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MN 105PTS MN 2.25211 min read

With Sunakkhatta

Sunakkhattasutta

Not all of those who claim to be awakened are genuine. The Buddha teaches how true spiritual progress depends on an irreversible letting go of the forces that lead to suffering.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Majjhima Nikāya 105Middle Discourses 105

0.2SunakkhattasuttaWith Sunakkhatta

1.1PTS 2.252Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

2.1Tena kho pana samayena sambahulehi bhikkhūhi bhagavato santike aññā byākatā hoti:Now at that time several mendicants had declared their enlightenment in the Buddha’s presence:1

2.2“‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāmā”ti.“We understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”

2.3Assosi kho sunakkhatto licchaviputto:Sunakkhatta the Licchavi heard about this.22.4“sambahulehi kira bhikkhūhi bhagavato santike aññā byākatā hoti:2.5‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmā’”ti.

3.1Atha kho sunakkhatto licchaviputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho sunakkhatto licchaviputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:He went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,4.1“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante:“Sir, I have heard that4.2‘sambahulehi kira bhikkhūhi bhagavato santike aññā byākatā—several mendicants have declared their enlightenment in the Buddha’s presence.4.3khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmā’ti.4.4Ye te, bhante, bhikkhū bhagavato santike aññaṁ byākaṁsu:4.5‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmā’ti, kacci te, bhante, bhikkhū sammadeva aññaṁ byākaṁsu udāhu santetthekacce bhikkhū adhimānena aññaṁ byākaṁsū”ti?I trust they did so rightly—or are there some who declared enlightenment out of overestimation?”3

5.1PTS 2.253“Ye te, sunakkhatta, bhikkhū mama santike aññaṁ byākaṁsu:5.2‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmā’ti.5.3Santetthekacce bhikkhū sammadeva aññaṁ byākaṁsu, santi panidhekacce bhikkhū adhimānenapi aññaṁ byākaṁsu.“Some of them did so rightly, Sunakkhatta, while others did so out of overestimation.5.4Tatra, sunakkhatta, ye te bhikkhū sammadeva aññaṁ byākaṁsu tesaṁ taṁ tatheva hoti;Now, when mendicants declare enlightenment rightly, that is their truth.5.5ye pana te bhikkhū adhimānena aññaṁ byākaṁsu tatra, sunakkhatta, tathāgatassa evaṁ hoti:But when mendicants declare enlightenment out of overestimation, the Realized One thinks:5.6‘dhammaṁ nesaṁ desessan’ti.‘I should teach them the Dhamma.’5.7Evañcettha, sunakkhatta, tathāgatassa hoti:If the Realized One thinks5.8‘dhammaṁ nesaṁ desessan’ti.he should teach them the Dhamma,5.9Atha ca panidhekacce moghapurisā pañhaṁ abhisaṅkharitvā abhisaṅkharitvā tathāgataṁ upasaṅkamitvā pucchanti.but then certain futile men, having carefully planned a question, approach the Realized One and ask it,5.10Tatra, sunakkhatta, yampi tathāgatassa evaṁ hoti:then the Realized One5.11‘dhammaṁ nesaṁ desessan’ti tassapi hoti aññathattan”ti.changes his mind.”4

6.1“Etassa bhagavā kālo, etassa sugata kālo,“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!6.2yaṁ bhagavā dhammaṁ deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.Let the Buddha teach the Dhamma. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

6.3“Tena hi, sunakkhatta, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, Sunakkhatta, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

6.4“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho sunakkhatto licchaviputto bhagavato paccassosi.“Yes, sir,” replied Sunakkhatta.6.5Bhagavā etadavoca—The Buddha said this:

7.1Pañca kho ime, sunakkhatta, kāmaguṇā.“Sunakkhatta, there are these five kinds of sensual stimulation.7.2Katame pañca?What five?7.3Cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā,Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.7.4sotaviññeyyā saddā …pe…Sounds known by the ear …7.5ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …Smells known by the nose …7.6jivhāviññeyyā rasā …Tastes known by the tongue …7.7kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā—Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.7.8ime kho, sunakkhatta, pañca kāmaguṇā.These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

