Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling among the |Bhaggans::name of the people of Bhagga [bhaggā]| in |Crocodile Mountain::name of the capital city of Bhagga [susumāragira]|, in the Deer Park at Bhesakaḷā Grove.
Atha kho nakulapitā gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho nakulapitā gahapati bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the householder |Nakulapitā::name of a householder; lit. Nakula’s father [nakulapitā]| approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the householder Nakulapitā said to the Blessed One:
“Ahamasmi, bhante, jiṇṇo vuḍḍho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto āturakāyo abhikkhaṇātaṅko. Aniccadassāvī kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato manobhāvanīyānañca bhikkhūnaṁ. Ovadatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā; anusāsatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā; yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.
“I am now, venerable sir, aged, old, elderly, advanced in years, and have reached the final stage of life; my body is afflicted, and I am frequently sick. Moreover, venerable sir, I rarely get to see the Blessed One and the esteemed bhikkhus. May the Blessed One exhort me, venerable sir; may the Blessed One instruct me, venerable sir, for my long-term welfare and happiness.”
“Evametaṁ, gahapati, evametaṁ, gahapati. Āturo hāyaṁ, gahapati, kāyo aṇḍabhūto pariyonaddho. Yo hi, gahapati, imaṁ kāyaṁ pariharanto muhuttampi ārogyaṁ paṭijāneyya, kimaññatra bālyā?
“So it is, householder, so it is, householder. For this body of yours, householder, is afflicted, |frail::fragile; lit. become an egg [aṇḍabhūta]|, and encumbered. For one carrying around this body, householder, to claim even a moment of |health::wellness, freedom from disease [ārogya]|—what is that if not |foolishness::ignorance; lit. fool state [bālya]|?
Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘āturakāyassa me sato cittaṁ anāturaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabban”ti.
Therefore householder, you should train yourself thus: ‘Even though my body is afflicted, my mind will not be afflicted.’ Thus should you train yourself, householder.
Atha kho nakulapitā gahapati bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho nakulapitaraṁ gahapatiṁ āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:
Then the householder Nakulapitā, being delighted and pleased with the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, and approached the venerable Sāriputta. Having approached, he paid homage to the venerable Sāriputta and sat down to one side. As the householder Nakulapitā was sitting to one side, the venerable Sāriputta said to him:
“vippasannāni kho te, gahapati, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Alattha no ajja bhagavato sammukhā dhammiṁ kathaṁ savanāyā”ti?
“Your faculties are clear, householder; your facial complexion is pure and bright. Did you get to hear a Dhamma talk in the presence of the Blessed One today?”
“Kathañhi no siyā, bhante. Idānāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya amatena abhisitto”ti.
“How could it be otherwise, venerable sir? Just now, venerable sir, I was sprinkled with the nectar of a Dhamma talk by the Blessed One.”
“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, gahapati, bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya amatena abhisitto”ti?
“And in what way, householder, were you sprinkled with the nectar of a Dhamma talk by the Blessed One?”
“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinno khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ etadavocaṁ: ‘ahamasmi, bhante, jiṇṇo vuḍḍho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto āturakāyo abhikkhaṇātaṅko. Aniccadassāvī kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato manobhāvanīyānañca bhikkhūnaṁ. Ovadatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā; anusāsatu maṁ, bhante, bhagavā; yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā’ti. Evaṁ vutte, maṁ, bhante, bhagavā etadavoca: ‘evametaṁ, gahapati, evametaṁ, gahapati. Āturo hāyaṁ, gahapati, kāyo aṇḍabhūto pariyonaddho. Yo hi, gahapati, imaṁ kāyaṁ pariharanto muhuttampi ārogyaṁ paṭijāneyya, kimaññatra bālyā? Tasmātiha te, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ— āturakāyassa me sato cittaṁ anāturaṁ bhavissatīti. Evañhi te, gahapati, sikkhitabban’ti. Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya amatena abhisitto”ti.
