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Trung Boä Kinh
Majjhima Nikaya1. Kinh Phaùp Moân Caên Baûn
(Muølapariyaøya sutta)
Nhö vaày toâi nghe.
Moät thôøi Theá Toân truù taïi (tuï laïc) Ukkattha, trong röøng Subhaga (röøng Haïnh phuùc), döôùi goác caây Sa-la vöông. Taïi choã aáy, Theá Toân goïi caùc Tyû-kheo: "Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo!". - "Baïch Theá Toân", nhöõng Tyû-kheo aáy vaâng ñaùp Theá Toân. Theá Toân noùi: "Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo. Ta seõ giaûng cho caùc Ngöôøi "Phaùp moân caên baûn taát caû phaùp". Haõy nghe vaø kheùo taùc yù, Ta seõ noùi". - "Thöa vaâng, baïch Theá Toân", nhöõng Tyû-kheo aáy vaâng ñaùp Theá Toân. Theá Toân noùi nhö sau:
(Phaøm phu)
-- Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, ôû ñaây, coù keû phaøm phu ít nghe, khoâng ñöôïc thaáy caùc baäc Thaùnh, khoâng thuaàn thuïc phaùp caùc baäc Thaùnh, khoâng tu taäp phaùp caùc baäc Thaùnh, khoâng ñöôïc thaáy caùc baäc Chôn nhaân, khoâng thuaàn thuïc phaùp caùc baäc Chôn nhaân, khoâng tu taäp phaùp caùc baäc Chôn nhaân, töôûng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì töôûng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi ngöôøi aáy khoâng lieãu tri ñòa ñaïi.
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri thuûy ñaïi laø thuûy ñaïi. Vì töôûng tri thuûy ñaïi laø thuûy ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó ñeán thuûy ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi thuûy ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø thuûy ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó: "Thuûy ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - duïc hyû thuûy ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi ngöôøi aáy khoâng lieãu tri thuûy ñaïi.
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri hoûa ñaïi laø hoûa ñaïi. Vì töôûng tri hoûa ñaïi laø hoûa ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó ñeán hoûa ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi hoûa ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø hoûa ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó: "Hoûa ñaïi laø cuûa ta"- duïc hyû hoûa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi ngöôøi aáy khoâng lieãu tri hoûa ñaïi.
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri phong ñaïi laø phong ñaïi. Vì töôûng tri phong ñaïi laø phong ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi phong ñaïi, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø phong ñaïi, ngöôøi aáy nghó: "Phong ñaïi laø cuûa ta"- duïc hyû phong ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi ngöôøi aáy khoâng lieãu tri phong ñaïi.
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Sanh vaät laø Sanh vaät... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri chö Thieân laø chö Thieân... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Sanh chuû laø Sanh chuû... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Phaïm thieân laø Phaïm thieân... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Quang aâm thieân laø Quang aâm thieân... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Bieán tònh thieân laø Bieán tònh thieân... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Quaûng quaû thieân laø Quaûng quaû thieân... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Abhibhuø (Thaéng Giaû) laø Abhibhuø...
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Khoâng voâ bieân xöù laø Khoâng voâ bieân xöù... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Thöùc voâ bieân xöù laø Thöùc voâ bieân xöù... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Voâ sôû höõu xöù laø Voâ sôû höõu xöù... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Phi töôûng phi phi töôûng xöù laø Phi töôûng phi phi töôûng xöù...
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri sôû kieán laø sôû kieán... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri sôû vaên laø sôû vaên... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri sôû tö nieäm laø sôû tö nieäm... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri sôû tri laø sôû tri...
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri ñoàng nhaát laø ñoàng nhaát... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri sai bieät laø sai bieät... Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri taát caû laø taát caû...
Ngöôøi aáy töôûng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn... Vì töôûng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, ngöôøi aáy nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn. Nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, ngöôøi aáy nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - duïc hyû Nieát-baøn, Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi: Ngöôøi aáy khoâng lieãu tri Nieát-baøn.
