English
Dwelling internally and externally, observing the nature of arising in feelings, contemplating feelings as feelings, he does not delight in feeling, he does not welcome it, he does not cling to it. Delighting, welcoming, clinging, grasping, attachment, adherence— he abandons these, he dispels them, he makes an end of them, he brings them to an end. Dwelling internally and externally, observing the nature of passing away in feelings, contemplating feelings as feelings, he does not delight in feeling, he does not welcome it, he does not cling to it. Delighting, welcoming, clinging, grasping, attachment, adherence— he abandons these, he dispels them, he makes an end of them, he brings them to an end. Dwelling internally and externally, observing the nature of arising and passing away in feelings, contemplating feelings as feelings, he does not delight in feeling, he does not welcome it, he does not cling to it. Delighting, welcoming, clinging, grasping, attachment, adherence— he abandons these, he dispels them, he makes an end of them, he brings them to an end. In these twelve ways, dwelling, contemplating feelings as feelings, he brings them to an end. Or else, seeing feeling as impermanent, he does not delight in feeling, he does not welcome it, he does not cling to it. Delighting, welcoming, clinging, grasping, attachment, adherence— he abandons these, he dispels them, he makes an end of them, he brings them to an end. Seeing feeling as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as an arrow, as a pain, as an ailment, ... as an escape, he does not delight in feeling, he does not welcome it, he does not cling to it. Delighting, welcoming, clinging, grasping, attachment— He abandons, removes, makes an end of, brings to naught attachment. In these forty-two ways, a monk who dwells contemplating feelings in feelings does not delight in, approve of, or cling to feeling. He abandons, removes, makes an end of, brings to naught delighting, approving, clinging, grasping, clinging, and attachment—thus, for one not delighting in feeling, internally and externally. “For one thus mindful, moving about” means for one thus mindful, fully aware, moving about, dwelling, acting, conducting oneself, maintaining oneself, living, existing—for one thus mindful, moving about. “Consciousness ceases” means consciousness associated with meritorious volitional formations, consciousness associated with demeritorious volitional formations, consciousness associated with imperturbable volitional formations ceases, subsides, comes to an end, is pacified—consciousness ceases. Therefore, the Blessed One said: “For one not delighting in feeling, Internally and externally; For one thus mindful, moving about, Consciousness ceases.” With the conclusion of the verse… The Blessed One is my teacher, venerable sir, I am a disciple. The Thirteenth Chapter: Explanation of Udaya’s Questions. 14. Explanation of Posāla’s Questions 81. “He who declares the past, The unagitated, free from doubt; The one who has gone to the far shore of all phenomena, I have come with a question.” “He who declares the past” means “He” refers to the Blessed One, the Self-Enlightened One. Without a teacher, he himself fully awakened to the truths in phenomena unheard before, and there he attained omniscience and mastery over the powers. “Declares the past” means the Blessed One declares his own past and the past of others, and he declares the future, and he declares the present. How does the Blessed One declare his own past? The Blessed One declares his own past as one birth, he declares two births, he declares three births, he declares four births, he declares five births, he declares ten births, he declares twenty births, he declares thirty births. He recounts, he recounts even forty births, he recounts even fifty births, even a hundred births... even a thousand births... even a hundred thousand births... even many eons of contraction... even many eons of expansion... even many eons of contraction and expansion he recounts— "I was there, of such a name, of such a clan, of such a color, of such a food, experiencing such happiness and suffering, of such a lifespan; having passed away from there, I arose in such-and-such a place; there I was, of such a name, of such a clan, of such a color, of such a food, experiencing such happiness and suffering, of such a lifespan; having passed away from there, I arose here." Thus, with its forms and features, with its specific locations, in various ways, he recounts past existences. Thus, the Blessed One recounts his own past. How does the Blessed One recount the past of others? The Blessed One recounts the past of others, even one birth, even two births... even many eons of contraction and expansion he recounts— "You were there, of such a name, of such a clan, of such a color, of such a food, experiencing such happiness and suffering, of such a lifespan; having passed away from there, you arose in such-and-such a place; there you were, of such a name, of