English
Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, is said to be a Perfectly Self-Awakened One because he is liberated through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and non-clinging to form. A monk, too, Monks, who is liberated by wisdom, is said to be liberated by wisdom because he is liberated through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and non-clinging to form. Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, is said to be a Perfectly Self-Awakened One because he is liberated through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and non-clinging to feeling... to perception... to volitional formations... to consciousness. A monk, too, Monks, who is liberated by wisdom, is said to be liberated by wisdom because he is liberated through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and non-clinging to consciousness. So then, Monks, what is the distinction, what is the difference... What is the distinction, the difference, between the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, and a monk liberated by wisdom? Our teachings, venerable sir, are rooted in the Blessed One… Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, is the producer of the unproduced path, the generator of the ungenerated path, the proclaimer of the unproclaimed path. He is the knower of the path, the understander of the path, the skilled in the path. And monks, his disciples now dwell following the path, having come after him. This, monks, is the distinction, this is the difference, this is the difference between the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, and a monk liberated by wisdom. This is the discourse pertaining to the unconditioned. 106. What then is the discourse pertaining to defilement and pertaining to purification? It rains on what is covered, it does not rain on what is open; Therefore, open what is covered, then it will not rain on it. “It rains on what is covered” is defilement. “It does not rain on what is open” is purification. “Therefore, open what is covered, then it will not rain on it” is both defilement and purification. This is the discourse pertaining to defilement and pertaining to purification. There are these four types of individuals, great king, existing, found in the world. Which four? One who is dark and bound for darkness. One who is dark and bound for light. One who is light and bound for darkness. One who is light and bound for light. Among these, the individual who is light and bound for darkness, and the individual who is dark and bound for darkness—these two individuals pertain to defilement. And the individual who is dark and bound for light, and the individual who is light and bound for light—these two individuals pertain to purification. This is the discourse pertaining to defilement and pertaining to purification. What then is the discourse pertaining to defilement and pertaining to penetration? That is not a strong bond, say the wise, which is made of iron, wood, or fiber. The intense longing for jewels and earrings, for sons and wives, that is a far Longing. This is defilement. "This strong bond, say the wise, dragging down, loose, hard to release; Even cutting this, they wander forth, without longing, having abandoned sensual pleasure." This is disenchantment. This discourse is conducive to defilement and conducive to disenchantment. 107. "Whatever, monks, one intends, and whatever one plans, and whatever one inclines to. This becomes an object for the standing of consciousness, when there is an object, there is a footing for consciousness, when that consciousness is footed, grown, in the future, rebirth comes to be, when there is rebirth in the future, in the future, birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, despair arise, thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering. "If, monks, one does not intend, and does not plan, but one inclines to. This becomes an object for the standing of consciousness, when there is an object, there is a footing for consciousness, when that consciousness is footed, grown, in the future, rebirth comes to be, when there is rebirth in the future, in the future, birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, despair arise, thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering." This is defilement. "But when, monks, one does not intend, and does not plan, and does not incline to. This does not become an object for the standing of consciousness, when there is no object, there is no footing for consciousness, when that consciousness is not footed, not grown, in the future, rebirth does not come to be, when there is no rebirth in the future, in the future, birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, despair cease. Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering." This is disenchantment. This discourse is conducive to defilement and conducive to disenchantment. 108. Therein, what is the discourse on the partaking of defilement and the partaking of the unconditioned? "'Ocean, ocean,' monks, the uninstructed ordinary person speaks. That, monks, is not an ocean in the discipline of the noble ones. That, monks, is a great mass of water, a great expanse of water. The eye, monks, is a man's ocean. Its current is made of forms. This is defilement. Whoever endures that current made of forms, he is called, monks, one who has crossed the ocean of the eye, with its waves, with its whirlpools, with its monsters, with its demons. Having crossed, gone to the far shore, he stands on dry land, a brahmin." This is the unconditioned. "'The ear, monks... (and so on) ... the nose... (and so on) ... the tongue... (and so on) ... the body... (and so on) ... the mind, monks, is a man's ocean. Its current is made of mental phenomena.' This is defilement. Whoever endures that current made of mental phenomena, he is called, monks, one who has crossed the ocean of the mind, with its waves, with its whirlpools, with its monsters, with its demons. Having crossed, gone to the far shore, he stands on dry land, a brahmin." This is the unconditioned. The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: "Whoever has crossed this ocean, with its monsters, with its demons, with its waves, with its whirlpools, full of danger, difficult to cross; He is called one who has reached the end of the Vedas, who has lived the holy life, who has reached the end of the world, who has gone to the far shore." This is the unconditioned. This is the discourse on the partaking of defilement and the partaking of the unconditioned. "There are these six hooks, monks, in the world, for the ruin of beings, for the destruction of living creatures. Which six? There are, monks, forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, associated with sensual pleasure, enticing. If a monk delights in them, welcomes them, and remains engrossed in them, this monk, monks, is called one who has swallowed the hook, who has fallen into Mara's ruin, who has fallen into misfortune, who is to be dealt with as the Evil One wishes. There are, monks, sounds cognizable by the ear... (and so on) ... Odors cognizable by the nose, tastes cognizable by the tongue, tangibles cognizable by the body, mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, are desirable, agreeable, charming, lovely, connected with sensual desire, arousing passion. If a bhikkhu delights in them, welcomes them, and clings to them. This bhikkhu, monks, is called one who has swallowed Māra's hook, has fallen into ruin, has fallen into misfortune, is to be dealt with as the Evil One wishes. This is defilement. And there are, monks, forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, agreeable, charming, lovely, connected with sensual desire, arousing passion. If a bhikkhu does not delight in them, does not welcome them, does not cling to them. This bhikkhu, monks, is called one who has not swallowed Māra's hook, has broken the hook, has shattered the hook, has not fallen into ruin, has not fallen into misfortune, is not to be dealt with as the Evil One wishes. And there are, monks, sounds cognizable by the ear... mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, desirable, agreeable, charming, lovely, connected with sensual desire, arousing passion. If a bhikkhu does not delight in them, does not welcome them, does not cling to them. This bhikkhu, monks, is called one who has not swallowed Māra's hook, has broken the hook, has shattered the hook, has not fallen into ruin, has not fallen into misfortune, is not to be dealt with as the Evil One wishes. This is one beyond training. This discourse is about defilement and about one beyond training. 109. What then is the discourse about defilement, about penetration, and about one beyond training? This world is born of torment, afflicted by contact, it speaks of illness as its own. Whatever one conceives, from that it becomes otherwise. The world, subject to change, attached to existence, afflicted by existence, delights in existence itself. What it delights in, that is fear. What it fears, that is suffering. This is defilement. This holy life is lived for the abandoning of existence. This is penetration. Whatever recluses or Brahmins, by existence, declared liberation from existence. All of them, I say, 'are not liberated from existence'. Or whoever, ascetics or brahmins, by non-existence declared escape from existence. All of them, I say, 'have not escaped from existence'. Indeed, dependent on clinging, this suffering arises. This is defilement. "With the destruction of all clinging, there is no arising of suffering." This is penetration. "See this world, beings, widely enveloped by ignorance, delighting in existence, not freed from existence. Indeed, whatever existences there are, everywhere, in every way, all those existences are impermanent, suffering, subject to change." This is defilement. "Seeing this as it truly is, with right wisdom,