(Vò höõu hoïc)
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù Tyû-kheo, höõu hoïc taâm chöa thaønh töïu, ñang soáng caàn caàu voâ thöôïng an oån, khoûi khoå aùch. Vò aáy thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, vò aáy ñaõ khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, ñaõ khoâng nghó (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, ñaõ khoâng nghó (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, ñaõ khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta", - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi vò aáy coù theå lieãu tri ñòa ñaïi.
Vò aáy thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... phong ñaïi... Sanh vaät... chö Thieân... Sanh chuû... Phaïm thieân... Quang aâm thieân... Bieán tònh thieân... Quaûng quaû thieân... Abhibhuø (Thaéng Giaû)... Khoâng voâ bieân xöù... Thöùc voâ bieân xöù... Voâ sôû höõu xöù... Phi töôûng phi phi töôûng xöù... sôû kieán... sôû vaên... sôû tö nieäm... sôû tri... ñoàng nhaát... sai bieät... taát caû...
Vò aáy thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn; vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, vò aáy ñaõ khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, ñaõ khoâng nghó (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, ñaõ khoâng nghó (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, ñaõ khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi vò aáy coù theå lieãu tri Nieát-baøn.
(Baäc A-la-haùn - I)
Laïi nöõa, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù Tyû-kheo laø baäc A-la-haùn, caùc laäu hoaëc ñaõ taän, tu haønh thaønh maõn, caùc vieäc neân laøm ñaõ laøm, ñaõ ñaët gaùnh naëng xuoáng, ñaõ thaønh ñaït lyù töôûng, ñaõ taän tröø höõu kieát söû, chaùnh trí giaûi thoaùt. Vò aáy thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi vò aáy ñaõ lieãu tri ñòa ñaïi.
Vò aáy thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... phong ñaïi... sanh vaät... chö Thieân... Sanh chuû... Phaïm thieân... Quang aâm thieân... Bieán tònh thieân... Quaûng quaû thieân... Abhibhuø (Thaéng Giaû)... Khoâng voâ bieân xöù... Thöùc voâ bieân xöù... Voâ sôû höõu xöù... Phi töôûng phi phi töôûng xöù... sôû kieán... sôû vaên... sôû tö nieäm... sôû tri... ñoàng nhaát... sai bieät... taát caû... Vò aáy thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn. Vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi vò aáy ñaõ lieãu tri Nieát-baøn".
(Baäc A-la-haùn - II)
Laïi nöõa, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù Tyû-kheo laø baäc A-la-haùn, caùc laäu hoaëc ñaõ taän, tu haønh thaønh maõn, caùc vieäc neân laøm ñaõ laøm, ñaõ ñaët gaùnh naëng xuoáng, ñaõ thaønh ñaït lyù töôûng, ñaõ taän tröø höõu kieát söû, chaùnh trí giaûi thoaùt. Vò aáy thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng trí ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Vì vò aáy khoâng coù tham duïc, nhôø tham duïc ñaõ ñöôïc ñoaïn tröø.
Vò aáy thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... Vò aáy thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn. Vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Vì vò aáy khoâng coù tham duïc, nhôø tham duïc ñaõ ñöôïc ñoaïn tröø.
(Baäc A-la-haùn - III)
Laïi nöõa, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù Tyû-kheo laø baäc A-la-haùn, caùc laäu hoaëc ñaõ taän, tu haønh thaønh maõn, caùc vieäc neân laøm ñaõ laøm, ñaõ ñaët gaùnh naëng xuoáng, ñaõ thaønh ñaït lyù töôûng, ñaõ taän tröø höõu kieát söû, chaùnh trí giaûi thoaùt. Vò aáy thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Vì vò aáy khoâng coù saân haän, nhôø saân haän ñaõ ñöôïc ñoaïn tröø.
Vò aáy thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... Vò aáy thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn. Vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Vì vò aáy khoâng coù saân haän, nhôø saân haän ñaõ ñöôïc ñoaïn tröø.
