English
7. The Explanation of the Tissa Metteyya Sutta Now, the explanation of the Tissa Metteyya Sutta will be given – 49. To one devoted to sexual intercourse, [Thus spoke the venerable Tissa Metteyya] Tell me, dear sir, the downfall; Having heard your teaching, we shall train in seclusion. "To one devoted to sexual intercourse" means: Sexual intercourse is that unholy practice, that village practice, that base practice, that gross practice, that practice ending in water, that secret practice, that practice of two in union. For what reason is it called sexual intercourse? Because it is the practice of two who are lustful, deeply attached, overflowing, beset, with minds overcome, two who are alike – for that reason it is called sexual intercourse. Just as two who cause quarrels are called a pair, two who cause disputes are called a pair, two who cause gossip are called a pair, two who cause arguments are called a pair, two who cause legal cases are called a pair, two who are debaters are called a pair, two who are conversers are called a pair; just so, because it is the practice of two who are lustful, deeply attached, overflowing, beset, with minds overcome, two who are alike – for that reason it is called sexual intercourse. "To one devoted to sexual intercourse" means: To one engaged, applied, occupied, fully occupied, accustomed to, frequenting, holding dear, inclined to, bent towards, leaning towards, devoted to, having as dominant that sexual intercourse – "to one devoted to sexual intercourse." "Thus spoke the venerable Tissa Metteyya" means: "Thus" is a conjunction of words, a connection of words, a completion of words, an aggregation of syllables, a cohesion of consonants, a sequence of words – this is "thus." "Venerable" is a term of endearment, a term of respect, a term of reverence, a term of deference – this is "venerable." "Tissa" is the name, designation, appellation, description, usage, name, naming, nomenclature, etymology, expression, declaration of that elder. "Metteyya" is the clan, designation, appellation, description, usage of that elder – "thus spoke the venerable Tissa Metteyya." "Tell me the downfall" O sir! "Disturbance" means: disturbance, affliction, oppression, annoyance, calamity, danger. Tell, declare, teach, make known, establish, open, explain, make clear, reveal. "O sir!" is a dear word, a respectful word, a word of reverence, a word of deference. O sir, tell the disturbance. "Having heard your teaching" means: Your word, declaration, discourse, instruction, admonition; having heard, having listened, having learned, having borne in mind, having understood. Thus, "having heard your teaching." "We shall train in seclusion" means: Seclusion means three kinds of seclusion: bodily seclusion, mental seclusion, seclusion from defilements. What is bodily seclusion? Here, a monk resorts to a secluded dwelling: a forest, a root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of straw. He dwells secluded in body. He goes alone, he stands alone, he sits alone, he lies down alone, he enters the village for alms alone, he returns alone, he sits in solitude alone, he undertakes walking meditation alone. He moves, he dwells, he acts, he behaves, he maintains, he lives, he passes his life alone. This is bodily seclusion. What is mental seclusion? For one who has attained the first jhana, the mind is secluded from the hindrances. For one who has attained the second jhana, the mind is secluded from applied thought and sustained thought. For one who has attained the third jhana, the mind is secluded from rapture. For one who has attained the fourth jhana, the mind is secluded from pleasure and pain. For one who has attained the base of infinite space, the mind is secluded from perception of form, perception of sensory impact, perception of diversity. For one who has attained the base of infinite consciousness, the mind is secluded from the perception of the base of infinite space. For one who has attained the base of nothingness, the mind is secluded from the perception of the base of infinite consciousness. For one who has attained the base of neither perception nor non-perception, the mind is secluded from the perception of the base of nothingness. For a stream-enterer, from personality view, doubt, adherence to rules and observances... From obsessions, from views and their latent tendencies, from doubt and its latent tendencies, and from defilements of the same nature, the mind of a stream-enterer is detached. For a once-returner, gross sensual desire fetters, gross aversion fetters, gross sensual desire latent tendencies, gross aversion latent tendencies, and defilements of the same nature, the mind is detached. For a non-returner, latent sensual desire fetters, latent aversion fetters, latent sensual desire latent tendencies, latent aversion latent tendencies, and defilements of the same nature, the mind is detached. For an Arahant, from