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Trung Boä Kinh
Majjhima Nikaya45. Tieåu kinh Phaùp haønh
(Cuøladhammasamaødaøna sutta)
Nhö vaày toâi nghe.
Moät thôøi Theá Toân ôû Savatthi, taïi Jetavana, tònh xaù oâng Anathapindika (Caáp Coâ Ñoäc). Roài Theá Toân goïi caùc Tyû-kheo:
-- Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo !
-- Thöa vaâng, baïch Theá Toân.
Nhöõng vò Tyû-kheo aáy vaâng ñaùp Theá Toân. Theá Toân giaûng nhö sau:
-- Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù boán loaïi phaùp haønh naøy. Theá naøo laø boán? Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù loaïi phaùp haønh hieän taïi laïc, töông lai quaû baùo khoå. Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù loaïi phaùp haønh hieän taïi khoå vaø töông lai quaû baùo cuõng khoå. Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù loaïi phaùp haønh hieän taïi khoå, töông lai quaû baùo laïc. Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù loaïi phaùp haønh hieän taïi laïc, vaø töông lai quaû baùo cuõng laïc.
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, theá naøo laø loaïi phaùp haønh hieän taïi laïc, töông lai quaû baùo khoå? Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù moät soá Sa-moân thuyeát nhö sau, coù sôû kieán nhö sau: "Khoâng coù loãi trong caùc duïc". Nhöõng vò naøy ñaém mình trong caùc duïc, hoan laïc vôùi caùc coâ gaùi lang thang coù toùc quaán treân ñaàu. Hoï noùi nhö sau: "Laøm sao caùc Toân giaû Sa-moân, Baø-la-moân kia thaáy söï sôï haõi töông lai cuûa caùc duïc, noùi ñeán söï ñoaïn tröø caùc duïc, neâu leân söï hieåu bieát veà caùc duïc. Khoaùi laïc thay, söï xuùc chaïm vôùi baøn tay coù loâng mòn cuûa caùc coâ gaùi lang thang treû trung naøy!" Sau khi ñaém mình trong caùc duïc, khi thaân hoaïi maïng chung, caùc vò aáy phaûi sanh vaøo coõi döõ, aùc thuù, ñoïa xöù, ñòa nguïc. ÔÛ ñaây, hoï caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc ñau khoå, thoáng khoå, khoác lieät. Hoï noùi nhö sau: "Caùc Toân giaû Sa-moân, Baø-la-moân naøy thaáy söï sôï haõi töông lai cuûa caùc duïc, noùi ñeán söï ñoaïn tröø caùc duïc, neâu leân söï hieåu bieát veà caùc duïc. Nhöng chuùng ta, do caùc duïc naøy laøm nhaân, do caùc duïc naøy laøm duyeân, phaûi caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc ñau khoå, thoáng khoå, khoác lieät".
