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Grouped-Discourse Agama -- Volume 1 雜 阿 含 經 |
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Grouped-Discourse Agama - Booklet 2 Sutra SA (0042) Seven Bases -- (SN22.57 Sattatthana – PTS {S iii 61})
Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Buddha was staying near Savathi, at Jeta Grove, in Anathapindika 's Park. Then, the Tathagata said to the bhikkhus: - “[A bhikkhu who is] skilled in seven bases, and has three modes of investigation will be fulfilled & fully accomplished in this doctrine & discipline, reaching the ending of the mental effluents. He will gain effluent-free awareness-release and discernment-release, right in this life can self-realize the ultimate accomplishment: the birth (of any self) is ended, the Brahman conduct is established, what has to be done has been done, and he knows for him/herself that no future existence will be claimed (as his.)
“How is a bhikkhu skilled in seven bases? There is the case where a bhikkhu has direct knowledge of form, … of the accumulation of form, … of the cessation of form, … of the path of practice leading to the cessation of form, … of the relish of form, … of the danger from from, … of the detachment from form. Similarly, he has direct knowledge of feeling, ... of perception, … of mental fabrications, … of consciousness, … of the accumulation of consciousness, … of the cessation of consciousness, … of the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, … of the relish of consciousness, … of the danger from consciousness, … of the detachment from consciousness.
“What is direct knowledge of form? Anything that has form: the four great existents [2] and the form derived from them, all of these are called forms. Form is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the accumulation of form? To take delight in form, that is called the accumulation of form. The accumulation of form is such; one directly knows it as it such. “What is direct knowledge of the cessation of form? The cessation of the delight (in form) is called the cessation of form. The cessation of form is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the path of practice leading to the cessation of form? The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right livelihood, right action, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration – is the path of practice leading to the cessation of form. The path of practice leading to the cessation of form is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the relish of form? Pleasure conditioned on form to arise, that is the relish of form. The relish of form is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the danger of form? The fact that form is something inconstant, stressful, and subject to change is called the danger of form. The danger of form is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the detachment from form? The fact that with regard to form, one can tame his passion & desire, cut off passion & desire, get beyond passion & desire is called the detachment from form. The detachment from form is such; one directly knows it as such.
“What is direct knowledge of feeling? There are six bodies of feeling: feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of intellect-contact; this is called feeling. Feeling is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the accumulation of feeling? The accumulation of contact is the accumulation of feeling. The accumulation of feeling is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the cessation of feeling? The cessation of contact is called the cessation of feeling. The cessation of feeling is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling? The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right livelihood, right action, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration – is the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling. The path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the relish of feeling? Pleasure conditioned on the six bodies/classes of feeling to arise, that is the relish of feeling. (** Taiso 2. Middle 10) The relish of feeling is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the danger of feeling? The fact that feeling is something inconstant, stressful, and subject to change is called the danger of feeling. The danger of feeling is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the detachment from feeling? The fact that with regard to feeling, one can tame his passion & desire, cut off passion & desire, get beyond passion & desire is called the detachment from feeling. The detachment from feeling is such; one directly knows it as such.
“What is the direct knowledge of perception? There are six classes of perception, which are they? Perception born of eye-contact, perception born of ear-contact, perception born of nose-contact, perception born of tongue-contact, perception born of body-contact, perception born of intellect-contact; this is called perception. Perception is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the accumulation of perception? The accumulation of contact is the accumulation of perception. The accumulation of perception is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the cessation of perception? The cessation of contact is called the cessation of perception. The cessation of perception is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the path of practice leading to the cessation of perception? The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right livelihood, right action, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration – is the path of practice leading to the cessation of perception. The path of practice leading to the cessation of perception is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the relish of perception? Pleasure conditioned on the six bodies/classes of perception to arise, that is the relish of perception. The relish of perception is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the danger of perception? The fact that perception is something inconstant, stressful, and subject to change is called the danger of perception. The danger of perception is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the detachment from perception? The fact that with regard to perception, one can tame his passion & desire, cut off passion & desire, get beyond passion & desire is called the detachment from perception. The detachment from perception is such; one directly knows it as such.
“What is the direct knowledge of mental fabrications (samshara)? There are six bodies/classes of intention, which are they? Intention born of eye-contact, intention born of ear-contact, intention born of nose-contact, intention born of tongue-contact, intention born of body-contact, intention born of intellect-contact; these are called metal fabrications. Mental fabrications are such; one directly knows them as such. “What is direct knowledge of the accumulation of metal fabrications? The accumulation of contact is the accumulation of mental fabrications. The accumulation of mental fabrications is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the cessation of mental fabrications? The cessation of contact is called the cessation of mental fabrications. The cessation of mental fabrications is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the path of practice leading to the cessation of mental fabrications? The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right livelihood, right action, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration – is the path of practice leading to the cessation of mental fabrications. The path of practice leading to the cessation of mental fabrications is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the relish of fabrications? Pleasure conditioned on fabrications to arise, that is the relish of fabrications. The relish of fabrications is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the danger of fabrications? The fact that fabrications are something inconstant, stressful, and subject to change is called the danger of fabrications. The danger of fabrications is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the detachment from fabrications? The fact that with regard to fabrications, one can tame his passion & desire, cut off passion & desire, get beyond passion & desire is called the detachment from fabrications. The detachment from fabrications is such; one directly knows it as such.