8.1PTS 2.254Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco purisapuggalo lokāmisādhimutto assa.It’s possible that a certain individual person may be intent on worldly pleasures of the flesh.8.2Lokāmisādhimuttassa kho, sunakkhatta, purisapuggalassa tappatirūpī ceva kathā saṇṭhāti, tadanudhammañca anuvitakketi, anuvicāreti, tañca purisaṁ bhajati, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati;Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.8.3āneñjapaṭisaṁyuttāya ca pana kathāya kacchamānāya na sussūsati, na sotaṁ odahati, na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti, na ca taṁ purisaṁ bhajati, na ca tena vittiṁ āpajjati.But when talk connected with the imperturbable is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.5

9.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, puriso sakamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā ciravippavuttho assa.Suppose a person had left their own village or town long ago,9.2So aññataraṁ purisaṁ passeyya tamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā acirapakkantaṁ.and they saw another person who had only recently left there.9.3So taṁ purisaṁ tassa gāmassa vā nigamassa vā khematañca subhikkhatañca appābādhatañca puccheyya;They would ask about whether their village was safe, with plenty of food and little disease,9.4tassa so puriso tassa gāmassa vā nigamassa vā khematañca subhikkhatañca appābādhatañca saṁseyya.and the other person would tell them the news.9.5Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sunakkhatta,What do you think, Sunakkhatta?9.6api nu so puriso tassa purisassa sussūseyya, sotaṁ odaheyya, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeyya, tañca purisaṁ bhajeyya, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjeyyā”ti?Would that person want to listen to that other person? Would they actively listen and try to understand? Would they associate with that person, and find it rewarding?”

9.7“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.”

9.8“Evameva kho, sunakkhatta, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ idhekacco purisapuggalo lokāmisādhimutto assa.“In the same way, it’s possible that a certain individual may be intent on worldly pleasures of the flesh.9.9Lokāmisādhimuttassa kho, sunakkhatta, purisapuggalassa tappatirūpī ceva kathā saṇṭhāti, tadanudhammañca anuvitakketi, anuvicāreti, tañca purisaṁ bhajati, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati;Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.9.10āneñjapaṭisaṁyuttāya ca pana kathāya kacchamānāya na sussūsati, na sotaṁ odahati, na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti, na ca taṁ purisaṁ bhajati, na ca tena vittiṁ āpajjati.But when talk connected with the imperturbable is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.9.11So evamassa veditabbo:You should know of them:9.12‘āneñjasaṁyojanena hi kho visaṁyutto lokāmisādhimutto purisapuggalo’ti.‘That individual is intent on pleasures of the flesh, for they’re detached from things connected with the imperturbable.’6

10.1Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco purisapuggalo āneñjādhimutto assa.It’s possible that a certain individual person may be intent on the imperturbable.10.2Āneñjādhimuttassa kho, sunakkhatta, purisapuggalassa tappatirūpī ceva kathā saṇṭhāti, tadanudhammañca anuvitakketi, anuvicāreti, tañca purisaṁ bhajati, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati;Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.10.3lokāmisapaṭisaṁyuttāya ca pana kathāya kacchamānāya na sussūsati, na sotaṁ odahati, na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti, na ca taṁ purisaṁ bhajati, na ca tena vittiṁ āpajjati.But when talk connected with worldly pleasures of the flesh is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.

11.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, paṇḍupalāso bandhanā pavutto abhabbo haritattāya;Suppose there was a fallen, withered leaf. It’s incapable of becoming green again.11.2evameva kho, sunakkhatta, āneñjādhimuttassa purisapuggalassa ye lokāmisasaṁyojane se pavutte.In the same way, an individual intent on the imperturbable has dropped the connection with worldly pleasures of the flesh.711.3So evamassa veditabbo:You should know of them:11.4‘lokāmisasaṁyojanena hi kho visaṁyutto āneñjādhimutto purisapuggalo’ti.‘That individual is intent on the imperturbable, for they’re detached from things connected with pleasures of the flesh.’

