SN12:51 Thorough Investigation
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus!"
"Venerable sir!" those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
2"Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is making a thorough investigation, in what way should he thoroughly investigate for the utterly complete destruction of suffering?" [n.134] Kittāvatā … bhikkhu parivīmaṁsamāno parivīmaṁseyya sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Spk glosses parivimaṁsamano with parivīmaṁsamāno.
"Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, sn.ii.81 take recourse in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will remember it."
"Then listen and attend closely, bhikkhus, I will speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
3"Here, bhikkhus, when he makes a thorough investigation, a bhikkhu thoroughly investigates thus: ‘The many diverse kinds of suffering that arise in the world headed by aging-and-death: what is the source of this suffering, what is its origin, from what is it born and produced? When what exists does aging-and-death come to be? When what does not exist does aging-and-death not come to be?’
"As he thoroughly investigates he understands thus: ‘The many diverse kinds of suffering that arise in the world headed by aging-and-death: this suffering has birth as its source, birth as its origin; it is born and produced from birth. When there is birth, aging-and-death comes to be; when there is no birth, aging-and-death does not come to be.’
4"He understands aging-and-death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading on that is in conformity with its cessation.
[n.135] Jarāmaraṇanirodhasāruppagāmini paṭipadā. Spk: The way leading on that is in conformity with the cessation of aging-and-death means the way leading on by its conformation with the cessation of aging-and-death, being similar (to cessation) by reason of its undefiled nature, its purity.
In the repetition series just below, Ee omits jāti panāyaṁ kinnidānā,, no doubt an editorial oversight.
He practises that way and conducts himself accordingly. This is called a bhikkhu who is practising for the utterly complete destruction of suffering, for the cessation of aging-and-death.
5"Then, investigating further, he thoroughly investigates thus: ‘What is the source of this birth, what is its origin, from what is it born and produced? …
6"He understands birth, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading on that is in conformity with its cessation. He practises that way and conducts himself accordingly. This is called a bhikkhu who is practising for the utterly complete destruction of suffering, for the cessation of birth.
7 What is the source of this existence? … this clinging? … this craving? … this feeling? … this contact? … these six sense bases? … this name-and-form? … this consciousness? …
What is the source of these volitional formations, what is their origin, from what are they born and produced? When what exists do volitional formations come to be? When what does not exist do volitional formations not come to be?’
"As he thoroughly investigates he understands thus: ‘Volitional formations have ignorance as their source, ignorance as their origin; they are born and produced from ignorance. sn.ii.82 When there is ignorance, volitional formations come to be; when there is no ignorance, volitional formations do not come to be.’
8"He understands volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading on that is in conformity with their cessation. He practises that way and conducts himself accordingly. This is called a bhikkhu who is practising for the utterly complete destruction of suffering, for the cessation of volitional formations.
9"Bhikkhus, if a person immersed in ignorance generates a meritorious volitional formation, consciousness fares on to the meritorious; if he generates a demeritorious volitional formation, consciousness fares on to the demeritorious; if he generates an imperturbable volitional formation, consciousness fares on to the imperturbable.
[n.136] Spk: A meritorious volitional formation (puññaṁ saṅkhāraṁ) is the thirteen kinds of volition (i.e., the volitions of the eight wholesome sense-sphere cittas and the five wholesome cittas of the form sphere; see n. 7). Consciousness fares on to the meritorious (puññūpagaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ): the kammic consciousness becomes associated with a meritorious kamma, the resultant consciousness with the fruits of merit. A demeritorious volitional formation (apuññaṁ saṅkhāraṁ) is the twelve kinds of volition (i.e., in the twelve unwholesome cittas; see n. 7). An imperturbable volitional formation (aneñjaṁ saṅkhāraṁ): the four kinds of volition (i.e., in the four wholesome cittas of the formless sphere). And here by mentioning the three kinds of kammic formations, the twelve-factored principle of conditionality is implied. To this extent the round of existence is shown.
An analysis of these three types of volitional formations is at Vibh 135. At MN II 262–63 the Buddha explains in detail how viññāṇa becomes āneñjūpaga.
