5: The Book of the Fives
166. Cessation
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1There the Venerable Sāriputta … said this:
"Here, friends, a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior, concentration, and wisdom might enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is this possibility. But if he does not reach final knowledge in this very life, having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities that transcend the company of devas that subsist on edible food, he might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. [n.1160] Mp: "The devas that subsist on edible food (kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānan): the deities of the sense sphere. A certain mind-made group (aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyan): a certain group of brahmās in the pure abodes, who are reborn by the jhāna-mind." There is this possibility."
2When this was said, the Venerable Udāyī said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "This is impossible, friend Sāriputta, it cannot happen that a bhikkhu, having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities that transcend the company of devas that subsist on edible food, might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is no such possibility."
3A second time … A third time, the Venerable Sāriputta said: "Here, friends, it is possible that a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior … having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities … might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is this possibility."
4A third time, the Venerable Udāyī said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "This is impossible, friend Sāriputta, it cannot happen that a bhikkhu, having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities … might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is no such possibility."
5Then it occurred to the Venerable Sāriputta: "The Venerable Udāyī has rejected me up to the third time, and not a single bhikkhu expresses agreement with me. Let me approach the Blessed One." Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and addressed the bhikkhus: "Here, friends, a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior, concentration, and wisdom might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is this possibility. If he does not reach final knowledge in this very life, having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities that transcend the company of devas that subsist on edible food, he might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is this possibility."
6When this was said, the Venerable Udāyī said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "This is impossible, friend Sāriputta, it cannot happen that a bhikkhu, having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities transcending the company of devas that subsist on edible food, might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is no such possibility."
7A second time … A third time, the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: "Here, friends, a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior … … having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities … might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is this possibility."
8A third time, the Venerable Udāyī said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "This is impossible, friend Sāriputta, it cannot happen that a bhikkhu … reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities … might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is no such possibility."
9Then it occurred to the Venerable Sāriputta: "Even when I am in the presence of the Blessed One, the Venerable Udāyī rejects me up to the third time, and not a single bhikkhu expresses agreement with me. Let me just keep silent." Then the Venerable Sāriputta fell silent.
10Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Udāyī: "Udāyī, just what do you understand by a mind-made group?"
"Bhante, it is those devas that are formless, perception-made." [n.1161] Ye te, bhante, devā arūpino saññāmayā. Udāyī has confused the devas of the formless realm, who are said to be perception-made (saññāmaya), with the devas of the form realm (including the pure abodes), who are said to be mind-made (manomaya).
"What are you saying, Udāyī, you foolish and incompetent fellow? Yet you think you have to speak up!"
11Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Ānanda, do you just look on passively as an elder bhikkhu is being harassed? Don’t you have any compassion toward an elder bhikkhu when he's being harassed?"
12Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior, concentration, and wisdom might enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. If he does not reach final knowledge in this very life, then, having been reborn among a certain group of mind-made deities that transcend the company of devas that subsist on edible food, he might again enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling. There is this possibility." This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.
13Then, not long after the Blessed One had left, the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Upavāṇa and said to him: "Here, friend Upavāṇa, they were harassing other elder bhikkhus, but we didn’t question them. [n.1162] I read with Ce and Ee mayaṁ te na pucchāma, as against Be mayaṁ tena na muccāma. It would not be surprising if this evening, when he emerges from seclusion, the Blessed One makes a pronouncement about this matter, and he might call upon the Venerable Upavāṇa himself to give an account. [n.1163] Yathā āyasmantaṁyev’ettha upavāṇaṁ paṭibhāseyya. Mp explains yathā as a word for a cause (kāraṇavacanaṁ). I take paṭibhāsati to mean "calls upon (someone to say something)" (see SED sv pratibhāsh). Mp continues: "When something has been uttered by the Blessed One with reference to this matter, you should think of some reply (paṭivacana, a counter-statement)." Just now I feel timid."
Then, in the evening, the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and went to the meeting hall. He sat down in the appointed seat and said to the Venerable Upavāṇa:
14"Upavāṇa, how many qualities should an elder bhikkhu possess to be pleasing and agreeable to his fellow monks and to be respected and esteemed by them?"
"Possessing five qualities, Bhante, an elder bhikkhu is pleasing and agreeable to his fellow monks and is respected and esteemed by them. What five? (1) He is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pāṭimokkha … as in 5:134 … he trains in them. (2) He has learned much … as in 5:134 … he has penetrated well by view. (3) He is a good speaker with a good delivery; he is gifted with speech that is polished, clear, articulate, expressive of the meaning. (4) He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (5) With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. Possessing these five qualities, an elder is pleasing and agreeable to his fellow monks and is respected and esteemed by them."