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, ví nhö vaøo cuoái thaùng muøa noùng, moät beï hoät gioáng caây leo nöùt ra vaø naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, moät hoät gioáng caây leo rôi döôùi goác moät caây sala. Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, caùc vò thaàn ôû treân caây sala aáy lo sôï, run sôï, vaø hoaûng sôï. Baïn beø thaân höõu, baø con huyeát thoáng caùc vò thaàn treân caây sala aáy, thaàn vöôøn, thaàn röøng, thaàn caây, thaàn caùc döôïc thaûo, coû, röøng hoäi hoïp laïi, an uûi nhö sau: "Naøy Toân giaû, chôù coù sôï haõi! Naøy Toân giaû, chôù coù sôï haõi! Vì haït gioáng aáy, con khoång töôùc coù theå nuoát, con nai coù theå aên, löûa röøng coù theå ñoát, ngöôøi laøm röøng coù theå nhaët ñi, caùc loaøi moái coù theå aên, hay haït gioáng coù theå khoâng naåy maàm". Nhöng naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, haït gioáng aáy, con khoång töôùc khoâng nuoát, con nai khoâng aên, löûa röøng khoâng ñoát, ngöôøi laøm röøng khoâng nhaët ñi, caùc loaøi moái khoâng aên, vaø haït gioáng coù theå naåy maàm. Ñöôïc möa lôùn nhôø caùc laøn maây ñuùng muøa, haït gioáng aáy ñöôïc lôùn leân, vaø moät daây leo treû, meàm maïi, coù loâng, chaäm chaäm moïc leân vaø baùm dính caây sala aáy. Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, caùc vò thaàn treân caây sala aáy suy nghó nhö sau: "Khoâng hieåu vì sao caùc Toân giaû baïn beø thaân höõu, baø con huyeát thoáng aáy, caùc thaàn vöôøn, thaàn röøng, thaàn caây, caùc vò thaàn treân caùc döôïc thaûo, coû, röøng, thaáy söï sôï haõi töông lai trong hoät gioáng, hoäi hoïp laïi, an uûi nhö sau: "Naøy Toân giaû, chôù coù sôï haõi! Naøy Toân giaû chôù coù sôï haõi! Vì hoät gioáng aáy, con khoång töôùc coù theå nuoát, con nai coù theå aên, löûa röøng coù theå ñoát, nhöõng ngöôøi laøm röøng coù theå nhaët ñi, caùc loaøi moái coù theå aên, hay haït gioáng coù theå khoâng naåy maàm". Khoaùi laïc thay söï xuùc chaïm cuûa caây leo treû trung meàm maïi, coù loâng ñang baùm vaøo!" Caây leo aáy coù theå bao truøm caây sala aáy, sau khi bao truøm, lieàn laøm thaønh moät taøn che treân caây aáy, vaø ôû döôùi khôûi leân caû moät luøm caây raäm raïp. Khi ôû döôùi khôûi leân caû moät luøm caây raäm raïp, caùc caønh lôùn cuûa caây sala aáy coù theå bò boùp ngheït. Roài naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, caùc thaàn truù treân caây sa la aáy suy nhö sau: "Chính vì thaáy söï sôï haõi töông lai naøy, trong hoät gioáng caây leo aáy maø nhöõng Toân giaû, baïn beø thaân höõu, baø con huyeát thoáng aáy, caùc thaàn vöôøn, thaàn röøng, thaàn caây, caùc vò thaàn ôû treân caùc döôïc thaûo, coû, röøng, ñaõ hoäi hoïp laïi vaø an uûi nhö sau: "Naøy Toân giaû chôù coù sôï haõi! Naøy Toân giaû, chôù sôï haõi! Vì haït gioáng aáy, con khoång töôùc coù theå nuoát, con nai coù theå aên, löûa röøng coù theå ñoát, nhöõng ngöôøi laøm röøng coù theå nhaët ñi, caùc loaøi moái coù theå aên, hay haït gioáng coù theå khoâng naåy maàm". Vaø nay ta, vì nguyeân nhaân haït gioáng caây leo, caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc ñau khoå, thoáng khoå, khoác lieät".
Cuõng vaäy, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù moät soá Sa-moân, Baø-la-moân thuyeát nhö sau, coù sôû kieán nhö sau: "Khoâng coù loãi trong caùc duïc". Nhöõng vò naøy ñaém mình trong caùc duïc, hoï hoan laïc vôùi caùc coâ gaùi lang thang coù toùc quaán treân ñaàu. Hoï noùi nhö sau: "Laøm sao caùc Toân giaû Sa-moân, Baø-la-moân aáy thaáy söï sôï haõi töông lai cuûa caùc duïc, noùi ñeán söï ñoaïn tröø caùc duïc, neâu leân söï hieåu bieát veà caùc duïc. Khoaùi laïc thay, söï xuùc chaïm vôùi baøn tay coù loâng mòn cuûa coâ gaùi lang thang treû trung naøy!" Sau khi ñaém mình trong caùc duïc, khi thaân hoaïi maïng chung, hoï phaûi sanh vaøo coõi döõ, aùc thuù, ñoïa xöù, ñòa nguïc. ÔÛ ñaây, hoï caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc ñau khoå, thoáng khoå, khoác lieät. Hoï noùi nhö sau: "Caùc Toân giaû Sa-moân, Baø-la-moân aáy thaáy söï sôï haõi töông lai cuûa caùc duïc, noùi ñeán söï ñoaïn tröø caùc duïc, neâu leân söï hieåu bieát veà caùc duïc. Nhöng chuùng ta, vì nhaân caùc duïc naøy, vì duyeân caùc duïc naøy, phaûi caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc ñau khoå, thoáng khoå, khoác lieät". Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, nhö vaäy goïi laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi laïc, töông lai quaû baùo khoå.
