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MN 44PTS MN 1.2998 min read

The Shorter Classification

Cūḷavedallasutta

The layman Visākha asks the nun Dhammadinnā about various difficult matters, including some of the highest meditation attainments. The Buddha fully endorses her answers.

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

  • 0.1Majjhima Nikāya 44Middle Discourses 44

0.2CūḷavedallasuttaThe Shorter Elaboration

1.1PTS 1.299Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

1.3Atha kho visākho upāsako yena dhammadinnā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā dhammadinnaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnaṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca:Then the layman Visākha went to see the nun Dhammadinnā, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to her:1

2.1“‘sakkāyo sakkāyo’ti, ayye, vuccati.“Ma’am, they speak of this thing called ‘substantial reality’.22.2Katamo nu kho, ayye, sakkāyo vutto bhagavatā”ti?What is this substantial reality that the Buddha spoke of?”

2.3“Pañca kho ime, āvuso visākha, upādānakkhandhā sakkāyo vutto bhagavatā,“Visākha, the Buddha said that these five grasping aggregates are substantial reality.32.4seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho.That is, the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.2.5Ime kho, āvuso visākha, pañcupādānakkhandhā sakkāyo vutto bhagavatā”ti.The Buddha said that these five grasping aggregates are substantial reality.”

2.6“Sādhayye”ti kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā dhammadinnaṁ bhikkhuniṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:Saying “Good, ma’am,” Visākha approved and agreed with what Dhammadinnā said. Then he asked another question:

3.1“‘sakkāyasamudayo sakkāyasamudayo’ti, ayye, vuccati.“Ma’am, they speak of this thing called ‘the origin of substantial reality’.3.2Katamo nu kho, ayye, sakkāyasamudayo vutto bhagavatā”ti?What is the origin of substantial reality that the Buddha spoke of?”

3.3“Yāyaṁ, āvuso visākha, taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ—“It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is,43.4kāmataṇhā bhavataṇhā vibhavataṇhā;craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence.3.5ayaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyasamudayo vutto bhagavatā”ti.The Buddha said that this is the origin of substantial reality.”

4.1“‘Sakkāyanirodho sakkāyanirodho’ti, ayye, vuccati.“Ma’am, they speak of this thing called ‘the cessation of substantial reality’.4.2Katamo nu kho, ayye, sakkāyanirodho vutto bhagavatā”ti?What is the cessation of substantial reality that the Buddha spoke of?”

4.3“Yo kho, āvuso visākha, tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo;“It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with no residue left behind; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it.4.4ayaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyanirodho vutto bhagavatā”ti.The Buddha said that this is the cessation of substantial reality.”

5.1“‘Sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti, ayye, vuccati.“Ma’am, they speak of the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality.5.2Katamā nu kho, ayye, sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā vuttā bhagavatā”ti?What is the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality that the Buddha spoke of?”

5.3“Ayameva kho, āvuso visākha, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—“The practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality that the Buddha spoke of is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:5.4sammādiṭṭhi sammāsaṅkappo sammāvācā sammākammanto sammāājīvo sammāvāyāmo sammāsati sammāsamādhī”ti.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.”

6.1PTS 1.300“Taññeva nu kho, ayye, upādānaṁ te pañcupādānakkhandhā udāhu aññatra pañcahupādānakkhandhehi upādānan”ti?“But ma’am, is that grasping the exact same thing as the five grasping aggregates? Or is grasping one thing and the five grasping aggregates another?”5

6.2“Na kho, āvuso visākha, taññeva upādānaṁ te pañcupādānakkhandhā, nāpi aññatra pañcahupādānakkhandhehi upādānaṁ.“That grasping is not the exact same thing as the five grasping aggregates. Nor is grasping one thing and the five grasping aggregates another.6.3Yo kho, āvuso visākha, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu chandarāgo taṁ tattha upādānan”ti.The desire and greed for the five grasping aggregates is the grasping there.”6

7.1“Kathaṁ panāyye, sakkāyadiṭṭhi hotī”ti?“But ma’am, how does substantialist view come about?”

7.2“Idhāvuso visākha, assutavā puthujjano, ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto,“It’s when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.7.3rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.77.4Vedanaṁ …pe…They regard feeling …7.5saññaṁ …perception …7.6saṅkhāre …choices …7.7viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.7.8Evaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyadiṭṭhi hotī”ti.That’s how substantialist view comes about.”

8.1“Kathaṁ panāyye, sakkāyadiṭṭhi na hotī”ti?“But ma’am, how does substantialist view not come about?”

8.2“Idhāvuso visākha, sutavā ariyasāvako, ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto, sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto,“It’s when a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.8.3na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.They don’t regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form.8.4Na vedanaṁ …pe…They don’t regard feeling …8.5na saññaṁ …perception …8.6na saṅkhāre …pe…choices …8.7na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ, na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ.consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.8.8Evaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, sakkāyadiṭṭhi na hotī”ti.That’s how substantialist view does not come about.”

9.1“Katamo panāyye, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo”ti?“But ma’am, what is the noble eightfold path?”

9.2“Ayameva kho, āvuso visākha, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—“It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:9.3sammādiṭṭhi sammāsaṅkappo sammāvācā sammākammanto sammāājīvo sammāvāyāmo sammāsati sammāsamādhī”ti.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.”

10.1“Ariyo panāyye, aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhato udāhu asaṅkhato”ti?“But ma’am, is the noble eightfold path conditioned or unconditioned?”

10.2PTS 1.301“Ariyo kho, āvuso visākha, aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅkhato”ti.“The noble eightfold path is conditioned.”

11.1“Ariyena nu kho, ayye, aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena tayo khandhā saṅgahitā udāhu tīhi khandhehi ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅgahito”ti?“Are the three spectrums of practice included in the noble eightfold path? Or is the noble eightfold path included in the three spectrums of practice?”8

11.2“Na kho, āvuso visākha, ariyena aṭṭhaṅgikena maggena tayo khandhā saṅgahitā; tīhi ca kho, āvuso visākha, khandhehi ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo saṅgahito.“The three spectrums of practice are not included in the noble eightfold path. Rather, the noble eightfold path is included in the three spectrums of practice.911.3Yā cāvuso visākha, sammāvācā yo ca sammākammanto yo ca sammāājīvo ime dhammā sīlakkhandhe saṅgahitā.Right speech, right action, and right livelihood: these things are included in the spectrum of ethics.11.4Yo ca sammāvāyāmo yā ca sammāsati yo ca sammāsamādhi ime dhammā samādhikkhandhe saṅgahitā.Right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion: these things are included in the spectrum of immersion.11.5Yā ca sammādiṭṭhi yo ca sammāsaṅkappo, ime dhammā paññākkhandhe saṅgahitā”ti.Right view and right purpose: these things are included in the spectrum of wisdom.”

12.1“Katamo panāyye, samādhi, katame dhammā samādhinimittā, katame dhammā samādhiparikkhārā, katamā samādhibhāvanā”ti?“But ma’am, what is immersion? What things are the bases of immersion? What things are the prerequisites for immersion? What is the development of immersion?”

12.2“Yā kho, āvuso visākha, cittassa ekaggatā ayaṁ samādhi;“Unification of the mind is immersion.1012.3cattāro satipaṭṭhānā samādhinimittā;The four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the bases for immersion.1112.4cattāro sammappadhānā samādhiparikkhārā.The four right efforts are the prerequisites for immersion.1212.5Yā tesaṁyeva dhammānaṁ āsevanā bhāvanā bahulīkammaṁ, ayaṁ ettha samādhibhāvanā”ti.The cultivation, development, and making much of these very same things is the development of immersion.”13

13.1“Kati panāyye, saṅkhārā”ti?“How many processes are there?”

13.2“Tayome, āvuso visākha, saṅkhārā—“There are these three processes.13.3kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāro”ti.The physical process, the verbal process, and the mental process.”14

14.1“Katamo panāyye, kāyasaṅkhāro, katamo vacīsaṅkhāro, katamo cittasaṅkhāro”ti?“But ma’am, what is the physical process? What’s the verbal process? What’s the mental process?”

14.2“Assāsapassāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāyasaṅkhāro, vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.“Breathing is a physical process. Placing the mind and keeping it connected are a verbal process. Perception and feeling are a mental process.”

15.1“Kasmā panāyye, assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro, kasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti?“But ma’am, why is breathing a physical process? Why are placing the mind and keeping it connected a verbal process? Why are perception and feeling a mental process?”

