Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.161

The Related Suttas Collection 45.161

13. Esanāvagga

13. Searches

Esanāsutta

Searches

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches. What is the noble eightfold path? It’s when a bhikkhu develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”

Tisso imā kho, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches. What is the noble eightfold path? It’s when a bhikkhu develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which culminate in the removal of greed, hate, and delusion.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”

Tisso imā kho, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti amatogadhaṁ amataparāyanaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches. What is the noble eightfold path? It’s when a bhikkhu develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”

Tisso imā kho, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti nibbānaninnaṁ nibbānapoṇaṁ nibbānapabbhāraṁ.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to directly know these three searches. What is the noble eightfold path? It’s when a bhikkhu develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which slants, slopes, and inclines to Nibbana.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ abhiññāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

This is the noble eightfold path that should be developed to directly know these three searches.”

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ pariññāya …pe… ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to completely understand …”

(Yadapi abhiññā, tadapi pariññāya vitthāretabbaṁ.)

(Tell in full with “completely understand” instead of “directly know”.)

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ parikkhayāya …pe… ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabboti.

The noble eightfold path should be developed to finish …”

(Yadapi abhiññā, tadapi parikkhayāya vitthāretabbaṁ.)

(Tell in full with “finish” instead of “directly know”.)

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, esanā. Katamā tisso? Kāmesanā, bhavesanā, brahmacariyesanā—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso esanā.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ pahānāya ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo. Katamo ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ …

The noble eightfold path should be developed to give up …”

Imāsaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tissannaṁ esanānaṁ pahānāya ayaṁ ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo”ti.

(Yadapi abhiññā, tadapi pahānāya vitthāretabbaṁ.)

(Tell in full with “give up” instead of “directly know”.)

Paṭhamaṁ.