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B040203Saṃyuttanikāya (pu vi)(connected collection q and a)

English

" "Suffering, venerable sir." Thus and so forth was it spoken by the Blessed One. It is not agreeable to me, venerable sir. Indeed, good bhikkhu, you understand the Dhamma taught by me for the dispassion of lust. Section on Channa Discourse to Puṇṇa Question: In the Section on Channa, friends, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, and how was the fifth discourse, the Discourse to Puṇṇa, spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the Venerable Elder Puṇṇa. The Venerable Elder Puṇṇa, venerable sir, said to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute." On that occasion, "There are, Puṇṇa, forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, associated with sensual pleasures, arousing lust. If a bhikkhu delights in them, welcomes them, stands clinging to it, to him who delights in it, who welcomes it, who stands clinging to it, joy arises. The arising of joy is the arising of suffering. 'It is full,' I say." Thus, venerable sir, was it spoken by the Blessed One. Question: And how, friend, did the Blessed One, after giving a brief instruction to the Elder Puṇṇa, question him in return? And how did he report to the Blessed One? And how was the passing away of the Elder Puṇṇa? Answer: Thus, venerable sir, the Blessed One, after giving a brief instruction to the Elder Puṇṇa, questioned the Elder Puṇṇa in return: "Puṇṇa, instructed by me with this brief instruction, in which country will you dwell?" And that venerable one, venerable sir, reported to the Blessed One thus: "Venerable sir, there is a country called Sunāparanta. There I will dwell." And that venerable one, venerable sir, having dwelt in the country of Sunāparanta, in that very rainy season, realized the three knowledges. In that very rainy season, he attained final Nibbāna. Thus, venerable sir, was the passing away of that venerable one. There are, indeed, disciples of that Blessed One who, wearied, ashamed, disgusted with body and life, seek a weapon. You, Puṇṇa, endowed with this self-restraint and tranquility, will be able to dwell in the country of Sunāparanta. The Group of Six The Mālukyaputta Sutta Question: Where, friend, concerning whom, on what occasion, and how was the second Mālukyaputta Sutta in the Group of Six spoken by that Blessed One... the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the Elder Mālukyaputta. The Elder Mālukyaputta, venerable sir, said this to the Blessed One: "It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that I, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute." On that occasion, "What now, Mālukyaputta, should young monks..." Beginning with 'I will speak' and so on, having both discouraged and encouraged the elder, 'What do you think, Mālunkyaputta, those forms perceivable by the eye, unseen, never seen before, and you do not see them, and it does not occur to you to see them, is there desire or lust in you for them?' Thus, and so on, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One. Question – But, friends, when this advice was spoken briefly by the Blessed One, what did the Venerable Elder Mālunkyaputta say to the Blessed One? And how did the Blessed One approve of him? And what kind of penetration of the Dhamma did the Venerable Elder Mālunkyaputta have? Answer – Indeed, venerable sir, when this advice was spoken briefly by the Blessed One, the Venerable Elder Mālunkyaputta said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I understand the meaning of what was spoken briefly by the Blessed One, in detail. Having seen a form, mindfulness lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With mind infatuated, he feels, and he clings to it. For him feelings increase, manifold, born of forms; Covetousness and vexation, his mind is afflicted. Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. He does not lust for phenomena, knowing the Dhamma, mindful; With mind dispassionate, he feels, and he does not cling to it. As for him, knowing the Dhamma, and experiencing feeling; It wanes, it does not grow, thus he lives mindfully; Thus diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near." "Venerable sir, I understand the meaning of what was spoken briefly by the Blessed One, in this detailed way." And the Blessed One, venerable sir, having given approval, saying: "Good, good, Mālunkyaputta! Indeed, Mālunkyaputta, you understand the meaning of what was spoken briefly by me, in detail." "Having seen a form, mindfulness lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With mind infatuated, he feels, and he clings to it." And so on, he approved the elder's words. And that Venerable Elder Mālunkyaputta, venerable sir, being alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent... He, dwelling with a resolute mind, not long after, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, he attained and dwelled in it, "Destroyed is birth, lived is the holy life, done is what had to be done, there is no more for this state of being," he understood. And Venerable Mālukyaputta became one of the Arahants. Thus, indeed, Venerable Sir, was the ultimate attainment of that Venerable One. Seeing a form, mindfulness is lost, making a pleasing sign in the mind; With a mind inflamed, he feels, and he clings to it. Discourse on Dwelling Heedlessly Question – There, friends, where, concerning whom, and how was the fourth discourse on dwelling heedlessly spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Sāvatthī, Venerable Sir, concerning many bhikkhus, "Bhikkhus, I will teach you about dwelling heedlessly and dwelling heedfully. Listen to that. And how, bhikkhus, does one dwell heedlessly? Bhikkhus, for one dwelling with the eye faculty unrestrained, the mind is scattered among forms cognizable by the eye. For one whose mind is scattered, there is no joy. When there is no joy, there is no rapture. When there is no rapture, there is no tranquility. When there is no tranquility, there is suffering. For one suffering, the mind is not concentrated. When the mind is not concentrated, the Dhamma does not become manifest. Due to the non-manifestation of the Dhamma, one is reckoned as dwelling heedlessly." Thus, Venerable Sir, beginning with this, was it spoken by the Blessed One. Chapter on Worldly Sensual Pleasures Rāhula Instruction Discourse Question – In the chapter on worldly sensual pleasures, friends, where, concerning whom, and how was the eighth discourse, the Rāhula Instruction, spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Sāvatthī itself, Venerable Sir, concerning Venerable Rāhula, "What do you think, Rāhula, is the eye permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "But that which is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, Venerable Sir." "But that which is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard it thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "Are they?" "No, venerable sir," and so on, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One. What if I were to train Rahula further in the destruction of the taints? Take the sitting mat, Rahula. The Householder Chapter The Bhāradvāja Sutta Question – Friends, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, by whom, and how was the Bhāradvāja Sutta, the fourth recited by the ancient great elders who compiled the Dhamma, spoken in the Householder Chapter? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken in Kosambī, concerning King Udena, by the Venerable Elder Piṇḍolabhāradvāja. Venerable sir, King Udena said to the Venerable Piṇḍolabhāradvāja: "What, indeed, good Bhāradvāja, is the reason, what is the cause, why these young bhikkhus, with fresh, black hair, endowed with a fine youth, in the prime of life, not having indulged in sensual pleasures, lead a complete and pure holy life for as long as they live, and also endure hardships?" On that occasion, "It was indeed said, "This, great king, by that Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One: 'Come, bhikkhus, establish a mother's mind towards those who are like mothers. Establish a sister's mind towards those who are like sisters. Establish a daughter's mind towards those who are like daughters,'" and so on, venerable sir, was spoken by the Venerable Elder Piṇḍolabhāradvāja. The Verahaccāni Sutta Question – Friends, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, by whom, and how was the Verahaccāni Sutta, the tenth recited by the ancient great elders who compiled the Dhamma, spoken in that same place? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken in Kāmaṇḍā, concerning the brahmin woman of the Verahaccāni clan, by the Venerable Elder Udāyi. Venerable sir, the brahmin woman of the Verahaccāni clan said to the Venerable Elder Udāyi: "Venerable sir, when what is present do Arahants declare pleasure and pain? When what is absent do Arahants not declare pleasure and pain?" On that occasion, "When the eye, sister, is present, Arahants declare pleasure and pain. When the eye is absent, Arahants... within, they do not declare happiness and suffering,” and so on, venerable sir, was spoken by the Elder Udāyi. Devadaha Chapter The Discourse on the Opportunity Question – In the Devadaha Chapter, friend, where, concerning whom, and how was the Discourse on the Opportunity spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Devadaha, venerable sir, a Sakyan village of the Sakyans, concerning many bhikkhus, “Gain is yours, bhikkhus, well-gained is yours, bhikkhus, an opportunity is gained by you for the living of the holy life,” and so on, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One. Ocean Chapter