15.2“Assāsapassāsā kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikā ete dhammā kāyappaṭibaddhā, tasmā assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro.“Breathing is physical. It’s tied up with the body, that’s why breathing is a physical process.1515.3Pubbe kho, āvuso visākha, vitakketvā vicāretvā pacchā vācaṁ bhindati, tasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro.First you place the mind and keep it connected, then you break into speech. That’s why placing the mind and keeping it connected are a verbal process.1615.4Saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā ete dhammā cittappaṭibaddhā, tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.Perception and feeling are mental. They’re tied up with the mind, that’s why perception and feeling are a mental process.”17

16.1“Kathaṁ panāyye, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpatti hotī”ti?“But ma’am, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?”

16.2“Na kho, āvuso visākha, saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:“A mendicant who is entering such an attainment does not think:16.3‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjissan’ti vā, ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā, ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno’ti vā.‘I will enter the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling.’16.4Atha khvāssa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti.Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.”18

17.1PTS 1.302“Saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa panāyye, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ nirujjhanti—yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti?“But ma’am, which process ceases first for a mendicant who is entering the cessation of perception and feeling: physical, verbal, or mental?”

17.2“Saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuno paṭhamaṁ nirujjhati vacīsaṅkhāro, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato cittasaṅkhāro”ti.“The verbal process ceases first, then physical, then mental.”19

18.1“Kathaṁ panāyye, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṁ hotī”ti?“But ma’am, how does someone emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling?”

18.2“Na kho, āvuso visākha, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:“A mendicant who is emerging from such an attainment does not think:18.3‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahissan’ti vā, ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahāmī’ti vā, ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhito’ti vā.‘I will emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling.’18.4Atha khvāssa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti.Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.”

19.1“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa panāyye, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ uppajjanti—yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti?“But ma’am, which process arises first for a mendicant who is emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling: physical, verbal, or mental?”

19.2“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuno paṭhamaṁ uppajjati cittasaṅkhāro, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato vacīsaṅkhāro”ti.“The mental process arises first, then physical, then verbal.”

20.1“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ panāyye, bhikkhuṁ kati phassā phusantī”ti?“But ma’am, when a mendicant has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, how many kinds of contact do they experience?”

20.2“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuṁ tayo phassā phusanti—suññato phasso, animitto phasso, appaṇihito phasso”ti.“They experience three kinds of contact: emptiness, signless, and undirected contacts.”20

21.1“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa panāyye, bhikkhuno kiṁninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti kiṁpoṇaṁ kiṁpabbhāran”ti?“But ma’am, when a mendicant has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, what does their mind slant, slope, and incline to?”

21.2“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa kho, āvuso visākha, bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāran”ti.“Their mind slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion.”21

22.1“Kati panāyye, vedanā”ti?“But ma’am, how many feelings are there?”

22.2“Tisso kho imā, āvuso visākha, vedanā—“There are three feelings:22.3sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā”ti.pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling.”

23.1“Katamā panāyye, sukhā vedanā, katamā dukkhā vedanā, katamā adukkhamasukhā vedanā”ti?“What are these three feelings?”

23.2PTS 1.303“Yaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikaṁ vā cetasikaṁ vā sukhaṁ sātaṁ vedayitaṁ—“Anything felt physically or mentally as pleasant or enjoyable.23.3ayaṁ sukhā vedanā.This is pleasant feeling.23.4Yaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikaṁ vā cetasikaṁ vā dukkhaṁ asātaṁ vedayitaṁ—Anything felt physically or mentally as painful or unpleasant.23.5ayaṁ dukkhā vedanā.This is painful feeling.23.6Yaṁ kho, āvuso visākha, kāyikaṁ vā cetasikaṁ vā neva sātaṁ nāsātaṁ vedayitaṁ—Anything felt physically or mentally as neither pleasurable nor painful.23.7ayaṁ adukkhamasukhā vedanā”ti.This is neutral feeling.”

24.1“Sukhā panāyye, vedanā kiṁsukhā kiṁdukkhā, dukkhā vedanā kiṁsukhā kiṁdukkhā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā kiṁsukhā kiṁdukkhā”ti?“What is pleasant and what is painful regarding each of the three feelings?”

24.2“Sukhā kho, āvuso visākha, vedanā ṭhitisukhā vipariṇāmadukkhā;“Pleasant feeling is pleasant when it remains and painful when it perishes.24.3dukkhā vedanā ṭhitidukkhā vipariṇāmasukhā;Painful feeling is painful when it remains and pleasant when it perishes.24.4adukkhamasukhā vedanā ñāṇasukhā aññāṇadukkhā”ti.Neutral feeling is pleasant in the presence of knowledge, and painful in the presence of ignorance.”22

25.1“Sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṁ anusayo anuseti, dukkhāya vedanāya kiṁ anusayo anuseti, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya kiṁ anusayo anusetī”ti?“What underlying tendencies underlie each of the three feelings?”

