1Thus have I heard.[n.1] For a fuller treatment of this important and difficult sutta, see Bhikkhu Bodhi, Discourse on the Root of Existence. This work contains, besides a translation of the sutta, a lengthy analytical study of its philosophical significance and copious extracts from the very helpful commentarial literature that has accumulated around it. Ñm's rendering of this sutta in Ms was highly conjectural; thus, while I have retained most of his terminology, I have substituted my own rendering of the syntax to bring out the meaning that accords with the traditional interpretation and that seems warranted by the original Pali text as well. The key passages as Ñm rendered them will be given in the Notes. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in Ukkaṭṭhā in the Subhaga Grove at the root of a royal sāla tree. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus."[n.2] MA explains that the Buddha delivered this sutta to dispel the conceit that had arisen in five hundred bhikkhus on account of their erudition and intellectual mastery of the Buddha’s teachings. These bhikkhus were formerly brahmins learned in the Vedic literature, and the Buddha’s cryptic utterances may well have been intended to challenge the brahmanic views to which they may still have adhered. — "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this:

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ukkaṭṭhāyaṁ viharati subhagavane sālarājamūle. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti. "Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

"Bhikkhus, I shall teach you a discourse on the root of all things.[n.3] Sabbadhammamūlapariyāya. MṬ explains that the word "all" (sabba) is being used here in the restricted sense of the "all of personal identity" (sakkāyasabba,) that is, with reference to all states or phenomena (dhammā) comprised within the five aggregates affected by clinging (see MN 28.3-4). Supramundane states — the paths, fruits, and Nibbāna — are excluded. The "root of all things" — that is, the special condition that maintains the continuity of the process of repeated existence — MṬ explains to be craving, conceit, and views (which are the underlying springs of "conceiving"), and these in turn are underlaid by ignorance, suggested in the sutta by the phrase "he has not fully understood it." Listen and attend closely to what I shall say." — "Yes, venerable sir," the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

"sabbadhammamūlapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti. "Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

The Ordinary Person

2"Here, bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary person,[n.4] The "untaught ordinary person" (assutavā puthujjana) is the common worldling, who possesses neither learning nor spiritual accomplishment in the Dhamma of the noble ones, and allows himself to be dominated by the multitude of defilements and wrong views. See Bodhi, Discourse on the Root of Existence, pp. 40–46. who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, perceives earth as earth. [n.5] Paṭhaviṁ paṭhavito sañjānāti. Although perceiving "earth as earth" seems to suggest seeing the object as it really is, the aim of Buddhist insight meditation, the context makes it clear that the ordinary person's perception of "earth as earth" already introduces a slight distortion of the object, a distortion that will be blown up into full-fledged misinterpretation when the cognitive process enters the phase of "conceiving." MA explains that the ordinary person seizes upon the conventional expression "it is earth," and applying this to the object, perceives it through a "perversion of perception" (saññāvipallāsa). The latter is a technical expression explained as perceiving the impermanent as permanent, the painful as pleasurable, what is not self as self, and what is foul as beautiful (AN 4:49/ii.52). Ñm reads the ablative suffix -to of the Pali as signifying derivation and translates the phrase: "From earth he has a percept of earth." Having perceived earth as earth, he conceives himself as earth, he conceives himself in earth, he conceives himself apart from earth, he conceives earth to be ‘mine,’ he delights in earth.[n.6] The Pali verb "conceives" (maññati), from the root man, "to think," is often used in the Pali suttas to mean distortional thinking — thought that ascribes to its object characteristics and a significance derived not from the object itself, but from one's own subjective imaginings. The cognitive distortion introduced by conceiving consists, in brief, in the intrusion of the egocentric perspective into the experience already slightly distorted by spontaneous perception. According to the commentaries, the activity of conceiving is governed by three defilements, which account for the different ways it comes to manifestation — craving (taṇhā) , conceit (māna ), and views (diṭṭhi).
MA paraphrases this text thus: "Having perceived earth with a perverted perception, the ordinary person afterwards conceives it — construes or discriminates it — through the gross proliferating tendencies (papañca) of craving, conceit, and views, which are here called ‘conceivings. ’ … He apprehends it in diverse ways contrary [to reality]."
The four ways of conceiving (maññanā): The Buddha shows that the conceiving of any object may occur in any of four ways, expressed by the text as a fourfold linguistic pattern: accusative, locative, ablative, and appropriative. The primary significance of this modal pattern — enigmatic in the Pali as well — seems to be ontological. I take the pattern to represent the diverse ways in which the ordinary person attempts to give positive being to his imagined sense of egohood by positing,below the threshold of reflection, a relationship between himself as the subject of cognition and the perceived phenomenon as its object. According to the fourfold pattern given, this relationship may be one either of direct identification ["he conceives X"], or of inherence ["he conceives in X"], or of contrast or derivation ["he conceives from X"], or of simple appropriation ["he conceives X to be ‘mine’"].
But care is needed in interpreting these phrases. The Pali does not supply any direct object for the second and third modes, and this suggests that the process at work in conceiving proceeds from a deeper and more general level than that involved in the forming of an explicit view of self, as described for example at MN 2.8 or MN 44.7. The activity of conceiving thus seems to comprise the entire range of subjectively tinged cognition, from the impulses and thoughts in which the sense of personal identity is still inchoate to elaborate intellectual structures in which it has been fully explicated.
Ñm, however, understands the implicit object of conceiving to be the percept itself, and accordingly translates: "having had from earth a percept of earth, he conceives [that to be] earth, he conceives [that to be] in earth, he conceives [that to be apart] from earth," etc.
The fifth phrase, "he delights in X," explicitly connects conceiving with craving, which is elsewhere said to "delight here and there." This, moreover, hints at the danger in the worldling's thought processes, since craving is pointed to by the Buddha as the origin of suffering.
MA gives prolific examples illustrating all the different modes of conceiving, and these clearly establish that the intended object of conceiving is the misplaced sense of egoity. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.[n.7] MA states that one who fully understands earth does so by the three types of full understanding: the full understanding of the known (ñātapariññā) — the definition of the earth element by way of its unique characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause; the full understanding by scrutinization (tīraṇapariññā) — the contemplation of the earth element by way of the three general characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and non-self; and the full understanding of abandonment (pahānapariññā) — the abandoning of desire and lust for the earth element through the supreme path [of arahantship].