“What is direct knowledge of consciousness? There are six bodies/classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, (** Taiso 2. Lower 10) ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and intellect-consciousness. These are called consciousness bodies. Consciousness bodies are such, one knows them as such. “What is direct knowledge of the accumulation of consciousness? The accumulation of name & form is the accumulation of consciousness. The accumulation of consciousness is such, one knows them as such. “What is direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness? The cessation of name & form is called the cessation of consciousness. The cessation of consciousness is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness? The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right livelihood, right action, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration – is the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness. The path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is direct knowledge of the relish of consciousness? Pleasure conditioned on consciousness to arise, that is the relish of consciousness. The relish of consciousness is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the danger of consciousness? The fact that consciousness is something inconstant, stressful, and subject to change is called the danger of consciousness. The danger of consciousness is such; one directly knows it as such. “What is the direct knowledge of the detachment from consciousness? The fact that with regard to consciousness, one can tame his passion & desire, cut off passion & desire, get beyond passion & desire is called the detachment from consciousness. The detachment from consciousness is such; one directly knows it as such.
“Bhikkhus! This is how a bhikkhu skilled in seven bases.
“How does a bhikkhus has three modes of investigation? There is the case where a bhikkhu staying under a tree in isolated places, or in wilderness dwellings investigates in terms of aggregates, in terms of sense-spheres, in terms of uptaking[1] with right effort. This is how a bhikkhu has three modes of investigation.
“This is how ‘[A bhikkhu who is] skilled in seven bases, and has three modes of investigation will be fulfilled & fully accomplished in this doctrine & discipline, reaching the ending of the mental effluents. He will gain effluent-free awareness-release and discernment-release, right in this life can self-realize the ultimate accomplishment: the birth (of any self) is ended, the Brahman conduct is established, what has to be done has been done, and he knows for him/herself that no future existence will be claimed (as his.)’”
Having heard the Buddha speak thus, the bhikkhus with great joy put the teaching into practice.
[1] Chinese: 陰．界．入 (aggregates, spheres, uptaking.) The equivalent sutta in Pali lists: dhātuso (the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, the wind property, the time property, the space property, the consciousness property), āyatanaso (spheres: the 6 personal bases/faculties (eye, ear, nose … the intellect and the 6 external bases (form, sound, smell … ideas), paṭiccasamuppādaso (Dependent Origination.) In this sutra, 陰 is the 5 aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental fabrications, and consciousness.) 界 is the sense-spheres. And 入 (uptaking) is perhaps the process from contact to clinging/grasping (contact, feeling, craving, clinging/grapsing) in the Dependent Origination. Sutta SN 12.11 Araha (Nutriment) lists Nutriment at the position of Clinging/Grasping (upadana which also means sustenance) which literally means ‘up-taking.’ Thus, Clinging/Grasping is uptaking the 4 nutriments (material form, contact, intention, and consciousness) as food for further becoming. Note that Craving (tanha) literally means ‘thirst.’ Since there is thirst, there is taking nutriments (grasping.) The Chinese term入 (uptaking) perhaps comes from the word upadana (grasping/uptaking/sustenance.) However, it could refer to the process from contact (sense-impression) to grasping. Contact (phasa) or sense-impression does not signify physical impact, but is one of the 7 (or 5) constant mental concomitants of consciousness (cetasika) and belongs to the Group of Mental Fabrications (sankhàra-kkhandha), it is one of the 4 nutriments. Sutta MN.18 defines sense-impression as “Depedent on the eye and the forms, eye-consciousness arises: the coming together of the three is sense-impression” (similarly stated in the case of the other 5 senses, including intellect.) Sense-impression (contact) is rather a mental-formations/fabrications than a physical impact. [GN]
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VOLUME 1 Booklet 01(SA 0001-0032) Booklet 02 (SA0033-0058)
SA0033 Discourse on the Not-Self Characteristic
Booklet 03 (SA0059-0087) Booklet 04 (SA0088-0102) Booklet 05 (SA0103-0110) Booklet 06 (SA0111-0138) Booklet 07 (SA0139-0187) Booklet 08 (SA0188-0229) Booklet 09 (SA0230-0255) Booklet 10 (SA0256-0272) Booklet 11 (SA0273-0282) Booklet 12 (SA0283-0303)
Booklet 13
(SA0304-0342) |
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