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, theá naøo laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi khoå vaø töông lai quaû baùo cuõng khoå? ÔÛ ñaây, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù ngöôøi soáng loõa theå, soáng phoùng tuùng, khoâng theo leã nghi, lieám tay cho saïch, ñi khaát thöïc khoâng chòu böôùc tôùi, ñi khaát thöïc khoâng chòu ñöùng laïi, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên mang ñeán, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên ñaëc bieät naáu cho mình, khoâng nhaän môøi ñi aên, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên töø nôi noài chaûo, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên ñaët taïi ngöôõng cöûa, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên ñaët giöõa nhöõng caây gaäy, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên ñaët giöõa nhöõng coái giaõ gaïo, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên töø hai ngöôøi ñang aên, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên töø ngöôøi ñaøn baø coù thai, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên töø ngöôøi ñaøn baø ñang cho con buù, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên töø ngöôøi ñaøn baø ñang giao caáu, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên ñi quyeân, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên taïi choã coù choù ñöùng, khoâng nhaän ñoà aên taïi choã coù ruoài bu, khoâng aên caù, aên thòt, khoâng uoáng röôïu naáu, röôïu men, chaùo caùm. Vò aáy chæ nhaän aên taïi moät nhaø, chæ nhaän aên moät mieáng, hay vò aáy chæ nhaän aên taïi hai nhaø, chæ nhaän aên hai mieáng, hay vò aáy chæ nhaän aên taïi baûy nhaø, vò aáy chæ nhaän aên baûy mieáng. Vò aáy nuoâi soáng chæ vôùi moät baùt, nuoâi soáng chæ vôùi hai baùt, nuoâi soáng chæ vôùi baûy baùt. Vò aáy chæ aên moät ngaøy moät böõa, hai ngaøy moät böõa, baûy ngaøy moät böõa. Nhö vaäy vò aáy soáng theo haïnh tieát cheá aên uoáng cho ñeán nöûa thaùng môùi aên moät laàn. Vò aáy chæ aên coû luùa ñeå soáng, luùa taéc, gaïo löùc, aên hoät caûi nivara, aên da vuïn, aên caùm, uoáng nöôùc boät gaïo, aên boät vöøng, aên coû, aên phaân boø, aên traùi caây, aên reã caây trong röøng, aên traùi caây ruïng ñeå soáng. Vò aáy maëc vaûi gai thoâ, maëc vaûi gai thoâ laãn vôùi caùc vaûi khaùc, maëc vaûi taåm lieäm quaêng ñi, maëc vaûi phaán taûo y, maëc voû caây tikitaka laøm aùo, maëc da con sôn döông ñen, maëc aùo beän töøng maûnh da con sôn döông ñen, maëc aùo baèng coû caùt töôøng, maëc aùo voû caây, maëc aùo baèng taám goã nhoû, maëc aùo baèng toùc beän laïi thaønh meàn, maëc aùo baèng ñuoâi ngöïa beän laïi, maëc aùo baèng loâng cuù. Vò aáy laø ngöôøi soáng nhoå raâu toùc, laø ngöôøi taäp tuïc soáng nhoå raâu toùc, laø ngöôøi theo haïnh thöôøng ñöùng khoâng duøng choã ngoài, laø ngöôøi ngoài choø hoû, soáng theo haïnh ngoài choø hoû moät caùch tinh taán, laø ngöôøi duøng gai laøm giöôøng, thöôøng nguû naèm treân giöôøng gai, soáng duøng vaùn goã laøm giöôøng, soáng naèm treân ñaát traàn, thöôøng naèm nguû moät beân hoâng, soáng ñeå buïi vaø nhôùp che daáu thaân mình, soáng vaø nguû ngoaøi trôøi, theo haïnh baï ñaâu naèm ñaáy, soáng