1"Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, the thought occurred to me: ‘My mind may often stray towards those five cords of sensual pleasure that have already left their impression on the heart [n.100] Cetaso samphuṭṭhapubbā, glossed by Spk with cittena anubhūtapubbā, "experienced before by the mind."
Spk: My mind may often stray (tatra me cittaṁ bahulaṁ gaccheyya): He shows, "On many occasions it would move towards the five cords of sensual pleasure previously experienced when I was enjoying prosperity in the three palaces with their three kinds of dancing girls, etc." Or towards those that are present (paccuppannesu vā): He shows, "During my years of striving it would often arise having taken, as cords of sensual pleasure, such beautiful sense objects as the flowering groves and flocks of birds, etc." Or slightly towards those in the future (appāṇa vā anāgatesu): He shows, "It might arise even slightly towards the future, when he thinks, ‘Metteyya will be the Buddha, Sankha the king, Ketumati the capital.’" Apparently Spk cannot conceive of beautiful future sense objects apart from a future Buddha. but which have passed, ceased, and changed, or towards those that are present, or slightly towards those in the future.’ Then it occurred to me: ‘Being set on my own welfare, [n.101] Attarūpena. Spk: Attano hitakāmajātikena, "by one who desires his own welfare." The expression also occurs at AN II 120,7 foll. Spk explains that diligence and mindfulness are to be practised for the purpose of guarding the mind in regard to the five cords of sensual pleasures. I should practise diligence, mindfulness, and guarding of the mind in regard to those five cords of sensual pleasure that have already left their impression on the heart, which have passed, ceased, and changed.’

"Therefore, bhikkhus, in your case too your minds may often stray towards those five cords of sensual pleasure that have already left their impression on the heart but which have passed, ceased, and changed, or towards those that are present, or slightly towards those in the future. Therefore, bhikkhus, sn.iv.98 being set on your own welfare, you should practise diligence, mindfulness, and guarding of the mind in regard to those five cords of sensual pleasure that have already left their impression on the heart but which have passed, ceased, and changed.

"Therefore, bhikkhus, that base should be understood, [n.102] Be and Se read se āyatane veditabbe—supported by Spk (Be and Se)—as against ye āyatane veditabbe in Ee. This is apparently an old Eastern form of the neuter nominative that for some reason escaped transposition into standard Pali.
Spk: "Since diligence and mindfulness are to be practised for the sake of guarding the mind, and since, when that base is understood, there is nothing to be done by diligence and mindfulness, therefore ‘that base is to be understood’; the meaning is, ‘that cause is to be known’ (ṭa kāraṇaṃ jānitabbaṁ)." At Ud 80,10–16, Nibbāna is described as an āyatana. where the eye ceases and perception of forms fades away. [n.103] I read with Se and Ee: yattha cakkhuñ ca nirujjhati rūpasañña ca virajjati. Be consistently has the second verb too as nirujjhati, but the variant in Se and Ee is more likely to be original. That base should be understood, where the ear ceases and perception of sounds fades away. … That base should be understood, where the mind ceases and perception of mental phenomena fades away. That base should be understood."

2–7Having said this, the Blessed One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling. Then, soon after the Blessed One had left, the bhikkhus considered … all as in preceding sutta down to: … The Venerable Ānanda said this:

8"Friends, when the Blessed One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling after reciting a synopsis in brief without expounding the meaning in detail—that is: ‘Therefore, bhikkhus, that base should be understood, where the eye ceases and perception of forms fades away … . That base should be understood, where the mind ceases and perception of mental phenomena fades away. That base should be understood’—I understand the detailed meaning of this synopsis as follows: This was stated by the Blessed One, friends, with reference to the cessation of the six sense bases. [n.104] Saḷāyatananirodhaṃ … sandhāya bhāsitaṃ. Spk: "It is Nibbāna that is called the cessation of the six sense bases, for in Nibbāna the eye, etc., cease and perceptions of forms, etc., fade away." We might note that Ānanda's answer, though called an account of the "detailed meaning," is actually shorter than the Buddha’s original statement.

