1At Sāvatthī. sn.iii.35 Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: "Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."

"Bhikkhu, if one has an underlying tendency towards something, then one is reckoned in terms of it. [n.47] Yaṁ kho bhikkhu anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. The verb anuseti implies anusaya, the seven underlying tendencies (see SN45.175), or, more simply, the three underlying tendencies of lust, aversion, and ignorance (see SN36.3). Spk: If one has an underlying tendency towards form by way of sensual lust, etc., then one is described in terms of that same underlying tendency as "lustful, hating, deluded." But when that underlying tendency is absent, one is not reckoned thus.
Additionally, we might suppose, one is reckoned not only by way of the defilements, but even more prominently by way of the aggregate with which one principally identifies. One who inclines to form is reckoned a "physical" person, one who inclines to feeling a "hedonist," one who inclines to perception an "aesthete" (or fact-gatherer?), one who inclines to volition a "man of action," one who inclines to consciousness a thinker, etc. If one does not have an underlying tendency towards something, then one is not reckoned in terms of it."

"Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Fortunate One!"

2"In what way, bhikkhu, do you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief?"

"If, venerable sir, one has an underlying tendency towards form, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards feeling, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards perception, then one is reckoned in terms of it. If one has an underlying tendency towards volitional formations, then one is reckoned in terms of them. If one has an underlying tendency towards consciousness, then one is reckoned in terms of it.

"If, venerable sir, one does not have an underlying tendency towards form, then one is not reckoned in terms of it. If one does not have an underlying tendency towards feeling … towards perception … towards volitional formations … towards consciousness, then one is not reckoned in terms of it.

"It is in such a way, venerable sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by the Blessed One in brief."

3"Good, good, bhikkhu! It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief. If, bhikkhu, one has an underlying tendency towards form … as above in full … then one is not reckoned in terms of it. It is in such a way that the meaning of what was stated by me in brief should be understood in detail."

4Then that bhikkhu, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's statement, sn.iii.36 rose from his seat, and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he departed.

5Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that bhikkhu, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life entered and dwelt in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness. He directly knew: "Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being." And that bhikkhu became one of the arahants. [n.48] See I, n. 376.

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu; yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho, appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan"ti.

"Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, anuseti, tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati; yaṁ nānuseti, na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchatī"ti.

"Aññātaṁ, bhagavā, aññātaṁ, sugatā"ti.

2"Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsī"ti?

"Rūpañce, bhante, anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Saññañce anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Saṅkhāre ce anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Viññāṇañce anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

Rūpañce, bhante, nānuseti na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce … saññañce … saṅkhāre ce … viññāṇañce nānuseti na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī"ti.

3"Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi. Rūpañce, bhikkhu, anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce … saññañce … saṅkhāre ce … viññāṇañce anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Rūpañce, bhikkhu, nānuseti na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. vedanāñce … saññañce … saṅkhāre ce … viññāṇañce nānuseti na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Imassa kho, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena, bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo"ti.

4Atha kho so bhikkhu bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

5Atha kho so bhikkhu eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihāranto nacirasseva – yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ – brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi. "Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā"ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

Tatiyaṁ.