12.1PTS 2.255Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco purisapuggalo ākiñcaññāyatanādhimutto assa.It’s possible that a certain individual person may be intent on the dimension of nothingness.12.2Ākiñcaññāyatanādhimuttassa kho, sunakkhatta, purisapuggalassa tappatirūpī ceva kathā saṇṭhāti, tadanudhammañca anuvitakketi, anuvicāreti, tañca purisaṁ bhajati, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati;Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.812.3āneñjapaṭisaṁyuttāya ca pana kathāya kacchamānāya na sussūsati, na sotaṁ odahati, na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti, na ca taṁ purisaṁ bhajati, na ca tena vittiṁ āpajjati.But when talk connected with the imperturbable is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.9

13.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, puthusilā dvedhābhinnā appaṭisandhikā hoti;Suppose there was a broad rock that had been broken in half, so that it could not be put back together again.13.2evameva kho, sunakkhatta, ākiñcaññāyatanādhimuttassa purisapuggalassa ye āneñjasaṁyojane se bhinne.In the same way, an individual intent on the dimension of nothingness has broken the connection with the imperturbable.13.3So evamassa veditabbo:You should know of them:13.4‘āneñjasaṁyojanena hi kho visaṁyutto ākiñcaññāyatanādhimutto purisapuggalo’ti.‘That individual is intent on the dimension of nothingness, for they’re detached from things connected with the imperturbable.’

14.1Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco purisapuggalo nevasaññānāsaññāyatanādhimutto assa.It’s possible that a certain individual person may be intent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.14.2Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanādhimuttassa kho, sunakkhatta, purisapuggalassa tappatirūpī ceva kathā saṇṭhāti, tadanudhammañca anuvitakketi, anuvicāreti, tañca purisaṁ bhajati, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati;Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.14.3ākiñcaññāyatanapaṭisaṁyuttāya ca pana kathāya kacchamānāya na sussūsati, na sotaṁ odahati, na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti, na ca taṁ purisaṁ bhajati, na ca tena vittiṁ āpajjati.But when talk connected with the dimension of nothingness is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.

15.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, puriso manuññabhojanaṁ bhuttāvī chaḍḍeyya.Suppose someone had eaten some satisfying food and thrown it up.15.2Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sunakkhatta,What do you think, Sunakkhatta?15.3api nu tassa purisassa tasmiṁ bhatte puna bhottukamyatā assā”ti?Would that person want to eat that food again?”

15.4“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.15.5“Taṁ kissa hetu”?Why is that?15.6“Aduñhi, bhante, bhattaṁ paṭikūlasammatan”ti.Because that food is deemed repulsive.”

15.7“Evameva kho, sunakkhatta, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanādhimuttassa purisapuggalassa ye ākiñcaññāyatanasaṁyojane se vante.“In the same way, an individual intent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception has vomited the connection with the dimension of nothingness.15.8So evamassa veditabbo:You should know of them:15.9‘ākiñcaññāyatanasaṁyojanena hi kho visaṁyutto nevasaññānāsaññāyatanādhimutto purisapuggalo’ti.‘That individual is intent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, for they’re detached from things connected with the dimension of nothingness.’

16.1PTS 2.256Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekacco purisapuggalo sammā nibbānādhimutto assa.It’s possible that a certain individual person may be rightly intent on extinguishment.16.2Sammā nibbānādhimuttassa kho, sunakkhatta, purisapuggalassa tappatirūpī ceva kathā saṇṭhāti, tadanudhammañca anuvitakketi, anuvicāreti, tañca purisaṁ bhajati, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati;Such an individual engages in pertinent conversation, thinking and considering in line with that. They associate with that kind of person, and they find it rewarding.16.3nevasaññānāsaññāyatanapaṭisaṁyuttāya ca pana kathāya kacchamānāya na sussūsati, na sotaṁ odahati, na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti, na ca taṁ purisaṁ bhajati, na ca tena vittiṁ āpajjati.But when talk connected with the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception is going on they don’t want to listen. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. They don’t associate with that kind of person, and they don’t find it rewarding.

17.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, tālo matthakacchinno abhabbo puna viruḷhiyā;Suppose there was a palm tree with its crown cut off. It’s incapable of further growth.17.2evameva kho, sunakkhatta, sammā nibbānādhimuttassa purisapuggalassa ye nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaṁyojane se ucchinnamūle tālāvatthukate anabhāvaṅkate āyatiṁ anuppādadhamme.In the same way, an individual rightly intent on extinguishment has cut off the connection with the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future.17.3So evamassa veditabbo:You should know of them:17.4‘nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaṁyojanena hi kho visaṁyutto sammā nibbānādhimutto purisapuggalo’ti.‘That individual is rightly intent on extinguishment, for they’re detached from things connected with the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’

18.1Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekaccassa bhikkhuno evamassa:It’s possible that a certain mendicant might think:1018.2‘taṇhā kho sallaṁ samaṇena vuttaṁ, avijjāvisadoso, chandarāgabyāpādena ruppati.‘The Ascetic has said that craving is a dart; and that the poison of ignorance is inflicted by desire and ill will.1118.3Taṁ me taṇhāsallaṁ pahīnaṁ, apanīto avijjāvisadoso, sammā nibbānādhimuttohamasmī’ti.I have given up the dart of craving and expelled the poison of ignorance; I am rightly intent on extinguishment.’18.4Evaṁmāni assa atathaṁ samānaṁ.Having such conceit, though it’s not based in fact,18.5So yāni sammā nibbānādhimuttassa asappāyāni tāni anuyuñjeyya; asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ anuyuñjeyya.they would engage in things unconducive to extinguishment: unsuitable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas.18.6Tassa asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ anuyuttassa rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseyya.Doing so, lust infects their mind,18.7So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.resulting in death or deadly pain.

19.1PTS 2.257Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, puriso sallena viddho assa savisena gāḷhūpalepanena.Suppose a man was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison.19.2Tassa mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ upaṭṭhāpeyyuṁ.Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them.19.3Tassa so bhisakko sallakatto satthena vaṇamukhaṁ parikanteyya.The surgeon would cut open the wound with a scalpel,19.4Satthena vaṇamukhaṁ parikantitvā esaniyā sallaṁ eseyya.probe for the arrow,19.5Esaniyā sallaṁ esitvā sallaṁ abbuheyya, apaneyya visadosaṁ saupādisesaṁ.extract it, and expel the poison, leaving some residue behind.1219.6Saupādisesoti jānamāno so evaṁ vadeyya:Imagining that no residue remained, the surgeon would say:1319.7‘ambho purisa, ubbhataṁ kho te sallaṁ, apanīto visadoso saupādiseso.‘My man, the dart has been extracted and the poison expelled without residue.19.8Analañca te antarāyāya.It is still capable of harming you.1419.9Sappāyāni ceva bhojanāni bhuñjeyyāsi, mā te asappāyāni bhojanāni bhuñjato vaṇo assāvī assa.Eat only suitable food. Don’t eat unsuitable food, or else the wound may get infected.19.10Kālena kālañca vaṇaṁ dhoveyyāsi, kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpeyyāsi, mā te na kālena kālaṁ vaṇaṁ dhovato na kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpato pubbalohitaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ pariyonandhi.Regularly wash the wound and anoint the opening, or else it’ll get covered with pus and blood.19.11Mā ca vātātape cārittaṁ anuyuñji, mā te vātātape cārittaṁ anuyuttassa rajosūkaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ anuddhaṁsesi.Don’t walk too much in the wind and sun, or else dust and dirt will infect the wound.19.12Vaṇānurakkhī ca, ambho purisa, vihareyyāsi vaṇasāropī’ti.Take care of the wound, my man, heal it.’

20.1Tassa evamassa:They’d think:20.2‘ubbhataṁ kho me sallaṁ, apanīto visadoso anupādiseso.‘The dart has been extracted and the poison expelled with no residue.20.3Analañca me antarāyāyā’ti.It’s not capable of harming me.’1520.4So asappāyāni ceva bhojanāni bhuñjeyya. Tassa asappāyāni bhojanāni bhuñjato vaṇo assāvī assa.They’d eat unsuitable food, and the wound would get infected.20.5Na ca kālena kālaṁ vaṇaṁ dhoveyya, na ca kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpeyya. Tassa na kālena kālaṁ vaṇaṁ dhovato, na kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpato pubbalohitaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ pariyonandheyya.And they wouldn’t regularly wash and anoint the opening, so it would get covered in pus and blood.20.6Vātātape ca cārittaṁ anuyuñjeyya. Tassa vātātape cārittaṁ anuyuttassa rajosūkaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ anuddhaṁseyya.And they’d walk too much in the wind and sun, so dust and dirt infected the wound.20.7Na ca vaṇānurakkhī vihareyya na vaṇasāropī.And they wouldn’t take care of the wound or heal it.20.8Tassa imissā ca asappāyakiriyāya, asuci visadoso apanīto saupādiseso tadubhayena vaṇo puthuttaṁ gaccheyya.Then both because they did what was unsuitable, and because of the residue of unclean poison, the wound would expand,20.9So puthuttaṁ gatena vaṇena maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.resulting in death or deadly pain.

21.1PTS 2.258Evameva kho, sunakkhatta, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ idhekaccassa bhikkhuno evamassa:In the same way, it’s possible that a certain mendicant might think:21.2‘taṇhā kho sallaṁ samaṇena vuttaṁ, avijjāvisadoso chandarāgabyāpādena ruppati.‘The Ascetic has said that craving is a dart; and that the poison of ignorance is inflicted by desire and ill will.21.3Taṁ me taṇhāsallaṁ pahīnaṁ, apanīto avijjāvisadoso, sammā nibbānādhimuttohamasmī’ti.I have given up the dart of craving and expelled the poison of ignorance; I am rightly intent on extinguishment.’21.4Evaṁmāni assa atathaṁ samānaṁ.Having such conceit, though it’s not based in fact,21.5So yāni sammā nibbānādhimuttassa asappāyāni tāni anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ anuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ anuyuñjeyya.they would engage in things unconducive to extinguishment: unsuitable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas.21.6Tassa asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ anuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ anuyuttassa rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseyya.Doing so, lust infects their mind,21.7So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.resulting in death or deadly pain.

22.1Maraṇañhetaṁ, sunakkhatta, ariyassa vinaye yo sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati;For it is death in the training of the Noble One to resign the training and return to a lesser life.22.2maraṇamattañhetaṁ, sunakkhatta, dukkhaṁ yaṁ aññataraṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati.And it is deadly pain to commit one of the corrupt offenses.

23.1PTS 2.259Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, sunakkhatta, vijjati yaṁ idhekaccassa bhikkhuno evamassa:It’s possible that a certain mendicant might think:23.2‘taṇhā kho sallaṁ samaṇena vuttaṁ, avijjāvisadoso chandarāgabyāpādena ruppati.‘The Ascetic has said that craving is a dart; and that the poison of ignorance is inflicted by desire and ill will.23.3Taṁ me taṇhāsallaṁ pahīnaṁ, apanīto avijjāvisadoso, sammā nibbānādhimuttohamasmī’ti.I have given up the dart of craving and expelled the poison of ignorance; I am rightly intent on extinguishment.’23.4Sammā nibbānādhimuttasseva sato so yāni sammā nibbānādhimuttassa asappāyāni tāni nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ nānuyuñjeyya.Being rightly intent on extinguishment, they wouldn’t engage in things unconducive to extinguishment: unsuitable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas.23.5Tassa asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ nānuyuttassa rāgo cittaṁ nānuddhaṁseyya.Doing so, lust wouldn’t infect their mind,23.6So na rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena neva maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya na maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.so no death or deadly pain would result.

24.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, puriso sallena viddho assa savisena gāḷhūpalepanena.Suppose a man was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison.24.2Tassa mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ upaṭṭhāpeyyuṁ.Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them.24.3Tassa so bhisakko sallakatto satthena vaṇamukhaṁ parikanteyya.The surgeon would cut open the wound with a scalpel,24.4Satthena vaṇamukhaṁ parikantitvā esaniyā sallaṁ eseyya.probe for the arrow,24.5Esaniyā sallaṁ esitvā sallaṁ abbuheyya, apaneyya visadosaṁ anupādisesaṁ.extract it, and expel the poison, leaving no residue behind.24.6Anupādisesoti jānamāno so evaṁ vadeyya:Knowing that no residue remained, the surgeon would say:24.7‘ambho purisa, ubbhataṁ kho te sallaṁ, apanīto visadoso anupādiseso.‘My man, the dart has been extracted and the poison expelled with no residue.24.8Analañca te antarāyāya.It’s not capable of harming you.24.9Sappāyāni ceva bhojanāni bhuñjeyyāsi, mā te asappāyāni bhojanāni bhuñjato vaṇo assāvī assa.Eat only suitable food. Don’t eat unsuitable food, or else the wound may get infected.24.10Kālena kālañca vaṇaṁ dhoveyyāsi, kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpeyyāsi. Mā te na kālena kālaṁ vaṇaṁ dhovato na kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpato pubbalohitaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ pariyonandhi.Regularly wash the wound and anoint the opening, or else it’ll get covered with pus and blood.24.11Mā ca vātātape cārittaṁ anuyuñji, mā te vātātape cārittaṁ anuyuttassa rajosūkaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ anuddhaṁsesi.Don’t walk too much in the wind and sun, or else dust and dirt will infect the wound.24.12Vaṇānurakkhī ca, ambho purisa, vihareyyāsi vaṇasāropī’ti.Take care of the wound, my man, heal it.’

