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SN 22.53PTS SN 3.531 min read

Involvement

Upayasutta

Consciousness stands dependent on the other four aggregates, and this attachment is what fuels the cycle of rebirth.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.53Linked Discourses 22.53
  • 0.26. Upayavagga6. Involvement

0.3UpayasuttaInvolvement

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Upayo, bhikkhave, avimutto, anupayo vimutto.“Mendicants, if you get involved, you’re not free. If you’re not involved, you’re free.

1.3Rūpupayaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, rūpārammaṇaṁ rūpappatiṭṭhaṁ nandūpasecanaṁ vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.Should consciousness involved with form, supported by form, established on form continue to remain, with a sprinkling of relishing it would grow, increase, and mature.1

1.4Vedanupayaṁ vā …pe…Or should consciousness involved with feeling remain …

1.5saññupayaṁ vā …pe…Or should consciousness involved with perception remain …

1.6saṅkhārupayaṁ vā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṁ tiṭṭhamānaṁ tiṭṭheyya, saṅkhārārammaṇaṁ saṅkhārappatiṭṭhaṁ nandūpasecanaṁ vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.Or should consciousness involved with choices, supported by choices, established on choices continue to remain, with a sprinkling of relishing it would grow, increase, and mature.

2.1Yo, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:Mendicants, suppose you say:2.2‘ahamaññatra rūpā aññatra vedanāya aññatra saññāya aññatra saṅkhārehi viññāṇassa āgatiṁ vā gatiṁ vā cutiṁ vā upapattiṁ vā vuddhiṁ vā virūḷhiṁ vā vepullaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.‘Apart from form, feeling, perception, and choices, I will describe the coming and going of consciousness, its passing away and reappearing, its growth, increase, and maturity.’ That is not possible.2

3.1PTS 3.54Rūpadhātuyā ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno rāgo pahīno hoti.If a mendicant has given up greed for the form element,3.2Rāgassa pahānā vocchijjatārammaṇaṁ patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti.the support is cut off, and there is no establishment of consciousness.

3.3Vedanādhātuyā ce, bhikkhave …If a mendicant has given up greed for the feeling element …

3.4saññādhātuyā ce, bhikkhave …perception element …

3.5saṅkhāradhātuyā ce, bhikkhave …choices element …

3.6viññāṇadhātuyā ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno rāgo pahīno hoti.consciousness element,3.7Rāgassa pahānā vocchijjatārammaṇaṁ patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa na hoti.the support is cut off, and there is no establishment of consciousness.3.8Tadappatiṭṭhitaṁ viññāṇaṁ avirūḷhaṁ anabhisaṅkhacca vimuttaṁ.Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, not making choices, it is freed.

3.9Vimuttattā ṭhitaṁ. Ṭhitattā santusitaṁ. Santusitattā na paritassati. Aparitassaṁ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati.Being free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.3

3.10‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.They 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.’”

3.11Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This is the consciousness that “continues” in transmigration (DN 33:1.11.122, SN 22.54:1.11, SN 12.38–40). It is described in organic terms, as something that grows like a plant.

    ↩ sn22.53:1.3

  2. The process of rebirth is often described in terms of consciousness, as in dependent origination or, say, the “stream of consciousness” (DN 28:7.13). However, consciousness never exists by itself, but only in relation to the other aggregates. The case of the formless realm might seem an exception, yet even formless rebirth is dependent on form of the past, since the four “form” absorptions are the basis for the formless attainments. Thus while the formless realms can be described without reference to present form they cannot be described without reference to form at all.

    ↩ sn22.53:2.2

  3. In this passage, the pronouns have disappeared, in a syntactic mirroring of the vanishing of the delusion of self. Literally: “Because freed, stabilized. Because stabilized, contented. Because contented, is not anxious. Not being anxious, personally extinguish.”

    ↩ sn22.53:3.9