(Baäc A-la-haùn - IV)
Laïi nöõa, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù Tyû-kheo laø baäc A-la-haùn, caùc laäu hoaëc ñaõ taän, tu haønh thaønh maõn, caùc vieäc neân laøm ñaõ laøm, ñaõ ñaët gaùnh naëng xuoáng, ñaõ thaønh ñaït lyù töôûng, ñaõ taän tröø höõu kieát söû, chaùnh trí giaûi thoaùt. Vò aáy thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng trí ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Vì vò aáy khoâng coù si meâ, nhôø si meâ ñaõ ñöôïc ñoaïn tröø.
Vò aáy thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... Vò aáy thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn. Vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, vò aáy khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Vì vò aáy khoâng coù si meâ, nhôø si meâ ñaõ ñöôïc ñoaïn tröø.
(Ñaáng Nhö Lai - I)
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, Nhö Lai laø baäc A-la-haùn, Chaùnh Ñaúng Giaùc, thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, Ngaøi khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi vì Nhö Lai ñaõ lieãu tri ñòa ñaïi.
Nhö Lai thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... Nhö Lai thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn. Vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, Nhö Lai khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Ta noùi vì Nhö Lai ñaõ lieãu tri Nieát-baøn.
(Ñaáng Nhö Lai - II)
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, Nhö Lai laø baäc A-la-haùn, Chaùnh Ñaúng Giaùc, thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi. Vì thaéng tri ñòa ñaïi laø ñòa ñaïi, Nhö Lai khoâng nghó ñeán ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø ñòa ñaïi, khoâng nghó: "Ñòa ñaïi laø cuûa ta" - khoâng duïc hyû ñòa ñaïi. Vì sao vaäy? Vì Nhö Lai bieát raèng: "Duïc hyû laø caên baûn cuûa ñau khoå, töø höõu, sanh khôûi leân, vaø giaø vaø cheát ñeán vôùi loaøi sinh vaät". Do vaäy, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, Ta noùi vì Nhö Lai, vôùi söï dieät tröø hoaøn toaøn caùc aùi, söï ly tham, söï ñoaïn dieät, söï xaû ly, söï töø boû hoaøn toaøn caùc aùi, ñaõ chôn chaùnh giaùc ngoä voâ thöôïng chaùnh ñaúng chaùnh giaùc.
Nhö Lai thaéng tri thuûy ñaïi... hoûa ñaïi... Nhö Lai thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn. Vì thaéng tri Nieát-baøn laø Nieát-baøn, Nhö Lai khoâng nghó ñeán Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) ñoái chieáu vôùi Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó ñeán (töï ngaõ) nhö laø Nieát-baøn, khoâng nghó: "Nieát-baøn laø cuûa Ta" -- khoâng duïc hyû Nieát-baøn. Vì sao vaäy? Vì Nhö Lai bieát raèng: "Duïc hyû laø caên baûn cuûa ñau khoå, töø höõu, sanh khôûi leân, vaø giaø cheát ñeán vôùi loaøi sinh vaät". Do vaäy, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, Ta noùi Nhö Lai, vôùi söï dieät tröø hoaøn toaøn caùc aùi, söï ly tham, söï ñoaïn dieät, söï xaû ly, söï tröø boû hoaøn toaøn caùc aùi, ñaõ chôn chaùnh giaùc ngoä voâ thöôïng chaùnh ñaúng chaùnh giaùc."
Nhö vaäy, Theá Toân thuyeát giaûng. Caùc Tyû-kheo aáy hoan hyû tín thoï lôøi daïy cuûa Theá Toân. [*]
Hoøa thöôïng Thích Minh Chaâu dòch Vieät
Chaân thaønh caùm ôn anh HDC vaø nhoùm Phaät töû VH ñaõ coù thieän taâm göûi taëng aán baûn ñieän töû.
(Bình Anson hieäu ñính, thaùng 8-1999, döïa theo baûn Anh ngöõ "The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha", Tyø kheo Nanamoli vaø Tyø kheo Bodhi dòch, 1995).