25.1Tassa evamassa:They’d think:25.2‘ubbhataṁ kho me sallaṁ, apanīto visadoso anupādiseso.‘The dart has been extracted and the poison expelled with no residue.25.3Analañca me antarāyāyā’ti.It’s not capable of harming me.’25.4So sappāyāni ceva bhojanāni bhuñjeyya. Tassa sappāyāni bhojanāni bhuñjato vaṇo na assāvī assa.They’d eat suitable food, and the wound wouldn’t get infected.25.5Kālena kālañca vaṇaṁ dhoveyya, kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpeyya. Tassa kālena kālaṁ vaṇaṁ dhovato kālena kālaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ ālimpato na pubbalohitaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ pariyonandheyya.And they’d regularly wash and anoint the opening, so it wouldn’t get covered in pus and blood.25.6Na ca vātātape cārittaṁ anuyuñjeyya. Tassa vātātape cārittaṁ ananuyuttassa rajosūkaṁ vaṇamukhaṁ nānuddhaṁseyya.And they wouldn’t walk too much in the wind and sun, so dust and dirt wouldn’t infect the wound.25.7Vaṇānurakkhī ca vihareyya vaṇasāropī.And they’d take care of the wound and heal it.25.8Tassa imissā ca sappāyakiriyāya asu ca visadoso apanīto anupādiseso tadubhayena vaṇo viruheyya.Then both because they did what was suitable, and the unclean poison had left no residue, the wound would heal,25.9So ruḷhena vaṇena sañchavinā neva maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya na maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.and no death or deadly pain would result.

26.1PTS 2.260Evameva kho, sunakkhatta, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ idhekaccassa bhikkhuno evamassa:In the same way, it’s possible that a certain mendicant might think:26.2‘taṇhā kho sallaṁ samaṇena vuttaṁ, avijjāvisadoso chandarāgabyāpādena ruppati.‘The Ascetic has said that craving is a dart; and that the poison of ignorance is inflicted by desire and ill will.26.3Taṁ me taṇhāsallaṁ pahīnaṁ, apanīto avijjāvisadoso, sammā nibbānādhimuttohamasmī’ti.I have given up the dart of craving and expelled the poison of ignorance; I am rightly intent on extinguishment.’26.4Sammā nibbānādhimuttasseva sato so yāni sammā nibbānādhimuttassa asappāyāni tāni nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ nānuyuñjeyya, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ nānuyuñjeyya.Being rightly intent on extinguishment, they wouldn’t engage in things unconducive to extinguishment: unsuitable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas.26.5Tassa asappāyaṁ cakkhunā rūpadassanaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ sotena saddaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ ghānena gandhaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ jivhāya rasaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ nānuyuttassa, asappāyaṁ manasā dhammaṁ nānuyuttassa, rāgo cittaṁ nānuddhaṁseyya.Doing so, lust wouldn’t infect their mind,26.6So na rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena neva maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya na maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.so no death or deadly pain would result.

27.1Upamā kho me ayaṁ, sunakkhatta, katā atthassa viññāpanāya.I’ve made up this simile to make a point.27.2Ayaṁyevettha attho—And this is the point:27.3vaṇoti kho, sunakkhatta, channetaṁ ajjhattikānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ;‘Wound’ is a term for the six interior sense fields.27.4visadosoti kho, sunakkhatta, avijjāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ;‘Poison’ is a term for ignorance.27.5sallanti kho, sunakkhatta, taṇhāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ;‘Dart’ is a term for craving.27.6esanīti kho, sunakkhatta, satiyāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ;‘Probing’ is a term for mindfulness.27.7satthanti kho, sunakkhatta, ariyāyetaṁ paññāya adhivacanaṁ;‘Scalpel’ is a term for noble wisdom.27.8bhisakko sallakattoti kho, sunakkhatta, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.‘Surgeon’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.