2"Idha, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto — pathaviṁ pathavito sañjānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito saññatvā pathaviṁ maññati, pathaviyā maññati, pathavito maññati, pathaviṁ meti maññati, pathaviṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (1)

3"He perceives water as water. Having perceived water as water, he conceives himself as water, he conceives himself in water, he conceives himself apart from water, he conceives water to be ‘mine,’ he delights in water. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

3Āpaṁ āpato sañjānāti; āpaṁ āpato saññatvā āpaṁ maññati, āpasmiṁ maññati, āpato maññati, āpaṁ meti maññati, āpaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (2)

4"He perceives fire as fire. Having perceived fire as fire, he conceives himself as fire, he conceives himself in fire, he conceives himself apart from fire, he conceives fire to be ‘mine,’ he delights in fire. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

4Tejaṁ tejato sañjānāti; tejaṁ tejato saññatvā tejaṁ maññati, tejasmiṁ maññati, tejato maññati, tejaṁ meti maññati, tejaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (3)

5"He perceives air as air. Having perceived air as air, he conceives himself as air, he conceives himself in air, he conceives himself apart from air, he conceives air to be ‘mine,’ he delights in air. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

5Vāyaṁ vāyato sañjānāti; vāyaṁ vāyato saññatvā vāyaṁ maññati, vāyasmiṁ maññati, vāyato maññati, vāyaṁ meti maññati, vāyaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (4)

6"He perceives beings as beings.[n.8] Bhūtā. MA says that "beings" here signifies only living beings below the heaven of the Four Great Kings, the lowest of the sense-sphere heavens; the higher grades of living beings are covered by the terms to follow. MA exemplifies the application of the three types of conceiving to this situation as follows: When a person becomes attached to beings as a result of sight, hearing, etc., or desires rebirth in a certain class of beings, this is conceiving due to craving. When he ranks himself as superior, equal, or inferior to others, this is conceiving due to conceit. And when he thinks, "Beings are permanent, stable, eternal," etc., this is conceiving due to views. Having perceived beings as beings, he conceives beings, he conceives himself in beings, he conceives himself apart from beings, he conceives beings to be ‘mine,’ he delights in beings. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

6Bhūte bhūtato sañjānāti; bhūte bhūtato saññatvā bhūte maññati, bhūtesu maññati, bhūtato maññati, bhūte meti maññati, bhūte abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (5)

7"He perceives gods as gods.[n.9] MA: The gods of the six sense-sphere heavenly worlds are meant, except for Māra and his retinue in the heaven of the gods who wield power over others’ creations. Having perceived gods as gods, he conceives gods, he conceives himself in gods, he conceives himself apart from gods, he conceives gods to be ‘mine,’ he delights in gods. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

7Deve devato sañjānāti; deve devato saññatvā deve maññati, devesu maññati, devato maññati, deve meti maññati, deve abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (6)

8"He perceives Pajāpati as Pajāpati. [n.10] Prajāpati, "lord of creation," is a name given by the Vedas to Indra, Agni, etc., as the highest of the Vedic divinities. But according to MA, Pajāpati here is a name for Māra because he is the ruler of this "generation" (paj̄) made up of living beings. Having perceived Pajāpati as Pajāpati, he conceives Pajāpati, he conceives himself in Pajāpati, he conceives himself apart from Pajāpati, he conceives Pajāpati to be ‘mine,’ he delights in Pajāpati. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

8Pajāpatiṁ pajāpatito sañjānāti; pajāpatiṁ pajāpatito saññatvā pajāpatiṁ maññati, pajāpatismiṁ maññati, pajāpatito maññati, pajāpatiṁ meti maññati, pajāpatiṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (7)

9"He perceives Brahmā as Brahmā.[n.11] Brahmā here is Mahābrahmā, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle. The Ministers of Brahmā and the Assembly of Brahmā — the other deities whose position is determined by attainment of the first jhāna — are also included. Having perceived Brahmā as Brahmā, he conceives Brahmā, he conceives himself in Brahmā, he conceives himself apart from Brahmā, he conceives Brahmā to be ‘mine,’ he delights in Brahmā. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

9Brahmaṁ brahmato sañjānāti; brahmaṁ brahmato saññatvā brahmaṁ maññati, brahmasmiṁ maññati, brahmato maññati, brahmaṁ meti maññati, brahmaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (8)

10"He perceives the gods of Streaming Radiance as the gods of Streaming Radiance.[n.12] MA: By mentioning these, all beings occupying the plane of the second jhāna — the gods of Limited Radiance and the gods of Immeasurable Radiance — should be included, for all these occupy a single level. Having perceived the gods of Streaming Radiance as the gods of Streaming Radiance, he conceives the gods of Streaming Radiance, he conceives himself in the gods of Streaming Radiance, he conceives himself apart from the gods of Streaming Radiance, he conceives the gods of Streaming Radiance to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the gods of Streaming Radiance. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

10Ābhassare ābhassarato sañjānāti; ābhassare ābhassarato saññatvā ābhassare maññati, ābhassaresu maññati, ābhassarato maññati, ābhassare meti maññati, ābhassare abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (9)

11"He perceives the gods of Refulgent Glory as the gods of Refulgent Glory. [n.13] MA: By mentioning these, all beings occupying the plane of the third jhāna — the gods of Limited Glory and the gods of Immeasurable Glory — should be included. Having perceived the gods of Refulgent Glory as the gods of Refulgent Glory, he conceives the gods of Refulgent Glory, he conceives himself in the gods of Refulgent Glory, he conceives himself apart from the gods of Refulgent Glory, he conceives the gods of Refulgent Glory to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the gods of Refulgent Glory. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

11Subhakiṇhe subhakiṇhato sañjānāti; subhakiṇhe subhakiṇhato saññatvā subhakiṇhe maññati, subhakiṇhesu maññati, subhakiṇhato maññati, subhakiṇhe meti maññati, subhakiṇhe abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (10)

12"He perceives the gods of Great Fruit as the gods of Great Fruit.[n.14] These are divinities on the plane of the fourth jhāna. Having perceived the gods of Great Fruit as the gods of Great Fruit, he conceives the gods of Great Fruit, he conceives himself in the gods of Great Fruit, he conceives himself apart from the gods of Great Fruit, he conceives the gods of Great Fruit to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the gods of Great Fruit. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

