Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Rājagaha::name of a city; capital of Magadha; lit. king’s house [rājagaha]| on |Vulture’s peak::name of a mountain peak around Rājagaha; lit. vulture’s peak [gijjhakūṭa]| mountain.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā soṇo rājagahe viharati sītavanasmiṁ. Atha kho āyasmato soṇassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “ye kho keci bhagavato sāvakā āraddhavīriyā viharanti, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro. Atha ca pana me na anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati, saṁvijjanti kho pana me kule bhogā, sakkā bhogā ca bhuñjituṁ puññāni ca kātuṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjeyyaṁ puññāni ca kareyyan”ti.
At that time, the venerable Soṇa was residing in Rajagaha in the Cool Grove. Then, while the venerable Soṇa was alone in seclusion, the following thought arose in his mind: “Indeed, all the Blessed One’s disciples who live with energy aroused are like me. Yet my mind is not released from the defilements without clinging. I have wealth in my family; it is possible to enjoy the wealth and to do meritorious deeds. What if I were to abandon the training, return to the lay life, enjoy wealth, and do meritorious deeds?”
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmato soṇassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ kho—gijjhakūṭe pabbate antarahito sītavane āyasmato soṇassa sammukhe pāturahosi. Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Āyasmāpi kho soṇo bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then the Blessed One, knowing the thought in the venerable Soṇa’s mind — as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from |Vulture’s peak::name of a mountain peak around Rājagaha; lit. vulture’s peak [gijjhakūṭa]| mountain and appeared in front of the venerable Soṇa in the Cool Grove. The Blessed One sat down on a prepared seat. The venerable Soṇa paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ soṇaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “Nanu te, soṇa, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘ye kho keci bhagavato sāvakā āraddhavīriyā viharanti, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro. Atha ca pana me na anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati, saṁvijjanti kho pana me kule bhogā, sakkā bhogā ca bhuñjituṁ puññāni ca kātuṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjeyyaṁ puññāni ca kareyyan’”ti?
The Blessed One said to the venerable Soṇa: “Soṇa, when you were alone in seclusion, did this thought arise in your mind: ‘Indeed, all the Blessed One’s disciples who live with energy aroused are like me. Yet my mind is not released from the defilements without clinging. I have wealth in my family; it is possible to enjoy the wealth and to do meritorious deeds. What if I were to abandon the training, return to the lay life, enjoy wealth, and do meritorious deeds?'”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, soṇa, kusalo tvaṁ pubbe agāriyabhūto vīṇāya tantissare”ti?
“What do you think, Soṇa, were you not skilled in playing the |lute::Indian lute [vīṇā]| when you were a householder?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, soṇa, yadā te vīṇāya tantiyo accāyatā honti, api nu te vīṇā tasmiṁ samaye saravatī vā hoti kammaññā vā”ti?
“What do you think, Soṇa, when the strings of your lute were too tight, was your lute at that time harmonious and playable?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, soṇa, yadā te vīṇāya tantiyo atisithilā honti, api nu te vīṇā tasmiṁ samaye saravatī vā hoti kammaññā vā”ti?
“What do you think, Soṇa, when the strings of your lute were too loose, was your lute at that time harmonious and playable?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Yadā pana te, soṇa, vīṇāya tantiyo na accāyatā honti nātisithilā same guṇe patiṭṭhitā, api nu te vīṇā tasmiṁ samaye saravatī vā hoti kammaññā vā”ti?
“But when the strings of your lute were neither too tight nor too loose but tuned to the middle pitch, was your lute then harmonious and playable?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Evamevaṁ kho, soṇa, accāraddhavīriyaṁ uddhaccāya saṁvattati, atisithilavīriyaṁ kosajjāya saṁvattati. Tasmātiha tvaṁ, soṇa, vīriyasamathaṁ adhiṭṭhaha, indriyānañca samataṁ paṭivijjha, tattha ca nimittaṁ gaṇhāhī”ti.
“Similarly, Soṇa, excessive energy leads to restlessness, and too little energy leads to laziness. Therefore, Soṇa, resolve on balanced energy, break through to a balanced state of the faculties, and pay attention to that sign.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā soṇo bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Soṇa replied.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ soṇaṁ iminā ovādena ovaditvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ kho—sītavane antarahito gijjhakūṭe pabbate pāturahosi.
Then the Blessed One, having instructed the venerable Soṇa with this advice — as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from the Cool Grove and appeared on |Vulture’s peak::name of a mountain peak around Rājagaha; lit. vulture’s peak [gijjhakūṭa]| mountain.
Atha kho āyasmā soṇo aparena samayena vīriyasamathaṁ adhiṭṭhāsi, indriyānañca samataṁ paṭivijjhi, tattha ca nimittaṁ aggahesi. Atha kho āyasmā soṇo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anāgāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.
