English
"For, venerable sir, dependent on each specific condition, each specific feeling arises. With the cessation of each specific condition, each specific feeling ceases." "Excellent, excellent, sisters! This is how it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it truly is." 412. "Just as, sisters, of a great, standing, strong tree, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change, the shade is impermanent, subject to change. If someone, sisters, were to say this— 'Of that great, standing, strong tree, the root is impermanent, subject to change, the trunk is impermanent, subject to change, the branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change; but its shade is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change'— Sisters, would such a speaker be speaking rightly?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason?" "Of that Indeed, venerable sir, of a great, standing, strong tree, even its root is impermanent, subject to change; even its trunk is impermanent, subject to change; even its branches and leaves are impermanent, subject to change; how much more so its shade is impermanent, subject to change. Even so, sisters, if someone were to say this: ‘These six external sense bases are impermanent. But whatever is felt in dependence on the external sense bases – pleasure or pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure – that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change’; would that person, sisters, be speaking rightly? No, venerable sir. For what reason? In dependence on each particular condition, venerable sir, each particular feeling arises. With the cessation of each particular condition, each particular feeling ceases. Good, good, sisters! Thus it is, sisters, for a noble disciple who sees with right wisdom as it really is. Just as, sisters, a skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, with a sharp butcher's knife, would cut up the cow, without damaging the inner flesh, without damaging the outer hide. Whatever there is there of inner fatty flesh, of inner sinews, of inner connective tissue, that, with the sharp butcher's knife, he would cut apart, cut up, cut into pieces, cut all around. Having cut apart, cut up, cut into pieces, cut all around, having shaken off the outer hide, and having covered that cow with that very hide, he would say this: ‘This cow is still connected with this very hide’; would that person, sisters, be speaking rightly? No, venerable sir. For what reason? For, venerable sir, that skilled butcher or butcher's apprentice, having slaughtered a cow, with a sharp butcher's knife, would cut up the cow, without damaging the inner flesh, without damaging the outer hide. Whatever there is there of inner fatty flesh... between the flesh, between the sinews, between the bonds, that very thing with a sharp butcher's knife one should cut through, cut off, cut up, cut all around. Having cut through, cut off, cut up, cut all around, having shaken it off, the outer skin body, with that very skin having covered that cow, even if one were to say, 'This cow is still bound by this very skin'; yet that cow is unbound by that very skin." "This simile, sisters, has been made by me for the understanding of the meaning; this is the meaning here. 'Between the flesh body,' sisters, is a designation for the six internal sense bases; 'the outer skin body,' sisters, is a designation for the six external sense bases; 'between the soft flesh, between the sinews, between the bonds,' sisters, is a designation for delight and lust; 'a sharp butcher's knife,' sisters, is a designation for noble wisdom; that noble wisdom cuts through, cuts off, cuts up, cuts all around the defilements, the fetters, the bonds. 414. "There are these seven factors of awakening, sisters, by the cultivation and frequent practice of which a monk, through the destruction of the taints, abides having realized for himself with direct knowledge in this very life the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom. Which seven? Here, sisters, a monk cultivates the mindfulness factor of awakening, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. He cultivates the investigation of phenomena factor of awakening... He cultivates the energy factor of awakening... He cultivates the rapture factor of awakening... He cultivates the tranquility factor of awakening... He cultivates the concentration factor of awakening... He cultivates the equanimity factor of awakening, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. These, sisters, are the seven factors of awakening, by the cultivation and frequent practice of which a monk, through the destruction of the taints, abides having realized for himself with direct knowledge in this very life the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom." having realized it for themselves, having directly experienced it, they abide in this very life.” 415. Then the venerable Nandaka, having exhorted those bhikkhunis with this instruction, dismissed them, saying: “Go, sisters; it is time.” Then those bhikkhunis, having delighted in and approved of the venerable Nandaka’s words, rose from their seats, saluted the venerable Nandaka, circumambulated him respectfully, and approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they saluted the Blessed One and stood to one side. As they stood to one side, the Blessed One said to those bhikkhunis: “Go, bhikkhunis; it is time.” Then those bhikkhunis, having saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him respectfully, and departed. Then, not long after those bhikkhunis had departed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Just as, bhikkhus, on the full moon day of the Uposatha, there is no doubt or perplexity for many people: ‘Is the moon waning, or is the moon full?’ Rather, it is simply full; even so, bhikkhus, those bhikkhunis were delighted and their aspirations fulfilled by Nandaka’s teaching. Among those five hundred bhikkhunis, bhikkhus, the very last bhikkhuni is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into states of woe, certain of liberation, bound for enlightenment.” This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, those bhikkhus rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Nandakovāda Sutta, the fourth, is finished. 5. The Cūḷarāhulovāda Sutta 416. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, as the Blessed One was in seclusion, reflecting, this thought arose in his mind: “The qualities conducive to Rāhula’s liberation are now mature. What if I were to further train Rāhula in the destruction of the taints?” Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the morning, Taking his bowl and robe, he entered Sāvatthī for alms. Having wandered for alms in Sāvatthī, and having returned from his alms-round after the meal, he addressed the venerable Rāhula: "Take the sitting mat, Rāhula; we will go to Andhavana for the day's abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," replied the venerable Rāhula to the Blessed One, and taking the sitting mat, he followed behind the Blessed One. Now at that time, many thousands of devas were following the Blessed One, thinking, "Today the Blessed One will lead the venerable Rāhula to the further destruction of the taints." Then the Blessed One, having entered Andhavana, sat down on a prepared seat at the root of a certain tree. The venerable Rāhula also, having saluted the Blessed One, sat down to one side. As he sat to one side, the Blessed One said this to the venerable Rāhula: "What do you think, Rāhula, 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, Rāhula, 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, Rāhula, is eye-consciousness 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, Rāhula, "Is eye-contact 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 fitting to regard that as – 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "What do you think, Rahula, that which arises dependent on eye-contact – feeling, perception, volitional formations, consciousness – is that too 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 fitting to regard that as – 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "What do you think, Rahula, is ear permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... Is nose permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... Is tongue permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... Is body permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir... Is mind permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir."