English
10. Explanation of the Purābheda Sutta Now he will explain the Purābheda Sutta – 83. How seeing, how virtuous, Is one called peaceful? Tell me that, Gotama, Asked of the supreme man. How seeing, how virtuous, is one called peaceful? How seeing? By what kind of seeing is he endowed? Of what form, of what nature, of what counterpart? – How seeing. How virtuous? By what kind of virtue is he endowed? Of what form, of what nature, of what counterpart? – How seeing, how virtuous. Is one called peaceful? He is called, spoken of, said, declared, shown, designated as calm, peaceful, utterly peaceful, extinguished, utterly tranquil. How seeing? This asks about wisdom. How virtuous? This asks about virtue. Peaceful? This asks about concentration. – How seeing, how virtuous, is one called peaceful. Tell me that, Gotama. That? What I ask, what I request, what I entreat, what I implore. Gotama? That created being addresses the Buddha, the Blessed One, by his clan name. Tell me? Tell, explain, teach, make known, establish, reveal, analyze, clarify, make manifest. – Tell me that, Gotama. Asked of the supreme man. Asked? Questioned, asked, requested, entreated, implored. Supreme man? The foremost, best, excellent, leader, supreme, pre-eminent man. – Asked of the supreme man. Therefore, that created being said: “How seeing, how virtuous, Is one called peaceful? Tell me that, Gotama, Asked of the supreme man.” 84. One whose craving is gone before the body’s breaking, [thus said the Blessed One] Not relying on former counsel; Not to be reckoned in the middle, For him there is no front. One whose craving is gone before the body’s breaking. Before the body’s breaking, before the breaking of existence, before the laying down of the corpse, before the cutting off of the life-faculty, one whose craving is gone, whose craving is departed, whose craving is abandoned, whose craving is vomited forth, whose craving is released, whose craving is given up, whose craving is relinquished, whose passion is gone. Oh, passion-gone, passion-abandoned, passion-vomited, passion-released, passion-discarded, passion-renounced, cooled, extinguished, become cool, experiencing happiness, he dwells with a divine self. "The Blessed One" is a term of reverence. And also, passion-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, hatred-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, delusion-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, conceit-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, views-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, craving-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, defilements-shattered, so he is the Blessed One, He resorted to, distributed, thoroughly distributed the jewel of the Dhamma, so he is the Blessed One, Ender of existences, so he is the Blessed One, Body-developed, virtue-developed, mind-developed, wisdom-developed, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One resorted to forests, groves, wildernesses, remote abodes, quiet, without clamor, secluded, places where humans are few, suitable for seclusion, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the flavor of meaning, the flavor of Dhamma, the flavor of liberation, higher virtue, higher mind, higher wisdom, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the four jhānas, the four immeasurables, the four formless attainments, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the eight liberations, the eight bases of mastery, the nine successive attainments of dwelling, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the ten developments of wisdom, the ten kasiṇa attainments, the concentration of mindfulness of breathing, the attainment of the foul, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path, so he is the Blessed One, Or the Blessed One is a partaker of the ten powers of a Tathāgata, the four confidences, the four analytical knowledges, the six supernormal powers, the six qualities of a Buddha, so he is the Blessed One. "The Blessed One" is not a name made by a mother, not made by a father, not made by a brother, not made by a sister, not made by friends and associates done, not done by relatives and kinsmen, not done by recluses and brahmins, not done by deities; this is the ultimate liberation of the Buddhas, the Fortunate Ones, at the root of the Bodhi tree, together with the attainment of omniscience, a true designation, that is, "Bhagavā" – "He whose craving is gone before the breaking up (of the body)" is the Blessed One. "Not dependent on the former end" means the former end is called the past time. Concerning the past time, craving is abandoned, wrong view is relinquished, because craving is abandoned, because wrong view is relinquished. Thus, "not dependent on the former end." Or else, "Such was my form in the past time" – there he does not indulge in delight. "Such was my feeling... such was my perception... such were my formations... such was my consciousness in the past time" – there he does not indulge in delight. Thus, "not dependent on the former end." Or else, "Thus was my eye in the past time – thus were the forms" – there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that; not delighting in that. Thus, "not dependent on the former end." "Thus was my ear in the past time – thus were the sounds," "thus was my nose in the past time – thus were the odors," "thus was my tongue in the past time – thus were the tastes," "thus was my body in the past time – thus were the tangibles," "thus was my mind in the past time – thus were the mental objects" – there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that; not delighting in that. Thus, "not dependent on the former end." Or else, those past laughings, speakings, and playings with women, he does not savor them, he does not desire them, nor does he find satisfaction in them. Thus, "not dependent on the former end." "Not to be reckoned in the middle" means. The middle is called the present time. Concerning the present time, craving is abandoned, wrong view is relinquished. Because of craving Because abandoned, because relinquished from views, he is not reckoned as attached, he is not reckoned as hateful, he is not reckoned as deluded, he is not reckoned as bound, he is not reckoned as grasped, he is not reckoned as gone astray, he is not reckoned as not reached the end, he is not reckoned as having a fixed destiny. Those volitional formations are abandoned. Because of the abandonment of volitional formations, he is not reckoned by destiny: as a hell-being, or as an animal, or as a ghost, or as a human, or as a deva, or as one with form, or as one without form, or as one with perception, or as one without perception, or as one neither with nor without perception. There is no cause, there is no condition, there is no reason by which he might be reckoned. He is not reckoned in the middle. For him, there is nothing held in front. "For him" means for the Arahant, whose taints are destroyed. "Held in front" means two things held in front: the holding-in-front of craving, and the holding-in-front of views. For him, the holding-in-front of craving is abandoned, the holding-in-front of views is relinquished. Because the holding-in-front of craving is abandoned, because the holding-in-front of views is relinquished, he does not live making craving or views his front. He is not one whose banner is craving, whose flag is craving, whose master is craving. He is not one whose banner is views, whose flag is views, whose master is views. He does not live surrounded by craving or views. In this way too, for him there is nothing held in front. Or else, "May I be of such a form in the future," he does not delight in that. "May I be of such a feeling... May I be of such a perception... May I be of such volitional formations... May I be of such consciousness in the future," he does not delight in that. In this way too, for him there is nothing held in front. Or else, "May my eye be thus in the future - thus forms," he does not direct his mind to the attainment of what is not yet attained. Because of the non-direction of mind, he does not delight in that; not delighting in that. In this way too, for him there is nothing held in front. "May my ear be thus in the future - thus sounds," "May my “May this nose of mine be in the future – thus scents,” “May this tongue of mine be in the future – thus tastes,” “May this body of mine be in the future – thus tangibles,” “May this mind of mine be in the future – thus mental objects,” he does not direct his mind to attain what is not yet attained; due to the non-direction of his mind, he does not delight in that; not delighting in that. Thus for him there is no 'forward'. Or, “By this virtue, or vow, or ascetic practice, or holy life, I shall be a deva, or one of the devas,” he does not direct his mind to attain what is not yet attained; due to the non-direction of his mind, he does not delight in that; not delighting in that. Thus for him there is no 'forward'. Therefore the Blessed One said: “One who is rid of craving before the breaking up, Not leaning on the former end; Not to be reckoned in the middle, For him there is no 'forward'.” 85. Not angry, not fearful, not boastful, not remorseful; Speaking wisely, not arrogant, he is indeed a sage restrained in speech. “Not angry, not fearful.” “Not angry” – that is what was said. But anger should be spoken of. Anger arises in ten ways: “He did me harm” – anger arises, “He is doing me harm” – anger arises,