Then the venerable Soṇa, after a while, resolved on balanced energy, had a break through to a balanced state of the faculties, and paid attention to that sign. Then the venerable Soṇa, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, resolute, and with continuous effort, soon realized for himself, through directly knowing, that ultimate goal of the spiritual life for which sons of good families rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, knowing and realizing it for himself, he abided in it.
“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro ca panāyasmā soṇo arahataṁ ahosi.
He directly knew: “Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.” And the venerable Soṇa became one of the arahants.
Atha kho āyasmato soṇassa arahattappattassa etadahosi: “yannūnāhaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike aññaṁ byākareyyan”ti. Atha kho āyasmā soṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā soṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the venerable Soṇa, having attained arahantship, thought: “Let me now approach the Blessed One and declare my attainment of arahantship.” Then the venerable Soṇa approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Soṇa said to the Blessed One:
“Yo so, bhante, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, so cha ṭhānāni adhimutto hoti— nekkhammādhimutto hoti, pavivekādhimutto hoti, abyāpajjādhimutto hoti, taṇhākkhayādhimutto hoti, upādānakkhayādhimutto hoti, asammohādhimutto hoti.
“Venerable sir, the bhikkhu who is an Arahant, |whose taints have worn away::who is awakened through the complete exhaustion of the taints of sensuality, becoming, and ignorance; an epithet for an Arahant [khīṇāsava]|, who has fulfilled his training, who has done what needed to be done, who has put down the burden, who has achieved the highest goal, |who has exhausted the fetter of existence::who has worn away the bonds of continued conditional existence, i.e. the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [parikkhīṇabhavasaṃyojana]|, and |who is freed through complete comprehension::one who is liberated by perfect understanding, epithet of an Arahant [sammadaññāvimutta]|, is established in six things — he is established in |renunciation::giving up of sensual pleasures|, established in seclusion, established in harmlessness, established in non-craving, established in non-clinging, and established in |non-delusion::clearly aware with mental clarity and unconfused, established in close examination and verification|.
Siyā kho pana, bhante, idhekaccassa āyasmato evamassa: ‘kevalaṁsaddhāmattakaṁ nūna ayamāyasmā nissāya nekkhammādhimutto’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, bhante, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Khīṇāsavo, bhante, bhikkhu vusitavā katakaraṇīyo karaṇīyaṁ attano asamanupassanto katassa vā paṭicayaṁ khayā rāgassa vītarāgattā nekkhammādhimutto hoti, khayā dosassa vītadosattā nekkhammādhimutto hoti, khayā mohassa vītamohattā nekkhammādhimutto hoti.
There might be, however, venerable sir, for some venerable one, this thought: ‘This venerable one is established in renunciation only on account of mere faith.’ Indeed, venerable sir, this should not be viewed thus. The bhikkhu whose defilements are destroyed, who has fulfilled one’s training, done what had to be done, seeing no more duties of his own or any accumulation of the done, due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, is established in renunciation; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, is established in renunciation; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, is established in renunciation.
Siyā kho pana, bhante, idhekaccassa āyasmato evamassa: ‘lābhasakkārasilokaṁ nūna ayamāyasmā nikāmayamāno pavivekādhimutto’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, bhante, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Khīṇāsavo, bhante, bhikkhu vusitavā katakaraṇīyo karaṇīyaṁ attano asamanupassanto katassa vā paṭicayaṁ khayā rāgassa vītarāgattā pavivekādhimutto hoti, khayā dosassa vītadosattā pavivekādhimutto hoti, khayā mohassa vītamohattā pavivekādhimutto hoti.
There might be, however, venerable sir, for some venerable one, this thought: ‘This venerable one is established in seclusion only for the sake of |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]|.’ Indeed, venerable sir, this should not be viewed thus. The bhikkhu whose defilements are destroyed, who has fulfilled one’s training, done what had to be done, seeing no more duties of his own or any accumulation of the done, due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, is established in seclusion; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, is established in seclusion; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, is established in seclusion.
Siyā kho pana, bhante, idhekaccassa āyasmato evamassa: ‘sīlabbataparāmāsaṁ nūna ayamāyasmā sārato paccāgacchanto abyāpajjādhimutto’ti. Na kho panetaṁ, bhante, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Khīṇāsavo, bhante, bhikkhu vusitavā katakaraṇīyo karaṇīyaṁ attano asamanupassanto katassa vā paṭicayaṁ khayā rāgassa vītarāgattā abyāpajjādhimutto hoti, khayā dosassa vītadosattā abyāpajjādhimutto hoti, khayā mohassa vītamohattā abyāpajjādhimutto hoti.
