SN35:243 Exposition on the Corrupted
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Now on that occasion a new assembly hall had just been built for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu and it had not yet been inhabited by any ascetic or brahmin or by any human being at all. Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Venerable sir, a new council hall has just been built for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu and it has not yet been inhabited by any ascetic or brahmin or by any human being at all. sn.iv.183 Venerable sir, let the Blessed One be the first to use it. When the Blessed One has used it first, then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu will use it afterwards. That will lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time." [n.191] This invitation reflects the widespread belief in South Asian religion that it is auspicious to invite a holy man to spend the first night in a new residence before the lay owners move in to occupy it. This honour would have been especially cherished by the Sakyans, who were the Buddha’s own kinsmen. Similar ceremonies are reported at MN I 353–54 and DN II 84–85 (= Ud 85–86).
The Blessed One consented by silence.
2Then, when the Sakyans understood that the Blessed One had consented, they rose from their seats and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on their right, they went to the new assembly hall. They covered it thoroughly with mats, prepared seats, put out a large water jug, and hung up an oil lamp. Then they approached the Blessed One and informed him of this, adding: "Let the Blessed One come at his own convenience."
Then the Blessed One dressed and, taking bowl and robe, went together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus to the new assembly hall. After washing his feet, he entered the hall and sat down against the central pillar facing east. The bhikkhus too, after washing their feet, entered the hall and sat down against the western wall facing east, with the Blessed One in front of them. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu too, after washing their feet, entered the hall and sat down against the eastern wall facing west, with the Blessed One in front of them.
The Blessed One then instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened the Sakyans with a Dhamma talk through much of the night, after which he dismissed them, saying: "The night has passed, Gotamas. [n.192] He refers to them as Gotamas because they were members of the Gotama clan, to which he himself belonged. You may go at your own convenience." sn.iv.184
"Yes, venerable sir," they replied. Then they rose from their seats and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on their right, they departed.
3Then, not long after the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu had left, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thus: "The Saṅgha of bhikkhus is free from sloth and torpor, Moggallana. Give a Dhamma talk to the bhikkhus. My back is aching, so I will stretch it." [n.193] Spk: During his six years of ascetic practice the Blessed One had experienced great bodily pain. Therefore, in his old age, he suffered from back winds (piṭṭhivāta, rheumatism?). Or else he lay down because he wanted to use the council hall in all four postures, having already used it by way of walking, standing, and sitting.
"Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna replied.
Then the Blessed One prepared his outer robe folded in four and lay down on his right side in the lion's posture, with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, after noting in his mind the idea of rising. Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Friends, bhikkhus!"
"Friend!" those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:
"I will teach you, friends, an exposition on the corrupted and the uncorrupted. [n.194] Avassutapariyāya, anavassutapariyāya. Avassuta means literally "flown into," or leaky, implying a mind permeated by defilements. The substantives avassuta and āsavā, and the verbs anvassavati and anu(s)savati, are all based on the same root su, "to flow." Waldschmidt has published a Skt version of Moggallana's discourse (see Bibliography). Listen to it and attend closely, I will speak."
"Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:
4"How, friends, is one corrupted? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is intent upon a pleasing form and repelled by a displeasing form. [n.195] As at SN35.132 (IV 119,27–120,11). He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. sn.iv.185 Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.
"This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who is corrupted amidst forms cognizable by the eye, corrupted amidst sounds cognizable by the ear, corrupted amidst odours cognizable by the nose, corrupted amidst tastes cognizable by the tongue, corrupted amidst tactile objects cognizable by the body, corrupted amidst mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. When a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Māra approaches him through the eye, Māra gains access to him, Māra gets a hold on him. If Māra approaches him through the ear … through the mind, Māra gains access to him, Māra gets a hold on him.
5"Suppose, friends, there is a shed made of reeds or of grass, dried up, desiccated, past its prime. If a man approaches it from the east with a blazing grass torch, or from the west, from the north, from the south, from below, or from above, whichever way he approaches it the fire gains access to it, the fire gets a hold on it. So too, friends, when a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Māra approaches him through the eye … through the mind, Māra gains access to him, Māra gets a hold on him.
"When a bhikkhu dwells thus, forms overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm forms. Sounds overwhelm him; sn.iv.186 he does not overwhelm sounds. Odours overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm odours. Tastes overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm tastes. Tactile objects overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm tactile objects. Mental phenomena overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm mental phenomena. This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who is overwhelmed by forms, overwhelmed by sounds, overwhelmed by odours, overwhelmed by tastes, overwhelmed by tactile objects, overwhelmed by mental phenomena—one who is overwhelmed and who does not overwhelm. Evil unwholesome states have overwhelmed him, states that defile, that lead to renewed existence, that bring trouble, that result in suffering, and that lead to future birth, aging, and death.
