“By what is the world |enveloped::veiled, wrapped [nivuta]|,”
(said the venerable Ajita)
“Why does it not shine forth?
What smears it,
What is its great peril?”
“The world is enveloped by |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|,
(Ajita,” the Blessed One said)
“It does not shine forth because of |craving::wanting to have, yearning to experience [veviccha]| and |heedlessness::carelessness, negligence [pamāda]|;
It is smeared by |longing::burning, hunger, pining, thirst [jappā]|, I say,
|suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| is its great peril.”
“Everywhere the |currents::streams [sotā]| [of defilements] flow,”
(said the venerable Ajita)
“What is the |barrier::block, warding off [nivāraṇa]| to these currents?
Tell me of the restraint of the currents,
By what are the currents fully held back?”
“Whatever currents there are in the world,
(Ajita,” the Blessed One said)
“|mindfulness::full awareness and recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]| is the barrier against them;
I say this as the restraint of the currents,
They are fully held back by |wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [pañña]|.”
“Wisdom and mindfulness,”
(said the venerable Ajita)
“and |name::mental objects of consciousness, mentality, factors of feeling, perception, intention, contact and attention [nāma]| and |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]|, venerable sir;
Tell me, having been asked, how
they are entirely overcome.”
“As to this question that you ask,
I will tell you, Ajita;
Where |name and form::mentality and materiality—the integrated structure of mental capacities (intention, attention, contact, feeling, perception) and physical form that together constitute and sustain an individual being [nāmarūpa]|,
completely cease without remainder;
With the cessation of |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]|,
there they are entirely overcome.”
“Those who have comprehended the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
and the many trainees here;
when asked about their conduct,
tell me, venerable sir.”
“One does not crave for sensual pleasures,
one is |tranquil::still, serene [anāvila]| in mind;
|Skillful::expert, adept, competent [kusala]| in regard to all things,
mindfully, a bhikkhu wanders.”