Sutta Pitaka
Samyutta Nikāya
Volume IV –– Saḷāyatanavaggo
Samyutta 34 –– Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
Chapter 18 –– Samudda Vaggo
34. 18. 1.
(228) Samuddo 1 –– Ocean 1
1. “Monks, the not-learned ordinary man says ‘It’s the ocean.’ To monks in the noble ones’ discipline it is not the ocean; it is a great expanse of water in movement. Monks, to an untrained man the eye is the ocean which has a speed for forms. He that overcomes the speed for forms together with its waves, whirls, seizures, and demons crosses over the ocean of the eye and stands on hard ground. He is said to be a Brahmin.”
2––5. Repeat for ear/sounds, nose/odours, tongue/tastes, body/tangibles, and mind/ideas.
6. The Teacher further said:
“He that crosses over this ocean difficult to cross,
Together with its seizures, demons and waves
Knows and has come to the end the holy life
Has crossed over, it is said.”
34. 18. 2.
(229) Samuddo 2 –– Ocean 2
1. “Monks, the not learned ordinary man, says it’s the ocean. To monks in the noble ones’ discipline it is not the ocean. It is a great expanse of water in movement.
2––4. Monks, there are pleasing, agreeable welcomed forms cognizable by eye-consciousness that arouse sensual desires and attachment Monks, in the discipline of the noble ones this is the ocean, in which the world, together with its gods and men, Maras, Brahmas and the community of recluses and Brahmins are for ever immersed, tied together, covered with swellings and blight and woven like overgrown grass and go to decrease and loss without turning from the round of existences.”
2––5. Repeat for ear/sounds, nose/odours, tongue/tastes, body/tangibles, and mind/ideas.
6. “Monks, if someone’s greed, hate and ignorance fades, he crosses over this ocean difficult to cross with its seizures, demons and fearful waves.
Striking and dispelling death and
Without substratum and future unpleasant birth.
He has faded and cannot be reckoned
I say, he has deluded Death.”
34. 18. 3.
(230) Bāḷisako –– Fisherman
1. “Like a fish that has swallowed the bait of a fisherman, thrown in the deep water, would come to distress and destruction in the hands of the fisherman. In the same manner beings fall into distress and destruction following these six worldly material baits. What six?
4–– 6. “Monks, pleasing, agreeable welcomed forms cognizable by eye-consciousness arouse sensual desires and attachment. The monk delights, declares and stays tied to them, to this is said the monk has swallowed the bait of Death and has come to distress and destruction in the hands of the Evil One.
6.––8. Repeat for sounds, scents, savories, and touches.
9. “Monks, pleasing, agreeable welcomed ideas cognizable by mind-consciousness arouse sensual desires and attachment. The monk delights, declares and stays tied to them, to this is said the monk has swallowed the bait of Death and has come to distress and destruction in the hands of the Evil One.
10––12. “Monks, pleasing, agreeable welcomed forms cognizable by eye-consciousness arouse sensual desires and attachment. The monk does not delight or declare or stay tied to them, to this is said the monk has not swallowed the bait of Death has examined and broken away the bait and does not come to distress and destruction in the hands of the Evil One.”
Repeat for sounds, scents.
13––14. Repeat for savories re touches re
15. “Monks, pleasing, agreeable welcomed ideas cognizable by mind-consciousness arouse sensual desires and attachment. The monk does not delight, declare or stay tied to them, to this is said the monk has not swallowed the bait of Death, has not come to distress and destruction in the hands of the Evil One.”
34. 18. 4.
(231) Khīrakkhopama Sutta –– A Tree With Sap
1. At one time the Blessed One lived in Jīvaka’s mango orchard in Rajagaha. The Blessed One addressed the monks from there:
2––6. “Monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be greed, hate and delusion that is not dispelled for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness and if even a limited form comes to the purview of the eye, it undoubtedly would overwhelm the mind and it would be worse if a limitless form comes to the purview. What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are not dispelled.”
Repeat for sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness, scents cognizable by nose-consciousness, tastes cognizable by tongue-consciousness, touches cognizable by body-consciousness.
7. “Monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be greed, hate and delusion that is not dispelled for ideas cognizable by mind-consciousness and if even a limited idea comes to the purview of the mind, it would undoubtedly overwhelm the mind and it would be worse if an unlimited idea comes to the purview. What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are not dispelled
8. “Monks, a man with a sharp axe cuts a young tree of the Asatu or Banyan kind, full of sap, would sap ooze from it?”
“Yes, it would venerable sir.”
“What is the reason?”
“It so happens because there is sap in that tree.”
9. “In the same manner monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be greed, hate and delusion that is not dispelled for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness and even if a limited form comes to the purview of the eye, it would undoubtedly overwhelm the mind and it would be worse if an unlimited form comes to the purview. What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are not dispelled.”
Repeat for sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness, scents cognizable by nose-consciousness, tastes cognizable by tongue-consciousness, touches cognizable by body-consciousness.
“Monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be greed, hate and delusion that is not dispelled for ideas cognizable by mind-consciousness and even if a limited idea comes to the purview of the mind, it would undoubtedly overwhelm the mind and it would be worse if an unlimited idea comes to the purview. What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are not dispelled.
10––12. “Monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be no greed, hate or delusion that is not dispelled for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness and even if an unlimited form comes to the purview of the eye, it would not overwhelm the mind and if a limited form comes to the purview it would not matter to him. What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are dispelled.”
Repeat for sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness and scents cognizable by nose-consciousness.
13––15. “Monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be no greed, hate and delusion that is not dispelled for tastes cognizable by tongue-consciousness re for ideas cognizable by mind-consciousness, if even an unlimited idea comes to the purview of the mind, it would not overwhelm the mind and if a limited idea comes to the purview it would not matter to him. What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are dispelled
16. “Monks, a man with a sharp axe cuts an Asatu or Banyan tree that is sapless and dried up, would sap ooze from it?”
“No, it would not, venerable sir.”
“What is the reason?”
“It so happens because that tree is sapless.”
“In the same manner monks, to who ever monk or female monk if there be no greed, hate or delusion that has to be dispelled for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness and if even an unlimited form comes to the purview of the eye, it would not overwhelm the mind and a limited form coming to the purview of the eye would not matter in any way What is the reason? It’s because greed, hate and delusion are dispelled.”
34. 18. 5.
(232) Koṭṭhito –– Venerable Koṭṭhita
1. At one time venerable Sāriputta and venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were living in the deer park in Isipatana in Benares.
2. Venerable Mahakottita getting up from his seclusion in the evening, approached venerable Sāriputta exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side.
3. Sitting on a side venerable Mahakottita said to venerable Sāriputta: “Friend Sāriputta, is the eye fettered to forms, or forms to the eye? Is the ear fettered to sounds, or sounds to the ear? Is the nose fettered to scents, or scents to the nose? Is the tongue fettered to savories, or savories to the tongue? Is the body fettered to touches, or touches to the body? Is the mind fettered to ideas, or ideas to the mind?”
4. “No, friend Kottita, the eye is not fettered to forms nor forms to the eye. Yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the eye and forms is the fetter.”
Repeat for the ear, nose, tongue, and body.
“The mind is not fettered to ideas, nor ideas to the mind, yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the mind and ideas is the fetter.
5. “Friend, a black ox is fettered to a white ox with a chain and if someone says the black ox is the white ox’s fetter and the white ox is the black ox’s fetter, does he say it correctly?”
“Friend, that is not so.”
“Friend, the black ox is not the fetter of the white ox, nor the white ox the fetter of the black ox, the fetter is the chain or the rope with which they are bound. In the same manner the eye, is not fettered to forms nor forms to the eye The interest and greed that arise on account of eye and forms is the fetter there.”
Repeat for ear, nose, tongue, and body.