25.2“Sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.“The underlying tendency for greed underlies pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency for aversion underlies painful feeling. The underlying tendency for ignorance underlies neutral feeling.”

26.1“Sabbāya nu kho, ayye, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti?“Do these underlying tendencies always underlie these feelings?”

26.2“Na kho, āvuso visākha, sabbāya sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, na sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, na sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.“No, they do not.”23

27.1“Sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṁ pahātabbaṁ, dukkhāya vedanāya kiṁ pahātabbaṁ, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya kiṁ pahātabban”ti?“What should be given up in regard to each of these three feelings?”

27.2“Sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo”ti.“The underlying tendency to greed should be given up when it comes to pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency to aversion should be given up when it comes to painful feeling. The underlying tendency to ignorance should be given up when it comes to neutral feeling.”

28.1“Sabbāya nu kho, ayye, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo”ti?“Should these underlying tendencies be given up regarding all instances of these feelings?”

28.2PTS 1.304“Na kho, āvuso visākha, sabbāya sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo, na sabbāya dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo, na sabbāya adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo.“No, not in all instances.28.3Idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.28.4Rāgaṁ tena pajahati, na tattha rāgānusayo anuseti.With this they give up greed, and the underlying tendency to greed does not lie within that.2428.5Idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:And take a mendicant who reflects:28.6‘kudāssu nāmāhaṁ tadāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharissāmi yadariyā etarahi āyatanaṁ upasampajja viharantī’ti?‘Oh, when will I enter and remain in the same dimension that the noble ones enter and remain in today?’2528.7Iti anuttaresu vimokkhesu pihaṁ upaṭṭhāpayato uppajjati pihāppaccayā domanassaṁ.Nursing such a longing for the supreme liberations gives rise to sadness due to longing.2628.8Paṭighaṁ tena pajahati, na tattha paṭighānusayo anuseti.With this they give up aversion, and the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie within that.28.9Idhāvuso visākha, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā, dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā, adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Take a mendicant who, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.28.10Avijjaṁ tena pajahati, na tattha avijjānusayo anusetī”ti.With this they give up ignorance, and the underlying tendency to ignorance does not lie within that.”

29.1“Sukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“But ma’am, what is the counterpart of pleasant feeling?”

29.2“Sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya dukkhā vedanā paṭibhāgo”ti.“Painful feeling.”

29.3“Dukkhāya pannāyye, vedanāya kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“What is the counterpart of painful feeling?”

29.4“Dukkhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya sukhā vedanā paṭibhāgo”ti.“Pleasant feeling.”

29.5“Adukkhamasukhāya panāyye, vedanāya kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“What is the counterpart of neutral feeling?”

29.6“Adukkhamasukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya avijjā paṭibhāgo”ti.“Ignorance.”

29.7“Avijjāya panāyye, kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“What is the counterpart of ignorance?”

29.8“Avijjāya kho, āvuso visākha, vijjā paṭibhāgo”ti.“Knowledge.”

29.9“Vijjāya panāyye, kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“What is the counterpart of knowledge?”

29.10“Vijjāya kho, āvuso visākha, vimutti paṭibhāgo”ti.“Freedom.”

29.11“Vimuttiyā panāyye, kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“What is the counterpart of freedom?”

29.12“Vimuttiyā kho, āvuso visākha, nibbānaṁ paṭibhāgo”ti.“Extinguishment.”

29.13“Nibbānassa panāyye, kiṁ paṭibhāgo”ti?“What is the counterpart of extinguishment?”

29.14“Accayāsi, āvuso visākha, pañhaṁ, nāsakkhi pañhānaṁ pariyantaṁ gahetuṁ.“Your question goes too far, Visākha. You weren’t able to grasp the limit of questioning.2729.15Nibbānogadhañhi, āvuso visākha, brahmacariyaṁ, nibbānaparāyanaṁ nibbānapariyosānaṁ.For extinguishment is the objective, destination, and culmination of the spiritual life.29.16Ākaṅkhamāno ca tvaṁ, āvuso visākha, bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, yathā ca te bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāsī”ti.If you wish, go to the Buddha and ask him this question. You should remember it in line with his answer.”