"Friends, when the Blessed One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling after reciting a synopsis in brief without expounding the meaning in detail … I understand the meaning of this synopsis in detail to be thus. Now, friends, if you wish, go to the Blessed One and ask him about the meaning of this. As the Blessed One explains it to you, so you should remember it."

9"Yes, friends," those bhikkhus replied, and having risen from their seats, they went to the Blessed One. After paying homage to him, they sat down to one side and told the Blessed One all that had taken place after he had left, adding:

10sn.iv.101 "Then, venerable sir, we approached the Venerable Ānanda and asked him about the meaning. The Venerable Ānanda expounded the meaning to us in these ways, with these terms, with these phrases."

11"Ānanda is wise, bhikkhus, Ānanda has great wisdom. If you had asked me the meaning of this, I would have explained it to you in the same way that it has been explained by Ānanda. Such is the meaning of this, and so you should remember it."

1"Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘yeme pañca kāmaguṇā cetaso samphuṭṭhapubbā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā, tatra me cittaṁ bahulaṁ gacchamānaṁ gaccheyya paccuppannesu vā appaṁ vā anāgatesu’. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘yeme pañca kāmaguṇā cetaso samphuṭṭhapubbā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā, tatra me attarūpena appamādo sati cetaso ārakkho karaṇīyo’.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, tumhākampi ye te pañca kāmaguṇā cetaso samphuṭṭhapubbā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā, tatra vo cittaṁ bahulaṁ gacchamānaṁ gaccheyya paccuppannesu vā appaṁ vā anāgatesu. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, tumhākampi ye te pañca kāmaguṇā cetaso samphuṭṭhapubbā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā, tatra vo attarūpehi appamādo sati cetaso ārakkho karaṇīyo.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha jivhā ca nirujjhati, rasasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe"ti. Idaṁ vatvā bhagavā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

2Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ acirapakkantassa bhagavato etadahosi: "Idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha jivhā ca nirujjhati, rasasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe’ti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā"ti?

3Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: "Ayaṁ kho āyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito, sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāmā"ti.

4Atha kho te bhikkhū yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etadavocuṁ:

5"Idaṁ kho no, āvuso Ānanda, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha jivhā ca nirujjhati, rasasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe’ti. Tesaṁ no, āvuso, amhākaṁ acirapakkantassa bhagavato etadahosi: ‘idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: "tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha jivhā ca nirujjhati, rasasaññā ca nirujjhati se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe"ti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā’ti? Tesaṁ no, āvuso, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘Ayaṁ kho āyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito, sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāmā’ti. Vibhajatāyasmā ānando"ti.

6"Seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa … pe … vibhajatāyasmā ānando agaruṁ karitvā"ti.

7"Tenahāvuso, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti. "Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā ānando etadavoca:

8"Yaṁ kho vo, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe’ti. Imassa khvāhaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Saḷāyatananirodhaṁ no etaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā sandhāya bhāsitaṁ: ‘tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe, yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe’ti.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe’ti. Imassa khvāhaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Ākaṅkhamānā ca pana tumhe āyasmanto bhagavantaṁyeva upasaṅkamatha; upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyātha. Yathā vo bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā"ti.

9"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

10"Yaṁ kho no, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha jivhā ca nirujjhati, rasasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe’ti, tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ acirapakkantassa bhagavato etadahosi: ‘idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: "tasmātiha, bhikkhave, se āyatane veditabbe yattha cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rūpasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe … pe … yattha mano ca nirujjhati, dhammasaññā ca nirujjhati, se āyatane veditabbe"ti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā’ti? Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘Ayaṁ kho āyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito, sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāmā’ti. Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkamimha; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipucchimha. Tesaṁ no, bhante, āyasmatā ānandena imehi ākārehi, imehi padehi, imehi byañjanehi attho vibhatto"ti.

11"Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, ānando; mahāpañño, bhikkhave, ānando. Mañcepi tumhe, bhikkhave, etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha, ahampi taṁ evamevaṁ byākareyyaṁ yathā taṁ ānandena byākataṁ. Eso cevetassa attho. Evañca naṁ dhāreyyāthā"ti.

Catutthaṁ.