15"Good, good, Upavāṇa! Possessing those five qualities, an elder is pleasing and agreeable to his fellow monks and is respected and esteemed by them. But if these five qualities are not found in an elder bhikkhu, why should his fellow monks honor, respect, esteem, and venerate him? [n.1164] I follow Ce and Ee, which have na saṁvijjeyyuṁ, kena naṁ sabrahmacārī sakkareyyuṁ garukareyyuṁ māneyyuṁ pūjeyyuṁ. Be has na saṁvijjeyyuṁ, taṁ sabrahmacārī na sakkareyyuṁ na garuṁ kareyyuṁ na māneyyuṁ na pūjeyyuṁ. On account of his broken teeth, grey hair, and wrinkled skin? But because these five qualities are found in an elder bhikkhu, his fellow monks honor, respect, esteem, and venerate him."
1Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi … pe …
"idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ. No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
2Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: "aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – natthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
3Dutiyampi kho … pe … tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi: "idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ. No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
4Tatiyampi kho āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: "aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – natthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
5Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi: "yāvatatiyakampi kho me āyasmā udāyī paṭikkosati, na ca me koci bhikkhu anumodati. Yannūnāhaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyan"ti. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi: "idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ. No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
6Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: "aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – natthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
7Dutiyampi kho … pe … tatiyampi kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi: "idhāvuso, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ. No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
8Tatiyampi kho āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: "aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, āvuso sāriputta, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – natthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti.
9Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi: "bhagavatopi kho me sammukhā āyasmā udāyī yāvatatiyakaṁ paṭikkosati, na ca me koci bhikkhu anumodati. Yannūnāhaṁ tuṇhī assan"ti. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto tuṇhī ahosi.
10Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ āmantesi: "Kaṁ pana tvaṁ, udāyi, manomayaṁ kāyaṁ paccesī"ti?
"Ye te, bhante, devā arūpino saññāmayā"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho tuyhaṁ, udāyi, bālassa abyattassa bhaṇitena. Tvampi nāma bhaṇitabbaṁ maññasī"ti.
11Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: "atthi nāma, ānanda, theraṁ bhikkhuṁ vihesiyamānaṁ ajjhupekkhissatha. Na hi nāma, ānanda, kāruññampi bhavissati theramhi bhikkhumhi vihesiyamānamhī"ti.
12Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānaṁ. No ce diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, atikkammeva kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ aññataraṁ manomayaṁ kāyaṁ upapanno saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjeyyāpi vuṭṭhaheyyāpi – atthetaṁ ṭhānan"ti. Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.
13Atha kho āyasmā ānando acirapakkantassa bhagavato yenāyasmā upavāṇo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ etadavoca: "idhāvuso upavāṇa, aññe there bhikkhū vihesenti. Mayaṁ tena na muccāma. Anacchariyaṁ kho, panetaṁ āvuso upavāṇa, yaṁ bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito etadeva ārabbha udāhareyya yathā āyasmantaṁyevettha upavāṇaṁ paṭibhāseyya. Idāneva amhākaṁ sārajjaṁ okkantan"ti.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena upaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ upavāṇaṁ etadavoca:
14"Katihi nu kho, upavāṇa, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā"ti? "Pañcahi, bhante, dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca. Katamehi pañcahi? Idha, bhante, thero bhikkhu sīlavā hoti … pe … samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu; bahussuto hoti … pe … diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā; kalyāṇavāco hoti kalyāṇavākkaraṇo poriyā vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā; catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī; āsavānaṁ khayā … pe … sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Imehi kho, bhante, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā"ti.
15"Sādhu sādhu, upavāṇa. Imehi kho, upavāṇa, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato thero bhikkhu sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca hoti manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo ca. Ime ce, upavāṇa, pañca dhammā therassa bhikkhuno na saṁvijjeyyuṁ, taṁ sabrahmacārī na sakkareyyuṁ na garuṁ kareyyuṁ na māneyyuṁ na pūjeyyuṁ khaṇḍiccena pāliccena valittacatāya. Yasmā ca kho, upavāṇa, ime pañca dhammā therassa bhikkhuno saṁvijjanti, tasmā taṁ sabrahmacārī sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjentī"ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.