aên caùc ueá vaät, theo haïnh aên caùc ueá vaät, soáng khoâng uoáng nöôùc laïnh, theo haïnh khoâng uoáng nöôùc laïnh, soáng moät ñeâm taém ba laàn, theo haïnh xuoáng nöôùc taém (ñeå goät saïch toäi loãi). Nhö vaäy, vò aáy soáng theo haïnh haønh haï xaùc thaân döôùi nhieàu hình thöùc nhö vaäy. Vò aáy sau khi thaân hoaïi maïng chung phaûi sanh vaøo coõi döõ, aùc thuù, ñoïa xöù, ñòa nguïc. Nhö vaäy, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, ñöôïc goïi laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi khoå vaø töông lai quaû baùo cuõng khoå.
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, theá naøo laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi khoå, töông lai quaû baùo laïc? ÔÛ ñaây, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù ngöôøi töï taùnh sanh ra quaù naëng veà tham aùi, luoân luoân caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc khoå öu do tham aùi sanh; coù ngöôøi töï taùnh sanh ra quaù naëng veà saân haän, luoân luoân caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc khoå öu do saân haän sanh; coù ngöôøi töï taùnh sanh ra quaù naëng veà si meâ, luoân luoân caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc khoå öu do si meâ sanh. Vôùi khoå vaø vôùi öu, vôùi maët ñaày nöôùc maét vaø khoùc than, vò aáy soáng theo phaïm haïnh, hoaøn toaøn ñaày ñuû trong saïch. Vò aáy sau khi thaân hoaïi maïng chung, ñöôïc sanh thieän thuù, Thieân giôùi, coõi ñôøi naøy. Nhö vaäy, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, ñöôïc goïi laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi khoå, töông lai quaû baùo laïc.
Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, theá naøo laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi laïc vaø töông lai quaû baùo cuõng laïc? ÔÛ ñaây, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, coù ngöôøi töï taùnh sanh ra khoâng quaù naëng veà tham aùi, khoâng luoân luoân caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc khoå öu do tham aùi sanh; coù ngöôøi töï taùnh sanh ra khoâng quaù naëng veà saân haän, khoâng luoân luoân caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc khoå öu do saân haän sanh; coù ngöôøi töï taùnh sanh ra khoâng quaù naëng veà si meâ, khoâng luoân luoân caûm thoï nhöõng caûm giaùc khoå öu do si meâ sanh. Vò aáy ly duïc, ly caùc phaùp baát thieän chöùng vaø truù Thieàn thöù nhaát, moät traïng thaùi hyû laïc do ly duïc sanh, coù taàm coù töù; dieät taàm vaø töù, chöùng vaø truù Thieàn thöù hai, moät traïng thaùi hyû laïc do ñònh sanh, khoâng taàm khoâng töù, noäi tónh nhaát taâm; ly hyû truù xaû, chaùnh nieäm tænh giaùc, thaân caûm laïc thoï maø caùc baäc Thaùnh goïi laø xaû nieäm laïc truù, chöùng vaø an truù Thieàn thöù ba; xaû laïc vaø xaû khoå, dieät hyû öu ñaõ caûm thoï tröôùc, chöùng vaø truù Thieàn thöù tö, khoâng khoå, khoâng laïc, xaû nieäm thanh tònh. Vò aáy sau khi thaân hoaïi maïng chung, ñöôïc sanh thieän thuù, Thieân giôùi, coõi ñôøi naøy. Nhö vaäy naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, ñöôïc goïi laø phaùp haønh hieän taïi laïc vaø töông lai quaû baùo cuõng laïc. Naøy caùc Tyû-kheo, nhö vaäy laø boán loaïi phaùp haønh.