But when a bhikkhu has abandoned ignorance and aroused true knowledge, then, with the fading away of ignorance and the arising of true knowledge, he does not generate a meritorious volitional formation, or a demeritorious volitional formation, or an imperturbable volitional formation.
Since he does not generate or fashion volitional formations, he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated.
[n.137] Paritassati clearly represents Skt paritṛṣyati, "to crave, to thirst for," and is connected etymologically with taṇhā. However, in Pali (and perhaps in MIA dialects generally) the verbal stem has become conflated with tasati = to fear, to tremble, and thus its noun derivatives such as paritassanā and paritasita acquire the sense of nouns derived from tasati. This convergence of meanings, already evident in the Nikāyas, is made explicit in the commentaries. I have tried to capture both nuances by rendering the verb "to be agitated" and the noun "agitation."
Here Spk glosses na paritassati: "He is not agitated with the agitation of craving (taṇhaparitassanā) or the agitation of fear (bhayaparitassanā); the meaning is, he does not crave and does not fear." Neither Spk nor Spk-pṭ comment on parinibbāyati, but what is meant is obviously the attainment of kilesaparinibbāna, the full quenching of defilements, on which see the General Introduction, pp. 49–50. On the arahant's reviewing knowledge, see I, n. 376.
Not being agitated, he personally attains Nibbāna. He understands: ‘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.’
10"If he feels a pleasant feeling, [n.138] Spk: After the arahant's reviewing knowledge has been shown, this passage is stated to show his constant dwelling (sātatavihāra). The passage recurs, but with a different simile, at SN22.88, 36:7, 8, and SN54.8. he understands: ‘It is impermanent’; he understands: ‘It is not held to’; he understands: ‘It is not delighted in.’
If he feels a painful feeling, he understands: ‘It is impermanent’; he understands: ‘It is not held to’; he understands: ‘It is not delighted in.’
If he feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘It is impermanent’; he understands: ‘It is not held to’; he understands: ‘It is not delighted in.’
"If he feels a pleasant feeling, he feels it detached;
if he feels a painful feeling, he feels it detached;
if he feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he feels it detached. sn.ii.83
11"When he feels a feeling terminating with the body, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with the body.’
When he feels a feeling terminating with life, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with life.’ [n.139] Spk: A feeling terminating with the body (kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ) is one delimited by the body (kāyaparicchinnaṁ); a feeling terminating with life (jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ) is one delimited by life. As long as the body with its five sense doors continues, the feelings occurring at the five sense doors continue; as long as life continues, the feelings occurring at the mind door continue.
He understands: ‘With the breakup of the body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool right here; mere bodily remains will be left.’ [n.140] Spk: Will become cool right here (idh’ eva … sītibhavissanti): Right here, without having gone elsewhere by way of rebirth, they will become cool, subject to no further occurrence, devoid of the palpitation and disturbance of their occurrence.
12"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man would remove a hot clay pot from a potter's kiln and set it on smooth ground: its heat would be dissipated right there and potsherds would be left.
So too, when he feels a feeling terminating with the body, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with the body.’
When he feels a feeling terminating with life, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with life.’
He understands: ‘With the breakup of the body, following the exhaustion of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool right here; mere bodily remains will be left.’
[n.141] The unusual use of the plural sārīrāni here mirrors the unusual use of the plural kapillāni to mean potsherds. Spk glosses sārīrāni as dhātusārīrāni, bodily elements, which Spk-pṭ identifies as the bones (aṭṭhikakankala). Kapilla usually means a pot or a bowl, but Spk says the plural here denotes potsherds bound together along with the rim.
Spk elaborates the simile: The blazing potter's oven represents the three realms of existence, the potter the meditator, and his rod the knowledge of the path of arahantship. The smooth piece of ground represents Nibbāna. The time when the potter removes the hot clay pot from the oven and places it on the ground is like the time when the meditator, having attained the supreme fruit of arahantship, removes his individual form from the four realms of misery and places it on the surface of Nibbāna by way of fruition attainment. Just as the hot clay pot (does not break up at once), so the arahant does not attain parinibbāna on the same day he reaches arahantship. He lives on for fifty or sixty years, striving to sustain the Buddha’s dispensation. When he reaches his last thought-moment, with the breakup of the aggregates he attains parinibbāna by the Nibbāna element without residue. Then, as with the potsherds of the pot, only inanimate bodily remains are left behind.