There might be, however, venerable sir, for some venerable one, this thought: ‘This venerable one is established in harmlessness only due to attachment to rules and observances.’ Indeed, venerable sir, this should not be viewed thus. The bhikkhu whose defilements are destroyed, who has fulfilled one’s training, done what had to be done, seeing no more duties of his own or any accumulation of the done, due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, is established in harmlessness; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, is established in harmlessness; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, is established in harmlessness.
Khayā rāgassa vītarāgattā taṇhākkhayādhimutto hoti, khayā dosassa vītadosattā taṇhākkhayādhimutto hoti, khayā mohassa vītamohattā taṇhākkhayādhimutto hoti.
Due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, one is established in non-craving; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, one is established in non-craving; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, one is established in non-craving.
Khayā rāgassa vītarāgattā upādānakkhayādhimutto hoti, khayā dosassa vītadosattā upādānakkhayādhimutto hoti, khayā mohassa vītamohattā upādānakkhayādhimutto hoti.
Due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, one is established in non-clinging; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, one is established in non-clinging; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, one is established in non-clinging.
Khayā rāgassa vītarāgattā asammohādhimutto hoti, khayā dosassa vītadosattā asammohādhimutto hoti, khayā mohassa vītamohattā asammohādhimutto hoti.
Due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, one is established in non-delusion; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, one is established in non-delusion; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, one is established in non-delusion.
Evaṁ sammā vimuttacittassa, bhante, bhikkhuno bhusā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti. Amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ vayañcassānupassati. Bhusā cepi sotaviññeyyā saddā … ghānaviññeyyā gandhā … jivhāviññeyyā rasā … kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā … manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti. Amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ vayañcassānupassati.
Thus, venerable sir, for a bhikkhu whose mind is rightly liberated, even if many forms cognizable by the eye come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena. Even if many sounds cognizable by the ear, odors cognizable by the nose, tastes cognizable by the tongue, tangible objects cognizable by the body, or mental |phenomena::characteristics, thoughts, mental states, mental qualities [dhammā]| cognizable by the mind come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena.
Seyyathāpi, bhante, selo pabbato acchiddo asusiro ekagghano. Atha puratthimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi neva naṁ saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampavedheyya, atha pacchimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi … atha uttarāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi … atha dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi neva naṁ saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampavedheyya;
Just as, venerable sir, a solid rock mountain, unbroken and without hollows, one solid mass, would not be shaken, disturbed, or cause to tremble by a heavy storm of wind and rain coming from the east, the west, the north, or the south;
evamevaṁ kho, bhante, evaṁ sammāvimuttacittassa bhikkhuno bhusā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti. Amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti, ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ vayañcassānupassati. Bhusā cepi sotaviññeyyā saddā … ghānaviññeyyā gandhā … jivhāviññeyyā rasā … kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā … manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti. Amissīkatamevassa cittaṁ hoti ṭhitaṁ āneñjappattaṁ vayañcassānupassatīti.
Just so, venerable sir, for a bhikkhu whose mind is rightly liberated, even if many forms cognizable by the eye come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena. Even if many sounds cognizable by the ear, odors cognizable by the nose, tastes cognizable by the tongue, tangible objects cognizable by the body, or mental phenomena cognizable by the mind come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena.
Nekkhammaṁ adhimuttassa,
pavivekañca cetaso;
Abyāpajjādhimuttassa,
upādānakkhayassa ca.
For one established in renunciation,
and the seclusion of mind;
established in non-ill will,
and the destruction of clinging.
Taṇhākkhayādhimuttassa,
asammohañca cetaso;
Disvā āyatanuppādaṁ,
sammā cittaṁ vimuccati.
For one established in the wearing away of craving,
and non-delusion of mind;
Seeing the arising of phenomena,
the mind is rightly liberated.
Tassa sammā vimuttassa,
santacittassa bhikkhuno;
Katassa paṭicayo natthi,
karaṇīyaṁ na vijjati.
For him rightly liberated,
the bhikkhu with a peaceful mind;
There is no accumulation of deeds,
and no more tasks remain to be done.
Selo yathā ekagghano,
vātena na samīrati;
Evaṁ rūpā rasā saddā,
gandhā phassā ca kevalā.
Just as a solid rock,
is not shaken by the wind;
So forms, tastes, sounds,
odors, and tactile sensations, all.
Iṭṭhā dhammā aniṭṭhā ca,
nappavedhenti tādino;
Ṭhitaṁ cittaṁ vippamuttaṁ,
vayañcassānupassatī”ti.
Desirable and undesirable phenomena,
do not disturb one who is such;
The steady mind, fully liberated,
sees the impermanence of all.