Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.84

The Related Suttas Collection 22.84

9. Theravagga

9. Senior Bhikkhus

Tissasutta

With Tissa

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti:

Now at that time Venerable Tissa, the Buddha’s paternal cousin, informed several bhikkhus:

“api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo; disāpi me na pakkhāyanti; dhammāpi maṁ na paṭibhanti; thinamiddhañca¹ me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati; anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā”ti.

“Friends, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.”

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “āyasmā, bhante, tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti: ‘api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo; disāpi me na pakkhāyanti; dhammāpi maṁ na paṭibhanti; thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati; anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti.

Then several bhikkhus went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena tissaṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehī”ti.

So the Buddha addressed a certain monk, “Please, monk, in my name tell the bhikkhu Tissa that the Teacher summons him.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā tisso tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ etadavoca: “satthā taṁ, āvuso tissa, āmantetī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Tissa and said to him, “Friend Tissa, the teacher summons you.”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā tisso tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes, friend,” Tissa replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, tissa, sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamārocesi: ‘api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo …pe… hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti?

“Is it really true, Tissa, that you informed several bhikkhus that your body feels like it’s drugged … and you have doubts about the teachings?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa, rūpe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa, tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“What do you think, Tissa? If you’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form, when that form decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. Yathā taṁ rūpe avigatarāgassa …

“Good, good, Tissa! That’s how it is, Tissa, when you’re not rid of greed for form.

vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu avigatarāgassa …pe… tesaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”. “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. Yathā taṁ saṅkhāresu anigatarāgassa, viññāṇe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa, tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

If you’re not rid of greed for feeling … perception … choices … consciousness, when that consciousness decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. Yathā taṁ viññāṇe avigatarāgassa.

“Good, good, Tissa! That’s how it is, Tissa, when you’re not rid of greed for consciousness.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa, rūpe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa, tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

What do you think, Tissa? If you are rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form, when that form decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. Yathā taṁ rūpe vigatarāgassa … vedanāya … saññāya … saṅkhāresu vigatarāgassa … viññāṇe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. Yathā taṁ viññāṇe vigatarāgassa.

“Good, good, Tissa! That’s how it is, Tissa, when you are rid of greed for form … feeling … perception … choices … consciousness.

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

What do you think, Tissa? Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Tasmātiha …pe… evaṁ passaṁ …pe… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti.

“So you should truly see … Seeing this … They understand: ‘… there is no return to any state of existence.’

Seyyathāpi, tissa, dve purisā—eko puriso amaggakusalo, eko puriso maggakusalo. Tamenaṁ so amaggakusalo puriso amuṁ maggakusalaṁ purisaṁ maggaṁ puccheyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ehi, bho purisa, ayaṁ maggo. Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi dvedhāpathaṁ, tattha vāmaṁ muñcitvā dakkhiṇaṁ gaṇhāhi. Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi tibbaṁ vanasaṇḍaṁ. Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi mahantaṁ ninnaṁ pallalaṁ. Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi sobbhaṁ papātaṁ. Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi samaṁ bhūmibhāgaṁ ramaṇīyan’ti.

Suppose, Tissa, there were two people. One was not skilled in the path, the other was. The one not skilled in the path would question the one skilled in the path, who would reply: ‘Come, good man, this is the path. Go down it a little, and you’ll see a fork in the road. Ignore the left, and take the right-hand path. Go a little further, and you’ll see a dark forest grove. Go a little further, and you’ll see an expanse of low-lying marshes. Go a little further, and you’ll see a large, steep cliff. Go a little further, and you’ll see level, cleared parkland.’

Upamā kho myāyaṁ, tissa, katā atthassa viññāpanāya. Ayaṁ cevettha attho:

I’ve made up this simile to make a point. And this is what it means.

‘puriso amaggakusalo’ti kho, tissa, puthujjanassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘A person who is not skilled in the path’ is a term for an ordinary unlearned person.

‘Puriso maggakusalo’ti kho, tissa, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.

‘A person who is skilled in the path’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.

‘Dvedhāpatho’ti kho, tissa, vicikicchāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘A fork in the road’ is a term for doubt.

‘Vāmo maggo’ti kho, tissa, aṭṭhaṅgikassetaṁ micchāmaggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—micchādiṭṭhiyā …pe… micchāsamādhissa.

‘The left-hand path’ is a term for the wrong eightfold path, that is, wrong view … wrong immersion.

‘Dakkhiṇo maggo’ti kho, tissa, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhiyā …pe… sammāsamādhissa.

‘The right-hand path’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is, right view … right immersion.

‘Tibbo vanasaṇḍo’ti kho, tissa, avijjāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘A dark forest grove’ is a term for ignorance.

‘Mahantaṁ ninnaṁ pallalan’ti kho, tissa, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘An expanse of low-lying marshes’ is a term for sensual pleasures.

‘Sobbho papāto’ti kho, tissa, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘A large, steep cliff’ is a term for anger and distress.

‘Samo bhūmibhāgo ramaṇīyo’ti kho, tissa, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Level, cleared parkland’ is a term for Nibbana.

Abhirama, tissa, abhirama, tissa. Ahamovādena ahamanuggahena ahamanusāsaniyā”ti.

Rejoice, Tissa, rejoice! I’m here to advise you, to support you, and to teach you.”

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā tisso bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Tissa was happy with what the Buddha said.

Dutiyaṁ.