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Saį¹yutta NikÄya 45.8 Linked Discourses 45.8
1. AvijjÄvagga 1. Ignorance
Vibhaį¹
gasutta Analysis
SÄvatthinidÄnaį¹. At SÄvatthÄ«.
āAriyaį¹ vo, bhikkhave, aį¹į¹haį¹
gikaį¹ maggaį¹ desessÄmi vibhajissÄmi. āMendicants, I will teach and analyze for you the noble eightfold path. See note on SN 12.2:1.2 for a discussion of āanalysisā discourses. | The same definitions are found at DN 22:21.1 and MN 141:24.1.
Taį¹ suį¹Ätha, sÄdhukaį¹ manasi karotha, bhÄsissÄmÄ«āti. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.ā
āEvaį¹, bhanteāti kho te bhikkhÅ« bhagavato paccassosuį¹. āYes, sir,ā they replied.
BhagavÄ etadavoca: The Buddha said this:
āKatamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo aį¹į¹haį¹
giko maggo? āAnd what is the noble eightfold path?
Seyyathidaį¹āsammÄdiį¹į¹hi ā¦peā¦ sammÄsamÄdhi. It is right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
KatamÄ ca, bhikkhave, sammÄdiį¹į¹hi? And what is right view? āViewā (diį¹į¹hi, Sanskrit dį¹į¹£į¹i) is āseeingā and hence a term for āunderstandingā (Aitareya Upaniį¹£ad 3.2). In Buddhism, it means a particular way of seeing or perspective, a theory or view through which one makes sense of the world. By itself it is neutral, although āviewsā in plural sometimes stands for the thicket of wrong views.
Yaį¹ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe ƱÄį¹aį¹, dukkhasamudaye ƱÄį¹aį¹, dukkhanirodhe ƱÄį¹aį¹, dukkhanirodhagÄminiyÄ paį¹ipadÄya ƱÄį¹aį¹āKnowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. The fourth noble truth is the path, while the first path factor is the noble truths. These two teachings are different perspectives on the same dhamma. | Ignorance is described in the opposite way (MN 9:64.1ā66.7, SN 12.2:14.2).
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄdiį¹į¹hi. This is called right view.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammÄsaį¹
kappo? And what is right purpose? Saį¹
kappa is normally a synonym of vitakka in the suttas, hence it may be rendered āthoughtā (SN 14.8:3.3, MN 60:24.2). It is, however, not just verbalized thought, but the direction in which one applies the mind, hence āintentionā (MN 41:14.3), āresolveā, or āpurposeā. It has a directionality to it: in Rig Veda 10.164.5 it is the āevil intentā wished upon those who we hate, whereas in Atharva Veda 3.25.2 it is a quality of the arrow of love. For this reason, I usually render it as āpurposeā. This factor is the emotional counterpart of right view, ensuring that the path is motivated by love and compassion.
Yo kho, bhikkhave, nekkhammasaį¹
kappo, abyÄpÄdasaį¹
kappo, avihiį¹sÄsaį¹
kappoāThe purpose of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. AbyÄpÄda is ānon-ill-willā or simply āgood willā.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄsaį¹
kappo. This is called right purpose.
KatamÄ ca, bhikkhave, sammÄvÄcÄ? And what is right speech? The factors of speech and action are defined in detail under the gradual training at MN 27:13.4, and under the ten pathways of skillful deeds at MN 41:12.4.
YÄ kho, bhikkhave, musÄvÄdÄ veramaį¹Ä«, pisuį¹Äya vÄcÄya veramaį¹Ä«, pharusÄya vÄcÄya veramaį¹Ä«, samphappalÄpÄ veramaį¹Ä«āRefraining from speech thatās false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄvÄcÄ. This is called right speech.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammÄkammanto? And what is right action?
YÄ kho, bhikkhave, pÄį¹ÄtipÄtÄ veramaį¹Ä«, adinnÄdÄnÄ veramaį¹Ä«, abrahmacariyÄ veramaį¹Ä«āRefraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and unchastity. The first three of the five precepts. | We would expect āsexual misconductā, which is the betrayal of trust or otherwise causing harm in a sexual relationship (MN 141:27.2). However, the text has abrahmacariyÄ (āunchastityā), which normally applies to renunciates only (MN 96:13.1, AN 3.121:1.5). Bodhi (Connected Discourses) emends under the assumption that the SN reading is probably a scribal error introduced after the time of the commentary, which is silent. The parallel at SA 784 has 婬 (āfornicationā) which literally supports abrahmacariyÄ, but apparently can be used for both versions. āSexual misconductā and āunchastityā both work here; it is just a matter of the audience. Since there is no strong reason to emend, I translate according to the text.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄkammanto. This is called right action.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammÄÄjÄ«vo? And what is right livelihood?
Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasÄvako micchÄÄjÄ«vaį¹ pahÄya sammÄÄjÄ«vena jÄ«vitaį¹ kappetiāItās when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. Wrong livelihood is defined at MN 117:29.2 and AN 5.177:1.3, and in detail for renunciates at DN 2:56.1.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄÄjÄ«vo. This is called right livelihood.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammÄvÄyÄmo? And what is right effort? Expanded to a full saį¹yutta at SN 49.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannÄnaį¹ pÄpakÄnaį¹ akusalÄnaį¹ dhammÄnaį¹ anuppÄdÄya chandaį¹ janeti vÄyamati vÄ«riyaį¹ Ärabhati cittaį¹ paggaį¹hÄti padahati, Itās when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities donāt arise.
uppannÄnaį¹ pÄpakÄnaį¹ akusalÄnaį¹ dhammÄnaį¹ pahÄnÄya chandaį¹ janeti ā¦peā¦ They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.
anuppannÄnaį¹ kusalÄnaį¹ dhammÄnaį¹ uppÄdÄya chandaį¹ janeti ā¦peā¦ They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.
uppannÄnaį¹ kusalÄnaį¹ dhammÄnaį¹ į¹hitiyÄ asammosÄya bhiyyobhÄvÄya vepullÄya bhÄvanÄya pÄripÅ«riyÄ chandaį¹ janeti vÄyamati vÄ«riyaį¹ Ärabhati cittaį¹ paggaį¹hÄti padahatiāThey generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fully developed. The phrase bhÄvanÄya pÄripÅ«riyÄ could be literally rendered as either āfor the development and fulfillmentā or āfor the fulfillment by developmentā. The commentary explains as the latter (pÄripÅ«riyÄti bhÄvanÄya paripÅ«raį¹atthaį¹). I opt for the more idiomatic rendering, āfully developedā.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄvÄyÄmo. This is called right effort.
KatamÄ ca, bhikkhave, sammÄsati? And what is right mindfulness? Detailed especially in SN 47 and MN 10.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kÄye kÄyÄnupassÄ« viharati ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹; Itās when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the bodyākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
vedanÄsu vedanÄnupassÄ« viharati ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹; They meditate observing an aspect of feelingsākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
citte cittÄnupassÄ« viharati ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹; They meditate observing an aspect of the mindākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
dhammesu dhammÄnupassÄ« viharati ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, vineyya loke abhijjhÄdomanassaį¹āThey meditate observing an aspect of principlesākeen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄsati. This is called right mindfulness.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammÄsamÄdhi? And what is right immersion? āImmersionā (samÄdhi) is treated in SN 53 and throughout the Suttas, eg. SN 12.23:2.15, MN 44:12.2 and notes. The primary sense is the mind ācollectedā or āimmersedā inside itself, with a secondary connotation of radiant illumination. | Before the Buddha, we find samÄdhi and related terms in the sense of gathering kindling for the fire. The past participle samÄhita occurs in the sense ācollected, containedā, as the essence of waters are ācontainedā in the Sun (Åatapatha BrÄhmaį¹a 5.1.2.7). Certain Upaniį¹£adic usages presage the Buddhist sense, though expressed in a mystical form designed to be as obscure as possible. A realized sage, being ācollectedā, sees only the self in the self and is free from evil, having become one with Divinity (Bį¹hadÄraį¹yaka Upaniį¹£ad 4.4.24). For such a one, the whole world is ācontainedā in the space within the heartāearth and sky, fire and wind, sun and moon, all beings and all desires (ChÄndogya Upaniį¹£ad 8.1.3ā5). The hidden Self, finer than the finest, larger than the largest, may only be discerned by one who is peaceful and ācollectedā (Kaį¹ha Upaniį¹£ad 2.24).
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kÄmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaį¹ savicÄraį¹ vivekajaį¹ pÄ«tisukhaį¹ paį¹hamaį¹ jhÄnaį¹ upasampajja viharati. Itās when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. JhÄna is a state of āelevated consciousnessā (adhicitta), so all the terms have an elevated sense. | The plural form indicates that āsensual pleasuresā includes sense experience, which the meditator can turn away from since they no longer have any desire for it. | The āunskillful qualitiesā are the five hindrances. | The ārapture and bliss born of seclusionā is the happiness of abandoning the hindrances and freedom from sense impingement. | āPlacing the mind and keeping it connectedā (vitakka, vicÄra) uses terms that mean āthoughtā in coarse consciousness, but which in āelevated consciousnessā refer to the subtle function of applying the mind to the meditation.
VitakkavicÄrÄnaį¹ vÅ«pasamÄ ajjhattaį¹ sampasÄdanaį¹ cetaso ekodibhÄvaį¹ avitakkaį¹ avicÄraį¹ samÄdhijaį¹ pÄ«tisukhaį¹ dutiyaį¹ jhÄnaį¹ upasampajja viharati. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. Each jhÄna begins as the least refined aspect of the previous jhÄna ends. This is not consciously directed, but describes the natural process of settling. The meditator is now fully confident and no longer needs to apply their mind: it is simply still and fully unified.
PÄ«tiyÄ ca virÄgÄ upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajÄno, sukhaƱca kÄyena paį¹isaį¹vedeti, yaį¹ taį¹ ariyÄ Äcikkhanti: āupekkhako satimÄ sukhavihÄrÄ«āti tatiyaį¹ jhÄnaį¹ upasampajja viharati. And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, āEquanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.ā The emotional response to bliss matures from the subtle thrill of rapture to the poise of equanimity. Mindfulness is present in all states of deep meditation, but with equanimity it becomes prominent.
Sukhassa ca pahÄnÄ dukkhassa ca pahÄnÄ pubbeva somanassadomanassÄnaį¹ atthaį¹
gamÄ adukkhamasukhaį¹ upekkhÄsatipÄrisuddhiį¹ catutthaį¹ jhÄnaį¹ upasampajja viharatiāWith the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. The emotional poise of equanimity leads to the feeling of pleasure settling into the more subtle neutral feeling. Pain and sadness have been abandoned long before, but are emphasized here as they are subtle counterpart of pleasure.
ayaį¹ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammÄsamÄdhÄ«āti. This is called right immersion.ā
Aį¹į¹hamaį¹.