“Here, venerable sir, I approached the Blessed One; having approached, I paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, venerable sir, I said to the Blessed One: ‘I am now, venerable sir, aged, old, elderly, advanced in years, and have reached the final stage of life; my body is afflicted, and I am frequently sick. Moreover, venerable sir, I rarely get to see the Blessed One and the esteemed bhikkhus. May the Blessed One exhort me, venerable sir; may the Blessed One instruct me, venerable sir, for my long-term welfare and happiness.’ When this was said, venerable sir, the Blessed One said to me: ‘So it is, householder, so it is, householder. For this body of yours, householder, is afflicted, frail, and encumbered. For one carrying around this body, householder, to claim even a moment of health—what is that if not foolishness? Therefore, householder, you should train yourself thus: “Even though my body is afflicted, my mind will not be afflicted.” Thus should you train yourself, householder.’ In this way, venerable sir, I was sprinkled with the nectar of a Dhamma talk by the Blessed One.”
“Na hi pana taṁ, gahapati, paṭibhāsi bhagavantaṁ uttariṁ paṭipucchituṁ: ‘kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, āturakāyo ceva hoti āturacitto ca, kittāvatā ca pana āturakāyo hi kho hoti no ca āturacitto’”ti?
“But did it not occur to you, householder, to question the Blessed One further: ‘In what way, venerable sir, is one afflicted in body and afflicted in mind, and in what way is one afflicted in body but not afflicted in mind?’”
“Dūratopi kho mayaṁ, bhante, āgaccheyyāma āyasmato sāriputtassa santike etassa bhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ. Sādhu vatāyasmantaṁyeva sāriputtaṁ paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho”ti.
“Even from far away, venerable sir, we would come to venerable Sāriputta to learn the meaning of this statement. It would be good if venerable Sāriputta himself would clarify the meaning of this statement.”
“Tena hi, gahapati, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Well then, householder, listen to this and pay close attention; I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho nakulapitā gahapati āyasmato sāriputtassa paccassosi. Āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” the householder Nakulapitā replied to the venerable Sāriputta. The venerable Sāriputta said this:
Afflicted in Body and Afflicted in Mind
“Kathañca, gahapati, āturakāyo ceva hoti, āturacitto ca? Idha, gahapati, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā rūpaṁ, rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
“And how, householder, is one afflicted in body and afflicted in mind? Here, householder, an |uninstructed::uninitiated, untaught, untrained [assutavant]| ordinary person, |who has no regard for::lit. who has not seen [adassāvī]| the Noble Ones and is unskilled and untrained in the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| of the Noble Ones; who has no regard for persons of integrity and is unskilled and untrained in the Dhamma of persons of integrity, perceives |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| as self, or self as possessing form, or form as being in self, or self as being in form. He is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am form, form is mine.’ As he is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am form, form is mine,’ that form of his then changes and alters. With the change and alteration of form, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Vedanaṁ attato samanupassati, vedanāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā vedanaṁ, vedanāya vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā vedanā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He perceives |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, the experience felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as being in self, or self as being in feeling. He is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am feeling, feeling is mine.’ As he is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am feeling, feeling is mine,’ that feeling of his then changes and alters. With the change and alteration of feeling, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Saññaṁ attato samanupassati, saññāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā saññaṁ, saññāya vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā saññā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa saññāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He perceives |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]| as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as being in self, or self as being in perception. He is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am perception, perception is mine.’ As he is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am perception, perception is mine,’ that perception of his then changes and alters. With the change and alteration of perception, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Saṅkhāre attato samanupassati, saṅkhāravantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā saṅkhāre, saṅkhāresu vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, te saṅkhārā vipariṇamanti aññathā honti. Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He perceives |intentional constructs::the constructive activity that shapes each moment of experience, expressed as bodily, verbal, and mental formations; the accumulated conditioning — patterns, tendencies, and habits — produced by prior action [saṅkhārā]| as self, or self as possessing intentional constructs, or intentional constructs as being in self, or self as being in intentional constructs. He is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am intentional constructs, intentional constructs are mine.’ As he is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am intentional constructs, intentional constructs are mine,’ those intentional constructs of his then change and alter. With the change and alteration of intentional constructs, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; attani vā viññāṇaṁ, viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He perceives |consciousness::quality of awareness — distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object [viññāṇa]| as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as being in self, or self as being in consciousness. He is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am consciousness, consciousness is mine.’ As he is obsessed with the thought, ‘I am consciousness, consciousness is mine,’ that consciousness of his then changes and alters. With the change and alteration of consciousness, there arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Evaṁ kho, gahapati, āturakāyo ceva hoti āturacitto ca.
