[775] **"Uncorrupted, unburned" (anavassuto aparidayhamāno):** "Uncorrupted" — for this was said by the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Friends, I shall teach you the exposition on the corrupted (avassutapariyāya) and the exposition on the uncorrupted (anavassutapariyāya). Listen to it and attend closely; I shall speak." "Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:
"And how, friends, is one corrupted? Here, friends, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, is intent upon an agreeable form and is repelled by a disagreeable form; he dwells without mindfulness of the body established, with a limited mind (citta), and he does not understand as it really is (yathābhūta) that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those arisen evil, unwholesome states of his cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear, having smelt an odour with the nose, having tasted a flavour with the tongue, having touched a tangible object with the body, having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is intent upon an agreeable mental phenomenon and is repelled by a disagreeable mental phenomenon; he dwells without mindfulness of the body established, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those arisen evil, unwholesome states of his cease without remainder. This, friends, is called a bhikkhu who is corrupted amid forms cognizable by the eye, corrupted amid sounds cognizable by the ear … corrupted amid mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. When a bhikkhu dwells thus, friends, if Māra approaches him by way of the eye, Māra gains an opening, Māra gains a foothold; if Māra approaches him by way of the ear … if Māra approaches him by way of the mind, Māra gains an opening, Māra gains a foothold.
"Suppose, friends, there were a hut of reeds or a hut of grass, dried up, sapless, weathered by the years: if a man were to approach it from the eastern quarter with a blazing grass torch, the fire would gain an opening, the fire would gain a foothold; if from the western quarter, if from the northern quarter, if from the southern quarter, if from below, if from above — if from any quarter whatever a man were to approach it with a blazing grass torch, the fire would gain an opening, the fire would gain a foothold. Even so, friends, when a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Māra approaches him by way of the eye, Māra gains an opening, Māra gains a foothold; if by way of the ear … if Māra approaches him by way of the mind, Māra gains an opening, Māra gains a foothold.
"When a bhikkhu dwells thus, friends, forms overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu does not overpower forms. Sounds overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu does not overpower sounds. Odours overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu does not overpower odours. Flavours overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu does not overpower flavours. Tangible objects overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu does not overpower tangible objects. Mental phenomena overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu does not overpower mental phenomena. This, friends, is called a bhikkhu overpowered by forms, overpowered by sounds, overpowered by odours, overpowered by flavours, overpowered by tangible objects — overpowered by those defilements; for he is no overcomer of evil, unwholesome states that are defiling, conducive to renewed existence, distressing, ripening in suffering (dukkha), and tending to future birth, aging, and death. Thus, friends, is one corrupted.
"And how, friends, is one uncorrupted? Here, friends, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, is not intent upon an agreeable form and is not repelled by a disagreeable form; he dwells with mindfulness of the body established, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those arisen evil, unwholesome states of his cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not intent upon an agreeable mental phenomenon and is not repelled by a disagreeable mental phenomenon; he dwells with mindfulness of the body established, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom wherein those arisen evil, unwholesome states of his cease without remainder. This, friends, is called a bhikkhu who is uncorrupted amid forms cognizable by the eye, uncorrupted amid sounds cognizable by the ear … uncorrupted amid mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. When a bhikkhu dwells thus, friends, if Māra approaches him by way of the eye, Māra gains no opening, Māra gains no foothold; if by way of the ear … if Māra approaches him by way of the mind, Māra gains no opening, Māra gains no foothold.
"Suppose, friends, there were a peaked-roof hall or a council hall, built of thick clay and moist with fresh plaster: if a man were to approach it from the eastern quarter with a blazing grass torch, the fire would gain no opening, the fire would gain no foothold; if from the western quarter, if from the northern quarter, if from the southern quarter, if from below, if from above — if from any quarter whatever a man were to approach it with a blazing grass torch, the fire would gain no opening, the fire would gain no foothold. Even so, friends, when a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Māra approaches him by way of the eye, Māra gains no opening, Māra gains no foothold; if by way of the ear … if Māra approaches him by way of the mind, Māra gains no opening, Māra gains no foothold.
"When a bhikkhu dwells thus, friends, forms do not overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu overpowers forms. Sounds do not overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu overpowers sounds … Mental phenomena do not overpower the bhikkhu; the bhikkhu overpowers mental phenomena. This, friends, is called a bhikkhu who overcomes forms, overcomes sounds, overcomes odours, overcomes flavours, overcomes tangible objects, overcomes mental phenomena — not overpowered by those defilements; for he is an overcomer of evil, unwholesome states that are defiling, conducive to renewed existence, distressing, ripening in suffering, and tending to future birth, aging, and death. Thus, friends, is one uncorrupted."
Hence: "uncorrupted." **"Unburned" (aparidayhamāno):** not being burned by the fire of lust, not being burned by the fire of hatred, not being burned by the fire of delusion — thus: "uncorrupted, unburned." One should wander alone, like the horn of the rhinoceros. Therefore that Paccekasambuddha said:
With eyes downcast, not footloose,
With faculties guarded, with mind protected,
Uncorrupted, unburned,
One should wander alone, like the horn of the rhinoceros.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.