11/99[*] Döïa theo caùc baûn dòch Anh ngöø cuûa Tyø kheo Nanamoli vaø Tyø kheo Thanissaro, ñoaïn cuoái naày dòch laø:
"Nhö vaäy, Theá Toân thuyeát giaûng. Caùc Tyû-kheo aáy khoâng hoan hyû tín thoï lôøi daïy cuûa Theá Toân."
("That is what the Blessed One said. Displeased, the monks did not delight in the Blessed One's words." -- Bhikkhu Thanissaro
"That is what the Blessed One said. But those bhikkhus did not delight in the Blessed One's words." -- Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi)Thaät ra, trong baûn dòch naêm 1986, Hoøa thöôïng Minh Chaâu coù chuù thích phaàn naøy ôû cuoái baøi kinh (trang 19, taäp I, aán baûn 1986):"... Caùc Tyû kheo khoâng coù hoan hyû khi nghe kinh naøy, caùc vò naøy ngu si vaø töï haøo mình saùng suoát nhö ñöùc Phaät. Roài ñöùc Phaät giaûng Muølapariyaøyajaøtaka ñeå laøm cho caùc vò naøy heát kieâu maïn. Sau ñöùc Phaät giaûng kinh Gotamakasutta (A. i. 276) vaø caùc vò naøy chöùng quaû A-la-haùn..."
Xin xem theâm phaàn giôùi thieäu baèng Anh ngöø (Translator's Introduction) döôùi ñaây ñeå hieåu roõ söï khaùc bieät ñoù (vaø quyeån "The Discourse on the Root of Existence", Bhikkhu Bodhi, Buddhist Publication Society, Sri Lanka, 1980).
Baûn dòch Anh ngöø cuûa Tyø kheo Thanissaro:
Majjhima Nikaya 1
Mulapariyaya Sutta
The Root SequenceFor free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
Translator's Introduction:The Buddha taught that clinging to views is one of the four forms of clinging that tie the mind to the processes of suffering. He thus recommended that his followers relinquish their clinging, not only to views in their full-blown form as specific positions, but also in their rudimentary form as the categories and relationships that the mind reads into experience. This is a point he makes in the following discourse, which is apparently his response to a particular school of Brahmanical thought that was developing in his time -- the Samkhya, or classification school.
This school had its beginnings in the thought of Uddalaka, a ninth-century B.C. philosopher who posited a "root": an abstract principle out of which all things emanated and which was immanent in all things. Philosophers who carried on this line of thinking offered a variety of theories, based on logic and meditative experience, about the nature of the ultimate root and about the hierarchy of the emanation. Many of their theories were recorded in the Upanishads and eventually developed into the classical Samkhya system around the time of the Buddha.
Although the present discourse says nothing about the background of the monks listening to it, the Commentary states that before their ordination they were brahmins, and that even after their ordination they continued to interpret the Buddha's teachings in light of their previous training, which may well have been proto-Samkhya. If this is so, then the Buddha's opening lines -- "I will teach you the sequence of the root of all phenomena" -- would have them prepared to hear his contribution to their line of thinking. And, in fact, the list of topics he covers reads like a Buddhist Samkhya. Paralleling the classical Samkhya, it contains 24 items, begins with the physical world (here, the four physical properties), and leads back through ever more refined and inclusive levels of being and experience, culminating with the ultimate Buddhist concept: Unbinding (nibbana). In the pattern of Samkhya thought, Unbinding would thus be the ultimate "root" or ground of being immanent in all things and out of which they all emanate.
However, instead of following this pattern of thinking, the Buddha attacks it at its very root: the notion of a principle in the abstract, the "in" (immanence) and "out of" (emanation) superimposed on experience. Only an uninstructed, run of the mill person, he says, would read experience in this way. In contrast, a person in training should look for a different kind of "root" -- the root of suffering experienced in the present -- and find it in the act of delight. Developing dispassion for that delight, the trainee can then comprehend the process of coming-into-being for what it is, drop all participation in it, and thus achieve true awakening.
