MN53 — Sekha Pāṭipada Sutta - The Trainee's Mode of Progress
Thus have I heard. On one occasion, the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Park. At that time, a new assembly hall of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu had been recently constructed, and it had not yet been used 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. While seated to one side, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu said to the Blessed One, Here, venerable sir, a new assembly hall of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu has been recently constructed, and it has not yet been used by any ascetic, brahmin, or human being. May the Blessed One be the first to use it. After it has been used by the Blessed One, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu will use it. This will be for the long-term welfare and happiness of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.
The Blessed One consented by silence. Then, knowing the Blessed One's consent, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, and, keeping him on their right, went to the new assembly hall. Having arrived, they spread coverings all over the assembly hall, prepared seats, set up a water vessel, and lit an oil lamp. Then they approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and stood to one side.
While standing to one side, the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu said to the Blessed One, The assembly hall has been spread with coverings, venerable sir, seats have been prepared, a water vessel has been set up, and an oil lamp has been lit. Whenever the Blessed One considers it the right time.
Then the Blessed One, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, went to the assembly hall with the community of disciples. Having arrived, he washed his feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat down against the central pillar facing east. The community of disciples also washed their feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat down against the western wall facing east, with the Blessed One in front of them. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu also washed their feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat down against the eastern wall facing west, with the Blessed One in front of them.
Then the Blessed One, having instructed, inspired, encouraged, and gladdened the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu with a Dhamma talk for much of the night, addressed the Venerable Ānanda.
Let it be clear to you, Ānanda, that among the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu, there is a disciple in training who is on the path. My back is aching; I will stretch it, said the Blessed One. Yes, venerable sir, replied the Venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One arranged his robe in four folds, lay down on his right side in the lion's posture, placing one foot on the other, mindful and fully aware, with the intention of rising.
Then the Venerable Ānanda addressed Mahānāma the Sakyan: Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is endowed with virtue, guards the doors of the sense faculties, is moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, possesses the seven good qualities, and easily attains the four jhānas, which are the higher mental states and the pleasant abiding in this very life, without difficulty or trouble.
And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple endowed with virtue? Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is virtuous, dwelling restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, and undertaking the training rules. Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is endowed with virtue.
And how, Mahānāma, does a noble disciple guard the doors of the sense faculties? Here, Mahānāma, a noble 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 covetousness and grief might invade him, he practices the way of its restraint, guards 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 phenomenon with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs and features. Since, if he left the mind faculty unguarded, evil, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he practices the way of its restraint, guards the mind faculty, and undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty. Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple guards the doors of the sense faculties.
And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple moderate in eating? Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple reflects wisely and takes food neither for amusement nor for intoxication nor for the sake of physical beauty and attractiveness, but only for the endurance and continuance of this body, for ending discomfort, and for assisting the holy life, considering, Thus I shall terminate old feelings without arousing new feelings, and I shall be healthy and blameless and live in comfort.
Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is one who knows moderation in eating. And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple devoted to wakefulness? Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple purifies the mind from obstructive states during the day through walking and sitting meditation. In the first watch of the night, he purifies the mind from obstructive states through walking and sitting meditation. In the middle watch of the night, he lies down on his right side in the lion's posture, with one foot placed on the other, mindful and clearly aware, with the intention of rising. In the last watch of the night, upon rising, he purifies the mind from obstructive states through walking and sitting meditation. Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is devoted to 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, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowing and conduct, well-gone, knower of the worlds, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed.
He is conscientious, feeling shame at bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, and mental misconduct, and feeling shame at the acquisition of evil, unwholesome states. He is prudent, feeling fear of bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, and mental misconduct, and feeling fear of the acquisition of evil, unwholesome states.
He is learned, a bearer of the teachings, one who has accumulated what he has heard. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, complete and pure, encompassing the holy life: such teachings he has heard much, retained, recited verbally, investigated mentally, and penetrated well by view.
He dwells with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states, strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility of cultivating wholesome states.
He is mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and discernment, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago.
He is wise, endowed with wisdom that sees the arising and passing away, noble and penetrating, leading to the complete destruction of suffering.
Thus, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is endowed with the seven true qualities.
And how, Mahānāma, is a noble disciple one who easily attains, without difficulty, the four jhānas that are the higher mental states, the pleasant abiding in this very life? Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... enters and dwells in the first jhāna.
With the calming of thought and examination, and the inner tranquility and clarity... he enters and dwells in the second jhāna; with the fading away of rapture... he enters and dwells in the third jhāna; with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief... he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. In this way, Mahānāma, a noble disciple becomes one who attains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that are the higher mental states and the pleasant abiding in the here and now.
When, Mahānāma, a noble disciple is thus endowed with virtue, guards the doors of the senses, is moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, possesses the seven good qualities, and attains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that are the higher mental states and the pleasant abiding in the here and now, he is called, Mahānāma, a noble disciple who is a learner, one who has entered upon the path, capable of breaking through, capable of awakening, capable of attaining the supreme security from bondage.
Just as, Mahānāma, when a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs, properly sat upon, properly warmed, properly incubated, even if she does not wish, Oh, that my chicks might pierce the eggshell with their claws or beaks and safely hatch out, yet those chicks are capable of piercing the eggshell with their claws or beaks and safely hatching out.
In the same way, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple is thus endowed with virtue, guards the doors of the senses, is moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, possesses the seven good qualities, and attains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that are the higher mental states and the pleasant abiding in the here and now, he is called, Mahānāma, a noble disciple who is a learner, one who has entered upon the path, capable of breaking through, capable of awakening, capable of attaining the supreme security from bondage.
Then, Mahānāma, that noble disciple, by attaining this supreme purity of equanimity and mindfulness, recollects his manifold past lives, such as one birth, two births... thus he recollects his manifold past lives with their aspects and details. This is his first breakthrough, like the chick breaking out of the eggshell.
Thus, Mahānāma, the noble disciple, having attained this supreme purity of equanimity and mindfulness, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, sees beings passing away and being reborn, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good destinations and bad destinations, and understands beings according to their actions. This is his second breakthrough, like a chick breaking out of its eggshell.
Thus, Mahānāma, the noble disciple, having attained this supreme purity of equanimity and mindfulness, through the destruction of the taints, attains the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowing, and dwells in it. This is his third breakthrough, like a chick breaking out of its eggshell.
Moreover, Mahānāma, when the noble disciple is accomplished in virtue, this is his conduct; when the noble disciple guards the doors of the sense faculties, this is his conduct; when the noble disciple is moderate in eating, this is his conduct; when the noble disciple is devoted to wakefulness, this is his conduct; when the noble disciple is endowed with the seven good qualities, this is his conduct; when the noble disciple attains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that are the higher mind, a pleasant abiding in this very life, this is his conduct.
Furthermore, Mahānāma, when the noble disciple recollects his manifold past lives, such as one birth, two births, ..., with their aspects and particulars, this is his knowing; when the noble disciple, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, sees beings passing away and being reborn, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good destinations and bad destinations, and understands beings according to their actions, this is his knowing; when the noble disciple, through the destruction of the taints, attains the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowing, and dwells in it, this is his knowing.
This, Mahānāma, is called a noble disciple accomplished in knowing, accomplished in conduct, accomplished in both knowing and conduct. This verse, Mahānāma, was spoken by the Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra: The noble one is supreme among people, those who rely on lineage; the one accomplished in knowing and conduct is supreme among gods and humans. This verse, Mahānāma, was well-spoken by the Brahmā Sanaṅkumāra, not poorly spoken; it was well-expressed, not poorly expressed; it is beneficial, not unbeneficial, and it is approved by the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One, having risen, addressed the Venerable Ānanda: Good, good, Ānanda, you have well spoken of the path of training for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu. Thus spoke the Venerable Ānanda. The Teacher approved. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu were delighted with the words of the Venerable Ānanda. The discourse on the trainees is concluded.