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SN 35.95PTS SN 4.725 min read

Māluṅkyaputta

Mālukyaputtasutta

Venerable Māluṅkyaputta asks for a teaching to take on retreat. The Buddha wonders how to teach an old monk like him, then questions him on his desire for sense experience that has been or might be, and encourages him to simply let sense experience be. Māluṅkyaputta says he understands, and expands the Buddha’s teaching in a series of verses.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.95Linked Discourses 35.95
  • 0.210. Saḷavagga10. The Sixes

0.3MālukyaputtasuttaMāluṅkyaputta

1.1PTS 4.72Atha kho āyasmā mālukyaputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mālukyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Venerable Māluṅkyaputta went up to the Buddha … and asked him,11.2“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

2.1“Ettha dāni, mālukyaputta, kiṁ dahare bhikkhū vakkhāma.“Well now, Māluṅkyaputta, what are we to say to the young monks,2.2Yatra hi nāma tvaṁ, bhikkhu, jiṇṇo vuddho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto saṅkhittena ovādaṁ yācasī”ti.when even an old man like you, elderly and senior, advanced in years, having reached the final stage of life, asks for brief advice?”

3.1“Kiñcāpāhaṁ, bhante, jiṇṇo vuddho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto.“Sir, even though I’m an old man, elderly and senior,3.2Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ, desetu sugato saṅkhittena dhammaṁ, appeva nāmāhaṁ bhagavato bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyaṁ. Appeva nāmāhaṁ bhagavato bhāsitassa dāyādo assan”ti.may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief! May the Holy One please teach me in brief! Hopefully I can understand the meaning of what the Buddha says. Hopefully I can be an heir of the Buddha’s teaching!”

4.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mālukyaputta,“What do you think, Māluṅkyaputta?4.2ye te cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā adiṭṭhā adiṭṭhapubbā, na ca passasi, na ca te hoti passeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?Do you have any desire or greed or fondness for sights known by the eye that are unseen, unseen before, and which you neither see nor think might be seen?”2

4.3“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

5.1“Ye te sotaviññeyyā saddā assutā assutapubbā, na ca suṇāsi, na ca te hoti suṇeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?“Do you have any desire or greed or affection for sounds known by the ear …5.2“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

6.1“Ye te ghānaviññeyyā gandhā aghāyitā aghāyitapubbā, na ca ghāyasi, na ca te hoti ghāyeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?smells known by the nose …6.2“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

7.1“Ye te jivhāviññeyyā rasā asāyitā asāyitapubbā, na ca sāyasi, na ca te hoti sāyeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?tastes known by the tongue …7.2“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

8.1“Ye te kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā asamphuṭṭhā asamphuṭṭhapubbā, na ca phusasi, na ca te hoti phuseyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?touches known by the body …8.2“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

9.1PTS 4.73“Ye te manoviññeyyā dhammā aviññātā aviññātapubbā, na ca vijānāsi, na ca te hoti vijāneyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti?ideas known by the mind that are unknown, unknown before, and which you neither know nor think might be known?”

9.2“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

10.1“Ettha ca te, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhasutamutaviññātabbesu dhammesu diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati.“In that case, when it comes to things that ought be seen, heard, thought, and known: in the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.310.2Yato kho te, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhasutamutaviññātabbesu dhammesu diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati;When this is the case,10.3tato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tena.you won’t be ‘by that’.410.4Yato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tena;When you’re not ‘by that’,10.5tato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tattha.you won’t be ‘in that’.510.6Yato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tattha;When you’re not ‘in that’,10.7tato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, nevidha, na huraṁ, na ubhayamantarena.you won’t be in this life or the next or in between the two.10.8Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.Just this is the end of suffering.”

11.1“Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi:“This is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement:

12.1‘Rūpaṁ disvā sati muṭṭhā,‘When you see a sight, mindfulness is lost12.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;as you focus on a pleasant feature.12.3Sārattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind full of desire,12.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.you keep clinging to it.

13.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,Many feelings grow13.2anekā rūpasambhavā;arising from sights.13.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,The mind is damaged13.4cittamassūpahaññati;by covetousness and cruelty.13.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,Heaping up suffering like this,13.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be far from extinguishment.

14.1Saddaṁ sutvā sati muṭṭhā,When you hear a sound, mindfulness is lost14.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;as you focus on a pleasant feature.14.3Sārattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind full of desire,14.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.you keep clinging to it.

15.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,Many feelings grow15.2anekā saddasambhavā;arising from sounds.15.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,The mind is damaged15.4cittamassūpahaññati;by covetousness and cruelty.15.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,Heaping up suffering like this,15.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be far from extinguishment.

