dullness and drowsiness is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that terror is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that elation is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that heaviness is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that over-exertion is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that lax energy is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that longing is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that perception of diversity is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it,
when I known that excessive contemplation of forms is a corruption of the mind, and abandoned it;
I considered:
‘The corruptions of my mind have been abandoned.
Now let me develop concentration in three ways.
Thus, Anuruddha, I developed concentration with initial application and sustained application, concentration without initial application but with only sustained application, concentration without initial application or sustained application, concentration accompanied by happiness, concentration without happiness, concentration accompanied by pleasure, and concentration accompanied by equanimity.
When, Anuruddha, concentration with initial application and sustained application was developed, concentration without initial application but with only sustained application was developed, concentration without initial application or sustained application was developed, concentration accompanied by happiness was developed, concentration without happiness was developed, concentration accompanied by pleasure was developed, concentration accompanied by equanimity was developed.
knowing and vision arose in me:
‘My liberation of mind is unshakable. This is my last birth; there is no more renewed existence.
This is what the Tathāgata said.
Satisfied, Venerable Anuruddha rejoiced in what the Tathāgata said.
The Discourse on Corruptions is finished.