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B0102030504indriyasaṃyuttaṃ(faculties connected)

English

having different ranges, different pastures, not experiencing each other's range and pasture, the mind is their refuge, the mind indeed experiences their range and pasture. But for the mind, good Gotama, what is its refuge? For the mind, brahmin, mindfulness is its refuge. But for mindfulness, good Gotama, what is its refuge? For mindfulness, brahmin, liberation is its refuge. But for liberation, good Gotama, what is its refuge? For liberation, brahmin, Nibbāna is its refuge. But for Nibbāna, good Gotama, what is its refuge? You have gone too far, brahmin, you could not grasp the end of the question. For, brahmin, the holy life is lived immersed in Nibbāna, with Nibbāna as its goal, with Nibbāna as its culmination. Then indeed the brahmin Uṇṇābha, having delighted in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, and keeping him on his right, departed. Then indeed the Blessed One, soon after the brahmin Uṇṇābha had departed, addressed the bhikkhus: "Just as, bhikkhus, in a peaked house or a peaked hall, with an eastern window, when the sun rises, a ray of light through the window p without entering, where would it be established?’’ ‘‘On the western wall, venerable sir.’’ ‘‘Even so, monks, the faith of the brahmin Uṇṇābha in the Tathāgata is rooted, established, firm, unshakeable by any ascetic or brahmin, by any deva or Māra or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world. If, monks, at this time the brahmin Uṇṇābha were to pass away, there is no fetter by which fetter bound the brahmin Uṇṇābha would return to this world again.’’ The second. 3. The Discourse at Sāketa 513. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāketa, in the Añjana Wood, at the Deer Park. There, indeed, the Blessed One addressed the monks – ‘‘Is there, monks, a way, by relying on which way, the five faculties become the five powers, and the five powers become the five faculties?’’ ‘‘For us, venerable sir, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, the Blessed One as their guide, the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One himself would reveal the meaning of this statement. Having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it.’’ ‘‘There is, monks, a way, by relying on which way, the five faculties become the five powers, and the five powers become the five faculties.’’ ‘‘And what, monks, is that way, by relying on which way, the five faculties become the five powers, and the five powers become the five faculties? That, monks, which is the faculty of faith, that is the power of faith; that which is the power of faith, that is the faculty of faith. That which is the faculty of energy, that is the power of energy; that which is the power of energy, that is the faculty of energy. That which is the faculty of mindfulness, that is the power of mindfulness; that which is the power of mindfulness, that is the faculty of mindfulness. That which is the faculty of concentration, that is the power of concentration; that which is the power of concentration, that is the faculty of concentration. That which is the faculty of wisdom, that is the power of wisdom; that which is the power of wisdom, that is the faculty of wisdom. Just as, monks, a river slopes to the east, leans to the east, flows to the east... with a low bank, and in its middle, an island. There is, bhikkhus, a way by which way one stream is reckoned for that river. But there is, bhikkhus, a way by which way two streams are reckoned for that river. “And what, bhikkhus, is the way by which way one stream is reckoned for that river? That water, bhikkhus, on the eastern side of that island, and that water on the western side – this, bhikkhus, is the way by which way one stream is reckoned for that river. “And what, bhikkhus, is the way by which way two streams are reckoned for that river? That water, bhikkhus, on the northern side of that island, and that water on the southern side – this, bhikkhus, is the way by which way two streams are reckoned for that river. Just so, bhikkhus, what is the faculty of faith, that is the power of faith; what is the power of faith, that is the faculty of faith. What is the faculty of energy, that is the power of energy; what is the power of energy, that is the faculty of energy. What is the faculty of mindfulness, that is the power of mindfulness; what is the power of mindfulness, that is the faculty of mindfulness. What is the faculty of concentration, that is the power of concentration; what is the power of concentration, that is the faculty of concentration. What is the faculty of wisdom, that is the power of wisdom; what is the power of wisdom, that is the faculty of wisdom. Through the development and cultivation of these five faculties, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, by the destruction of the taints, enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life.” The Third. 4. The Pubbakoṭṭhaka Sutta 514. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī in Pubbakoṭṭhaka. There the Blessed One addressed Venerable Sāriputta thus: “Do you have faith, "You, Sāriputta— the faculty of faith, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination… …the faculty of wisdom, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination?" "Indeed, venerable sir, I do not go by the Blessed One's faith that the faculty of faith… …the faculty of wisdom, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination. Those, venerable sir, for whom this is unknown, unseen, unrealized, unverified, unexperienced by wisdom, they might go by the faith of others that the faculty of faith… …the faculty of wisdom, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination. But for me, venerable sir, this is known, seen, realized, verified, experienced by wisdom. I am without doubt there, without perplexity, that the faculty of faith… …the faculty of wisdom, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination." "Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta! Those, Sāriputta, for whom this is unknown, unseen, unrealized, unverified, unexperienced by wisdom, they might go by the faith of others that the faculty of faith, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination… …the faculty of wisdom, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination. But for those, Sāriputta, for whom this is known, seen, realized, verified, experienced by wisdom, they are without doubt there, without perplexity, that the faculty of faith, developed and cultivated, has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its culmination… ...the faculty of wisdom, developed, cultivated, becomes immersed in the Deathless, has the Deathless as its destination, has the Deathless as its culmination. The Fourth. 5. The First Pubbārāma Discourse 515. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, in Migāra's mother's palace. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "By the development and cultivation of how many faculties, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed declare final knowledge, saying: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being'?" "Our teachings, venerable sir, have the Blessed One as their root..." "By the development and cultivation of one faculty, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed declare final knowledge, saying: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.' Which one? The faculty of wisdom. For a noble disciple, bhikkhus, who possesses wisdom, faith is established in its wake, energy is established in its wake, mindfulness is established in its wake, concentration is established in its wake. By the development and cultivation of this one faculty, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed declare final knowledge, saying: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.' " The Fifth. 6. The Second Pubbārāma Discourse 516. The same occasion. "By the development and cultivation of how many faculties, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed declare final knowledge, saying: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being'?" "Our teachings, venerable sir, have the Blessed One as their root..." "By the development and cultivation of two faculties, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed declare final knowledge, saying: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.' Which two? Noble wisdom, and noble liberation. For him, bhikkhus, that noble... wisdom is his faculty of wisdom. And that, monks, which is his noble liberation, that is his faculty of concentration. By cultivating and making much of these two faculties, monks, a bhikkhu with destroyed defilements declares his knowledge thus: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being,' he knows. The Sixth. 7. The Third Pubbārāma Discourse 517. The same introduction.