13"What do you think, bhikkhus, can a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed generate a meritorious volitional formation, or a demeritorious volitional formation, or an imperturbable volitional formation?"
"No, venerable sir."
14"When there are utterly no volitional formations, with the cessation of volitional formations, would consciousness be discerned?"
[n.142] Spk: "Would a rebirth-consciousness (paṭisandhiviññāṇa) be discerned?"
"No, venerable sir."
15"When there is utterly no consciousness, with the cessation of consciousness, would name-and-form be discerned?"
"No, venerable sir."
16"When there is utterly no name-and-form …
17"When there are utterly no six sense bases … sn.ii.84 …
18"When there is utterly no contact …
19"When there is utterly no feeling …
20"When there is utterly no craving …
21"When there is utterly no clinging …
22"When there is utterly no existence …
23"When there is utterly no birth, with the cessation of birth, would aging-and-death be discerned?"
"No, venerable sir."
24"Good, good, bhikkhus! It is exactly so and not otherwise! Place faith in me about this, bhikkhus, resolve on this. Be free from perplexity and doubt about this. Just this is the end of suffering." [n.143] Spk: "Just this is the end of the suffering of the round, its termination, that is, Nibbāna."
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.
"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
2"Kittāvatā nu kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu parivīmaṁsamāno parivīmaṁseyya sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāyā"ti?
"Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī"ti.
"Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
3"Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu parivīmaṁsamāno parivīmaṁsati: ‘Yaṁ kho idaṁ anekavidhaṁ nānappakārakaṁ dukkhaṁ loke uppajjati jarāmaraṇaṁ; idaṁ nu kho dukkhaṁ kiṁnidānaṁ kiṁsamudayaṁ kiṁjātikaṁ kiṁpabhavaṁ? Kismiṁ sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, kismiṁ asati jarāmaraṇaṁ na hotī’ti?
So parivīmaṁsamāno evaṁ pajānāti: ‘Yaṁ kho idaṁ anekavidhaṁ nānappakārakaṁ dukkhaṁ loke uppajjati jarāmaraṇaṁ, idaṁ kho dukkhaṁ jātinidānaṁ jātisamudayaṁ jātijātikaṁ jātippabhavaṁ. Jātiyā sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, jātiyā asati jarāmaraṇaṁ na hotī’ti.
4So jarāmaraṇañca pajānāti, jarāmaraṇasamudayañca pajānāti, jarāmaraṇanirodhañca pajānāti, yā ca jarāmaraṇanirodhasāruppagāminī paṭipadā tañca pajānāti, tathā paṭipanno ca hoti anudhammacārī; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya paṭipanno jarāmaraṇanirodhāya.
5Athāparaṁ parivīmaṁsamāno parivīmaṁsati: ‘jāti panāyaṁ kiṁnidānā kiṁsamudayā kiṁjātikā kiṁpabhavā, kismiṁ sati jāti hoti, kismiṁ asati jāti na hotī’ti? So parivīmaṁsamāno evaṁ pajānāti: ‘jāti bhavanidānā bhavasamudayā bhavajātikā bhavappabhavā; bhave sati jāti hoti, bhave asati jāti na hotī’ti.
6So jātiñca pajānāti, jātisamudayañca pajānāti, jātinirodhañca pajānāti, yā ca jātinirodhasāruppagāminī paṭipadā tañca pajānāti, tathā paṭipanno ca hoti anudhammacārī; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya paṭipanno jātinirodhāya.
7Athāparaṁ parivīmaṁsamāno parivīmaṁsati: ‘bhavo panāyaṁ kiṁnidāno … pe … upādānaṁ panidaṁ kiṁnidānaṁ … taṇhā panāyaṁ kiṁnidānā … vedanā … phasso … saḷāyatanaṁ panidaṁ kiṁnidānaṁ … nāmarūpaṁ panidaṁ … viññāṇaṁ panidaṁ …
saṅkhārā panime kiṁnidānā kiṁsamudayā kiṁjātikā kiṁpabhavā; kismiṁ sati saṅkhārā honti, kismiṁ asati saṅkhārā na hontī’ti?