30.1PTS 1.305Atha kho visākho upāsako dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā dhammadinnaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.And then the layman Visākha approved and agreed with what the nun Dhammadinnā said. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled her, keeping her on his right. Then he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,30.2Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho visākho upāsako yāvatako ahosi dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.and informed the Buddha of all they had discussed.

30.3Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā visākhaṁ upāsakaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the Buddha said to him,30.4“paṇḍitā, visākha, dhammadinnā bhikkhunī, mahāpaññā, visākha, dhammadinnā bhikkhunī.“The nun Dhammadinnā is astute, Visākha, she has great wisdom.30.5Mañcepi tvaṁ, visākha, etamatthaṁ puccheyyāsi, ahampi taṁ evamevaṁ byākareyyaṁ, yathā taṁ dhammadinnāya bhikkhuniyā byākataṁ.If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as the nun Dhammadinnā.30.6Eso cevetassa attho. Evañca naṁ dhārehī”ti.That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.”

30.7Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.30.8Attamano visākho upāsako bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.Satisfied, the layman Visākha approved what the Buddha said.

30.9Cūḷavedallasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. These two are little-known, in contrast with the previous vedalla featuring a dialogue between two mendicants renowned for their wisdom.

    Dhammadinnā was recognized as the foremost bhikkhunī in teaching (AN 1.239:1.1), presumably on the basis of this sutta, and has a single verse to her name (Thig 1.12).

    Visākha is otherwise unmentioned in the canon. The commentary says this is not the same person as the mendicant known as Visākha, Pañcāli’s son (Thag 2.45, AN 4.48, SN 21.7).

    ↩ mn44:1.3
  2. The normal form of address for nuns is ayyā (“ma’am”), from the root ariya (“noble”); the masculine form ayya is occasionally used for monks as well.

    “Substantial reality” is sakkāya, from sat (“real”) and kāya (“substance”). The Jain form is astikāya, which refers to the five fundamental substances (or ontological categories) comprised of the medium of motion, the medium of rest, space, soul, and matter (Bhagavatīsūtra 1.10). Note that the suttas use kāya, in the sense of “substance” or “mass”, as a key doctrinal term for ascetic movements associated with Jainism (eg. DN 2:23.3, DN 2:26.2), whereas kāya appears to have had no philosophical importance in pre-Buddhist Vedic texts. The commentaries define sakkāya as “the three planes of cyclic existence”, i.e. all that exists. Thus sakkāya is the “substantial reality” that is mistakenly assumed to be a “self”.

    ↩ mn44:2.1
  3. Sāriputta also quotes the Buddha as saying this at SN 38.15:1.3, both sources apparently drawing from SN 22.105:1.5 and SN 22.103:1.6.

    ↩ mn44:2.3
  4. This treats “substantial reality” in terms of the four noble truths, a method also followed in multiple places such as AN 4.33:2.2, SN 22.103:1.4, SN 22.105:1.2, and SN 22.78:4.1.

    ↩ mn44:3.3
  5. ↩ mn44:6.1
  6. The five aggregates are not presented as a catch-all category that encompasses all of reality, but rather five types of phenomena that provoke attachment, forming the basis of what we take to be “self”. Desire is what drives the formation of attachment, but it requires all the aggregates to function. Thus the “grasping” aggregates are numbered “five” after the hand that grasps.

    ↩ mn44:6.3
  7. These are the twenty kinds of substantialist view.

    ↩ mn44:7.3
  8. This refers to the “three spectrums” of ethics, immersion, and wisdom (eg. AN 3.143:2.3). The shorthand reference to them as a group of three is characteristic of later strata of Pali, but it is also found at DN 10:1.6.1, and with the addition of vimutti at DN 33:1.11.145.

    “Spectrum” here is khandha (elsewhere “aggregate”), which again has the same basic sense of “mass”, “category” as does kāya in sakkāya.

    ↩ mn44:11.1
  9. The two teachings cover the same ground, but the more specific factors of the eightfold path are included in the more general categories of the three spectra.

    ↩ mn44:11.2
  10. “Unification” (ekaggatā), “immersion” (samādhi), and “absorption” (jhāna) are synonyms, although they may have specialized nuances. This understanding was common to Indic traditions, possibly under Buddhist influence. As just a few examples, Patañjali’s Yogasūtra 3.11 defines samādhi as unification, as does Śaṅkāra on Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.3 (aikāgryarūpeṇa samāhito), and the commentary to Bhagavad Gīta 2.42–44 (samādhiś cittaikāgryam) and 17.11 (samādhāyaikāgraṁ). The Jain Tattvārthasūtra 9.27 similarly defines dhyāna, as does the commentary to Bhagavad Gīta 4.27 (dhyānaikāgryam) and 13.24 (ekāgratayā yac cintanaṁ tad dhyānam).

