English
What if we were to establish a dwelling relying on that food-bait laid by Māra and those worldly baits, and having established a dwelling there, we would eat the food without clinging and without infatuation, eating the food without clinging and without infatuation, we would not fall into intoxication, being unintoxicated, we would not fall into heedlessness, being unheedful, we would not become subject to Māra's will regarding that food-bait and that worldly bait? They established a dwelling relying on that food-bait laid by Māra and those worldly baits. Having established a dwelling there, they ate the food without clinging and without infatuation. There they, without clinging Today, not infatuated, eating food, they did not fall into intoxication, being immoderate, they did not fall into heedlessness, being heedless, they were not at the will of Māra in that bait, in that worldly lure. But also, they held such views – 'The world is eternal,' so they said, 'The world is not eternal,' so they said; 'The world is finite,' so they said, 'The world is infinite,' so they said; 'The soul is the same as the body,' so they said, 'The soul is different from the body,' so they said; 'The Tathāgata exists after death,' so they said, 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death,' so they said, 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,' so they said, 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death,' so they said. Thus, indeed, O monks, these third ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Māra's power. Just as, O monks, those third deer, so do I declare these third ascetics and brahmins to be. 270. There, O monks, the fourth ascetics and brahmins thought thus – 'Those first ascetics and brahmins who settled on that bait of Māra... (ellipsis) Thus, indeed, those first ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Māra's power. And those second ascetics and brahmins who thought thus – 'Those first ascetics and brahmins... (ellipsis) Thus, indeed, those first ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Māra's power. 'What if we were to completely abstain from the bait-food, the worldly lure? Having abstained from fearful enjoyments, we should enter forest abodes and dwell there.' They completely abstained from the bait-food, the worldly lure... (ellipsis) Thus, indeed, those second ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Māra's power. And those third ascetics and brahmins who thought thus: 'Those first ascetics and brahmins... (ellipsis) Thus, indeed, those first ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Māra's power. And those second ascetics and brahmins who thought thus: 'Those first ascetics and brahmins... (ellipsis) Thus, indeed, those first ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Māra's power. The brahmins were not freed from Mara's power. "What if we completely abstain from the food of the bait, from the world's allurements? Having abstained from fearful enjoyments, let us enter forest dwellings and dwell there." They completely abstained from the food of the bait, from the world's allurements... Even so, those second ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Mara's power. "What if we, relying on this bait laid by Mara, and those world's allurements, were to make a dwelling? Having made a dwelling there, this bait laid by Mara and those world's allurements, without being entangled, uninfatuated, we shall eat the food. Eating the food without being entangled, uninfatuated, we shall not fall into intoxication. Being unarrogant, we shall not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, we shall not be subject to the will of Mara in this bait and in this world's allurement." They, relying on this bait laid by Mara and those world's allurements, made a dwelling. Having made a dwelling there, they ate the food without being entangled, uninfatuated, regarding this bait laid by Mara and those world's allurements. They there, eating the food without being entangled, uninfatuated, did not fall into intoxication. Being unarrogant, they did not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, they were not subject to the will of Mara in this bait and in this world's allurement. Nevertheless, they held such views: "The world is eternal," thus... "The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death," thus. Even so, those third ascetics and brahmins were not freed from Mara's power. "What if we were to make a dwelling where there is no access for Mara and Mara's retinue? Having made a dwelling there, this bait laid by Mara and those world's allurements, without being entangled, uninfatuated, we shall eat the food. Eating the food without being entangled, uninfatuated, we shall not fall into intoxication. Being unarrogant, we shall not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, n... we shall be at the will of Māra in that bait, in that worldly lure. They established their dwelling where there is no going for Māra and Māra’s retinue. Having established their dwelling there, they consumed the food without approaching and without being infatuated with that bait of Māra and those worldly lures. Consuming the food there without approaching and without being infatuated, they did not fall into intoxication. Not intoxicated, they did not fall into heedlessness. Not heedless, they were not at the will of Māra in that bait, in that worldly lure. Thus, monks, those fourth ascetics and brahmins were freed from Māra’s power. Just as those fourth kinds of deer, monks, so do I say these fourth ascetics and brahmins. And how, monks, is there no going for Māra and Māra’s retinue? Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by directed thought and evaluation, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. This, monks, is called a monk who has blinded Māra, who has struck down Māra’s eye, who has gone out of sight of the Evil One. Again, monks, a monk, with the fading away of directed thought and evaluation, with the internal pacification and unification of mind, enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which is without directed thought and evaluation, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. This, monks, is called… of the Evil One. Again, monks, a monk, with the fading away of rapture, dwells in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experiences pleasure with the body, of which the noble ones declare: ‘He dwells in equanimity, mindful, and pleasantly.’ He enters and dwells in the third jhāna. This, monks, is called… of the Evil One. Again, monks, a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness. having entered and dwells. This, monks, is called…pe… of the Evil One. Again, further, monks, a monk, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, (thinking) ‘space is infinite,’ enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite space. This, monks, is called…pe… of the Evil One. Again, further, monks, a monk, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite space, (thinking) ‘consciousness is infinite,’ enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite consciousness. This, monks, is called…pe… of the Evil One. Again, further, monks, a monk, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite consciousness, (thinking) ‘there is nothing,’ enters and dwells in the dimension of nothingness. This, monks, is called…pe… of the Evil One. Again, further, monks, a monk, by completely transcending the dimension of nothingness, enters and dwells in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This, monks, is called…pe… of the Evil One. Again, further, monks, a monk, by completely transcending the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling. And having seen with wisdom, his defilements are exhausted. This, monks, is called a monk who has blinded Māra, who has struck down Māra’s foot, who has gone beyond Māra’s sight, who has crossed over the sticky entanglement in the world of the Evil One. This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those monks rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Discourse on the Bait, the fifth, is finished. 6. The Discourse on the Heap of Snares 272. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One, having dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, many monks approached the venerable Ānanda; having approached, they said to the venerable Ānanda: “It has been a long time, friend Ānanda, since we heard a Dhamma talk from the Blessed One’s own presence. It would be good, friend Ānanda, if we could obtain to hear a discourse on the Dhamma from the presence of the Blessed One. "Then, venerable sirs, go to the hermitage of Rammaka the brahmin; perhaps you might obtain to hear a discourse on the Dhamma from the presence of the Blessed One." "Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied to Venerable Ānanda. Then the Blessed One, having wandered for alms in Sāvatthī, and having returned from his alms-round after his meal, addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Eastern Park, to Migāra's Mother's Palace, for the day's abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with Venerable Ānanda, went to the Eastern Park, to Migāra's Mother's Palace, for the day's abiding. Then the Blessed One, having risen from seclusion in the evening, addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Eastern Gatehouse, to bathe our limbs." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. 273.