28.1PTS 2.261So vata, sunakkhatta, bhikkhu chasu phassāyatanesu saṁvutakārī.Truly, Sunakkhatta, that mendicant practices restraint regarding the six fields of contact.28.2‘Upadhi dukkhassa mūlan’ti—iti viditvā nirupadhi upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto upadhismiṁ vā kāyaṁ upasaṁharissati cittaṁ vā uppādessatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Understanding that attachment is the root of suffering, they are freed with the ending of attachments. It’s not possible that they would apply their body or interest their mind in any attachment.16

29.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, āpānīyakaṁso vaṇṇasampanno gandhasampanno rasasampanno;Suppose there was a bronze goblet of beverage that had a nice color, aroma, and flavor.29.2so ca kho visena saṁsaṭṭho.But it was mixed with poison.29.3Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikūlo.Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.29.4Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sunakkhatta,What do you think, Sunakkhatta?29.5api nu so puriso amuṁ āpānīyakaṁsaṁ piveyya yaṁ jaññā:Would that person drink that beverage if they knew that29.6‘imāhaṁ pivitvā maraṇaṁ vā nigacchāmi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhan’”ti?it would result in death or deadly suffering?”

29.7“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

29.8“Evameva kho, sunakkhatta, so vata bhikkhu chasu phassāyatanesu saṁvutakārī.“In the same way, Sunakkhatta, that mendicant practices restraint regarding the six fields of contact.29.9‘Upadhi dukkhassa mūlan’ti—iti viditvā nirupadhi upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto upadhismiṁ vā kāyaṁ upasaṁharissati cittaṁ vā uppādessatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Understanding that attachment is the root of suffering, they are freed with the ending of attachments. It’s not possible that they would apply their body or interest their mind in any attachment.

30.1Seyyathāpi, sunakkhatta, āsīviso ghoraviso.Suppose there was a lethal viper.30.2Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikūlo.Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.30.3Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sunakkhatta,What do you think, Sunakkhatta?30.4api nu so puriso amussa āsīvisassa ghoravisassa hatthaṁ vā aṅguṭṭhaṁ vā dajjā yaṁ jaññā:Would that person give that lethal viper their hand or finger if they knew that30.5‘imināhaṁ daṭṭho maraṇaṁ vā nigacchāmi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhan’”ti?it would result in death or deadly suffering?”

30.6“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

30.7“Evameva kho, sunakkhatta, so vata bhikkhu chasu phassāyatanesu saṁvutakārī.“In the same way, Sunakkhatta, that mendicant practices restraint regarding the six fields of contact.30.8‘Upadhi dukkhassa mūlan’ti—iti viditvā nirupadhi upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto upadhismiṁ vā kāyaṁ upasaṁharissati cittaṁ vā uppādessatīti—Understanding that attachment is the root of suffering, they are freed with the ending of attachments. It’s not possible that they would apply their body or interest their mind in any attachment.”30.9netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.

30.10Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.30.11Attamano sunakkhatto licchaviputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.Satisfied, Sunakkhatta of the Licchavi clan approved what the Buddha said.

30.12Sunakkhattasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Also at SN 12.70:4.1, which concerns the dubious ordination of the wanderer Susīma.

    “Enlightenment” is aññā, a technical term that refers to the knowledge of perfection (arahattā).

    A Buddhist mendicant incurs a penalty of expulsion if they deliberately lay false claim to awakening (Bu Pj 4), and a penalty of confession if they truthfully claim awakening to someone who is not ordained (Bu Pc 8). These rules directly concern laying claim regarding oneself, but the background stories apply when making claims with regards to another. Mendicants may declare their attainments among the community of monks and nuns who are fully ordained. Typically such a solemn matter is spoken of in a formal and respectful manner with one’s teacher.

    ↩ mn105:2.1

  2. This is apparently Sunakkhatta’s first meeting with the Buddha. In DN 6:5.3 we learn that, after being ordained three years, he spoke of his limited success in meditation. MN 12 and DN 24 deal with his bitter criticisms of the Buddha shortly after his disrobal.