“The mind is not fettered to ideas nor ideas to the mind The interest and greed that arise on account of mind and ideas is the fetter there.
6. “Friend, if the eye is fettered to forms, or if forms to the eye, the holy life would not be pointed out for the rightful ending of unpleasantness. Since, friend, the eye is not fettered to forms, nor forms to the eye, the holy life is pointed out for the rightful ending of unpleasantness.”
Repeat for ear, nose.
“Friend, if the tongue is fettered to tastes, or tastes to the tongue, the holy life would not be pointed out for the rightful ending of unpleasantness. Since, friend, the tongue is not fettered to tastes, nor tastes to the tongue, the holy life is pointed out for the rightful ending of unpleasantness.
“Friend, if the mind is fettered to ideas and ideas to the mind, the holy life would not be pointed out for the rightful ending of unpleasantness.
“Since, friend, the mind is not fettered to ideas nor ideas to the mind, the holy life is pointed out for the rightful ending of unpleasantness.
7. “Friend, in this manner, it should be known how the eye is not fettered to forms nor forms to the eye. Yet the interest and greed that arise on account of eye and forms is the fetter.”
Repeat for the ear, nose, tongue, and body.
“The mind is not fettered to ideas nor ideas to the mind, yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the mind and ideas is the fetter.
8. “Friend, to the Blessed One the eye is evident, yet seeing forms interest and greed are not present. The Blessed One’s eye is well released.”
Repeat for ear, nose.
“Friend, to the Blessed One the tongue is evident, yet tasting savories interest and greed are not present. The Blessed One’s tongue is well released.
“Friend, to the Blessed One the mind is evident, yet cognizing ideas interest and greed are not present. The Blessed One’s mind is well released.
9. “Friend, in this manner, it should be known how the eye is not fettered to forms nor forms to the eye. Yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the eye and forms is the fetter.”
Repeat for the ear, nose, tongue, and body.
“The mind, is not fettered to ideas nor ideas to the mind, yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the mind and ideas is the fetter.”
34. 18. 6.
(233) Kāmabhu –– Venerable Kāmabhu
1. At one time venerable Ānanda and venerable Kāmabhu lived in Gosita’s monastery in Kosambi.
2. Venerable Kāmabhu getting up from his seclusion in the evening, approached venerable Ānanda exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side.
3. Sitting on a side venerable Kāmabhu said to venerable Ānanda: “Friend, Ānanda, is the eye a fetter to forms, or forms to the eye? Is the ear a fetter to sounds, or sounds to the ear? Is the nose a fetter to scents, or scents to the nose? Is the tongue fettered to savories, or savories to the tongue? Is the body a fettered to touches, or touches to the body? Is the mind fettered to ideas, or ideas to the mind?”
4. “No, friend, Kāmabhu, the eye is not fettered to forms nor forms to the eye. Yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the eye and forms is the fetter.”
Repeat for the ear, nose, tongue, and body.
The mind, is not fettered to ideas nor ideas to the mind, yet the interest and greed that arise on account of the mind and ideas is the fetter.
5. “Friend, a black ox is fettered to a white ox with a chain and if someone says the black ox is the white ox’s fetter and the white ox is the black ox’s fetter, does he say it correctly?”
“Friend, that is not so.”
“Friend, the black ox is not the fetter of the white ox, nor the white ox the fetter of the black ox, the fetter is the chain or the rope with which they are bound. In the same manner the eye, is not fettered to forms nor are forms fettered to the eye The interest and greed that arise on account of eye and forms is the fetter there.”
Repeat for ear, nose, tongue, and body.
“The mind, is not fettered to ideas nor ideas to the mind The interest and greed that arise on account of mind and ideas is the fetter there.”
34. 18. 7.
(234) Udāyī –– Venerable Udāyī
1. At one time venerable Ānanda and venerable Udāyī lived in Gosita’s monastery in Kosambi.
2. Venerable Udāyī getting up from his seclusion in the evening, approached venerable Ānanda exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side.