12Vehapphale vehapphalato sañjānāti; vehapphale vehapphalato saññatvā vehapphale maññati, vehapphalesu maññati, vehapphalato maññati, vehapphale meti maññati, vehapphale abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (11)

13"He perceives the Overlord as the Overlord.[n.15] Abhibhū. MA says this term is a designation for the non-percipient realm, called thus because it vanquishes (abhibhavati) the four immaterial aggregates. The identification sounds contrived, especially because the word "abhibhāū" is a masculine singular noun. Elsewhere MN 49.4 the word appears as part of Baka the Brahmā's claim to theocratic hegemony, yet MA rejects identifying the Abhibhū with Brahmā here as a redundancy. Having perceived the Overlord as the Overlord, he conceives the Overlord, he conceives himself in the Overlord, he conceives himself apart from the Overlord, he conceives the Overlord to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the Overlord. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

13Abhibhuṁ abhibhuto sañjānāti; abhibhuṁ abhibhuto saññatvā abhibhuṁ maññati, abhibhusmiṁ maññati, abhibhuto maññati, abhibhuṁ meti maññati, abhibhuṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (12)

14"He perceives the base of infinite space as the base of infinite space.[n.16] This and the next three sections deal with conceiving in relation to the four immaterial planes of existence — the cosmological counterparts of the four immaterial meditative attainments. With verse 18 the division of conceiving by way of planes of existence is completed. Having perceived the base of infinite space as the base of infinite space, he conceives himself as the base of infinite space, he conceives himself in the base of infinite space, he conceives himself apart from the base of infinite space, he conceives the base of infinite space to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the base of infinite space. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

14Ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanato sañjānāti; ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanato saññatvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanasmiṁ maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanato maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ meti maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (13)

15"He perceives the base of infinite consciousness as the base of infinite consciousness. Having perceived the base of infinite consciousness as the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives himself as the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives himself in the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives himself apart from the base of infinite consciousness, he conceives the base of infinite consciousness to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the base of infinite consciousness. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

15Viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanato sañjānāti; viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanato saññatvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanasmiṁ maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanato maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ meti maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (14)

16"He perceives the base of nothingness as the base of nothingness. Having perceived the base of nothingness as the base of nothingness, he conceives himself as the base of nothingness, he conceives himself in the base of nothingness, he conceives himself apart from the base of nothingness, he conceives the base of nothingness to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the base of nothingness. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

16Ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanato sañjānāti; ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanato saññatvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanasmiṁ maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanato maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ meti maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (15)

17"He perceives the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Having perceived the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he conceives himself as the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he conceives himself in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he conceives himself apart from the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he conceives the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

17Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanato sañjānāti; nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanato saññatvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasmiṁ maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanato maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ meti maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (16)

18"He perceives the seen as the seen.[n.17] In these four sections the phenomena comprising personal identity are considered as objects of perception classified into the four categories of the seen, heard, sensed, and cognized. Here, sensed (muta) signifies the data of smell, taste, and touch, cognized (viññata) the data of introspection, abstract thought, and imagination. The objects of perception are "conceived" when they are cognized in terms of "mine," "I," and "self," or in ways that generate craving, conceit, and views. Having perceived the seen as the seen, he conceives himself as the seen, he conceives himself in the seen, he conceives himself apart from the seen, he conceives the seen to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the seen. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

18Diṭṭhaṁ diṭṭhato sañjānāti; diṭṭhaṁ diṭṭhato saññatvā diṭṭhaṁ maññati, diṭṭhasmiṁ maññati, diṭṭhato maññati, diṭṭhaṁ meti maññati, diṭṭhaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (17)

19"He perceives the heard as the heard. Having perceived the heard as the heard, he conceives himself as the heard, he conceives himself in the heard, he conceives himself apart from the heard, he conceives the heard to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the heard. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

19Sutaṁ sutato sañjānāti; sutaṁ sutato saññatvā sutaṁ maññati, sutasmiṁ maññati, sutato maññati, sutaṁ meti maññati, sutaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (18)

20"He perceives the sensed as the sensed. Having perceived the sensed as the sensed, he conceives himself as the sensed, he conceives himself in the sensed, he conceives himself apart from the sensed, he conceives the sensed to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the sensed. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