Theá Toân thuyeát giaûng nhö vaäy. Caùc Tyû-kheo aáy hoan hyû, tín thoï lôøi Theá Toân daïy.
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, döïa theo baûn Anh ngöõ "The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha", Tyø kheo Nanamoli vaø Tyø kheo Bodhi dòch, 1995).
9/99
Majjhima Nikaya 45
Cula-Dhammasamadana Sutta
The Shorter Discourse on Taking on PracticesTranslation by Bhikkhu Thanissaro For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks replied.
"Monks, there are these four ways of taking on practices. Which four? There is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present but yields pain in the future. There is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present and yields pain in the future. There is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present but yields pleasure in the future. There is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present and yields pleasure in the future.
"Now, what is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present but yields pain in the future? There are some priests and contemplatives who hold to a doctrine, a view like this: 'There is no harm in sensual pleasures.' Thus they meet with their downfall through sensual pleasures. They consort with women wanderers who wear their hair coiled in a topknot.
"The thought occurs to them: 'Now what future danger concerning sensual pleasures do those [other] priests and contemplatives foresee that they have spoken of the relinquishment of sensual pleasures and describe the full comprehension of sensual pleasures? It's pleasant, the touch of this woman wanderer's soft, tender, downy arm.'
"Thus they meet with their downfall through sensual pleasures. Then, having met with their downfall through sensual pleasures, with the break-up of the body, after death, they go to a bad bourn, destitution, the realm of the hungry shades, hell. There they experience sharp, burning pains. They say: 'This was the future danger concerning sensual pleasures those priests and contemplatives foresaw that they spoke of the relinquishment of sensual pleasures and described the full comprehension of sensual pleasures. It's because of sensual pleasures, as a result of sensual pleasures, that we're now experiencing these sharp, burning pains.'
"Just as if a maluva creeper pod were to burst open in the last month of the hot season, and a maluva creeper seed were to fall at the foot of a sala tree. The deity living in the tree would become frightened, apprehensive, and anxious. Her friends and companions, relatives and kin -- garden deities, forest deities, tree deities, deities living in herbs, grass, and forest monarchs -- would gather together to console her: 'Have no fear, have no fear. In all likelihood a peacock is sure to swallow this maluva creeper seed, or a deer will eat it, or a brush fire will burn it up, or woodsmen will pick it up, or termites will carry it off, and anyway it probably isn't really a seed.'
"And then no peacock swallowed it, no deer ate it, no brush fire burned it up, no woodsmen picked it up, no termites carried it off, and it really was a seed. Watered by a rain-laden cloud, it sprouted in due course and curled its soft, tender, downy tendril around the sala tree.
"The thought occurred to the deity living in the sala tree: 'Now what future danger did my friends and companions, relatives and kin -- garden deities, forest deities, tree deities, deities living in herbs, grass, and forest monarchs -- foresee in that maluva creeper seed that they gathered together to console me: "Have no fear, have no fear. In all likelihood a peacock is sure to swallow this maluva creeper seed, or a deer will eat it, or a brush fire will burn it up, or woodsmen will pick it up, or termites will carry it off, and anyway it probably isn't really a seed." It's pleasant, the touch of this maluva creeper's soft, tender, downy tendril.'
"Then the creeper, having enwrapped the sala tree, having made a canopy over it, and cascading down around it, caused the massive limbs of the sala tree to come crashing down. The thought occurred to the deity living in the tree: 'This was the future danger my friends...foresaw in that maluva creeper seed, that they gathered together to console me....It's because of that maluva creeper seed that I'm now experiencing sharp, burning pains.'
"In the same way, monks, there are some priests and contemplatives who hold to a doctrine, a view like this: 'There is no harm in sensual pleasures.' Thus they meet with their downfall through sensual pleasures. They consort with women wanderers who wear their hair coiled in a topknot.