16.1PTS 4.74Gandhaṁ ghatvā sati muṭṭhā,When you smell an odor, mindfulness is lost16.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;as you focus on a pleasant feature.16.3Sārattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind full of desire,16.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.you keep clinging to it.

17.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,Many feelings grow17.2anekā gandhasambhavā;arising from smells.17.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,The mind is damaged17.4cittamassūpahaññati;by covetousness and cruelty.17.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,Heaping up suffering like this,17.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be far from extinguishment.

18.1Rasaṁ bhotvā sati muṭṭhā,When you enjoy a taste, mindfulness is lost18.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;as you focus on a pleasant feature.18.3Sārattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind full of desire,18.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.you keep clinging to it.

19.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,Many feelings grow19.2anekā rasasambhavā;arising from tastes.19.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,The mind is damaged19.4cittamassūpahaññati;by covetousness and cruelty.19.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,Heaping up suffering like this,19.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be far from extinguishment.

20.1Phassaṁ phussa sati muṭṭhā,When you sense a touch, mindfulness is lost20.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;as you focus on a pleasant feature.20.3Sārattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind full of desire,20.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.you keep clinging to it.

21.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,Many feelings grow21.2anekā phassasambhavā;arising from touches.21.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,The mind is damaged21.4cittamassūpahaññati;by covetousness and cruelty.21.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,Heaping up suffering like this,21.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be far from extinguishment.

22.1Dhammaṁ ñatvā sati muṭṭhā,When you know an idea, mindfulness is lost22.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;as you focus on a pleasant feature.22.3Sārattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind full of desire,22.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.you keep clinging to it.

23.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,Many feelings grow23.2anekā dhammasambhavā;arising from ideas.23.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,The mind is damaged23.4cittamassūpahaññati;by covetousness and cruelty.23.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,Heaping up suffering like this,23.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be far from extinguishment.

24.1Na so rajjati rūpesu,There’s no desire for sights24.2rūpaṁ disvā paṭissato;when you see a sight with mindfulness.24.3Virattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind free of desire,24.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.you don’t keep clinging to it.

25.1Yathāssa passato rūpaṁ,Even as you see a sight25.2sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;and get familiar with how it feels,25.3Khīyati nopacīyati,you wear away, you don’t heap up:25.4evaṁ so caratī sato;that’s how to live mindfully.25.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,Eroding suffering like this,25.6santike nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.

26.1Na so rajjati saddesu,There’s no desire for sounds26.2saddaṁ sutvā paṭissato;when you hear a sound with mindfulness.26.3Virattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind free of desire,26.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.you don’t keep clinging to it.

27.1Yathāssa suṇato saddaṁ,Even as you hear a sound27.2sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;and get familiar with how it feels,27.3Khīyati nopacīyati,you wear away, you don’t heap up:27.4evaṁ so caratī sato;that’s how to live mindfully.27.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,Eroding suffering like this,27.6santike nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.

28.1PTS 4.75Na so rajjati gandhesu,There’s no desire for odors28.2gandhaṁ ghatvā paṭissato;when you smell an odor with mindfulness.28.3Virattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind free of desire,28.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.you don’t keep clinging to it.

29.1Yathāssa ghāyato gandhaṁ,Even as you smell an odor29.2sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;and get familiar with how it feels,29.3Khīyati nopacīyati,you wear away, you don’t heap up:29.4evaṁ so caratī sato;that’s how to live mindfully.29.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,Eroding suffering like this,29.6santike nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.

30.1Na so rajjati rasesu,There’s no desire for tastes30.2rasaṁ bhotvā paṭissato;when you enjoy a taste with mindfulness.30.3Virattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind free of desire,30.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.you don’t keep clinging to it.

31.1Yathāssa sāyato rasaṁ,Even as you savor a taste31.2sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;and get familiar with how it feels,31.3Khīyati nopacīyati,you wear away, you don’t heap up:31.4evaṁ so caratī sato;that’s how to live mindfully.31.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,Eroding suffering like this,31.6santike nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.

32.1Na so rajjati phassesu,There’s no desire for touches32.2phassaṁ phussa paṭissato;when you sense a touch with mindfulness.32.3Virattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind free of desire,32.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.you don’t keep clinging to it.

33.1Yathāssa phusato phassaṁ,Even as you sense a touch33.2sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;and get familiar with how it feels,33.3Khīyati nopacīyati,you wear away, you don’t heap up:33.4evaṁ so caratī sato;that’s how to live mindfully.33.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,Eroding suffering like this,33.6santike nibbāna vuccati.you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.

34.1PTS 4.76Na so rajjati dhammesu,There’s no desire for ideas34.2dhammaṁ ñatvā paṭissato;when you know an idea with mindfulness.34.3Virattacitto vedeti,Experiencing it with a mind free of desire,34.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.you don’t keep clinging to it.