20Mutaṁ mutato sañjānāti; mutaṁ mutato saññatvā mutaṁ maññati, mutasmiṁ maññati, mutato maññati, mutaṁ meti maññati, mutaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (19)

21"He perceives the cognized as the cognized. Having perceived the cognized as the cognized, he conceives himself as the cognized, he conceives himself in the cognized, he conceives himself apart from the cognized, he conceives the cognized to be ‘mine,’ he delights in the cognized. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

21Viññātaṁ viññātato sañjānāti; viññātaṁ viññātato saññatvā viññātaṁ maññati, viññātasmiṁ maññati, viññātato maññati, viññātaṁ meti maññati, viññātaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (20)

22"He perceives unity as unity.[n.18] In this section and the next, the phenomena comprising personal identity are treated as twofold — by way of unity and diversity. The emphasis on unity (ekatta), MA informs us, is characteristic of one who attains the jhānas, in which the mind occurs in a single mode on a single object. The emphasis on diversity (nānatta) prevails in the case of the non-attainer who lacks the overwhelming unitive experience of jhānas. Conceivings stressing diversity come to expression in philosophies of pluralism, those stressing unity in philosophies of the monistic type. Having perceived unity as unity, he conceives himself as unity, he conceives himself in unity, he conceives himself apart from unity, he conceives unity to be ‘mine,’ he delights in unity. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

22Ekattaṁ ekattato sañjānāti; ekattaṁ ekattato saññatvā ekattaṁ maññati, ekattasmiṁ maññati, ekattato maññati, ekattaṁ meti maññati, ekattaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (21)

23"He perceives diversity as diversity. Having perceived diversity as diversity, he conceives himself as diversity, he conceives himself in diversity, he conceives himself apart from diversity, he conceives diversity to be ‘mine,’ he delights in diversity. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

23Nānattaṁ nānattato sañjānāti; nānattaṁ nānattato saññatvā nānattaṁ maññati, nānattasmiṁ maññati, nānattato maññati, nānattaṁ meti maññati, nānattaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (22)

24"He perceives all as all.[n.19] In this section, all phenomena of personal identity are collected together and shown as singlefold. This idea of totality can form the basis for philosophies of the pantheistic or monistic type, depending on the relation posited between the self and the all. Having perceived all as all, he conceives himself as all, he conceives himself in all, he conceives himself apart from all, he conceives all to be ‘mine,’ he delights in all. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

24Sabbaṁ sabbato sañjānāti; sabbaṁ sabbato saññatvā sabbaṁ maññati, sabbasmiṁ maññati, sabbato maññati, sabbaṁ meti maññati, sabbaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (23)

25"He perceives Nibbāna as Nibbāna.[n.20] MA understands "Nibbāna" here to refer to the five kinds of "supreme Nibbāna here and now" included among the sixty-two wrong views of the Brahmajāla Sutta DN  1.93, that is, Nibbāna identified with the full enjoyment of sense pleasures or with the four jhānas. Enjoying this state, or yearning for it, he conceives it with craving. Priding himself on attaining it, he conceives it with conceit. Holding this imaginary Nibbāna to be permanent, etc., he conceives it with views. Having perceived Nibbāna as Nibbāna, he conceives himself as Nibbāna, he conceives himself in Nibbāna, he conceives himself apart from Nibbāna, he conceives Nibbāna to be ‘mine,’ he delights in Nibbāna. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

25Nibbānaṁ nibbānato sañjānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato saññatvā nibbānaṁ maññati, nibbānasmiṁ maññati, nibbānato maññati, nibbānaṁ meti maññati, nibbānaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. (24)

Puthujjanavasena paṭhamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Disciple in Higher Training

