English
would cut it up with a sharp butcher's knife, without damaging the inner flesh, without damaging the outer hide. Whatever fatty flesh, whatever sinew, whatever connective tissue is there in between, that he would cut apart, cut up, cut completely, cut all around with that sharp butcher's knife. Having cut apart, cut up, cut completely, cut all around, and shaken off the outer hide, he would cover that cow with that very hide and say: 'This cow is still connected with this very hide.' Would he, sisters, speaking thus, speak rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Because, venerable sir, that skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, would cut it up with a sharp butcher's knife, without damaging the inner flesh, without damaging the outer hide. Whatever fatty flesh, whatever sinew, whatever connective tissue is there in between, that he would cut apart, cut up, cut completely, cut all around with that sharp butcher's knife. Having cut apart, cut up, cut completely, cut all around, and shaken off the outer hide, he would cover that cow with that very hide, even though... he might say thus – ‘Just so is this cow bound by this very hide’; but that cow is unbound by that very hide. This simile, sisters, has been made by me for the understanding of the meaning. This is the meaning here; ‘The inner fleshy body,’ sisters, is a designation for the six internal sense bases; ‘The outer hide body,’ sisters, is a designation for the six external sense bases; ‘The inner slimy flesh, the inner sinews, the inner bonds,’ sisters, is a designation for delight and lust; ‘The sharp cow-flayer’s knife,’ sisters, is a designation for noble wisdom; that noble wisdom which cuts through, slices through, severs, and completely severs defilement, fetters, and bonds. 405. There are these seven factors of awakening, sisters, by the development and cultivation of which a bhikkhu, through the destruction of the taints, here and now enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself by direct knowledge. Which seven? Here, sisters, a bhikkhu develops the factor of awakening of mindfulness, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment, develops the factor of awakening of investigation of phenomena… develops the factor of awakening of energy… develops the factor of awakening of rapture… develops the factor of awakening of tranquility… develops the factor of awakening of concentration… develops the factor of awakening of equanimity, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. These, sisters, are the seven factors of awakening, by the development and cultivation of which a bhikkhu, through the destruction of the taints, here and now enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself by direct knowledge. 406. Then Venerable Nandaka, having exhorted those bhikkhunis with this exhortation, dismissed them – ‘‘Go, sisters; it is time.’’ Then those bhikkhunis rejoiced in the words of Venerable Nandaka. or having rejoiced, rising from their seats, having saluted Venerable Nandaka, having circumambulated him clockwise, they approached the Blessed One; having approached and saluted the Blessed One, they stood to one side. To those bhikkhunis standing to one side, the Blessed One said: "Go, bhikkhunis; it is time." Then those bhikkhunis, having saluted the Blessed One, having circumambulated him clockwise, departed. Then, not long after those bhikkhunis had departed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Just as, bhikkhus, on the fourteenth day of the Uposatha, there is no doubt or perplexity for many people – 'Is the moon waning, or is the moon full?' – but rather, it is indeed the waning moon. Even so, bhikkhus, those bhikkhunis are pleased with Nandaka's discourse on the Dhamma, but they are not yet fully resolved in their intentions." 407. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Nandaka: "Therefore, Nandaka, tomorrow too you should instruct those bhikkhunis with that same instruction." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Nandaka replied to the Blessed One. Then, when that night had passed, Venerable Nandaka, in the morning, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Having wandered for alms in Sāvatthī, after his meal, having returned from his alms round, accompanied by one other, he approached the Royal Park. Those bhikkhunis saw Venerable Nandaka coming from afar. Having seen him, they prepared a seat, and set out water for his feet. Venerable Nandaka sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, he washed his feet. Those bhikkhunis also, having saluted Venerable Nandaka, sat down to one side. To those bhikkhunis sitting to one side, Venerable Nandaka said: "Sisters, there will be a question-and-answer discussion. Therein, those who understand should say, 'We understand,' and those who do not understand should say, 'We do not understand.' And if anyone has any doubt or perplexity, a He should be questioned in return there: 'Venerable sir, how is this? What is the meaning of this?' 'Even with this, venerable sir, we are pleased and delighted with the venerable Nandaka, because the venerable Nandaka has invited us.' 408. 'What do you think, sisters, is the eye permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir.' 'But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?' 'Suffering, venerable sir.' 'But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: "This is mine, this I am, this is my self"?' 'No, venerable sir.' 'What do you think, sisters, is the ear permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir... ...is the nose permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir... ...the tongue... ...the body... is the mind permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir.' 'But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?' 'Suffering, venerable sir.' 'But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: "This is mine, this I am, this is my self"?' 'No, venerable sir.' 'For what reason?' 'Before this, venerable sir, we have seen this well with right wisdom as it truly is: "These six internal sense bases are impermanent".' 'Excellent, excellent, sisters! That is how it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it truly is.' 409. 'What do you think, sisters, are forms permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir.' 'But what is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?' 'Suffering, venerable sir.' 'But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: "This is mine, this I am, this is my self"?' 'No, venerable sir.' 'What do you think, sisters, are sounds permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir... ...are odors permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir... ...are tastes permanent or impermanent?' 'Impermanent, venerable sir... are tangibles p permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... phenomena permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Before this, venerable sir, it has been well seen by us with right wisdom as it really is: ‘These six external sense bases are impermanent’." "Excellent, excellent, sisters! Thus it is, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing with right wisdom as it really is." 410. "What do you think, sisters, is eye-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... ear-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... nose-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... tongue-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... body-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... mind-consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Before this, venerable sir, it has been well seen by us with right wisdom as it really is: ‘These six classes of consciousness are impermanent’." "Excellent, excellent, sisters! Thus it is, sisters, for a noble disciple seeing with right wisdom as it really is." 411. "Just as, sisters, for an oil lamp burning, the oil is impermanent, subject to change; the wick is impermanent, subject to change; the flame is impermanent, subject to change; the light is impermanent, subject to change. If, sisters, someone were to say: ‘Of that oil lamp..." Look, of a burning lamp, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change; but its radiance is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change'— Sisters, would such a speaker be speaking rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "For, venerable sir, of that burning oil lamp, the oil is impermanent, subject to change, the wick is impermanent, subject to change, the flame is impermanent, subject to change; how much more so is its radiance impermanent, subject to change!" "Just so, sisters, if someone were to say this— 'These six internal sense bases are impermanent. But whatever feeling, be it pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, one experiences dependent on these six internal sense bases, that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change'— Sisters, would such a speaker be speaking rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?"