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B0102051801mahāvaggo (great chapter)

English

That, by way of knowing, is knowledge; by way of understanding, is wisdom. Therefore it is said: “These dhammas pertain to decline, these dhammas pertain to stability, these dhammas pertain to distinction, these dhammas pertain to penetration” – this is attention through hearing; understanding that is wisdom, knowledge based on hearing. 31. How is it that “All formations are impermanent, all formations are suffering, all phenomena are non-self” – this is attention through hearing; understanding that is wisdom, knowledge based on hearing? 'Form is impermanent in the sense of perishing, suffering in the sense of fear, non-self in the sense of being without essence.' Attending to this, that understanding is wisdom, knowledge born of hearing. 'Feeling... perception... volitional formations... consciousness... eye... old age and death are impermanent in the sense of perishing, suffering in the sense of fear, non-self in the sense of being without essence.' Attending to this, that understanding is wisdom, knowledge born of hearing. It is knowledge in the sense of being known, wisdom in the sense of understanding. Therefore it is said: 'All formations are impermanent, all formations are suffering, all phenomena are non-self.' Attending to this, that understanding is wisdom, knowledge born of hearing. 32. How is it that 'This is the noble truth of suffering, this is the noble truth of the origin of suffering, this is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, this is the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering' — attending to this, that understanding is wisdom, knowledge born of hearing? 33. Therein, what is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, old age is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering, association with the disliked is suffering, separation from the liked is suffering, not getting what one wishes for is also suffering; in brief, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering. Therein, what is birth? That which for various beings in various classes of beings is birth, coming to be, descent, re-arising, the manifestation of the aggregates, the acquisition of the sense bases – this is called birth. Therein, what is old age? That which for various beings in various classes of beings is old age, decay, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkled skin, the decline of life, the deterioration of the faculties – this is called old age. Therein, what is death? That which for various beings from various classes of beings is passing away, falling away, breaking up, disappearance, death, demise, completion of time, the breaking up of the aggregates, the laying down of the body, the cutting off of the life faculty – this is called death. Now what is sorrow? For one afflicted by loss of relatives, or afflicted by loss of wealth, or afflicted by illness, or afflicted by loss of virtue, or afflicted by loss of view, for one endowed with any other misfortune, for one touched by any other painful state, sorrow, grieving, the state of having grieved, inner sorrow, inner intense sorrow, mental burning, distress, the dart of sorrow – this is called sorrow. Now what is lamentation? For one afflicted by loss of relatives, or afflicted by loss of wealth, or afflicted by illness, or afflicted by loss of virtue, or afflicted by loss of view, for one endowed with any other misfortune, for one touched by any other painful state, wailing, lamenting, the act of wailing, the act of lamenting, the state of having wailed, the state of having lamented, speech, babbling, incoherent speech, prattling, the act of prattling, the state of having prattled – this is called lamentation. Now what is pain? That which is bodily unpleasant, bodily painful, an unpleasant, painful feeling born of bodily contact, an unpleasant, painful sensation born of bodily contact – this is called pain. Now what is distress? That which is mental unpleasantness, mental pain, an unpleasant feeling born of mental contact, an unpleasant, painful sensation born of mental contact – this is called distress. Now what is despair? For one afflicted by loss of relatives, or afflicted by loss of wealth, or afflicted by illness, or afflicted by loss of virtue, or afflicted by loss of view, for one endowed with any other misfortune, for one touched by any other painful state, anguish, despair, the act of anguish, the act of despair, the state of having anguished, the state of having despaired – this is called despair. Now what is suffering from association with the unpleasant? Here, for whom there are those undesirable, disagreeable, displeasing forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, Or those who are to him wishing him ill, wishing him harm, wishing him discomfort, wishing him no security, that association with them, meeting, coming together, mingling – this is called suffering from association with the disliked. Therein, what is suffering from separation from the loved? Here, for whom there are agreeable, pleasing, delightful forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile objects; or those who are to him wishing him well, wishing him benefit, wishing him comfort, wishing him security – mother or father, brother or sister, friends or companions, relatives or blood-relations – that no association with them, no meeting, no coming together, no mingling – this is called suffering from separation from the loved. Therein, what is suffering from not getting what one wants? For beings subject to birth, such a wish arises: “Oh, if only we were not subject to birth, and if only birth would not come to us!” But this is not to be attained by wishing. This too, not getting what one wants, is suffering. For beings subject to aging, such a wish arises: “Oh, if only we were not subject to aging, and if only aging would not come to us!” But this is not to be attained by wishing. This too, not getting what one wants, is suffering. For beings subject to sickness, such a wish arises: “Oh, if only we were not subject to sickness, and if only sickness would not come to us!” But this is not to be attained by wishing. This too, not getting what one wants, is suffering. For beings subject to death, such a wish arises: “Oh, if only we were not subject to death, and if only death would not come to us!” But this is not to be attained by wishing. This too, not getting what one wants, is suffering. For beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair, such a wish arises: “Oh, if only we were not subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair, and if only sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would not come to us!” But this is not to be attained by wishing. This too, not getting what one wants, is suffering. Therein, what are, in brief, the five aggregates of clinging that are suffering? Namely: the aggregate of clinging to form, the aggregate of clinging to feeling, the aggregate of clinging to perception, the aggregate of clinging to mental formations, the aggregate of clinging to consciousness – these are called, in brief, the five aggregates of clinging that are suffering. This is called the Noble Truth of Suffering. Therein, what is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering? That craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, there That craving which delights therein, namely – craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for non-existence. And that craving, where arising, does it arise? where settling, does it settle? Whatever in the world is agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving arising, arises, there, settling, it settles. And what in the world is agreeable form, delightful form? The eye in the world is agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving arising, arises, there, settling, it settles. The ear in the world... the nose in the world... the tongue in the world... the body in the world... the mind in the world are agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving arising, arises, there, settling, it settles. Forms in the world are agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving arising, arises, there, settling, it settles. Sounds in the world... Mental phenomena in the world... Eye-consciousness in the world... Mind-consciousness in the world... Eye-contact in the world... Mind-contact in the world... Feeling born of eye-contact in the world... Feeling born of mind-contact in the world... Perception of forms in the world... Perception of mental phenomena in the world... Volition regarding forms in the world... Volition regarding mental phenomena in the world... Craving for forms in the world... Craving for mental phenomena in the world... Initial thought regarding forms in the world... Initial thought regarding mental phenomena in the world... Sustained thought regarding forms in the world... Sustained thought regarding mental phenomena in the world are agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving arising, arises, there, settling, it settles. This is called the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering. 35. Therein, what is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering? It is the complete fading away and cessation, without remainder, of that very craving, its relinquishment, its giving up, its liberation, its non-attachment. And that craving, where being abandoned, is it abandoned? where ceasing, does it cease? Whatever in the world is agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving being abandoned, is abandoned, there, ceasing, it ceases. And what in the world is agreeable form, delightful form? The eye in the world is agreeable form, delightful form, there, that craving being abandoned, is abandoned, there, ceasing, it ceases. ... Sustained thought regarding mental phenomena in the world is agreeable form, delightful form. Here, this craving, being abandoned, is abandoned, here, being ceased, it ceases.