The venerable Ajita asks the Buddha a series of questions about the nature of the world, the currents of defilements, how to overcome name and form and the conduct of those who have comprehended the Dhamma.
“Kenassu nivuto loko,
(iccāyasmā ajito)
Kenassu nappakāsati;
Kissābhilepanaṁ brūsi,
Kiṁsu tassa mahabbhayaṁ”.
“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?”
“Avijjāya nivuto loko,
(ajitāti bhagavā)
Vevicchā pamādā nappakāsati;
Jappābhilepanaṁ brūmi,
Dukkhamassa mahabbhayaṁ”.
“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.”
“Savanti sabbadhi sotā,
(iccāyasmā ajito)
Sotānaṁ kiṁ nivāraṇaṁ;
Sotānaṁ saṁvaraṁ brūhi,
Kena sotā pidhiyyare”.
“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?”
“Yāni sotāni lokasmiṁ,
(ajitāti bhagavā)
Sati tesaṁ nivāraṇaṁ;
Sotānaṁ saṁvaraṁ brūmi,
Paññāyete pidhiyyare”.
“Whatever currents there are in the world,
(Ajita,” the Blessed One said)
“|mindfulness::sustained active awareness regarding the body, felt experience, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly without craving or 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]|.”
“Paññā ceva sati yañca,
(iccāyasmā ajito)
Nāmarūpañca mārisa;
Etaṁ me puṭṭho pabrūhi,
Katthetaṁ uparujjhati”.
“Wisdom and mindfulness,”
(said the venerable Ajita)
“and |name::mental objects of consciousness; mentality; mental 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.”
“Yametaṁ pañhaṁ apucchi,
ajita taṁ vadāmi te;
Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
Viññāṇassa nirodhena,
etthetaṁ uparujjhati”.
“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.”
“Ye ca saṅkhātadhammāse,
ye ca sekhā puthū idha;
Tesaṁ me nipako iriyaṁ,
puṭṭho pabrūhi mārisa”.
“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.”
“Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya,
Manasānāvilo siyā;
Kusalo sabbadhammānaṁ,
Sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti.
“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.”
“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::sustained active awareness regarding the body, felt experience, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly without craving or 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; mental 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.”
“Kenassu nivuto loko,
(iccāyasmā ajito)
Kenassu nappakāsati;
Kissābhilepanaṁ brūsi,
Kiṁsu tassa mahabbhayaṁ”.
“Avijjāya nivuto loko,
(ajitāti bhagavā)
Vevicchā pamādā nappakāsati;
Jappābhilepanaṁ brūmi,
Dukkhamassa mahabbhayaṁ”.
“Savanti sabbadhi sotā,
(iccāyasmā ajito)
Sotānaṁ kiṁ nivāraṇaṁ;
Sotānaṁ saṁvaraṁ brūhi,
Kena sotā pidhiyyare”.
“Yāni sotāni lokasmiṁ,
(ajitāti bhagavā)
Sati tesaṁ nivāraṇaṁ;
Sotānaṁ saṁvaraṁ brūmi,
Paññāyete pidhiyyare”.
“Paññā ceva sati yañca,
(iccāyasmā ajito)
Nāmarūpañca mārisa;
Etaṁ me puṭṭho pabrūhi,
Katthetaṁ uparujjhati”.
“Yametaṁ pañhaṁ apucchi,
ajita taṁ vadāmi te;
Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
Viññāṇassa nirodhena,
etthetaṁ uparujjhati”.
“Ye ca saṅkhātadhammāse,
ye ca sekhā puthū idha;
Tesaṁ me nipako iriyaṁ,
puṭṭho pabrūhi mārisa”.
“Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya,
Manasānāvilo siyā;
Kusalo sabbadhammānaṁ,
Sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti.