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Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.6 Linked Discourses 41.6
1. Cittavagga 1. With Citta
Dutiyakāmabhūsutta With Kāmabhū (2nd)
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā kāmabhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharati ambāṭakavane. At one time Venerable Kāmabhū was staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.
Atha kho citto gahapati yenāyasmā kāmabhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ etadavoca: Then Citta the householder went up to Venerable Kāmabhū, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“kati nu kho, bhante, saṅkhārā”ti? “Sir, how many processes are there?” Excepting the final question, Citta’s questions echo those of the layman Visākha to the nun Dhammadinnā (MN 44:13.1).
“Tayo kho, gahapati, saṅkhārā—“Householder, there are three processes.
kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāro”ti. The physical process, the verbal process, and the mental process.” These three “processes” (saṅkhāra) apply, as we shall see, in the development of meditation (DN 18:24.1). They must be distinguished from the similarly named three kinds of “choices” (saṅkhāra) that define volitional activity determining rebirth (i.e. karma, MN 57:8.2). In the three “processes”, the final item is always cittasaṅkhāra (“mental process”), whereas in the three “choices” the final item is usually manosaṅkhāra. While mano and citta both mean “mind”, mano leans to the sense of “volition”, while citta leans to the sense of “awareness”. It is a quirk of the Pali texts that they usually have cittasaṅkhāra in the context of dependent origination (but see SN 12.25:13.1), where the Sanskrit has the expected manaḥsaṁskāraḥ (SF 165 Ādisūtra, Arv 5.2 Arthaviniścayasūtra, SF 238 Pratītyasamutpādādivibhaṅganirdeśa).
“Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato kāmabhussa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” Citta approved and agreed with what Kāmabhū said. Then he asked another question:
“katamo pana, bhante, kāyasaṅkhāro, katamo vacīsaṅkhāro, katamo cittasaṅkhāro”ti? “But sir, what is the physical process? What’s the verbal process? What’s the mental process?”
“Assāsapassāsā kho, gahapati, kāyasaṅkhāro, vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti. “Breathing is a physical process. Placing the mind and keeping it connected are a verbal process. Perception and feeling are a mental process.”
“Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“kasmā pana, bhante, assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro, kasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti? “But sir, why is breathing a physical process? Why are placing the mind and keeping it connected a verbal process? Why are perception and feeling a mental process?”
“Assāsapassāsā kho, gahapati, kāyikā. Ete dhammā kāyappaṭibaddhā, tasmā assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro. “Breathing is physical. It’s tied up with the body, that’s why breathing is a physical process. Breathing is referred to as a “physical process” in the context of breath meditation to emphasize the natural stilling that occurs as the meditation settles. | As in MN 43, the questions are laying the groundwork for a discussion of deep meditation. Hence in these definitions what is being discussed is not “processes” in general, but the very last residue of activity or disturbance whose cessation marks the transition to a deeper level of consciousness.
Pubbe kho, gahapati, vitakketvā vicāretvā pacchā vācaṁ bhindati, tasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro. First you place the mind and keep it connected, then you break into speech. That’s why placing the mind and keeping it connected are a verbal process. Vitakka and vicāra have a more basic sense in ordinary states of mind (“thought” and “exploring”) and a more refined sense in the elevated consciousness of jhāna (“placing the mind” and “keeping it connected”). They act as a condition for breaking into speech, so any hint of such movement, no matter how subtle, must be abandoned.
Saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā. Ete dhammā cittappaṭibaddhā, tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti. Perception and feeling are mental. They’re tied up with the mind, that’s why perception and feeling are a mental process.” As with the verbal process, it is the two taken together that constitute a “process”.
“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“kathaṁ pana, bhante, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpatti hotī”ti? “But sir, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?”
“Na kho, gahapati, saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti: “A mendicant who is entering such an attainment does not think:
‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjissan’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno’ti vā. ‘I will enter the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling.’
Atha khvassa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti. Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.” Compare MN 43:28.2.
“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ nirujjhanti, yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti? “But sir, which cease first for a mendicant who is entering the cessation of perception and feeling: the physical, verbal, or mental process?”
“Saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa kho, gahapati, bhikkhuno vacīsaṅkhāro paṭhamaṁ nirujjhati, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato cittasaṅkhāro”ti. “The verbal process ceases first, then physical, then mental.” The verbal process ceases in the first absorption, the breath in the fourth absorption (SN 36.11:2.19), and feeling and perception in the attainment of cessation.
“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“yvāyaṁ, bhante, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, imesaṁ kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti? “What’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a mendicant who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling?”
“Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato tassa kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu parikkhīṇo, usmā vūpasantā, indriyāni viparibhinnāni. “When someone dies, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled; their vitality is spent; their warmth is dissipated; and their faculties have disintegrated.
Yo ca khvāyaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, tassapi kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu aparikkhīṇo, usmā avūpasantā, indriyāni vippasannāni. When a mendicant has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled. But their vitality is not spent; their warmth is not dissipated; and their faculties are very clear.
Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, idaṁ nesaṁ nānākaraṇan”ti. That’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a mendicant who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.”
“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“kathaṁ pana, bhante, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṁ hotī”ti? “But sir, how does someone emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling?”
“Na kho, gahapati, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti: “A mendicant who is emerging from such an attainment does not think:
‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahissan’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhito’ti vā. ‘I will emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling.’
Atha khvassa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti, yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti. Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.”
“Sādhu, bhante …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ uppajjanti, yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti? “But sir, which arise first for a mendicant who is emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling: the physical, verbal, or mental process?”
“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa, gahapati, bhikkhuno cittasaṅkhāro paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato vacīsaṅkhāro”ti. “The mental process arises first, then physical, then verbal.”
“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ pana, bhante, bhikkhuṁ kati phassā phusanti”? “But sir, when a mendicant has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, how many kinds of contact do they experience?”
“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ kho, gahapati, bhikkhuṁ tayo phassā phusanti—“They experience three kinds of contact:
suññato phasso, animitto phasso, appaṇihito phasso”ti. emptiness, signless, and undirected contacts.” See the discussion on various “releases of the heart” at MN 43:26.1ff. Here, when emerging from cessation, the higher form of release is meant, as the meditator’s mind naturally inclines toward liberating insight.
“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno kiṁninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kiṁpoṇaṁ, kiṁpabbhāran”ti? “But sir, when a mendicant has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, what does their mind slant, slope, and incline to?”
“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa kho, gahapati, bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāran”ti. “Their mind slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion.” Here the higher sense of “seclusion” is meant, namely Nibbāna.
“Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato kāmabhussa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi: Saying “Good, sir,” Citta approved and agreed with what Kāmabhū said. Then he asked another question:
“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā pana, bhante, kati dhammā bahūpakārā”ti? “But sir, how many things are helpful for attaining the cessation of perception and feeling?” Here MN 44 shifts to discuss feeling.
“Addhā kho tvaṁ, gahapati, yaṁ paṭhamaṁ pucchitabbaṁ taṁ pucchasi. “Well, householder, you’ve finally asked what you should have asked first!
Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi. Nevertheless, I will answer you.
Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā kho, gahapati, dve dhammā bahūpakārā—Two things are helpful for attaining the cessation of perception and feeling:
samatho ca vipassanā cā”ti. serenity and discernment.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.