    ↩ mn44:12.2
  11. The “foundations of immersion” (samādhinimittā) are the practices that lead to jhāna. Here nimitta means “cause” (Commentary: paccaya).

    ↩ mn44:12.3
  12. Success in mindfulness meditation is the immediate cause of immersion, but to achieve both mindfulness and immersion it is a prerequisite (parikkhāra) to make an effort.

    ↩ mn44:12.4
  13. “Development” (bhāvanā) means “growing”, “amplifying”.

    ↩ mn44:12.5
  14. These three “processes” (saṅkhāra) apply, as we shall see, in the development of meditation (SN 41.6:1.5, DN 18:24.1). They must be distinguished from the similarly named three kinds of “choices” (saṅkhāra) that define volitional activity determining rebirth (i.e. karma, MN 57:8.2). In the three “processes”, the final item is always cittasaṅkhāra (“mental process”), whereas in the three “choices” the final item is usually manosaṅkhāra. While mano and citta both mean “mind”, mano leans to the sense of “volition”, while citta leans to the sense of “awareness”. It is a quirk of the Pali texts that they usually have cittasaṅkhāra in the context of dependent origination (but see SN 12.25:13.1), where the Sanskrit has the expected manaḥsaṁskāraḥ (SF 165 Ādisūtra, Arv 5.2 Arthaviniścayasūtra, SF 238 Pratītyasamutpādādivibhaṅganirdeśa).

    ↩ mn44:13.3
  15. Breathing is referred to as a “physical process” in the context of breath meditation to emphasize the natural stilling that occurs as the meditation settles.

    As in MN 43, the questions are laying the groundwork for a discussion of deep meditation. Hence in these definitions what is being discussed is not “processes” in general, but the very last residue of activity or disturbance whose cessation marks the transition to a deeper level of consciousness.

    ↩ mn44:15.2
  16. Vitakka and vicāra have a more basic sense in ordinary states of mind (“thought” and “exploring”) and a more refined sense in the elevated consciousness of jhāna (“placing the mind” and “keeping it connected”). They act as a condition for breaking into speech, so any hint of such movement, no matter how subtle, must be abandoned.

    ↩ mn44:15.3
  17. As with the verbal process, it is the two taken together that constitute a “process”.

    ↩ mn44:15.4
  18. Compare MN 43:28.2.

    ↩ mn44:16.4
  19. The verbal process ceases in the first absorption, the breath in the fourth absorption (SN 36.11:2.19), and feeling and perception in the attainment of cessation.

    ↩ mn44:17.2
  20. See the discussion on various “releases of the heart” at MN 43:26.1. Here, when emerging from cessation, the higher form of release is meant, as the meditator’s mind naturally inclines toward liberating insight.

    ↩ mn44:20.2
  21. Again, here the higher sense of “seclusion” is meant, namely Nibbāna.

    The expression “slants to seclusion” (vikekaninna) was adopted by Patañjali at Yogasūtra 4.26.

    ↩ mn44:21.2
  22. Knowledge is what distinguishes equanimity from indifference.

    ↩ mn44:24.4
  23. The arahant still experiences feelings, but without any underlying tendencies.

    ↩ mn44:26.2
  24. The pleasure of jhāna arises from letting go and is not itself a source of attachment.

    ↩ mn44:28.4
  25. Also at MN 137:13.3. Sometimes, “that dimension” (tadāyatana) is said to be Nibbāna (Ud 8.1:3.1, SN 35.117:8.2), but it is also used of the stages of samādhi (AN 9.43:2.2). That must be the case here, since it is identified with (one of) the several “liberations” (vimokkhā), which typically refer to various states of samādhi (DN 15:35.1, MN 6:10.1, Kd 2:3.7.6).

    ↩ mn44:28.6
  26. This is a kind of “suffering not of the flesh” (MN 10:32.8).

    ↩ mn44:28.7
  27. Also at SN 23.1:3.10 and SN 48.42:4.8.

    At Chāndogya Upaniṣad 1.8.5 the inquirer is warned not to overstep the goal of heaven.

    ↩ mn44:29.14