[334] 63. "Bhikkhus, I shall teach you a penetrative exposition (nibbedhikapariyāya), an exposition of the Dhamma. Listen to it and attend well; I shall speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "And what, bhikkhus, is that penetrative exposition, that exposition of the Dhamma? Sensual pleasures (kāmā), bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin (nidānasambhava) of sensual pleasures should be known; the diversity (vemattatā) of sensual pleasures should be known; the result (vipāka) of sensual pleasures should be known; the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known. Feeling (vedanā), bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of feelings should be known; the diversity of feelings should be known; the result of feelings should be known; the cessation of feeling should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of feeling should be known. Perception (saññā), bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of perceptions should be known; the diversity of perceptions should be known; the result of perceptions should be known; the cessation of perception should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of perception should be known. The taints (āsava), bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of the taints should be known; the diversity of the taints should be known; the result of the taints should be known; the cessation of the taints should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints should be known. Kamma, bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of kammas should be known; the diversity of kammas should be known; the result of kammas should be known; the cessation of kamma should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of kamma should be known. Suffering (dukkha), bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of suffering should be known; the diversity of suffering should be known; the result of suffering should be known; the cessation of suffering should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering should be known.
"'Sensual pleasures, bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of sensual pleasures should be known; the diversity of sensual pleasures should be known; the result of sensual pleasures should be known; the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known' — so indeed this was said. And with reference to what was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these five cords of sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇā): forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable, endearing, connected with sensuality, provoking lust; sounds cognizable by the ear …; odours cognizable by the nose; tastes cognizable by the tongue; tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired, agreeable, endearing, connected with sensuality, provoking lust. However, bhikkhus, these are not sensual pleasures; in the discipline of the Noble One these are called 'cords of sensual pleasure.'
The lust of intention is a person's sensuality;
the beautiful things in the world are not sensual pleasures.
The lust of intention is a person's sensuality;
the beautiful things remain just as they are in the world,
but here the wise remove desire for them.
"And what, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of sensual pleasures? Contact (phassa), bhikkhus, is the source and origin of sensual pleasures. And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of sensual pleasures? Sensual desire for forms is one thing, sensual desire for sounds is another, sensual desire for odours is another, sensual desire for tastes is another, sensual desire for tangibles is another. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of sensual pleasures. And what, bhikkhus, is the result of sensual pleasures? One who desires, bhikkhus, generates a corresponding individual existence (attabhāva), which partakes either of merit or of demerit. This, bhikkhus, is called the result of sensual pleasures. And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of sensual pleasures? With the cessation of contact, bhikkhus, there is the cessation of sensual pleasures. This Noble Eightfold Path is itself the way of practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. And when, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands sensual pleasures, thus understands the source and origin of sensual pleasures, thus understands the diversity of sensual pleasures, thus understands the result of sensual pleasures, thus understands the cessation of sensual pleasures, thus understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures, he understands this penetrative holy life to be the cessation of sensual pleasures. 'Sensual pleasures, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of sensual pleasures should be known' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Feeling, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of feeling should be known' — so indeed this was said. And with reference to what was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. And what, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of feelings? Contact, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of feelings. And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of feelings? There is carnal (sāmisa) pleasant feeling, there is spiritual (nirāmisa) pleasant feeling; there is carnal painful feeling, there is spiritual painful feeling; there is carnal neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, there is spiritual neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of feelings. And what, bhikkhus, is the result of feelings? One who feels, bhikkhus, generates a corresponding individual existence, which partakes either of merit or of demerit. This, bhikkhus, is called the result of feelings. And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of feeling? With the cessation of contact, bhikkhus, there is the cessation of feeling. This Noble Eightfold Path is itself the way of practice leading to the cessation of feeling, namely: right view … right concentration. And when, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands feeling, thus understands the source and origin of feelings, thus understands the diversity of feelings, thus understands the result of feelings, thus understands the cessation of feeling, thus understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of feeling, he understands this penetrative holy life to be the cessation of feeling. 'Feeling, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of feeling should be known' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Perception, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of perception should be known' — so indeed this was said. And with reference to what was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these six perceptions: perception of forms, perception of sounds, perception of odours, perception of tastes, perception of tangibles, perception of dhammas. And what, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of perceptions? Contact, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of perceptions. And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of perceptions? Perception with regard to forms is one thing, perception with regard to sounds is another, perception with regard to odours is another, perception with regard to tastes is another, perception with regard to tangibles is another, perception with regard to dhammas is another. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of perceptions. And what, bhikkhus, is the result of perceptions? Perception, I say, bhikkhus, results in expression (vohāra): in whatever way one perceives a thing, in that very way one expresses it, saying, 'I was percipient of such.' This, bhikkhus, is called the result of perceptions. And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of perception? With the cessation of contact, bhikkhus, there is the cessation of perception. This Noble Eightfold Path is itself the way of practice leading to the cessation of perception, namely: right view … right concentration. And when, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands perception, thus understands the source and origin of perceptions, thus understands the diversity of perceptions, thus understands the result of perceptions, thus understands the cessation of perception, thus understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of perception, he understands this penetrative holy life to be the cessation of perception. 'Perception, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of perception should be known' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'The taints, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints should be known' — so indeed this was said. And with reference to what was this said? There are, bhikkhus, these three taints: the taint of sensuality, the taint of existence, and the taint of ignorance. And what, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of the taints? Ignorance (avijjā), bhikkhus, is the source and origin of the taints. And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of the taints? There are, bhikkhus, taints leading to hell; there are taints leading to the animal realm; there are taints leading to the realm of hungry ghosts; there are taints leading to the human world; there are taints leading to the deva world. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of the taints. And what, bhikkhus, is the result of the taints? One immersed in ignorance, bhikkhus, generates a corresponding individual existence, which partakes either of merit or of demerit. This, bhikkhus, is called the result of the taints. And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of the taints? With the cessation of ignorance, bhikkhus, there is the cessation of the taints. This Noble Eightfold Path is itself the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints, namely: right view … right concentration. And when, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands the taints, thus understands the source and origin of the taints, thus understands the diversity of the taints, thus understands the result of the taints, thus understands the cessation of the taints, thus understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints, he understands this penetrative holy life to be the cessation of the taints. 'The taints, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints should be known' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Kamma, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of kamma should be known' — so indeed this was said. And with reference to what was this said? It is volition (cetanā), bhikkhus, that I call kamma: having willed, one performs kamma by body, by speech, and by mind. And what, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of kammas? Contact, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of kammas. And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of kammas? There is, bhikkhus, kamma to be experienced in hell; there is kamma to be experienced in the animal realm; there is kamma to be experienced in the realm of hungry ghosts; there is kamma to be experienced in the human world; there is kamma to be experienced in the deva world. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of kammas. And what, bhikkhus, is the result of kammas? The result of kammas, I say, bhikkhus, is threefold: to be experienced in this very life, or in the next rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion. This, bhikkhus, is called the result of kammas. And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of kamma? With the cessation of contact, bhikkhus, there is the cessation of kamma. This Noble Eightfold Path is itself the way of practice leading to the cessation of kamma, namely: right view … right concentration. And when, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands kamma, thus understands the source and origin of kammas, thus understands the diversity of kammas, thus understands the result of kammas, thus understands the cessation of kamma, thus understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of kamma, he understands this penetrative holy life to be the cessation of kamma. 'Kamma, bhikkhus, should be known … the way of practice leading to the cessation of kamma should be known' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said.
"'Suffering, bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of suffering should be known; the diversity of suffering should be known; the result of suffering should be known; the cessation of suffering should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering should be known' — so indeed this was said. And with reference to what was this said? Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to get what one wishes is also suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. And what, bhikkhus, is the source and origin of suffering? Craving (taṇhā), bhikkhus, is the source and origin of suffering. And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of suffering? There is, bhikkhus, suffering that is extreme; there is that which is slight; there is that which fades slowly; there is that which fades quickly. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of suffering. And what, bhikkhus, is the result of suffering? Here, bhikkhus, someone overwhelmed by suffering, his mind (citta) obsessed by it, sorrows, languishes, laments, weeps beating his breast, and falls into confusion; or else, overwhelmed by suffering, his mind obsessed by it, he embarks upon a search outside, saying, 'Who knows one word or two words for the cessation of this suffering?' Suffering, I say, bhikkhus, results either in confusion or in search. This, bhikkhus, is called the result of suffering. And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of suffering? With the cessation of craving, bhikkhus, there is the cessation of suffering. This Noble Eightfold Path is itself the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering, namely: right view … right concentration. And when, bhikkhus, a noble disciple thus understands suffering, thus understands the source and origin of suffering, thus understands the diversity of suffering, thus understands the result of suffering, thus understands the cessation of suffering, thus understands the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering, he understands this penetrative holy life to be the cessation of suffering. 'Suffering, bhikkhus, should be known; the source and origin of suffering should be known; the diversity of suffering should be known; the result of suffering should be known; the cessation of suffering should be known; the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering should be known' — when this was said, it was with reference to this that it was said. This, bhikkhus, is that penetrative exposition, that exposition of the Dhamma."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.