21.9 （九）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, many bhikṣus, having put on their robes and taken their alms bowls, entered the city to beg for food. Then the many bhikṣus had this thought: "The time for begging for food in the city has not yet come. Now we should go together to where the non-Buddhist brāhmaṇas are."

At that time, the many bhikṣus went to where the non-Buddhist brāhmaṇas were. Having arrived, they exchanged greetings and sat to one side. Then the brāhmaṇas asked the śramaṇas, "The śramaṇa Gautama always speaks about desire, form, feeling, and perception. What is the difference between these discourses? What we speak about is also what the śramaṇas speak about, and what the śramaṇas speak about is also what we speak about. The Dharma they speak is the same as what we speak, and the teachings they give are the same as what we give."

At that time, the many bhikṣus, having heard their words, neither said good nor bad, but immediately got up from their seats and left. They all thought, "We should go ask the World-Honored One about this meaning."

At that time, the many bhikṣus, after the meal, went to where the World-Honored One was. Having arrived, they bowed their heads at his feet and sat to one side. Then the many bhikṣus, from what they had been asked by the brāhmaṇas, explained the causes and conditions in detail to the World-Honored One.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "If those brāhmaṇas ask you this, you should answer their questions with these words: 'What is the taste of desire? What are its faults? One should abandon desire. What is the taste of form? What are its faults? One should abandon form. What is the taste of feeling? What are its faults? One should abandon feeling.' If you answer their questions with these words, those brāhmaṇas will remain silent and not respond. Even if they do speak, they will not be able to understand this profound meaning, and will only increase their ignorance and fall into extremes. Because this is not their realm. However, bhikṣus! The Māra, Māra's heavenly beings, Śakra, Brahmā, the Four Heavenly Kings, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, humans, and non-humans are unable to understand this profound meaning, except for the Tathāgata, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Tathāgata's noble assembly who accept my teachings. This is not to be discussed.

What is the taste of desire? It refers to the five desires. What are the five? The eye sees form and gives rise to eye consciousness, which is greatly loved and cherished, and is enjoyed by the world. If the ear hears sounds, the nose smells fragrances, the tongue tastes flavors, and the body experiences smoothness, it is greatly loved and cherished, and is enjoyed by the world. If one further gives rise to a mind of suffering and happiness within these five desires, this is called the taste of desire.

What are the faults of desire? If a clansman studies various skills to support himself, such as farming, writing, manual labor, calculation, deception, engraving, communication, serving the king, enduring cold and heat, recording, and hard work, not being free to do as one pleases, and obtaining wealth through this hardship, this is considered a great fault of desire. The suffering and distress of this world all arise from desire and love. Moreover, that clansman, through this hard work, does not obtain wealth. He then becomes sorrowful and distressed, beyond description. He thinks to himself: 'I have worked hard and made various plans, but have not obtained wealth. In such cases, I should think of abandoning desire.' This is called abandoning desire.

Furthermore, that clansman may sometimes obtain wealth through this method, and with the obtained wealth, he widely makes plans, always protecting himself, fearing that the king will confiscate it, that thieves will steal it, that it will be swept away by water, or burned by fire. He further thinks: 'If I bury it, I fear it will be lost later. If I try to make a profit, I fear it will not succeed. Or my family may give birth to a bad child who will squander my wealth.' This is considered a great affliction of desire, all arising from the basis of desire, leading to these calamities.

Furthermore, that clansman always has this thought: 'I want to protect my wealth.' Later, it is still confiscated by the king, robbed by thieves, swept away by water, or burned by fire; what is buried also does not succeed; even if it is put to use, it is not obtained; a bad child is born in the household, squandering wealth, with ten thousand not obtaining one. He then becomes sorrowful and distressed, beating his chest and crying: 'The wealth I originally obtained is now all lost!' He becomes foolish and confused, his mind and thoughts disordered. This is considered a great affliction of desire, arising from the basis of desire, not leading to the unconditioned.

Furthermore, arising from this basis of desire, they wear armor and take up arms to attack each other. Because of attacking each other, they may be in the front of the elephant troops, in the front of the horse troops, in the front of the infantry, or in the front of the chariot troops. They see horses fighting with horses, elephants fighting with elephants, chariots fighting with chariots, and infantry fighting with infantry, or they slash and shoot each other with spears. Such things are considered great afflictions of desire. Arising from the basis of desire, they lead to these calamities.

Furthermore, arising from this basis of desire, wearing armor and taking up arms, they may be at the city gate or on the city wall, slashing and shooting each other, or stabbing with spears, or crushing their heads with iron wheels, or pouring molten iron on each other. Suffering these afflictions, many die.

Furthermore, desire is also impermanent, constantly changing and transforming, without stopping or ceasing. This impermanence of desire is considered a great affliction.

How can one abandon desire? If one can practice to eliminate desire, that is called abandoning desire. That is, those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who do not know the great affliction of desire, and also do not know the source of abandoning desire, do not truly know the śramaṇa and the śramaṇa's deportment, do not know the brāhmaṇa and the brāhmaṇa's deportment, are not śramaṇas or brāhmaṇas, and also cannot attain realization through the body and play within it. That is, those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who truly know desire to be a great affliction, are able to abandon desire, and truly and non-erroneously know the śramaṇa and the śramaṇa's deportment, know the brāhmaṇa and the brāhmaṇa's deportment, have attained realization through the body and play within it, this is called abandoning desire.