3. Sitting on a side venerable Udāyī said to venerable Ānanda: “Friend, Ānanda, the Blessed One in various ways has made it clear and declared that this body lacks self, in the same way is it possible to point out, make plain, establish and declare that this consciousness too lacks self?”
“Friend, Udāyī, in the very way, the Blessed One has made clear, pointed out and made threadbare and declared that this body lacks self, it’s possible to point out, make plain, establish and declare that this consciousness too lacks self.
4–– 6. “Friend, Udāyī, does eye-consciousness arise on account of the eye and forms?”
“Yes, it does friend.”
“Friend, on account of whatever causes and reasons, eye-consciousness arose, those causes and reasons altogether cease, for all circumstances without anything remaining, when that is so, could eye-consciousness be pointed out?”
“No, friend, it could not be pointed out.”
Friend, in this way, the Blessed One has made clear, pointed out and made threadbare and declared that this consciousness lacks self.”
Repeat for ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness.
7–– 8. “Friend, Udāyī, does tongue-consciousness arise on account of the tongue and tastes?”
“Yes, it does friend.”
“Friend, on account of whatever causes and reasons, tongue-consciousness arose, those causes and reasons altogether cease, for all circumstances without anything remaining, when that is so, could tongue-consciousness be pointed out?”
“No, friend, it could not be pointed out.”
Friend, in this way, the Blessed One has made clear, pointed out and made threadbare and declared that this consciousness lacks self.”
Repeat for body-consciousness.
9. “Friend, Udāyī, does mind-consciousness arise on account of mind and ideas?”
“Yes, it does friend.”
“Friend, on account of whatever causes and reasons, mind-consciousness arose, those causes and reasons altogether cease, for all circumstances without anything remaining, when that is so, could mind-consciousness be pointed out?”
“No, friend, it could not be pointed out.”
Friend, in this way, the Blessed One has made clear, pointed out and made threadbare and declared that this consciousness lacks self.
10. “Like a man in search of heartwood, entering the forest with a sharp axe and going in search of heartwood sees a huge, young, straight plantain trunk. He cuts its root and the top and pulls out the sheaves, there he does not come to the sap, how could he find heartwood?
11. “In the same manner friend, the monk not seeing the self or the belongings of a self in the six spheres of mental contact does not seize anything in the world, not seizing is not worried, not worried is by his self extinguished. He knows birth is destroyed, the holy life is lived to the end, duties are done, there is nothing more I wish.”
34. 18. 8.
(235) Ādittena –– Blazing
1. “Monks, I will teach the sermon on blazing, listen to it. Monks, what is the sermon on blazing?
2. “Monks, it is noble to destroy the mental faculty of the eye with a burning, blazing, iron spike, so that the details of forms cognizable by eye-consciousness would not be observed and consciousness would not tarry there, with the details. For such a one, dying that very moment, has either one of these two courses of action, hell or animal birth.
3. “Monks, seeing this danger, I say it is noble to destroy the mental faculty of the ear with a burning, blazing iron spike, so that the details of sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness would not be observed and consciousness would not tarry there, with the details. For such a one dying that very moment, has either one of these two courses of action, hell or animal birth.
4. “Monks, seeing this danger, I say it is noble to destroy the mental faculty of the nose with a burning, blazing nail cutter, so that the details of scents cognizable by nose-consciousness would not be observed and consciousness would not tarry there, with the details. For such a one dying that very moment, has either one of these two courses of action, hell or animal birth
5. “Monks, seeing this danger, I say it is noble to destroy the mental faculty of the tongue with a burning, blazing razor, so that the details of tastes cognizable by tongue-consciousness would not be observed and consciousness would not tarry there, with the details. For, such a one dying that very moment, has either one of these two courses of action, hell or animal birth.
6. “Monks, seeing this danger, I say it is noble to touch the mental faculty of the body with a burning, blazing weapon, so that the details of touch, cognizable by body-consciousness would not be observed and consciousness would not tarry there with the details. For, such a one dying that very moment has either one of these two courses of action, hell or animal birth.
