Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Linked Discourses (Saṁyutta)
SN 35.95Māluṅkyaputta · Mālukyaputtasutta
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Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Linked Discourses (Saṁyutta)
SN 35.95
Māluṅkyaputta · Mālukyaputtasutta
EnglishEnglish
PāliPali
Then Venerable Māluṅkyaputta went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”
“Well now, Māluṅkyaputta, what are we to say to the young monks, when even an old man like you, elderly and senior, advanced in years, having reached the final stage of life, asks for brief advice?”
“Sir, even though I’m an old man, elderly and senior, 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!”
“What do you think, Māluṅkyaputta? 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?” “No, sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mālukyaputta, ye te cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā adiṭṭhā adiṭṭhapubbā, na ca passasi, na ca te hoti passeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Do you have any desire or greed or affection for sounds known by the ear …
“Ye te sotaviññeyyā saddā assutā assutapubbā, na ca suṇāsi, na ca te hoti suṇeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.
smells known by the nose …
“Ye te ghānaviññeyyā gandhā aghāyitā aghāyitapubbā, na ca ghāyasi, na ca te hoti ghāyeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.
tastes known by the tongue …
“Ye te jivhāviññeyyā rasā asāyitā asāyitapubbā, na ca sāyasi, na ca te hoti sāyeyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.
touches known by the body …
“Ye te kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā asamphuṭṭhā asamphuṭṭhapubbā, na ca phusasi, na ca te hoti phuseyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.
ideas known by the mind that are unknown, unknown before, and which you neither know nor think might be known?” “No, sir.”
“Ye te manoviññeyyā dhammā aviññātā aviññātapubbā, na ca vijānāsi, na ca te hoti vijāneyyanti? Atthi te tattha chando vā rāgo vā pemaṁ vā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“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. When this is the case, you won’t be ‘by that’. When you’re not ‘by that’, you won’t be ‘in that’. When you’re not ‘in that’, you won’t be in this life or the next or in between the two. Just this is the end of suffering.”
“Ettha ca te, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhasutamutaviññātabbesu dhammesu diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati. Yato kho te, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhasutamutaviññātabbesu dhammesu diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati; tato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tena. Yato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tena; tato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tattha. Yato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, na tattha; tato tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, nevidha, na huraṁ, na ubhayamantarena. Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.
“This is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement:
Many feelings grow arising from sights. The mind is damaged by covetousness and cruelty. Heaping up suffering like this, you’re said to be far from extinguishment.
Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā, anekā rūpasambhavā; Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca, cittamassūpahaññati; Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ, ārā nibbāna vuccati.
When you hear a sound, mindfulness is lost as you focus on a pleasant feature. Experiencing it with a mind full of desire, you keep clinging to it.
Many feelings grow arising from sounds. The mind is damaged by covetousness and cruelty. Heaping up suffering like this, you’re said to be far from extinguishment.
Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā, anekā saddasambhavā; Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca, cittamassūpahaññati; Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ, ārā nibbāna vuccati.
When you smell an odor, mindfulness is lost as you focus on a pleasant feature. Experiencing it with a mind full of desire, you keep clinging to it.
Many feelings grow arising from smells. The mind is damaged by covetousness and cruelty. Heaping up suffering like this, you’re said to be far from extinguishment.
Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā, anekā gandhasambhavā; Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca, cittamassūpahaññati; Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ, ārā nibbāna vuccati.
When you enjoy a taste, mindfulness is lost as you focus on a pleasant feature. Experiencing it with a mind full of desire, you keep clinging to it.
Many feelings grow arising from tastes. The mind is damaged by covetousness and cruelty. Heaping up suffering like this, you’re said to be far from extinguishment.
Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā, anekā rasasambhavā; Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca, cittamassūpahaññati; Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ, ārā nibbāna vuccati.
When you sense a touch, mindfulness is lost as you focus on a pleasant feature. Experiencing it with a mind full of desire, you keep clinging to it.
Many feelings grow arising from touches. The mind is damaged by covetousness and cruelty. Heaping up suffering like this, you’re said to be far from extinguishment.
Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā, anekā phassasambhavā; Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca, cittamassūpahaññati; Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ, ārā nibbāna vuccati.
When you know an idea, mindfulness is lost as you focus on a pleasant feature. Experiencing it with a mind full of desire, you keep clinging to it.
Many feelings grow arising from ideas. The mind is damaged by covetousness and cruelty. Heaping up suffering like this, you’re said to be far from extinguishment.
Tassa vaḍḍhanti vedanā, anekā dhammasambhavā; Abhijjhā ca vihesā ca, cittamassūpahaññati; Evaṁ ācinato dukkhaṁ, ārā nibbāna vuccati.
There’s no desire for sights when you see a sight with mindfulness. Experiencing it with a mind free of desire, you don’t keep clinging to it.
Na so rajjati rūpesu, rūpaṁ disvā paṭissato; Virattacitto vedeti, tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.
Even as you see a sight and get familiar with how it feels, you wear away, you don’t heap up: that’s how to live mindfully. Eroding suffering like this, you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.
There’s no desire for sounds when you hear a sound with mindfulness. Experiencing it with a mind free of desire, you don’t keep clinging to it.
Na so rajjati saddesu, saddaṁ sutvā paṭissato; Virattacitto vedeti, tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.
Even as you hear a sound and get familiar with how it feels, you wear away, you don’t heap up: that’s how to live mindfully. Eroding suffering like this, you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.
There’s no desire for odors when you smell an odor with mindfulness. Experiencing it with a mind free of desire, you don’t keep clinging to it.
Na so rajjati gandhesu, gandhaṁ ghatvā paṭissato; Virattacitto vedeti, tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.
Even as you smell an odor and get familiar with how it feels, you wear away, you don’t heap up: that’s how to live mindfully. Eroding suffering like this, you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.
There’s no desire for tastes when you enjoy a taste with mindfulness. Experiencing it with a mind free of desire, you don’t keep clinging to it.
Na so rajjati rasesu, rasaṁ bhotvā paṭissato; Virattacitto vedeti, tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.
Even as you savor a taste and get familiar with how it feels, you wear away, you don’t heap up: that’s how to live mindfully. Eroding suffering like this, you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.
There’s no desire for touches when you sense a touch with mindfulness. Experiencing it with a mind free of desire, you don’t keep clinging to it.
Na so rajjati phassesu, phassaṁ phussa paṭissato; Virattacitto vedeti, tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.
Even as you sense a touch and get familiar with how it feels, you wear away, you don’t heap up: that’s how to live mindfully. Eroding suffering like this, you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.
There’s no desire for ideas when you know an idea with mindfulness. Experiencing it with a mind free of desire, you don’t keep clinging to it.
Na so rajjati dhammesu, dhammaṁ ñatvā paṭissato; Virattacitto vedeti, tañca nājjhosa tiṭṭhati.
Even as you know an idea and get familiar with how it feels, you wear away, you don’t heap up: that’s how to live mindfully. Eroding suffering like this, you’re said to be in the presence of extinguishment.’
That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.” “Good, good, Māluṅkyaputta! 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.
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. 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. 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.” And Venerable Māluṅkyaputta became one of the perfected.