If the listeners present at this discourse were indeed interested in fitting Buddhist teachings into a Samkhyan mold, then it's small wonder that they were displeased -- one of the few places where we read of a negative reaction to the Buddha's words. They had hoped to hear his contribution to their project, but instead they hear their whole pattern of thinking and theorizing attacked as ignorant and ill-informed. The Commentary tells us, though, they were later able to overcome their displeasure and eventually attain awakening on listening to the discourse reported in AN III.123.
Although at present we rarely think in the same terms as the Samkhya philosophers, there has long been -- and still is -- a common tendency to create a "Buddhist" metaphysics in which the experience of emptiness, the Unconditioned, the Dharma-body, Buddha-nature, rigpa, etc., is said to function as the ground of being from which the "All" -- the entirety of our sensory and mental experience -- is said to spring and to which we return when we meditate. Some people think that these theories are the inventions of scholars without any direct meditative experience, but actually they have most often originated among meditators, who label (or in the words of the discourse, "perceive") a particular meditative experience as the ultimate goal, identify with it in a subtle way (as when we are told that "we are the knowing"), and then view that level of experience as the ground of being out of which all other experience comes.
Any teaching that follows these lines would be subject to the same criticism that the Buddha directed against the monks who first heard this discourse.
Bhikkhu Thanissaro,
California, USA
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Ukkattha, in the shade of a royal Sal tree in the Very Blessed Grove. There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "Monks, I will teach you the sequence of the root of all phenomena [or: the root sequence of all phenomena]. Listen and pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, sir," they responded.
The Blessed One said: "There is the case, monks, where an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person -- who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma -- perceives earth as earth. Perceiving earth as earth, he conceives [things] about earth, he conceives [things] in earth, he conceives [things] coming out of earth, he conceives earth as 'mine,' he delights in earth. Why is that? Because he has not comprehended it, I tell you.
"He perceives water as water...fire as fire...wind as wind[1]...beings as beings...gods as gods...Pajapati as Pajapati...Brahma as Brahma...the luminous gods as luminous gods...the gods of refulgent glory as gods of refulgent glory...the gods of abundant fruit as the gods of abundant fruit...the Great Being as the Great Being[2]...the sphere of the infinitude of space as the sphere of the infinitude of space...the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness as the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness...the sphere of nothingness as the sphere of nothingness...the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception[3]...the seen as the seen...the heard as the heard...the sensed as the sensed...the cognized as the cognized[4]...singleness as singleness...multiplicity as multiplicity[5]...the All as the All[6]...
"He perceives Unbinding as Unbinding.[7] Perceiving Unbinding as Unbinding, he conceives things about Unbinding, he conceives things in Unbinding, he conceives things coming out of Unbinding, he conceives Unbinding as 'mine,' he delights in Unbinding. Why is that? Because he has not comprehended it, I tell you.
The Trainee
"A monk who is a trainee -- yearning for the unexcelled relief from bondage, his aspirations as yet unfulfilled -- directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, let him not conceive things about earth, let him not conceive things in earth, let him not conceive things coming out of earth, let him not conceive earth as 'mine,' let him not delight in earth. Why is that? So that he may comprehend it.
"He directly knows water as water...fire as fire...wind as wind...beings as beings...gods as gods...Pajapati as Pajapati...Brahma as Brahma...the luminous gods as luminous gods...the gods of refulgent glory as gods of refulgent glory...the gods of abundant fruit as the gods of abundant fruit...the Great Being as the Great Being...the sphere of the infinitude of space as the sphere of the infinitude of space...the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness as the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness...the sphere of nothingness as the sphere of nothingness...the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception...the seen as the seen...the heard as the heard...the sensed as the sensed...the cognized as the cognized...singleness as singleness...multiplicity as multiplicity...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, let him not conceive things about Unbinding, let him not conceive things in Unbinding, let him not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, let him not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' let him not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? So that he may comprehend it.
The Arahant
"A monk who is a Worthy One, devoid of mental fermentations -- who has attained completion, finished the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, destroyed the fetters of becoming, and is released through right knowledge -- directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he has comprehended it, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water...fire as fire...wind as wind...beings as beings...gods as gods...Pajapati as Pajapati...Brahma as Brahma...the luminous gods as luminous gods...the gods of refulgent glory as gods of refulgent glory...the gods of abundant fruit as the gods of abundant fruit...the Great Being as the Great Being...the sphere of the infinitude of space as the sphere of the infinitude of space...the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness as the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness...the sphere of nothingness as the sphere of nothingness...the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception...the seen as the seen...the heard as the heard...the sensed as the sensed...the cognized as the cognized...singleness as singleness...multiplicity as multiplicity...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because he has comprehended it, I tell you.
"A monk who is a Worthy One, devoid of mental fermentations...directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because, with the ending of passion, he is devoid of passion, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because, with the ending of passion, he is devoid of passion, I tell you.
"A monk who is a Worthy One, devoid of mental fermentations...directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because, with the ending of aversion, he is devoid of aversion, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because, with the ending of aversion, he is devoid of aversion, I tell you.
"A monk who is a Worthy One, devoid of mental fermentations...directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because, with the ending of delusion, he is devoid of delusion, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because, with the ending of delusion, he is devoid of delusion, I tell you.
The Tathagata
"The Tathagata -- a worthy one, rightly self-awakened -- directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has comprehended it to the end, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water...fire as fire...wind as wind...beings as beings...gods as gods...Pajapati as Pajapati...Brahma as Brahma...the luminous gods as luminous gods...the gods of refulgent glory as gods of refulgent glory...the gods of abundant fruit as the gods of abundant fruit...the Great Being as the Great Being...the sphere of the infinitude of space as the sphere of the infinitude of space...the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness as the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness...the sphere of nothingness as the sphere of nothingness...the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception...the seen as the seen...the heard as the heard...the sensed as the sensed...the cognized as the cognized...singleness as singleness...multiplicity as multiplicity...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has comprehended it to the end, I tell you.
"The Tathagata -- a worthy one, rightly self-awakened -- directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he has known that delight is the root of suffering and stress, that from coming-into-being there is birth, and that for what has come into being there is aging and death. Therefore, with the total ending, fading away, cessation, letting go, relinquishment of craving, the Tathagata has totally awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water...the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because he has known that delight is the root of suffering and stress, that from coming-into-being there is birth, and that for what has come into being there is aging and death. Therefore, with the total ending, fading away, cessation, letting go, relinquishment of craving, the Tathagata has totally awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening, I tell you."
That is what the Blessed One said. Displeased, the monks did not delight in the Blessed One's words.
English translation by Bhikkhu Thanissaro
Notes:
1. Earth, water, fire, and wind are the four properties that comprise the experience of physical form. [Go back]
2. In this section of the list, "beings" denotes all living beings below the level of the gods. "Gods" denotes the beings in the sensual heavens. The remaining terms -- Pajapati, Brahma, the luminous gods, the gods of refulgent glory, the gods of abundant fruit, and the Great Being -- denote gods in the heavens of form and formlessness. [Go back]
3. The sphere of the infinitude of space, the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception are four formless states that can be attained in concentration. [Go back]
4. "The seen, the heard, the sensed, and the cognized" is a set of terms to cover all things experienced through the six senses. [Go back]
5. Singleness = experience in states of intense concentration (jhana). Multiplicity = experience via the six senses. [Go back]
6. "What is the All? Simply the eye and forms, ear and sounds, nose and aromas, tongue and flavors, body and tactile sensations, intellect and ideas. This is termed the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his assertion, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why is that? Because it lies beyond range." -- SN XXXV.23 For more on this topic, see The Mind Like Fire Unbound, Chapter 1. [Go back]
7. Unbinding = nibbana (nirvana). [Go back]
Source: Access-to-Insight, http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/majjhima/mn1.html
Revised: 9 November 1998
Source = BuddhaSasana
[Muïc luïc kinh Trung Boä]