111. （一一一）达梵行经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in Kuru and stayed at the city of Kumbhahattha in Kuru.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "I will teach you the Dharma, which is wonderful in the beginning, wonderful in the middle, and wonderful in the end, with meaning and expression, complete and pure, revealing the holy life, called 'attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all taints.' Listen carefully and keep it in mind." At that time, the bhikṣus accepted the teaching and listened.

The World-Honored One said, "You should know the taints, know the causes of the taints, know the results of the taints, know the superiority of the taints, know the complete cessation of the taints, and know the path to the cessation of the taints. You should know the perceptions, know the causes of the perceptions, know the results of the perceptions, know the superiority of the perceptions, know the complete cessation of the perceptions, and know the path to the cessation of the perceptions. You should know the thoughts, know the causes of the thoughts, know the results of the thoughts, know the superiority of the thoughts, know the complete cessation of the thoughts, and know the path to the cessation of the thoughts. You should know the desires, know the causes of the desires, know the results of the desires, know the superiority of the desires, know the complete cessation of the desires, and know the path to the cessation of the desires. You should know the actions, know the causes of the actions, know the results of the actions, know the superiority of the actions, know the complete cessation of the actions, and know the path to the cessation of the actions. You should know the suffering, know the causes of the suffering, know the results of the suffering, know the superiority of the suffering, know the complete cessation of the suffering, and know the path to the cessation of the suffering.

How does one know the taints? There are three taints: the outflow of desire, the outflow of existence, and the outflow of ignorance. This is called knowing the taints. How does one know the causes of the taints? It is ignorance. Because of ignorance, there are then taints. This is called knowing the causes of the taints. How does one know the results of the taints? Those who are bound by ignorance are soaked by the taints. Because of this, they receive results, either in good realms or bad realms. This is called knowing the results of the taints. How does one know the superiority of the taints? Some taints lead to birth in hell, some taints lead to birth as an animal, some taints lead to birth as a hungry ghost, some taints lead to birth in the heavens, and some taints lead to birth as a human. This is called knowing the superiority of the taints. How does one know the complete cessation of the taints? When ignorance ceases, the taints also cease. This is called knowing the complete cessation of the taints. How does one know the path to the cessation of the taints? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called knowing the path to the cessation of the taints. If a bhikṣu knows the taints in this way, knows the causes of the taints, knows the results of the taints, knows the superiority of the taints, knows the complete cessation of the taints, and knows the path to the cessation of the taints, this is called attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all taints.

How does one know the perceptions? There are three perceptions: the perception of pleasure, the perception of pain, and the perception of neither pleasure nor pain. This is called knowing the perceptions. How does one know the causes of the perceptions? It is contact. Because of contact, there are then perceptions. This is called knowing the causes of the perceptions. How does one know the results of the perceptions? It is craving. Craving is the result of the perceptions. This is called knowing the results of the perceptions. How does one know the superiority of the perceptions? When a bhikṣu perceives a pleasant perception, he knows he perceives a pleasant perception. When he perceives a painful perception, he knows he perceives a painful perception. When he perceives a neither pleasant nor painful perception, he knows he perceives a neither pleasant nor painful perception. He knows a pleasant body, a painful body, and a neither pleasant nor painful body. He knows a pleasant mind, a painful mind, and a neither pleasant nor painful mind. He knows a pleasant feeling, a painful feeling, and a neither pleasant nor painful feeling. He knows a pleasant non-feeling, a painful non-feeling, and a neither pleasant nor painful non-feeling. He knows a pleasant desire, a painful desire, and a neither pleasant nor painful desire. He knows a pleasant non-desire, a painful non-desire, and a neither pleasant nor painful non-desire. When he perceives a neither pleasant nor painful non-desire, he knows he perceives a neither pleasant nor painful non-desire. This is called knowing the superiority of the perceptions. How does one know the complete cessation of the perceptions? When contact ceases, the perceptions also cease. This is called knowing the complete cessation of the perceptions. How does one know the path to the cessation of the perceptions? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called knowing the path to the cessation of the perceptions. If a bhikṣu knows the perceptions in this way, knows the causes of the perceptions, knows the results of the perceptions, knows the superiority of the perceptions, knows the complete cessation of the perceptions, and knows the path to the cessation of the perceptions, this is called attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all perceptions.