What is the taste of form? If one sees a kṣatriya girl, a brāhmaṇa girl, or a householder girl, fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen years old, not tall or short, not fat or thin, not white or black, with a beautiful appearance, rare in the world. When one first sees her complexion, one gives rise to a pleasant and joyful thought. This is called the taste of form.

"What is the great affliction of form? Furthermore, if one later sees that woman, eighty, ninety, or even a hundred years old, with a changed complexion, past youth, missing teeth, white hair, a dirty body, loose skin, wrinkled face, hunched back, groaning, like an old cart, trembling body, walking with a cane. What do you think, bhikṣu? Is it not a great affliction to see the wonderful form at first, and then it changes later?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman with a serious illness, lying on a bed, unable to control her urine and feces, and unable to move. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form seen before, now causing this affliction, is it not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "Bhikṣus! This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, bhikṣus! If one sees that woman's body broken and life ended, being taken to the charnel ground. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form seen before, now having changed, seeing it one gives rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness. Is it not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman, dead for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, up to seven days, the body bloated, rotten, and stinking, scattered in one place. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, is it not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman, crows, magpies, vultures, and eagles compete to eat her, or she is eaten by foxes, dogs, wolves, and tigers, or she is eaten by flying insects, crawling creatures, and tiny worms. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is it not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman's body, half of it eaten by insects and birds, with intestines, stomach, flesh, and blood, filthy and impure. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is this not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman's body, with flesh and blood exhausted, the bones connected. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is this not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman's body, with flesh and blood exhausted, only sinews binding like firewood. What do you think, bhikṣu? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is this not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman's body, the bones scattered in different places, the foot bones in one place, the arm bones in one place, the thigh bones in one place, the hip bones in one place, the rib bones in one place, the shoulder bones in one place, the neck bones in one place, and the skull bones in one place. What do you think, bhikṣus? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is this not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman's body, the bones white like a dove's color. What do you think, bhikṣus? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is this not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, if one sees that woman's skeleton, having passed countless years, either rotten and decayed, the same color as earth. What do you think, bhikṣus? The wonderful form before, now having changed like this, to give rise to thoughts of suffering and happiness in it, is this not a great affliction?"

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "This is called the great affliction of form. Furthermore, this form is impermanent and changeable, unable to last long, without old or young. This is called the great affliction of form."

What is the way out of form? If one can abandon form and eliminate all confused thoughts, this is called abandoning form. It means that śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas are attached to form and do not know the great affliction, nor do they abandon it. They do not know it as it is. This is not a śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa. They do not know the deportment of a śramaṇa or the deportment of a brāhmaṇa. They are unable to realize it for themselves and play in it. It means that those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas are not attached to form. They deeply know it to be a great affliction and are able to know and abandon it. This is called knowing the deportment of a śramaṇa and the deportment of a brāhmaṇa. They realize it for themselves and play in it. This is called abandoning form.

What is the taste of feeling? Here, bhikṣus, when one experiences pleasant feeling, one knows, 'I experience pleasant feeling.' When one experiences painful feeling, one knows, 'I experience painful feeling.' When one experiences neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one knows, 'I experience neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.' When one experiences the pleasant feeling of eating, one knows, 'I experience the pleasant feeling of eating.' When one experiences the painful feeling of eating, one knows, 'I experience the painful feeling of eating.' When one experiences the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of eating, one knows, 'I experience the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of eating.' When one experiences the painful feeling of not eating, one knows, 'I experience the painful feeling of not eating.' When one experiences the pleasant feeling of not eating, one knows, 'I experience the pleasant feeling of not eating.' When one experiences the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of not eating, one knows, 'I experience the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of not eating.'

Furthermore, bhikṣus, when one experiences pleasant feeling, at that time one does not experience painful feeling, nor does one experience neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. At that time, one has only pleasant feeling. When one experiences painful feeling, at that time one does not experience pleasant feeling, nor does one experience neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. One has only painful feeling. When one experiences neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, at that time one does not experience pleasant feeling or painful feeling. One has only neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Furthermore, feeling is impermanent and subject to change. Knowing that feeling is impermanent and subject to change is called the great affliction of feeling.

What is the escape from feeling? If one can abandon feeling, eliminate all confused thoughts, this is called abandoning feeling. Those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who are attached to feeling, do not know the great affliction, and do not abandon it, do not know it as it really is. They are not śramaṇas or brāhmaṇas. They do not know the deportment of śramaṇas or brāhmaṇas. They cannot realize it with their bodies and play in it. Those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who are not attached to feeling, deeply know it as a great affliction, and are able to abandon it, this is called knowing the deportment of śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. They can realize it with their bodies and play in it. This is called abandoning feeling.

Furthermore, bhikṣus, if there are śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who do not know painful feeling, pleasant feeling, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, and do not know them as they really are, and if they teach others to practice, this is not appropriate. If there are śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who can abandon feeling, know it as it really is, and encourage others to be far from it, this is appropriate. This is called abandoning feeling.

Now, bhikṣus, I have explained attachment to desire, the taste of desire, and the great affliction of desire, and also the ability to abandon it. I have also explained attachment to form, the taste of form, and the great affliction of form, and the ability to abandon form. I have explained attachment to feeling, the taste of feeling, and the great affliction of feeling, and the ability to abandon feeling. The practices that the Tathāgatas should engage in, namely the establishment of the teachings, I have now completed. You should always remember to sit in meditation and contemplate under trees and in secluded places, without being lazy. This is my instruction.

At that time, the bhikṣus heard what the Buddha said, and joyfully received and practiced it.