So parivīmaṁsamāno evaṁ pajānāti: ‘saṅkhārā avijjānidānā avijjāsamudayā avijjājātikā avijjāpabhavā; avijjāya sati saṅkhārā honti, avijjāya asati saṅkhārā na hontī’ti.
8So saṅkhāre ca pajānāti, saṅkhārasamudayañca pajānāti, saṅkhāranirodhañca pajānāti, yā ca saṅkhāranirodhasāruppagāminī paṭipadā tañca pajānāti, tathā paṭipanno ca hoti anudhammacārī; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya paṭipanno saṅkhāranirodhāya.
9Avijjāgato yaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo puññañce saṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, puññūpagaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ. Apuññañce saṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, apuññūpagaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ. Āneñjañce saṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti āneñjūpagaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ.
Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno avijjā pahīnā hoti vijjā uppannā, so avijjāvirāgā vijjuppādā neva puññābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti na apuññābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti na āneñjābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.
Anabhisaṅkharonto anabhisañcetayanto na kiñci loke upādiyati; anupādiyaṁ na paritassati, aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
10So sukhañce vedanāṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti.
Dukkhañce vedanāṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti.
Adukkhamasukhañce vedanāṁ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti.
So sukhañce vedanāṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati.
Dukkhañce vedanāṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati.
Adukkhamasukhañce vedanāṁ vedayati, visaṁyutto naṁ vedayati.
11So kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayamāno kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayāmīti pajānāti,
jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayamāno jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayāmīti pajānāti.
Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissanti, sarīrāni avasissantīti pajānāti.
12Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kumbhakārapākā uṇhaṁ kumbhaṁ uddharitvā same bhūmibhāge paṭisisseyya. Tatra yāyaṁ usmā sā tattheva vūpasameyya, kapallāni avasisseyyuṁ.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayamāno kāyapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayāmīti pajānāti,
jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayamāno jīvitapariyantikaṁ vedanāṁ vedayāmīti pajānāti.
Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissanti, sarīrāni avasissantīti pajānāti.
13Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu kho khīṇāsavo bhikkhu puññābhisaṅkhāraṁ vā abhisaṅkhareyya apuññābhisaṅkhāraṁ vā abhisaṅkhareyya āneñjābhisaṅkhāraṁ vā abhisaṅkhareyyā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
14"Sabbaso vā pana saṅkhāresu asati, saṅkhāranirodhā api nu kho viññāṇaṁ paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
15"Sabbaso vā pana viññāṇe asati, viññāṇanirodhā api nu kho nāmarūpaṁ paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
16"Sabbaso vā pana nāmarūpe asati, nāmarūpanirodhā api nu kho saḷāyatanaṁ paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
17"Sabbaso vā pana saḷāyatane asati, saḷāyatananirodhā api nu kho phasso paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
18"Sabbaso vā pana phasse asati, phassanirodhā api nu kho vedanā paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
19"Sabbaso vā pana vedanāya asati, vedanānirodhā api nu kho taṇhā paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
20"Sabbaso vā pana taṇhāya asati, taṇhānirodhā api nu kho upādānaṁ paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
21"Sabbaso vā pana upādāne asati, upādānanirodhā api nu kho bhavo paññāyethā"ti.
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
22"Sabbaso vā pana bhave asati, bhavanirodhā api nu kho jāti paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
23"Sabbaso vā pana jātiyā asati, jātinirodhā api nu kho jarāmaraṇaṁ paññāyethā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
24"Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave, evametaṁ, bhikkhave, netaṁ aññathā. Saddahatha me taṁ, bhikkhave, adhimuccatha, nikkaṅkhā ettha hotha nibbicikicchā. Esevanto dukkhassā"ti.
Paṭhamaṁ.