35.1Yathāssa jānato dhammaṁ,Even as you know an idea35.2Sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;and get familiar with how it feels,35.3Khīyati nopacīyati,you wear away, you don’t heap up:35.4Evaṁ so caratī sato;that’s how to live mindfully.35.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,Eroding suffering like this,35.6Santike nibbāna vuccatī’ti.you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.’

36.1Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

36.2“Sādhu sādhu, mālukyaputta.“Good, good, Māluṅkyaputta!36.3Sādhu kho tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi:It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this.” And he repeated the verses in full.

37.1‘Rūpaṁ disvā sati muṭṭhā,37.2Piyaṁ nimittaṁ manasi karoto;37.3Sārattacitto vedeti,37.4Tañca ajjhosa tiṭṭhati.

38.1Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā,38.2anekā rūpasambhavā;38.3Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca,38.4cittamassūpahaññati;38.5Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ,38.6ārā nibbāna vuccati.

38.7…pe…

39.1Na so rajjati dhammesu,39.2dhammaṁ ñatvā paṭissato;39.3Virattacitto vedeti,39.4tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.

40.1Yathāssa vijānato dhammaṁ,40.2Sevato cāpi vedanaṁ;40.3Khīyati nopacīyati,40.4Evaṁ so caratī sato;40.5Evaṁ apacinato dukkhaṁ,40.6Santike nibbāna vuccatī’ti.

41.1Imassa kho, mālukyaputta, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti.“This is how to see the detailed meaning of what I said in brief.”

42.1Atha kho āyasmā mālukyaputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.And then Venerable Māluṅkyaputta approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.42.2Atha kho āyasmā mālukyaputto eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.Then Māluṅkyaputta, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

42.3“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.”42.4Aññataro ca panāyasmā mālukyaputto arahataṁ ahosīti.And Venerable Māluṅkyaputta became one of the perfected.

42.5Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Māluṅkyaputta was, according to Pali commentaries, the son of the lady Māluṅkyā of Kosala. Alternatively, Sanskrit dictionaries give māluka as the name of a people or a mixed caste, although I have not been able to trace any further details. His conversion is not recorded as he appears always as a monk. MN 63 and MN 64 depict him as somewhat of a fool, but it seems that he persisted, and late in life sought teachings in meditation and ultimately realized arahantship, of which we have two different accounts (here and AN 4.257). The latter contains an extensive set of verses attributed to him, which are repeated at Thag 16.5. A second set of his verses are at Thag 6.5.

    ↩ sn35.95:1.1

  2. The commentary explains “unseen, unseen before” as not seen in this life or past lives. This is possible, although adiṭṭhapubba (and its parallels) are elsewhere used for the simple past in this life (eg. DN 16:2.17.3, SN 35.245:6.1; assutapubba at MN 12:50.6).

    ↩ sn35.95:4.2

  3. For the “epistemic tetrad”, see MN 1:19.1. This teaching is famous from the brief instructions for Bāhiya at Ud 1.10:8.2

    This set of four overlaps but does not map neatly on to the six senses, which lack an equivalent for “thought”; this is the only place in the Suttas that connects them. Rather, they emphasize the means by which spiritual truths are known. The missing items smell, taste, and touch are not normally means of learning spiritual truths, unlike the “seen” (a holy person, a dream, etc.), the “heard” (the words of a teacher or oral tradition), the “thought” (philosophical contemplation), and the “known” (reflective or meditative understanding).

    The expression “merely” (matta) suggests that these things are seen simply as they are, without being proliferated by conceit, or assumed to be absolute sources of truth.

    ↩ sn35.95:10.1

  4. Whereas the six senses primarily stimulate an emotional response of desire, the epistemic tetrad is concerned with the creation of self-identity, responding to the Upaniṣadic idea that these are the means by which the Self is realized.

    “By that” suggests that one assumes a Self from the tetrad, eg. by hearing about it, or deducing it from reasoning, etc. The instrumental case draws on Yājñavalkya: “By the seeing, hearing, thinking, and knowing of the Self, all this is known” (ātmano vā are darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānenedaṁ sarvaṁ viditam, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.5).

    ↩ sn35.95:10.3

  5. Once the Self has been derived from the tetrad, one conceives Self in relation to it. Specifically, this rejects the imperishable Self posited by Yājñavalkya, which sees but cannot be seen. This again echoes Yājñavalkya, in a variant passage of the previous, although he is using the locative case in an absolute sense: “When the Self is seen, heard, thought, and known, all this is known.” (ātmani khalv are dṛṣṭe śrute mate vijñāta idaṁ sarvaṁ viditam, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.5.6).

    ↩ sn35.95:10.5