26"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is in higher training,[n.21] The sekha, the disciple in higher training, is one who has reached any of the three lower planes of sanctity — stream-entry, once-returning, or non-returning — but must still train further in order to reach the goal, arahantship, the supreme security from bondage. MN53 is devoted to expounding the training he must undertake. The arahant is sometimes described as asekha, one beyond training, in the sense that he has completed the training in the Noble Eightfold Path. Ñm rendered sekha as "initiate" and asekha as "adept," which have been changed here to avoid their "esoteric" connotations. whose mind has not yet reached the goal, and who is still aspiring to the supreme security from bondage, directly knows earth as earth.[n.22] It should be noted that, whereas the ordinary man is said to perceive each of the bases, the one in higher training is said to directly know them (abhijānāti). MA explains that he knows them with distinguished knowledge, knows them in accordance with their real nature as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. Ñm rendered: "From earth he has direct knowledge of earth." Having directly known earth as earth, he should not conceive himself as earth, he should not conceive himself in earth, he should not conceive himself apart from earth, he should not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he should not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he must fully understand it, I say.[n.23] The disciple in higher training is urged by the Buddha to refrain from conceiving and delight because the dispositions to these mental processes still remain within him. With his attainment of stream-entry he eradicated the fetter of identity view and thus can no longer conceive in terms of wrong views. But the defilements of craving and conceit are only uprooted by the path of arahantship, and thus the sekha remains vulnerable to the conceivings to which they are capable of giving rise. Whereas direct knowledge (abhiñña) is the province of both the sekha and the arahant, full understanding (pariññā) is the province exclusively of the arahant, as it involves the full abandoning of all defilements.

26Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sekkho appattamānaso anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamāno viharati, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ mā maññi, pathaviyā mā maññi, pathavito mā maññi, pathaviṁ meti mā maññi, pathaviṁ mābhinandi. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññeyyaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi.

27"He directly knows water as water … He directly knows all as all … "He directly knows Nibbāna as Nibbāna. Having directly known Nibbāna as Nibbāna, he should not conceive himself as Nibbāna, he should not conceive himself in Nibbāna, he should not conceive himself apart from Nibbāna, he should not conceive Nibbāna to be ‘mine,’ he should not delight in Nibbāna. Why is that? Because he must fully understand it, I say.

27Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ mā maññi, nibbānasmiṁ mā maññi, nibbānato mā maññi, nibbānaṁ meti mā maññi, nibbānaṁ mābhinandi. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññeyyaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi.

Sekkhavasena dutiyanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Arahant — I

28"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an arahant with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge, [n.24] This is the stock description of the arahant, repeated in many suttas. he too directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive himself as earth, he does not conceive himself in earth, he does not conceive himself apart from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he has fully understood it, I say.[n.25] When ignorance has been abolished by the attainment of full understanding, the subtlest dispositions to craving and conceit are also eradicated. Thus the arahant can no longer engage in conceiving and delight.

28Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi.

29"He too directly knows water as water … Nibbāna as Nibbāna … Why is that? Because he has fully understood it, I say.

29Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi.

Khīṇāsavavasena tatiyanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Arahant — II

30"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an arahant … completely liberated through final knowledge, he too directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive himself as earth, he does not conceive himself in earth, he does not conceive himself apart from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he is free from lust through the destruction of lust.[n.26] This section and the following two are stated to show that the arahant does not conceive, not only because he has fully understood the object, but because he has eradicated the three unwholesome roots — lust or greed, hate, and delusion. The phrase "free from lust through the destruction of lust" is used to stress that the arahant is not merely temporarily without lust, but has destroyed it at the most fundamental level. Similarly with hate and delusion.

31"He too directly knows water as water … Nibbāna as Nibbāna … Why is that? Because he is free from lust through the destruction of lust.

30Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññā vimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā rāgassa, vītarāgattā.

31Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā rāgassa, vītarāgattā.

Khīṇāsavavasena catutthanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Arahant — III

32"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an arahant … completely liberated through final knowledge, he too directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive himself as earth, he does not conceive himself in earth, he does not conceive himself apart from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he is free from hate through the destruction of hate.

33"He too directly knows water as water … Nibbāna as Nibbāna … Why is that? Because he is free from hate through the destruction of hate.

32Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā dosassa, vītadosattā.

33Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā dosassa, vītadosattā.

Khīṇāsavavasena pañcamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Arahant — IV

34"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an arahant … completely liberated through final knowledge, he too directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive himself as earth, he does not conceive himself in earth, he does not conceive himself apart from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he is free from delusion through the destruction of delusion.

35"He too directly knows water as water … Nibbāna as Nibbāna … Why is that? Because he is free from delusion through the destruction of delusion.

34Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā mohassa, vītamohattā.

35Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā mohassa, vītamohattā.

Khīṇāsavavasena chaṭṭhanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Tathāgata — I

36"Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata,[n.27] On this word, the epithet the Buddha uses most often when referring to himself. The commentaries give a long detailed etymology, into which they try to compress virtually the entire Dhamma. The passage has been translated in Bhikkhu Bodhi, Discourse on the All-Embracing Net of Views, pp. 331–44. too, accomplished and fully enlightened, directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive himself as earth, he does not conceive himself in earth, he does not conceive himself apart from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because the Tathāgata has fully understood it to the end, I say.[n.28] Pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassa. So BBS and SBJ and MA, though PTS reads simply pariññātaṁ. MA glosses: "fully understood to the conclusion, fully understood to the limit, fully understood without remainder." It explains that while Buddhas and disciple-arahants are alike in abandoning all defilements, there is a distinction in their range of full understanding: whereas disciples can attain Nibbāna after comprehending with insight only a limited number of formations, Buddhas fully understand all formations without exception.

36Tathāgatopi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassā’ti vadāmi.

37"He too directly knows water as water … Nibbāna as Nibbāna … Why is that? Because the Tathāgata has fully understood it to the end, I say.

37Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassā’ti vadāmi.

Tathāgatavasena sattamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

The Tathāgata — II

38"Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata, too, accomplished and fully enlightened, directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive himself as earth, he does not conceive himself in earth, he does not conceive himself apart from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he has understood that delight is the root of suffering, and that with being as condition there is birth, and that for whatever has come to be there is ageing and death.[n.29] This sentence gives a highly compressed statement of the formula of dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda), usually expounded in twelve factors as in MN 38. As interpreted by MA, "delight" is the craving of the previous life that brought into being the "suffering" of the five aggregates in the present life, "being" the kammically determinative aspect of the present life that causes future birth, followed by future ageing and death. This passage shows the cause for the Buddha’s elimination of conceiving to be his penetration of dependent origination on the night of his enlightenment. The mention of "delight" (nandī) as the root of suffering links up with the sutta's title; moreover, by referring to the earlier statement that the ordinary person delights in earth, etc., it shows suffering to be the ultimate consequence of delight. Therefore, bhikkhus, through the complete destruction, fading away, cessation, giving up, and relinquishing of cravings, the Tathāgata has awakened to supreme full enlightenment, I say.[n.30] MA explains the sequence of ideas thus: The Tathāgata does not conceive earth and does not delight in earth because he has understood that delight is the root of suffering. Further, by understanding dependent origination, he has completely abandoned the craving here called " delight " and has awakened to supreme full enlightenment. As a result he does not conceive earth or delight in earth.

38Tathāgatopi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Nandī dukkhassa mūlan’ti — iti viditvā ‘bhavā jāti bhūtassa jarāmaraṇan’ti. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘tathāgato sabbaso taṇhānaṁ khayā virāgā nirodhā cāgā paṭinissaggā anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti vadāmi.

39"He too directly knows water as water … Nibbāna as Nibbāna … Why is that? Because he has understood that delight is the root of suffering, and that with being as condition there is birth, and that for whatever has come to be there is ageing and death. Therefore, bhikkhus, through the complete destruction, fading away, cessation, giving up, and relinquishing of cravings, the Tathāgata has awakened to supreme full enlightenment, I say."

39Āpaṁ … pe … tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Nandī dukkhassa mūlan’ti — iti viditvā ‘bhavā jāti bhūtassa jarāmaraṇan’ti. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘tathāgato sabbaso taṇhānaṁ khayā virāgā nirodhā cāgā paṭinissaggā anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti vadāmī"ti.

Tathāgatavasena aṭṭhamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito.

40That is what the Blessed One said. But those bhikkhus did not delight in the Blessed One's words.[n.31] The bhikkhus did not delight in the Buddha’s words, apparently because the discourse probed too deeply into the tender regions of their own conceit, and perhaps their residual brahmanic views. At a later time, MA tells us, when their pride had been humbled, the Buddha expounded to these same bhikkhus the Gotamaka Sutta (AN3.125), in the course of which they all attained arahantship.

40Idamavoca bhagavā. Na te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Mūlapariyāyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.