    ↩ mn105:2.3

  3. By a loophole in the wording of the Vinaya, it is not an offense to tell anyone of your attainments if you are genuinely deluded and falsely believe that you have an attainment that you do not have. The Buddha dismissed such “overestimation” (adhimāna) as “negligible” (Bu Pj 4:2.1).

    ↩ mn105:4.5

  4. That is, if they plan to trap the Buddha with sophistry, he realizes that they are not ready to be taught.

    ↩ mn105:5.11

  5. The “imperturbable” refers to high meditative attainments, typically the fourth absorption and above.

    ↩ mn105:8.3

  6. The reading āneñjasaṁyojanena hi kho visaṁyutto is problematic, as it suggests they are free of the fetter of the imperturbable, which would mean they are an arahant. Several manuscripts omit this phrase, but it is glossed in the commentary. I think it harks back to the immediately prior āneñjapaṭisaṁyuttāya; possibly the paṭi dropped out in an old misreading. They’re not detached from the “fetter” of the imperturbable, but from “what is connected with” the imperturbable, i.e. they are disinterested in the talk about it.

    ↩ mn105:9.12

  7. Here and in the following examples, the verb in the explanation follows the metaphor: a leaf is “dropped”, a stone is “broken”, etc.

    ↩ mn105:11.2

  8. This case and the next would apply to the Buddha’s former teachers, who taught the dimensions of nothingness and neither perception nor non-perception respectively (MN 26:15.1).

    ↩ mn105:12.2

  9. In this case, the “imperturbable” must refer to the fourth absorption and the first two formless attainments.

    ↩ mn105:12.3

  10. The Buddha goes on to discuss a case of overestimation.

    ↩ mn105:18.1

  11. Here, the “Ascetic” (samaṇa) is the Buddha.

    ↩ mn105:18.2

  12. The term saupādisesa is better known as a description of those who have attained Nibbāna “with residue”, namely the five aggregates that persist so long as life lasts. The prefix upādi is from the same root as upādāna, normally “grasping”, but here in its secondary sense of “material cause, fuel”. The “residue” of poison is the material cause of potential harm, just as the five aggregates still entail a residue of physical suffering for a perfected one.

    ↩ mn105:19.5

  13. For “imagining that no residue remained”, I follow PTS and Siamese editions, which have anupādiseso ti maññamāno. Bodhi’s note 1003 to his Middle Length Discourses points out that earlier manuscripts support this reading, which seems to have been “corrected” to saupādisesoti jānamāno in the Burmese Sixth Council edition on which SuttaCentral’s Mahāsaṅgīti edition is based. A Sanskrit fragment also supports the PTS/Siamese reading: (sā)va(ś)eṣaṁ nira(vaśe)ṣaṁ (iti manyamānaḥ) (SHT IV 500 folio 3V3, cited in Analayo, Comparative Study, p. 611, note 136).

    ↩ mn105:19.6

  14. Most editions have “not capable” of harming here, which seems odd given that the doctor immediately goes on to describe how to mitigate possible harm. I follow the PTS edition, which is alone in reading alañ ca te antarāyāya. This is supported by a Sanskrit fragment, which reads ala(ṁ)te-t(r)-ānta(rā)yāya (SHT IV 500 folio 3V4, cited in Analayo, ibid.).

    ↩ mn105:19.8

  15. Pali editions all agree that the patient thinks it cannot cause harm, which, if we adopt the PTS reading as I have above, implies that the patient misunderstood the doctor’s instructions. A Sanskrit fragment says that he did understand that it could cause harm, suggesting that he did what was unsuitable despite knowing this: niravaśeṣaḥ a(panīto) viṣa-doṣaḥ alaṁ (me-tr)-ān(ta)rā(yāya) (SHT IV 500 folio 3R3, cited in Analayo, ibid.). I don’t follow this as it is not found in any Pali edition.

    ↩ mn105:20.3

  16. “Attachment” here is upadhi, which is both the things of the world to which we cling, and the inner clinging. The Jains defined upadhi similarly (Tattvārthasūtra 9.26). The dominant meaning in Sanskrit is “fraud”, which perhaps informs the Buddhist sense.

    ↩ mn105:28.2