Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro.
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning.
Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ.
No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sā gaddulabaddho daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā upanibaddho. So gacchati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upagacchati; tiṭṭhati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upatiṭṭhati; nisīdati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upanisīdati; nipajjati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upanipajjati.
Suppose a hound on a leash was tethered to a strong post or pillar. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, it stays right beside that post or pillar.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano rūpaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati.
In the same way, an unlearned ordinary person regards form like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’
Vedanaṁ …
They regard feeling …
saññaṁ …
perception …
saṅkhāre …
choices …
viññāṇaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati.
consciousness like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’
So gacchati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upagacchati;
When walking, they walk right beside the five grasping aggregates.
tiṭṭhati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upatiṭṭhati;
When standing …
nisīdati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upanisīdati;
sitting …
nipajjati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upanipajjati.
lying down, they lie down right beside the five grasping aggregates.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
So you should regularly check your own mind:
‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti.
‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’
Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti;
Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted.
cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.
Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified.
Diṭṭhaṁ vo, bhikkhave, caraṇaṁ nāma cittan”ti?
Mendicants, have you seen the painting named ‘Conduct’?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Tampi kho, bhikkhave, caraṇaṁ nāma cittaṁ citteneva cittitaṁ. Tenapi kho, bhikkhave, caraṇena cittena cittaññeva cittataraṁ.
“That painting was devised by the mind, but the mind is even more diverse than that.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
So you should regularly check your own mind:
‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti.
‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’
Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti;
Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted.
cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.
Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified.
Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekanikāyampi samanupassāmi evaṁ cittaṁ yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā.
I don’t see any other order of beings as elaborate as the animal realm.
tepi kho, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā citteneva cittitā, tehipi kho, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatehi pāṇehi cittaññeva cittataraṁ.
The creatures in the animal realm were devised by the mind, but the mind is even more diverse than that.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
So you should regularly check your own mind:
‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti.
‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’
Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti;
Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted.
cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.
Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rajako vā cittakārako vā rajanāya vā lākhāya vā haliddiyā vā nīliyā vā mañjiṭṭhāya vā suparimaṭṭhe phalake vā bhittiyā vā dussapaṭṭe vā itthirūpaṁ vā purisarūpaṁ vā abhinimmineyya sabbaṅgapaccaṅgiṁ;
Suppose an artist or painter had some dye, red lac, turmeric, indigo, or rose madder. And on a polished plank or a wall or a canvas they’d create the form of a woman or a man, whole in its major and minor limbs.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano rūpaññeva abhinibbattento abhinibbatteti, vedanaññeva …pe… saññaññeva … saṅkhāreyeva … viññāṇaññeva abhinibbattento abhinibbatteti.
In the same way, when an unlearned ordinary person generates a future life, all they generate is form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
What do you think, mendicants?
rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
Is form permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Impermanent, sir.”
“Vedanā …
“Is feeling …
saññā …
perception …
saṅkhārā …
choices …
viññāṇaṁ …pe…
consciousness permanent or impermanent?” …
“tasmātiha, bhikkhave …pe…
“So you should truly see …
evaṁ passaṁ …pe…
Seeing this …
nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.
They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning.
No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.
Suppose a hound on a leash was tethered to a strong post or pillar. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, it stays right beside that post or pillar.
In the same way, an unlearned ordinary person regards form like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’
They regard feeling …
perception …
choices …
consciousness like this: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’
When walking, they walk right beside the five grasping aggregates.
When standing …
sitting …
lying down, they lie down right beside the five grasping aggregates.
So you should regularly check your own mind:
‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’
Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted.
Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified.
Mendicants, have you seen the painting named ‘Conduct’?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That painting was devised by the mind, but the mind is even more diverse than that.
So you should regularly check your own mind:
‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’
Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted.
Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified.
I don’t see any other order of beings as elaborate as the animal realm.
The creatures in the animal realm were devised by the mind, but the mind is even more diverse than that.
So you should regularly check your own mind:
‘For a long time this mind has been corrupted by greed, hate, and delusion.’
Sentient beings are corrupted because the mind is corrupted.
Sentient beings are purified because the mind is purified.
Suppose an artist or painter had some dye, red lac, turmeric, indigo, or rose madder. And on a polished plank or a wall or a canvas they’d create the form of a woman or a man, whole in its major and minor limbs.
In the same way, when an unlearned ordinary person generates a future life, all they generate is form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
What do you think, mendicants?
Is form permanent or impermanent?”
“Impermanent, sir.”
“Is feeling …
perception …
choices …
consciousness permanent or impermanent?” …
“So you should truly see …
Seeing this …
They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’”
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro.
Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sā gaddulabaddho daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā upanibaddho. So gacchati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upagacchati; tiṭṭhati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upatiṭṭhati; nisīdati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upanisīdati; nipajjati cepi tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upanipajjati.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano rūpaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati.
Vedanaṁ …
saññaṁ …
saṅkhāre …
viññāṇaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati.
So gacchati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upagacchati;
tiṭṭhati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upatiṭṭhati;
nisīdati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upanisīdati;
nipajjati cepi ime pañcupādānakkhandhe upanipajjati.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti.
Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti;
cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.
Diṭṭhaṁ vo, bhikkhave, caraṇaṁ nāma cittan”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Tampi kho, bhikkhave, caraṇaṁ nāma cittaṁ citteneva cittitaṁ. Tenapi kho, bhikkhave, caraṇena cittena cittaññeva cittataraṁ.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti.
Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti;
cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.
Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, aññaṁ ekanikāyampi samanupassāmi evaṁ cittaṁ yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā.
tepi kho, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā citteneva cittitā, tehipi kho, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatehi pāṇehi cittaññeva cittataraṁ.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, abhikkhaṇaṁ sakaṁ cittaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ:
‘dīgharattamidaṁ cittaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ rāgena dosena mohenā’ti.
Cittasaṅkilesā, bhikkhave, sattā saṅkilissanti;
cittavodānā sattā visujjhanti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rajako vā cittakārako vā rajanāya vā lākhāya vā haliddiyā vā nīliyā vā mañjiṭṭhāya vā suparimaṭṭhe phalake vā bhittiyā vā dussapaṭṭe vā itthirūpaṁ vā purisarūpaṁ vā abhinimmineyya sabbaṅgapaccaṅgiṁ;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano rūpaññeva abhinibbattento abhinibbatteti, vedanaññeva …pe… saññaññeva … saṅkhāreyeva … viññāṇaññeva abhinibbattento abhinibbatteti.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?
“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.
“Vedanā …
saññā …
saṅkhārā …
viññāṇaṁ …pe…
“tasmātiha, bhikkhave …pe…
evaṁ passaṁ …pe…
nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānātī”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.