"It is in this way, friends, that one is corrupted.
6"And how, friends, is one uncorrupted? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is not intent upon a pleasing form and not repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and not repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.
"This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who is uncorrupted amidst forms cognizable by the eye, uncorrupted amidst sounds cognizable by the ear, uncorrupted amidst odours cognizable by the nose, uncorrupted amidst tastes cognizable by the tongue, uncorrupted amidst tactile objects cognizable by the body, uncorrupted amidst mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. When a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Māra approaches him through the eye, Māra fails to gain access to him, Māra fails to get a hold on him. If Māra approaches him through the ear … through the mind, Māra fails to gain access to him, Māra fails to get a hold on him.
7"Suppose, friends, there is a peaked house or a hall sn.iv.187 built of thickly packed clay and freshly plastered. If a man approaches it from the east with a blazing grass torch, or from the west, from the north, from the south, from below, or from above, whichever way he approaches it the fire fails to gain access to it, the fire fails to get a hold on it. So too, friends, when a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Māra approaches him through the eye … through the mind, Māra fails to gain access to him, Māra fails to get a hold on him.
"When a bhikkhu dwells thus, he overwhelms forms; forms do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms sounds; sounds do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms odours; odours do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms tastes; tastes do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms tactile objects; tactile objects do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms mental phenomena; mental phenomena do not overwhelm him. This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who overwhelms forms, who overwhelms sounds, who overwhelms odours, who overwhelms tastes, who overwhelms tactile objects, who overwhelms mental phenomena—one who overwhelms and who is not overwhelmed. He has overwhelmed those evil unwholesome states that defile, that lead to renewed existence, that bring trouble, that result in suffering, and that lead to future birth, aging, and death.
"It is in this way, friends, that one is uncorrupted."
8Then the Blessed One got up and addressed the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thus: "Good, good, Moggallana! You have spoken well to the bhikkhus the exposition on the corrupted and the uncorrupted."
9This is what the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said. sn.iv.188 The Teacher approved. Elated, those bhikkhus delighted in the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna's statement.
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu vihārati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Tena kho pana samayena kāpilavatthavānaṁ sakyānaṁ navaṁ santhāgāraṁ acirakāritaṁ hoti anajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā kenaci vā manussabhūtena. Atha kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
"idha, bhante, kāpilavatthavānaṁ sakyānaṁ navaṁ santhāgāraṁ acirakāritaṁ anajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā kenaci vā manussabhūtena. Taṁ, bhante, bhagavā paṭhamaṁ paribhuñjatu. Bhagavatā paṭhamaṁ paribhuttaṁ pacchā kāpilavatthavā sakyā paribhuñjissanti. Tadassa kāpilavatthavānaṁ sakyānaṁ dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.
Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
2Atha kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena navaṁ santhāgāraṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā sabbasanthariṁ santhāgāraṁ santharitvā āsanāni paññāpetvā udakamaṇikaṁ patiṭṭhāpetvā telappadīpaṁ āropetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "sabbasantharisanthataṁ, bhante, santhāgāraṁ, āsanāni paññattāni, udakamaṇiko patiṭṭhāpito, telappadīpo āropito. Yassadāni, bhante, bhagavā kālaṁ maññatī"ti.
Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena yena navaṁ santhāgāraṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā pāde pakkhāletvā santhāgāraṁ pavisitvā majjhimaṁ thambhaṁ nissāya puratthābhimukho nisīdi. Bhikkhusaṅghopi kho pāde pakkhāletvā santhāgāraṁ pavisitvā pacchimaṁ bhittiṁ nissāya puratthābhimukho nisīdi bhagavantaṁyeva purakkhatvā. Kāpilavatthavā sakyā pāde pakkhāletvā santhāgāraṁ pavisitvā puratthimaṁ bhittiṁ nissāya pacchimābhimukhā nisīdiṁsu bhagavantaṁyeva purakkhatvā.
Atha kho bhagavā kāpilavatthave sakye bahudeva rattiṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uyyojesi: "abhikkantā kho, gotamā, ratti. Yassadāni kālaṁ maññathā"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā bhagavato paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu.
3Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkantesu kāpilavatthavesu sakyesu āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi: "vigatathinamiddho kho, moggallāna, bhikkhusaṅgho. Paṭibhātu taṁ, moggallāna, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammī kathā. Piṭṭhi me āgilāyati; tamahaṁ āyamissāmī"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paccassosi.
Atha kho bhagavā catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappesi, pāde pādaṁ accādhāya, sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā. Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi: "āvuso bhikkhave"ti.
"Āvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:
"avassutapariyāyañca vo, āvuso, desessāmi, anavassutapariyāyañca. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evamāvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:
4"Kathaṁ, āvuso, avassuto hoti? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassatī vihārati parittacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti … pe … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … pe … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassatī ca vihārati parittacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.
Ayaṁ vuccati, āvuso, bhikkhu avassuto cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu … pe … avassuto jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu … pe … avassuto manoviññeyyesu dhammesu. Evaṁvihāriñcāvuso, bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ … pe … jivhāto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ … pe … manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ.
5Seyyathāpi, āvuso, naḷāgāraṁ vā tiṇāgāraṁ vā sukkhaṁ kolāpaṁ terovassikaṁ. Puratthimāya cepi naṁ disāya puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, labhetheva aggi otāraṁ, labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ; pacchimāya cepi naṁ disāya puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya … pe … uttarāya cepi naṁ disāya … pe … dakkhiṇāya cepi naṁ disāya … pe … heṭṭhimato cepi naṁ … pe … uparimato cepi naṁ … yato kutoci cepi naṁ puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, labhetheva aggi otāraṁ labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ.
Evameva kho, āvuso, evaṁvihāriṁ bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ … pe … jivhāto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati … pe … manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ. Evaṁvihāriñcāvuso, bhikkhuṁ rūpā adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu rūpe adhibhosi; saddā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu sadde adhibhosi; gandhā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu gandhe adhibhosi; rasā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu rase adhibhosi; phoṭṭhabbā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu phoṭṭhabbe adhibhosi; dhammā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu dhamme adhibhosi. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, bhikkhu rūpādhibhūto, saddādhibhūto, gandhādhibhūto, rasādhibhūto, phoṭṭhabbādhibhūto, dhammādhibhūto, adhibhūto, anadhibhū, adhibhaṁsu naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammā saṅkilesikā ponobhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā.
Evaṁ kho, āvuso, avassuto hoti.
6Kathañcāvuso, anavassuto hoti? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca vihārati appamāṇacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti … pe … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … pe … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca vihārati appamāṇacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, bhikkhu anavassuto cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu … pe … anavassuto manoviññeyyesu dhammesu.
Evaṁvihāriñcāvuso, bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ … pe … jivhāto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati … pe … manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ.
7Seyyathāpi, āvuso, kūṭāgāraṁ vā sālā vā bahalamattikā addāvalepanā. Puratthimāya cepi naṁ disāya puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, neva labhetha aggi otāraṁ, na labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ … pe … pacchimāya cepi naṁ … uttarāya cepi naṁ … dakkhiṇāya cepi naṁ … heṭṭhimato cepi naṁ … uparimato cepi naṁ … yato kutoci cepi naṁ puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, neva labhetha aggi otāraṁ, na labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ. Evameva kho, āvuso, evaṁvihāriṁ bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ … pe … manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ.
Evaṁvihārī cāvuso, bhikkhu rūpe adhibhosi, na rūpā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; sadde bhikkhu adhibhosi, na saddā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; gandhe bhikkhu adhibhosi, na gandhā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; rase bhikkhu adhibhosi, na rasā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; phoṭṭhabbe bhikkhu adhibhosi, na phoṭṭhabbā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; dhamme bhikkhu adhibhosi, na dhammā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, bhikkhu rūpādhibhū, saddādhibhū, gandhādhibhū, rasādhibhū, phoṭṭhabbādhibhū, dhammādhibhū, adhibhū, anadhibhūto, adhibhosi te pāpake akusale dhamme saṅkilesike ponobhavike sadare dukkhavipāke āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiye.
Evaṁ kho, āvuso, anavassuto hotī"ti.
8Atha kho bhagavā uṭṭhahitvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi: "sādhu sādhu, moggallāna. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, moggallāna, bhikkhūnaṁ avassutapariyāyañca anavassutapariyāyañca abhāsī"ti.
9Idamavoca āyasmā mahāmoggallāno. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.