English
The Chapter on the Six Sense Bases The Discourse on Anāthapiṇḍika's Instruction Thus have I heard – At one time the Buddha was staying in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, at Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder was afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder addressed a certain man, saying: "Come, good man, go to the Blessed One; and having approached, bow your head to the Blessed One's feet in my name – 'Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head to the Blessed One's feet.' And go to the Venerable Sāriputta; and having approached, bow your head to the Venerable Sāriputta's feet in my name – 'Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head to the Venerable Sāriputta's feet.' And say this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Sāriputta would come to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder's dwelling, out of compassion.'" "Yes, venerable sir," that man replied to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, and went to the Blessed One; and having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that man said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head to the Blessed One's feet." Then he went to the Venerable Sāriputta; and having approached, he paid homage to the Venerable Sāriputta and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that man said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "Venerable sir, Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head to the Venerable Sāriputta's feet; and he says this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Sāriputta would come to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder's dwelling, out of compassion.'" Indeed, venerable sir, let the venerable Sāriputta approach the dwelling of Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, out of compassion.” The venerable Sāriputta consented by his silence. 384. Then the venerable Sāriputta, having dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, with the venerable Ānanda as his attendant, approached the dwelling of Anāthapiṇḍika the householder. Having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the venerable Sāriputta said to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder: “I hope, householder, you are comfortable, I hope you are getting by? I hope your painful feelings are receding, not advancing; I hope their recession is evident, not their advance?” “Venerable Sāriputta, I am not comfortable, I am not getting by. Strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding; their advance is evident, not their recession. Just as, venerable Sāriputta, a strong man might strike one’s head with a sharp sword; even so, venerable Sāriputta, excessive winds are assailing my head. Venerable Sāriputta, I am not comfortable, I am not getting by. Strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding; their advance is evident, not their recession. Just as, venerable Sāriputta, a strong man might bind one’s head with a strong leather strap, giving a head-band; even so, venerable Sāriputta, there is excessive head-pain in my head. Venerable Sāriputta, I am not comfortable, I am not getting by. Strong painful feelings are advancing, not receding; their advance is evident, not their recession. Just as, venerable Sāriputta, a skilled butcher or a butcher’s apprentice might carve up an ox’s belly with a sharp ox-knife; even so, venerable Sāriputta, excessive These winds cut my belly. For me, Venerable Sāriputta, it is not bearable, it is not endurable. Strong painful feelings advance on me, they do not retreat; their advance is clear, no retreat. Just as, Venerable Sāriputta, two strong men, taking a weaker man by both arms, might roast him, burn him, over a pit of coals; even so, Venerable Sāriputta, there is excessive burning in my body. For me, Venerable Sāriputta, it is not bearable, it is not endurable. Strong painful feelings advance on me, they do not retreat; their advance is clear, no retreat. 385. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the eye, nor will there be eye-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the ear, nor will there be ear-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the nose, nor will there be nose-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the tongue, nor will there be tongue-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the body, nor will there be body-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the mind, nor will there be mind-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to form, nor will there be form-dependent consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, Thus, you should train – ‘I will not cling to sound… I will not cling to smell… I will not cling to taste… I will not cling to touch… I will not cling to mental phenomena, nor will there be consciousness dependent on mental phenomena for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus – ‘I will not cling to eye-consciousness, nor will there be consciousness dependent on eye-consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus – ‘I will not cling to ear-consciousness… I will not cling to nose-consciousness… I will not cling to tongue-consciousness… I will not cling to body-consciousness… I will not cling to mind-consciousness, nor will there be consciousness dependent on mind-consciousness for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus – ‘I will not cling to eye-contact, nor will there be consciousness dependent on eye-contact for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus – ‘I will not cling to ear-contact… I will not cling to nose-contact… I will not cling to tongue-contact… I will not cling to body-contact… I will not cling to mind-contact, nor will there be consciousness dependent on mind-contact for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus – ‘I will not cling to feeling born of eye-contact, nor will there be consciousness dependent on feeling born of eye-contact for me.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus – ‘I will not cling to feeling born of ear-contact… I will not cling to feeling born of nose-contact… I will not cling to feeling born of tongue-contact… I will not cling to feeling born of body-contact… I will not cling to feeling born of mind-contact… I will not cling, and my consciousness will not be dependent on feeling born of mind-contact. Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the earth element, and my consciousness will not be dependent on the earth element.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the water element… I will not cling to the fire element… I will not cling to the wind element… I will not cling to the space element… I will not cling to the consciousness element, and my consciousness will not be dependent on the consciousness element.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to form, and my consciousness will not be dependent on form.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to feeling… I will not cling to perception… I will not cling to mental formations… I will not cling to consciousness, and my consciousness will not be dependent on consciousness.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the dimension of infinite space, and my consciousness will not be dependent on the dimension of infinite space.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the dimension of infinite consciousness… I will not cling to the dimension of nothingness… I will not cling to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, and my consciousness will not be dependent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to this world, and my consciousness will not be dependent on this world.’ Thus indeed, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘I will not cling to the other world… ...and my consciousness will not be dependent on the next world.’ Thus, householder, you should train. Therefore, householder, you should train thus: ‘Whatever I have seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pursued, pondered with the mind, that too I will not cling to, and my consciousness will not be dependent on that.’ Thus, householder, you should train. 387. When this was said, the householder Anathapindika wept, shedding tears. Then indeed, the venerable Ananda said to the householder Anathapindika: ‘‘Are you sinking, householder? Are you collapsing, householder?