desire for form, from desire for the formless, from conceit, from restlessness, from ignorance, from conceit latent tendencies, from desire for existence latent tendencies, from ignorance latent tendencies, and from defilements of the same nature, and from all external signs, the mind is detached – this is mental detachment. What is detachment from acquisitions? Acquisitions are called defilements, and aggregates, and formations. Detachment from acquisitions is called the deathless Nibbāna. That which is the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna – this is detachment from acquisitions. Bodily detachment is for those who delight in renunciation, whose bodies are in a state of detachment. Mental detachment is for those whose minds are purified, who have attained ultimate clarity. Detachment from acquisitions is for those individuals who are without acquisitions, who have gone to the unconditioned. “We will train in detachment.” That elder was already trained. But in order to teach the Dhamma, while teaching the Dhamma, he said this: “We will train in detachment.” Therefore, the elder Tissa Metteyya said: “To one engaged in sexual intercourse, tell me, dear sir, the affliction; Having heard your teaching, we will train in detachment.” 50. “To one engaged in sexual intercourse,” said the Blessed One, “the teaching is forgotten; And he practices wrongly; this is ignoble in him.” “To one engaged in sexual intercourse.” What is called the sexual act? It is that ignoble practice, the village practice, the outcast practice, the gross, the watery-ended, the secret, the two-by-two union. For what reason is it called the sexual act? It is the arising of passion for two who are lustful, deeply lustful, and overwhelmed. Of those whose minds are overwhelmed, of both alike, is this phenomenon – for that reason it is called the sexual phenomenon. Just as both quarrel-makers are called a pair, both dispute-makers are called a pair, both strife-makers are called a pair, both contention-makers are called a pair, both legal-case-makers are called a pair, both debaters are called a pair, both conversers are called a pair; even so, of both who are impassioned, deeply impassioned, overflowing, beset, whose minds are overwhelmed, of both alike, is this phenomenon – for that reason it is called the sexual phenomenon. Of one devoted to sexual intercourse. In the sexual phenomenon, of one engaged, applied, devoted, fully devoted, whose conduct is such, who is abundant in it, who holds it dear, who is inclined to it, who leans towards it, who tends towards it, who is intent on it, who is dominated by it – of one devoted to sexual intercourse. By 'Metteyya', the Blessed One addresses that elder by his clan name. 'Bhagavā' is a term of respect. Moreover, 'Bhagavā' means one whose lust is broken, whose hatred is broken, whose delusion is broken, whose conceit is broken, whose views are broken, whose thorns are broken, whose defilements are broken, who has shared, divided, distributed the jewel of the Dhamma, is the Blessed One, who is the end-maker of existences, is the Blessed One, whose body is developed, whose virtue is developed, whose mind is developed, whose wisdom is developed, is the Blessed One, or the Blessed One is one who resorts to remote forest groves, quiet abodes, with little noise, little clamor, free from human presence, suitable for seclusion, is the Blessed One, or the Blessed One is one who is a partaker of robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, and requisites, is the Blessed One, or the Blessed One is one who is a partaker of the essence of meaning, the essence of Dhamma, the essence of liberation, of higher virtue, higher mind, higher wisdom, is the Blessed One, or the Blessed One is one who is a partaker of the four jhānas, the four ap of the four immeasurables, of the four formless attainments, thus said the Blessed One. Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the eight liberations, of the eight spheres of mastery, of the nine successive abidings in attainment, thus said the Blessed One. Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the ten perceptions for development, of the ten kasina attainments, of the concentration of mindfulness of breathing, of the attainment of the foul, thus said the Blessed One. Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the four foundations of mindfulness, of the four right strivings, of the four bases of psychic power, of the five faculties, of the five powers, of the seven factors of enlightenment, of the Noble Eightfold Path, thus said the Blessed One. Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the ten powers of the Tathāgata, of the four fearlessnesses, of the four analytical knowledges, of the six higher knowledges, of the six Buddha-qualities, thus said the Blessed One. “Blessed One” – this name was not made by a mother, nor made by a father, nor made by a brother,