English
Then those monks, having delighted in and approved of the discourse of Venerable Mahākaccāna, rose from their seats and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said to the Blessed One: “That which, venerable sir, the Blessed One briefly stated as a summary, without elaborating on its meaning, and then rose from his seat and entered the monastery— ‘In such a way, monks, should a monk examine, so that for one who examines in such a way, externally and his consciousness is not scattered, not diffused, not established internally, not grasping, he would not tremble. When, monks, consciousness is not scattered, not diffused externally, and not established internally, not grasping, not trembling, there is no future arising of the origin of suffering of birth, aging, and death. "Then, Venerable Sir, after the Blessed One had departed not long ago, this thought occurred to us: 'Friends, the Blessed One, having given this brief statement, without elaborating on its meaning, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling: "In such a way, monks, a monk should examine, so that as he examines, his consciousness is not scattered, not diffused externally, not established internally, not grasping, he would not tremble. When, monks, consciousness is not scattered, not diffused externally, and not established internally, not grasping, not trembling, there is no future arising of the origin of suffering of birth, aging, and death." Who might elaborate on the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, the meaning of which was not elaborated?' Then, Venerable Sir, this thought occurred to us: 'This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by discerning fellow practitioners. Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of elaborating on the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, the meaning of which was not elaborated. Let us approach Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, let us ask Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter.' "Then, Venerable Sir, we approached Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, we asked Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. Then, Venerable Sir, Venerable Mahākaccāna elaborated on the meaning with these aspects, these terms, these phrases." "Wise, monks, is Mahākaccāna; greatly discerning, monks, is Mahākaccāna. If you were to ask me, monks, Indeed, if you were to question me about this matter, I too would explain it in the same way as it has been explained by Mahākaccāna. This indeed is its meaning. And thus you should remember it. This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those bhikkhus rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Discourse on the Analysis of the Summary is finished, the eighth. 9. The Discourse on the Analysis of the Undefiled Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Bhikkhus!" "Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "Bhikkhus, I will teach you the Analysis of the Undefiled. Listen to it, attend carefully; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: One should not pursue sensual pleasure, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, unbeneficial. Nor should one pursue self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial. Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, the Middle Way has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata, producing vision, producing knowledge, leading to peace, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, to Nibbāna. One should know exaltation, and one should know disparagement; having known exaltation and having known disparagement, one should neither exalt nor disparage, but should teach only the Dhamma. One should know the determination of pleasure; having known the determination of pleasure, one should pursue inner pleasure. One should not speak in secret, nor speak disparagingly in public. One should speak unhurriedly, not hurriedly. One should not cling to local dialects, nor deviate from common usage – This is the summary of the Analysis of the Undefiled. "One should not pursue sensual pleasure, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, unbeneficial." unbeneficial, and one should not devote oneself to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial – indeed, this has been said; referring to what was this said? That devotion to pleasure and joy connected with sensual gratification, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, unbeneficial – this state is painful, with affliction, with despair, with feverishness; wrong practice. That non-devotion to pleasure and joy connected with sensual gratification, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, unbeneficial – this state is not painful, without affliction, without despair, without feverishness; right practice. That devotion to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial – this state is painful, with affliction, with despair, with feverishness; wrong practice. That non-devotion to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial – this state is not painful, without affliction, without despair, without feverishness; right practice. ‘One should not devote oneself to sensual pleasure, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, unbeneficial, and one should not devote oneself to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial’ – that which was said, this was said with reference to this. 325. ‘Indeed, having not approached these two extremes, the middle path has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata, producing vision, producing knowledge, leading to peace, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna’ – indeed, this has been said. Referring to what was this said? This very Noble Eightfold Path, namely: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. ‘Indeed, having not approached these two extremes, the middle path has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata, producing vision, producing knowledge, leading to peace, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna’ – that which was said, this was said with reference to this. 326. ‘One should know what is exalting, and one should know what is debasing; having known what is exalting, and having known what is debasing, one should neither exalt, nor debase. , should teach only the Dhamma.’ This is what was said. What was this said in reference to? And how, bhikkhus, is there exaltation and disparagement, but no teaching of the Dhamma? ‘Those who are devoted to sensual pleasures, given to the pursuit of happiness and joy, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and unbeneficial, all of them are with suffering, with harm, with distress, with fever, they are wrongly practicing’ – saying this, one disparages some. ‘Those who are devoted to sensual pleasures, not given to the pursuit of happiness and joy, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and unbeneficial, all of them are without suffering, without harm, without distress, without fever, they are rightly practicing’ – saying this, one exalts some. ‘Those who are devoted to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and unbeneficial, all of them are with suffering, with harm, with distress, with fever, they are wrongly practicing’ – saying this, one disparages some. ‘Those who are devoted to self-mortification, not given to what is painful, ignoble, and unbeneficial, all of them are without suffering, without harm, without distress, without fever, they are rightly practicing’ – saying this, one exalts some. ‘Whoever has not abandoned the fetter of becoming, all of them are with suffering, with harm, with distress, with fever, they are wrongly practicing’ – saying this, one disparages some. ‘Whoever has abandoned the fetter of becoming, all of them are without suffering, without harm, without distress, without fever, they are rightly practicing’ – saying this, one exalts some. Thus, bhikkhus, there is exaltation and disparagement, but no teaching of the Dhamma. 327. And how, bhikkhus, is there neither exaltation nor disparagement, but a teaching of the Dhamma? ‘Those who are devoted to sensual pleasures, given to the pursuit of happiness and joy, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and unbeneficial, all of them are with suffering, with harm, with distress, with fever, they are wrongly practicing’ – one does not say this. ‘Indeed, this pursuit is suffering, this Dhamma... Indeed, it is with affliction, with despair, with fever; it is wrong practice - thus speaking, he teaches the Dhamma. "Those who, delighting in sensual rebirth, are not devoted to the pursuit of pleasure, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, unbeneficial, all of them are without suffering, without affliction, without despair, without fever, practicing rightly" - he does not say this. "But not being devoted, indeed, this Dhamma is without suffering, without affliction, without despair, without fever; it is right practice" - thus speaking, he teaches the Dhamma. "Those who are devoted to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial, all of them are with suffering, with affliction, with despair, with fever, practicing wrongly" - he does not say this. "But being devoted, indeed, this Dhamma is with suffering, with affliction, with despair, with fever; it is wrong practice" - thus speaking, he teaches the Dhamma. "Those who are not devoted to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial, all of them are without suffering, without affliction, without despair, without fever, practicing rightly" - he does not say this. "But not being devoted, indeed, this Dhamma is without suffering, without affliction, without despair, without fever; it is right practice" - thus speaking, he teaches the Dhamma.