That is how, householder, one is afflicted in body and afflicted in mind.
Afflicted in Body but Not Afflicted in Mind
Kathañca, gahapati, āturakāyo hi kho hoti no ca āturacitto? Idha, gahapati, sutavā ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na rūpaṁ attato samanupassati, na rūpavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā rūpaṁ, na rūpasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ rūpaṁ, mama rūpan’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, taṁ rūpaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
And how, householder, is one afflicted in body but not afflicted in mind? Here, householder, the learned disciple of the Noble Ones, who has regard for the Noble Ones and is skilled and well-trained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones; who has regard for persons of integrity and is skilled and well-trained in the Dhamma of persons of integrity, does not perceive form as self, nor self as possessing form, nor form as being in self, nor self as being in form. He is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am form, form is mine.’ Because he is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am form, form is mine,’ when that form of his changes and alters, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Na vedanaṁ attato samanupassati, na vedanāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā vedanaṁ, na vedanāya vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ vedanā, mama vedanā’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā vedanā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa vedanāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He does not perceive feeling as self, nor self as possessing feeling, nor feeling as being in self, nor self as being in feeling. He is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am feeling, feeling is mine.’ Because he is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am feeling, feeling is mine,’ when that feeling of his changes and alters, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Na saññaṁ attato samanupassati, na saññāvantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā saññaṁ, na saññāya vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ saññā, mama saññā’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, sā saññā vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa saññāvipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He does not perceive perception as self, nor self as possessing perception, nor perception as being in self, nor self as being in perception. He is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am perception, perception is mine.’ Because he is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am perception, perception is mine,’ when that perception of his changes and alters, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Na saṅkhāre attato samanupassati, na saṅkhāravantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā saṅkhāre, na saṅkhāresu vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ saṅkhārā, mama saṅkhārā’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, te saṅkhārā vipariṇamanti aññathā honti. Tassa saṅkhāravipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He does not perceive intentional constructs as self, nor self as possessing intentional constructs, nor intentional constructs as being in self, nor self as being in intentional constructs. He is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am intentional constructs, intentional constructs are mine.’ Because he is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am intentional constructs, intentional constructs are mine,’ when those intentional constructs of his change and alter, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Na viññāṇaṁ attato samanupassati, na viññāṇavantaṁ vā attānaṁ; na attani vā viññāṇaṁ, na viññāṇasmiṁ vā attānaṁ. ‘Ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti na pariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyī hoti. Tassa ‘ahaṁ viññāṇaṁ, mama viññāṇan’ti apariyuṭṭhaṭṭhāyino, taṁ viññāṇaṁ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa viññāṇavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā nuppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā.
He does not perceive consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness, nor consciousness as being in self, nor self as being in consciousness. He is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am consciousness, consciousness is mine.’ Because he is not obsessed with the thought, ‘I am consciousness, consciousness is mine,’ when that consciousness of his changes and alters, there do not arise in him sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.
Evaṁ kho, gahapati, āturakāyo hoti no ca āturacitto”ti.
That is how, householder, one is afflicted in body but not afflicted in mind.”
Idamavoca āyasmā sāriputto. Attamano nakulapitā gahapati āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
The venerable Sāriputta said this. The householder Nakulapitā was delighted and pleased with the words of venerable Sāriputta.