such a clan, of such a color, of such a food, experiencing such happiness and suffering, of such a lifespan; having passed away from there, you arose here." Thus, with its forms and features, with its specific locations, in various ways, he recounts past existences. Thus, the Blessed One recounts the past of others. The Blessed One, speaking the five hundred Jātaka stories, recounts his own past and the past of others. Speaking the Mahāpadāniya Suttanta, recounts his own past and the past of others. Speaking the Mahāsudassaniya Suttanta, recounts his own past and the past of others. Speaking the Mahāgovindiya Suttanta, recounts his own past and the past of others. Speaking the Maghadevīya Suttanta, recounts his own past and the past of others. And this was said by the Blessed One: "Indeed, Cunda, concerning the past, the Tathāgata has the knowledge of recollection. As far back as he wishes, so far back he recollects." delight. And indeed, Cunda, regarding the future… and indeed, Cunda, regarding the present time, the Tathāgata's knowledge of awakening arises: ‘This is the final birth, there is no more renewed existence.’ The knowledge of the faculties of beings is a power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the dispositions and latent tendencies of beings is a power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the Twin Miracle is a power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the attainment of great compassion is a power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of omniscience is a power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of unimpededness is a power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of being unattached, unimpeded, and unobstructed everywhere is a power of the Tathāgata. Thus the Blessed One declares the past, declares the future, declares the present for himself and for others; he explains, teaches, establishes, sets forth, reveals, analyzes, makes clear, illuminates – he who declares the past. Thus the venerable Posāla. "Thus" is a word-junction… "venerable" is an affectionate word… "Posāla" is the name of that brahmin… "expression" – thus the venerable Posāla. Undisturbed, with doubts cut off. "Disturbance" is called craving. That which is passion, attachment… covetousness, greed, a root of unwholesomeness. That disturbance, that craving, has been abandoned by the Buddha, the Blessed One, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, made non-existent, not liable to arise in the future. Therefore the Buddha is undisturbed. Because disturbance has been abandoned, he is undisturbed. The Blessed One does not waver at gain… nor does he waver at suffering, he does not stir, he does not tremble, he does not shake, he does not thoroughly shake – thus undisturbed. "With doubts cut off." "Doubt" is called perplexity. Hesitation about suffering… the state of being bewildered, a blemish of the mind. That doubt has been abandoned by the Buddha, the Blessed One, cut off, uprooted, completely uprooted, pacified, given up, calmed, incapable of arising, burnt by the fire of knowledge. Therefore the Buddha has doubts cut off – undisturbed, with doubts cut off. Gone to the other shore. The Blessed One is one who has gone beyond all phenomena, one who has gone beyond by direct knowledge of all phenomena, one who has gone beyond by full understanding, one who has gone beyond by abandonment, one who has gone beyond by development, one who has gone beyond by realization, one who has gone beyond by attainment, one who has gone beyond by direct knowledge of all phenomena… For him there is no rebirth in the cycle of birth and death— he has gone beyond all phenomena. I have come with a question. I have come seeking a question… “Bear this burden”— I have come with a question. Therefore, that brahmin said: “He who declares the past, [Thus spoke the venerable Posāla] Unagitated, with doubts cut off; To him who has gone beyond all phenomena, I have come with a question.” 82. For one whose perception of form is vanished, who has abandoned all bodies; Who sees that inwardly and outwardly, there is nothing whatsoever; I ask the Wise One about his knowledge: How is such a one to be led? “For one whose perception of form is vanished”— What is perception of form? It is the perception, the cognizing, the state of having cognized, of one who has attained or been reborn in the form-sphere attainment, or one who dwells happily in this very life— this is perception of form. “For one whose perception of form is vanished”— For one who has gained the four formless attainments, the perception of form is vanished, gone, surpassed, completely surpassed, overcome— thus, “for one whose perception of form is vanished.” “Who has abandoned all bodies”— All his body leading to rebirth is abandoned, it is abandoned by temporary overcoming, by abandonment through suppression— his body of form is abandoned— thus, “who has abandoned all bodies.” “Who sees that inwardly and outwardly, there is nothing whatsoever.”