MN18 — Madhupiṇḍika Sutta

Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Park.

Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Kapilavatthu for alms. Having wandered for alms in Kapilavatthu and after the meal, on his return from the alms round, he went to the Great Forest for the day's abiding. Having entered the Great Forest, he sat down at the foot of a bilva tree for the day's abiding.

Dandapani the Sakyan, while walking and wandering for exercise, also went to the Great Forest. Having entered the Great Forest, he went to where the bilva tree was, where the Blessed One was; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One.

After the exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, Dandapani stood to one side. Standing to one side, Dandapani the Sakyan said to the Blessed One:

What does the recluse assert? What does he proclaim?

Friend, I assert and proclaim such a teaching that one does not quarrel with anyone in the world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, in this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its princes and people; and as for the perceptions of sensual pleasures, having abandoned them, without clinging, a brahmin remains unagitated, without doubt, having cut off worry, free from craving for any kind of being.

So said, Dandapani the Sakyan shook his head, wagged his tongue, and raising his eyebrows until his forehead was furrowed into three lines, took his leave, leaning on his stick.

Then, in the evening, the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and went to the Banyan Park; having gone there, he sat down on the prepared seat. Sitting there, the Blessed One addressed the disciples:

Here in the morning, having dressed, taking my bowl and robe, I entered Kapilavatthu for alms. Having wandered for alms in Kapilavatthu and after the meal, on my return from the alms round, I went to the Great Forest for the day's abiding.

Having entered the Great Forest, I sat down at the foot of a bilva tree for the day's abiding. Dandapani the Sakyan, while walking and wandering for exercise, also went to the Great Forest. Having entered the Great Forest, he went to where the bilva tree was, where I was; having approached, he exchanged greetings with me.

After the exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, Dandapani stood to one side. Standing to one side, Dandapani the Sakyan said to me: What does the recluse assert? What does he proclaim? So said, I replied to Dandapani the Sakyan: Friend, I assert and proclaim such a teaching that one does not quarrel with anyone in the world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, in this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its princes and people; and as for the perceptions of sensual pleasures, having abandoned them, without clinging, a brahmin remains unagitated, without doubt, having cut off worry, free from craving for any kind of being.

So said, Dandapani the Sakyan shook his head, wagged his tongue, and raising his eyebrows until his forehead was furrowed into three lines, took his leave, leaning on his stick.

So said, a certain disciple asked the Blessed One: But, venerable sir, what does the Blessed One assert? How does the Blessed One proclaim so that one does not quarrel with anyone in the world? And how is it that perceptions of sensual pleasures do not follow that brahmin who abides unagitated, without doubt, having cut off worry, free from craving for any kind of being?

Disciple, it is because of the proliferation of perceptions and notions born of mental proliferation that beings are afflicted, troubled, bound, and anxious. Here, not finding anything enjoyable or endearing, there is the end of the underlying tendencies to greed, aversion, views, doubt, conceit, desire for existence, and ignorance. This is the end of taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, disputes, strife, recrimination, malicious words, and false speech. Here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this before entering the monastery.

Then, not long after the Blessed One had gone, the disciples considered: The Blessed One has given a brief teaching without explaining the detailed meaning: Disciple, it is because of the proliferation of perceptions and notions born of mental proliferation that beings are afflicted... Here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Who now will explain the detailed meaning of this brief teaching given by the Blessed One?

Then the disciples thought: The venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life. He is capable of explaining the detailed meaning of this brief teaching given by the Blessed One.

Respected and esteemed by the wise and all fellow disciples, Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of elaborating in detail the meaning of the brief teaching given by the Blessed One, which has not been detailed. Let us approach Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, let us inquire about this matter from Venerable Mahākaccāna.

Then, those disciples approached Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, they exchanged greetings with Venerable Mahākaccāna. After exchanging courteous and meaningful greetings, they sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, those disciples said to Venerable Mahākaccāna: Friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One, after giving a brief teaching without detailing its meaning, entered the monastery: From where do perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a man? If there is nothing found there to delight in, to welcome, to hold to.

This is the end of the underlying tendency to lust... here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. It occurred to us, friend Kaccāna, soon after the Blessed One had left, The Blessed One, after giving a brief teaching without detailing its meaning, entered the monastery: From where do perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a man? If there is nothing found there to delight in, to welcome, to hold to.

This is the end of the underlying tendency to lust... here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Who now will detail the meaning of this brief teaching given by the Blessed One? It occurred to us, friend Kaccāna, Venerable Mahākaccāna is respected and esteemed by the teacher and by the wise and all fellow disciples, and is capable of detailing the meaning of the brief teaching given by the Blessed One.

Let us approach Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, let us inquire about this matter from Venerable Mahākaccāna. Please explain, Venerable Mahākaccāna.

Just as, friends, a person seeking the heartwood, searching for the heartwood, undertaking a quest for the heartwood, might go past the root and trunk of a great tree standing possessed of heartwood and seek the heartwood among the branches and leaves; similarly, having the Blessed One present before you, you think to inquire about this matter from me, having bypassed the Blessed One.

The Blessed One knows and sees, is the eye, the knowing, the Dhamma, the Brahma, the speaker, the proclaimer, the bringer of truth, the giver of the deathless, the lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. That was the time to ask the Blessed One about this matter. Whatever the Blessed One would have explained to you, that you should have remembered.

Indeed, friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One knows and sees, is the eye, the knowing, the Dhamma, the Brahma, the speaker, the proclaimer, the bringer of truth, the giver of the deathless, the lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. That was the time to ask the Blessed One about this matter. Whatever the Blessed One would have explained to us, that we should have remembered. However, Venerable Mahākaccāna is respected and esteemed by the teacher and by the wise and all fellow disciples, and is capable of detailing the meaning of the brief teaching given by the Blessed One. Please explain, Venerable Mahākaccāna, without holding back.

Then, friends, listen and attend closely, I will speak, said Venerable Mahākaccāna. Yes, friend, those disciples replied to Venerable Mahākaccāna. Venerable Mahākaccāna said: Friends, the Blessed One, after giving a brief teaching without detailing its meaning, entered the monastery: From where do perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a man? If there is nothing found there to delight in, to welcome, to hold to, this is the end of the underlying tendency to lust... here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. I understand the detailed meaning of this brief teaching given by the Blessed One as follows:

Depending on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as a condition, there is feeling; what one feels, one perceives; what one perceives, one thinks about; what one thinks about, one proliferates. From that as a source, perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a man regarding past, future, and present forms cognizable through the eye.

Friend, depending on sound, ear-consciousness arises …

Friend, depending on odors, nose-consciousness arises …

Friend, depending on flavors, tongue-consciousness arises …

Friend, depending on tactile objects, body-consciousness arises …

Friend, depending on mental objects, mind-consciousness arises, contact is the coming together of the three, contact conditions feeling, what one feels, one perceives, what one perceives, one thinks about, what one thinks about, one proliferates, from what one proliferates, perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a person with respect to past, future, and present mental objects cognizable by the mind.

Thus, friend, when there is the eye, forms, and eye-consciousness, the designation of contact is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of contact, the designation of feeling is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of feeling, the designation of perception is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of perception, the designation of thought is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of thought, the designation of the proliferation of perceptions and notions is possible: there is a possibility for this.

Thus, friend, when there is the ear and sounds

when there is the nose and odors

when there is the tongue and flavors

when there is the body and tactile objects

when there is the mind, mental objects, and mind-consciousness, the designation of contact is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of contact, the designation of feeling is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of feeling, the designation of perception is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of perception, the designation of thought is possible: there is a possibility for this.

With the designation of thought, the designation of the proliferation of perceptions and notions is possible: there is a possibility for this.

Thus, friend, when there is no eye, no forms, and no eye-consciousness, the designation of contact is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of contact, the designation of feeling is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of feeling, the designation of perception is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of perception, the designation of thought is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of thought, the designation of the proliferation of perceptions and notions is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

Thus, friend, when there is no ear and no sounds

when there is no nose and no odors

when there is no tongue and no flavors

when there is no body and no tactile objects

when there is no mind, no mental objects, and no mind-consciousness, the designation of contact is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of contact, the designation of feeling is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of feeling, the designation of perception is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of perception, the designation of thought is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

With no designation of thought, the designation of the proliferation of perceptions and notions is not possible: there is no possibility for this.

What the Blessed One briefly stated without explaining in detail, having entered the dwelling after rising from his seat:

From that origin perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a person. Here, there is nothing to be delighted in, nothing to be welcomed, nothing to be clung to. This is the end of the underlying tendencies to lust.

Here, these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder, I understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One's brief statement as such.

And you, venerable sirs, desiring to do so, should approach the Blessed One himself and ask him about this matter.

As the Blessed One explains it to you, so you should remember it.

Then those disciples, having delighted and rejoiced in Venerable Mahākaccāna's words, rose from their seats and approached the Blessed One; having approached, having paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down at one side. While sitting at one side, those disciples said to the Blessed One:

Venerable Sir, the Blessed One briefly stated without explaining in detail, having entered the dwelling after rising from his seat:

From that origin perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a person.

Here, there is nothing to be delighted in, nothing to be welcomed, nothing to be clung to.

This is the end of the underlying tendencies to lust

Here, these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.

Venerable Sir, not long after the Blessed One had left, it occurred to us:

This is what the Blessed One briefly stated without explaining in detail, having entered the dwelling after rising from his seat:

From that origin perceptions and notions born of proliferation beset a person.

Here, there is nothing to be delighted in, nothing to be welcomed, nothing to be clung to. This is the end of the underlying tendencies to lust, aversion, views, doubt, conceit, craving for existence, and ignorance. This is the end of taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, disputes, strife, recrimination, malicious words, and false speech. Here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.

Who now could detail the meaning of this brief statement made by the Blessed One, not detailed by him in its extended form? It occurred to us, venerable sir, that the venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the teacher and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life.

Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of detailing the meaning of this brief statement made by the Blessed One, not detailed by him in its extended form. Why don't we go to venerable Mahākaccāna and ask him about this matter? So, we went to venerable Mahākaccāna and asked him about this matter. Venerable Mahākaccāna detailed the meaning to us in this way, with these terms, statements, and phrases.

Disciples, Mahākaccāna is wise; he has great wisdom. If you had asked me about this matter, I would have explained it to you in the same way that Mahākaccāna has explained it. That is the meaning of this, and you should remember it in this way.

When this was said, venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: Suppose, venerable sir, a man, afflicted and oppressed by hunger and weakness, came upon a honeyball. Wherever he would taste it, he would find a sweet, delectable flavor. Similarly, venerable sir, a disciple, in whatever way he develops and cultivates this discourse on the Dhamma, would find satisfaction and joy of mind. What is the name of this discourse on the Dhamma?

Therefore, Ānanda, you should remember this discourse on the Dhamma as the Honeyball Discourse.

The Blessed One said this.

Venerable Ānanda was pleased and delighted in the Blessed One's words.

The Honeyball Discourse is concluded.