7. “Monks, seeing this danger, I say it is noble to fade from the mental faculty of the mind, I call it the destruction of life, the uselessness of life, the bewilderment of the mind so that there would not be thoughts and thought processes that lead to a split in the Community. Seeing this danger of the barrenness of life, I say this.
8. “Put aside the burning, blazing iron spike taken to destroy the mental faculty of the eye. Now I reflect, this eye is impermanent, forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact and whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant born of eye-contact these too are impermanent.
9. “Put a side the burning, blazing iron spike taken to destroy the mental faculty of the ear. Now I reflect, this ear is impermanent, sounds, ear-consciousness, ear-contact and whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant born of ear-contact these too are impermanent.
10. “Put aside the burning, blazing nail-cutter taken to destroy the mental faculty of the nose. Now I reflect, this nose is impermanent, scents, nose-consciousness, nose-contact and whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant born of nose-contact these too are impermanent.
11. “Put aside the burning, blazing razor taken to destroy the mental faculty of the tongue. Now I reflect this tongue is impermanent, savories, tongue-consciousness, tongue-contact and whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant born of tongue-contact these too are impermanent
12. “Put aside the burning, blazing weapon taken to destroy the mental faculty of the body. Now I reflect, this body is impermanent, touches, body-consciousness, body-contact and whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant born of body-contact these too are impermanent
13. “Leave alone the mental fading. Now I reflect this mind is impermanent, ideas, mind-consciousness, mind-contact and whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant or neither unpleasant nor pleasant born of mind-contact these too are impermanent
14. “Monks, the learned noble disciple, seeing this turns from the eye, forms, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, and from whatever feelings pleasant, unpleasant, neither unpleasant nor pleasant born from eye-contact. Turning loses interest and is released. Released he knows, birth is destroyed, the holy life is lived to the end, duties are done and I have no more wishes.”
Repeat for the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
15. “Monks, this is the sermon of the blaze.”
34. 18. 9.
(236) Hatthapādupama 1 –– Comparison of the hands and feet 1
1. “Monks, the presence of, hands point to taking and keeping, feet to proceeding and receding, joints to bending and stretching and the belly for hungering and thirsting.
2. “Monks in the same manner the presence of the eye and on account of eye-contact arise personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings.”
Repeat for ear and nose.
“The presence of the tongue and on account of tongue-contact arise personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings.”
Repeat for the body.
“The presence of the mind and on account of mind-contact arise personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings.
3. “Monks, the non presence of, hands point to not taking and not keeping, feet to not proceeding and not receding, joints to not bending and not stretching and the belly for not hungering and not thirsting.
4. “Monks in the same manner with the non presence of, the eye personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings do not arise on account of eye-contact. Repeat for ear and nose. With the non presence of the tongue, personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings do not arise on account of tongue contact.”
Repeat for the body.
“With the non presence of the mind, personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings do not arise on account of mind-contact.”
34. 18. 10.
(237) Hatthapādūpama 2 –– Comparison of the hands and feet 2
1. “Monks, with the presence of, hands there is taking and keeping, feet proceeding and receding, joints bending and stretching and with the belly hungering and thirsting.
2. “Monks in the same manner the presence of the eye and on account of eye-contact arise personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings.”
Repeat for ear and nose.
“The presence of the tongue and on account of tongue-contact arise personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings.”
Repeat for the body.
“The presence of the mind and on account of mind-contact arise personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings.
3. “Monks, the non presence of, hands is not taking or keeping, of feet not proceeding and receding, of joints not bending and stretching and of the belly not hungering and no thirsting.
4. “Monks in the same manner with the non presence of the eye, personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings do not arise on account of eye-contact.”
Repeat for ear and nose.
“With the non presence of the tongue, personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings do not arise on account of tongue contact.”
Repeat for the body.
“With the non presence of the mind, personal pleasant and unpleasant feelings do not arise on account of mind-contact.”