"The thought occurs to them: 'Now what future danger do those [other] priests and contemplatives foresee that they teach the relinquishment and analysis of sensual pleasures? It's pleasant, the touch of this woman wanderer's soft, tender, downy arm.'
Thus they meet with their downfall through sensual pleasures. Then, having met with their downfall through sensual pleasures, with the break-up of the body, after death, they go to a bad bourn, destitution, the realm of the hungry shades, hell. There they experience sharp, burning pains. They say: 'This was the future danger concerning sensual pleasures those priests and contemplatives foresaw that they spoke of the relinquishment of sensual pleasures and described the full comprehension of sensual pleasures. It's because of sensual pleasures, as a result of sensual pleasures, that we're now experiencing these sharp, burning pains.'
"This is called the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present but yields pain in the future.
"And what is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present and yields pain in the future?
"There is the case where someone is a cloth-less[1] ascetic, rejecting conventions, licking his hands, not coming when asked, not staying when asked. He doesn't consent to food brought to him or food dedicated to him or to an invitation to a meal. He accepts nothing from the mouth of a pot or from the mouth of a bowl. He accepts nothing from across a stick, across a pestle, from two eating together, from a pregnant woman, from a nursing woman, from a woman lying with a man, from a food collection, from where a dog is waiting or flies are buzzing. He takes no fish or meat. He drinks no liquor, wine, or fermented drink. He limits himself to one house and one morsel a day, or two houses and two morsels ... seven houses and seven morsels. He lives on one saucerful a day, two ... seven saucerfuls a day. He takes food once a day, once every two days ... once every seven days, and so one up to a fortnight, devoted to regulating his intake of food. He is an eater of greens, millet, wild rice, hide-parings, moss, rice bran, rice-scum, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. He lives on forest roots and berries. He feeds on fallen fruits. He wears hemp, canvas, shrouds, refuse rags, tree bark, antelope hide, strips of antelope hide, kusa-grass garments, bark garments, wood-shaving garments, head-hair garments, animal wool, owl's wings. He is a hair-and-beard puller, one devoted to the practice of pulling out his hair and beard. He is a stander, one who rejects seats. He is a hands-around-the-knees sitter, one devoted to the exertion of sitting with his hands around his knees. He is a spike-mattresser, one who makes his bed on a bed of spikes. He is a third-time-in-the-evening bather, one who stays devoted to the practice of bathing in water. Thus in a variety of ways he stays devoted to the practice of tormenting and afflicting the body. With the break-up of the body, after death, he goes to a bad bourn, destitution, the realm of the hungry shades, hell.
"This is called the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present and yields pain in the future.
"And what is the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present but yields pleasure in the future? There is the case of a person who is normally strongly passionate by nature and frequently experiences pain and grief born of passion; a person who is normally strongly aversive by nature and frequently experiences pain and grief born of aversion; a person who is normally strongly deluded by nature and frequently experiences pain and grief born of delusion. Even though touched with pain and grief, crying with a tearful face, he lives the holy life that is utterly perfect, surpassingly pure. With the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the good bourn, the heavenly world. This is called the taking on of a practice that is painful in the present but yields pleasure in the future.
"And what is the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present and yields pleasure in the future? There is the case of a person who is not normally strongly passionate by nature and doesn't frequently experience pain and grief born of passion; who is not normally strongly aversive by nature and doesn't frequently experience pain and grief born of aversion; who is not normally strongly deluded by nature and doesn't frequently experience pain and grief born of delusion. Quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities, he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation -- internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters and remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure and pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress -- he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. With the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the good bourn, the heavenly world. This is called the taking on of a practice that is pleasant in the present and yields pleasure in the future.
"And these are the four ways of taking on practices."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.
Notes
1.Acelaka. Often translated as "naked," but as the description shows, such a person might wear garments, although the garment would not be made of cloth. [Go back]
Revised: Wed 22 September 1999 , http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/majjhima/mn45.html
Source = BuddhaSasana
[Muïc luïc kinh Trung Boä]