Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.153

The Related Suttas Collection 35.153

15. Navapurāṇavagga

15. The Old and the New

Atthinukhopariyāyasutta

Is There a Method?

“Atthi nu kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākareyya: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmī”ti?

“Bhikkhus, is there a method—apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration—that a bhikkhu can rely on to declare their enlightenment? That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The bhikkhus will listen and remember it.”

“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Well then, bhikkhus, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“atthi, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākareyya: ‘“khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāmī’ti.

“There is a method—apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration—that a bhikkhu can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pariyāyo, yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya …pe… aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā vā veditabbā”ti?

And what is that method? Take a bhikkhu who sees a sight with the eye. When they have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ When they don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ Since this is so, are these things understood by faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā”ti?

“Aren’t they understood by seeing them with wisdom?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘“khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāmī’ti …pe….

“This is a method—apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration—that a bhikkhu can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ …pe… rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā vā veditabbā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”. “Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘“khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāmī’ti …pe…. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā vā veditabbā”ti?

Furthermore, a bhikkhu hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … feels a touch … knows a thought with the mind. When they have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ When they don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’ Since this is so, are these things understood by faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā”ti?

“Aren’t they understood by seeing them with wisdom?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘“khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti pajānāmī’ti.

“This too is a method—apart from faith, preference, oral tradition, reasoned contemplation, or acceptance of a view after consideration—that a bhikkhu can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.