How does one know the conceptualizations? There are four conceptualizations. A bhikṣu knows the small conceptualization, the great conceptualization, the immeasurable conceptualization, and the conceptualization of the sphere of nothingness. This is called knowing the conceptualizations. How does one know the causes of the conceptualizations? It is contact. Because of contact, there are then conceptualizations. This is called knowing the causes of the conceptualizations. How does one know the results of the conceptualizations? It is speech. According to the conceptualizations, one speaks. This is called knowing the results of the conceptualizations. How does one know the superiority of the conceptualizations? Some conceptualizations conceptualize form, some conceptualizations conceptualize sound, some conceptualizations conceptualize smell, some conceptualizations conceptualize taste, and some conceptualizations conceptualize touch. This is called knowing the superiority of the conceptualizations. How does one know the complete cessation of the conceptualizations? When contact ceases, the conceptualizations also cease. This is called knowing the complete cessation of the conceptualizations. How does one know the path to the cessation of the conceptualizations? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called knowing the path to the cessation of the conceptualizations. If a bhikṣu knows the conceptualizations in this way, knows the causes of the conceptualizations, knows the results of the conceptualizations, knows the superiority of the conceptualizations, knows the complete cessation of the conceptualizations, and knows the path to the cessation of the conceptualizations, this is called attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all conceptualizations.

How does one know the desires? There are five kinds of desirable, delightful, beautiful, desirable, and very enjoyable objects. What are the five? The eye knows forms, the ear knows sounds, the nose knows smells, the tongue knows tastes, and the body knows touches. This is called knowing the desires. How does one know the causes of the desires? It is contact. Because of contact, there are then desires. This is called knowing the causes of the desires. How does one know the results of the desires? It is according to the kind of desire, one delights in and abides in attachment. Because of this, one receives the results of the meritorious, unmeritorious, and immovable realms. This is called knowing the results of the desires. How does one know the superiority of the desires? Some desires desire form, some desires desire sound, some desires desire smell, some desires desire taste, and some desires desire touch. This is called knowing the superiority of the desires. How does one know the complete cessation of the desires? When contact ceases, the desires also cease. This is called knowing the complete cessation of the desires. How does one know the path to the cessation of the desires? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called knowing the path to the cessation of the desires. If a bhikṣu knows the desires in this way, knows the causes of the desires, knows the results of the desires, knows the superiority of the desires, knows the complete cessation of the desires, and knows the path to the cessation of the desires, this is called attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all desires.

How does one know the actions? There are two kinds of actions: intended actions and already intended actions. This is called knowing the actions. How does one know the causes of the actions? It is contact. Because of contact, there are then actions. This is called knowing the causes of the actions. How does one know the results of the actions? There are actions that are black with black results, actions that are white with white results, actions that are black and white with black and white results, and actions that are neither black nor white with no results, and actions that are exhausted. This is called knowing the results of the actions. How does one know the superiority of the actions? Some actions lead to rebirth in hell, some actions lead to rebirth as an animal, some actions lead to rebirth as a hungry ghost, some actions lead to rebirth in the heavens, and some actions lead to rebirth as a human. This is called knowing the superiority of the actions. How does one know the complete cessation of the actions? When contact ceases, the actions also cease. This is called knowing the complete cessation of the actions. How does one know the path to the cessation of the actions? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called knowing the path to the cessation of the actions. If a bhikṣu knows the actions in this way, knows the causes of the actions, knows the results of the actions, knows the superiority of the actions, knows the complete cessation of the actions, and knows the path to the cessation of the actions, this is called attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all actions.

How does one know suffering? It is the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, death, being with what is disliked, being separated from what is loved, not getting what one desires, and the suffering of the five aggregates. This is called knowing suffering. How does one know the causes of suffering? It is craving. Because of craving, there is suffering. This is called knowing the causes of suffering. How does one know the results of suffering? There is suffering that is slight and slow to cease, suffering that is slight and quick to cease, suffering that is intense and slow to cease, and suffering that is intense and quick to cease. The end of suffering is called knowing the results of suffering. How does one know the superiority of suffering? It is that the ignorant and foolish common person, not encountering a good friend, not practicing the holy Dharma, experiences the most intense and heavy suffering in the body, and is about to die. They come out of this and seek it elsewhere. There are śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who uphold one mantra, or two, three, four, or many mantras, or uphold a hundred mantras. They treat my suffering like this. Seeking suffering in this way, practicing suffering in this way, the end of suffering is called knowing the superiority of suffering. How does one know the complete cessation of suffering? When craving ceases, suffering also ceases. This is called knowing the complete cessation of suffering. How does one know the path to the cessation of suffering? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called knowing the path to the cessation of suffering. If a bhikṣu knows suffering in this way, knows the causes of suffering, knows the results of suffering, knows the superiority of suffering, knows the complete cessation of suffering, and knows the path to the cessation of suffering, this is called attaining the holy life, able to exhaust all suffering.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.