SN35.95 — Mālukyaputtasutta
Then the venerable Mālukyaputta approached the Blessed One … and … sitting to one side, the venerable Mālukyaputta said to the Blessed One:
It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute.
What should we say now, Mālukyaputta, to an elder disciple who asks for a brief teaching? When you, disciple, are old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, and come to the last stage, you ask for a brief instruction.
Yet, venerable sir, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in brief; let the Well-Gone One teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that I may understand the meaning of the Blessed Ones words. So that I may become an heir to the Blessed Ones words.
What do you think, Mālukyaputta, about forms cognizable by the eye that are unseen, never before seen, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for them?
No, venerable sir.
What about sounds cognizable by the ear that are unheard, never before heard, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for them?
No, venerable sir.
What about odors cognizable by the nose that are unsmelled, never before smelled, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for them?
No, venerable sir.
What about flavors cognizable by the tongue that are untasted, never before tasted, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for them?
No, venerable sir.
What about tactile objects cognizable by the body that are untouched, never before touched, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for them?
No, venerable sir.
What about mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are unknown, never before known, do you have any desire, lust, or affection for them?
No, venerable sir.
In this case, Mālukyaputta, regarding things seen, heard, sensed, and cognized by you, in the seen there will be just the seen, in the heard just the heard, in the sensed just the sensed, in the cognized just the cognized. When, Mālukyaputta, in the seen there is just the seen, in the heard just the heard, in the sensed just the sensed, in the cognized just the cognized, then, Mālukyaputta, you are not by that. When you are not by that, then you are not in that. When you are not in that, then you are neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. This, just this, is the end of suffering.
I understand in detail, venerable sir, the meaning of what has been said by the Blessed One in brief:
Seeing a form with mindfulness lost,
Attending to the pleasing sign,
One experiences it with a covetous mind,
And remains holding to it.
Such feelings grow there,
From forms manifold arising;
Desire and discontent,
And the mind is overwhelmed by them;
Thus one accumulates suffering,
This is called the cessation of nibbāna.
Hearing a sound …
Smelling an odor …
Tasting a flavor …
Feeling a touch …
Knowing a mental phenomenon with mindfulness lost,
Attending to the pleasing sign,
One experiences it with a covetous mind,
And remains holding to it.
Such feelings grow there,
From mental phenomena manifold arising;
Desire and discontent,
And the mind is overwhelmed by them;
Thus one accumulates suffering,
This is called the cessation of nibbāna.
One does not delight in forms,
Seeing a form with mindfulness,
With a detached mind one experiences it,
And does not remain holding to it.
Thus.
As he sees a form,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
He is not delighted by sounds,
Upon hearing a sound and reflecting;
His mind detached, feels,
And he does not cling to it.
As he hears a sound,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
He is not delighted by smells,
Upon smelling a scent and reflecting;
His mind detached, feels,
And he does not cling to it.
As he smells a scent,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
He is not delighted by tastes,
Upon tasting a flavor and reflecting;
His mind detached, feels,
And he does not cling to it.
As he tastes a flavor,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
He is not delighted by touches,
Upon touching and reflecting;
His mind detached, feels,
And he does not cling to it.
As he touches,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
He is not delighted by phenomena,
Upon knowing a dhamma and reflecting;
His mind detached, feels,
And he does not cling to it.
As he knows a dhamma,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
I understand, said I, the meaning of what the Blessed One has spoken in brief.
Well done, Malunkyaputta.
Well done, Malunkyaputta, you have understood the meaning of what I have spoken in brief:
Seeing a form, mindfulness is lost,
Taking a pleasant sign into mind;
His mind affected, feels,
And he clings to it.
His feelings grow,
From various forms arising;
Covetousness and distress,
His mind is overwhelmed;
Thus accumulating suffering,
Far is Nibbana said to be.
He is not delighted by phenomena,
Upon knowing a dhamma and reflecting;
His mind detached, feels,
And he does not cling to it.
As he knows a dhamma,
And experiences a feeling;
It wears away, not accumulating,
Thus he moves mindfully;
Thus diminishing suffering,
Nibbana is said to be near.
This is how, Malunkyaputta, the meaning of what I have spoken in brief should be seen.
Then the venerable Malunkyaputta, having approved and agreed with what the Blessed One had said, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, and, keeping him on his right, departed.
Then the venerable Malunkyaputta, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, in no long time reached and remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home to homelessness, directly knowing and realizing it for himself in this very life.
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, he directly knew.
And the venerable Malunkyaputta became another one of the arahants.