10.
The Chapter of the Sixes
1.
The Discourse on Untamed and Unguarded
94. At Sāvatthī. "Monks, these six sense bases of contact, untamed, unguarded, unprotected, unrestrained, are carriers of suffering. Which six? The eye, monks, as a sense base of contact, untamed, unguarded, unprotected, unrestrained, is a carrier of suffering, etc. The tongue, monks, as a sense base of contact, untamed, unguarded, unprotected, unrestrained, is a carrier of suffering, etc. The mind, monks, as a sense base of contact, untamed, unguarded, unprotected, unrestrained, is a carrier of suffering. These, monks, are the six sense bases of contact, untamed, unguarded, unprotected, unrestrained, that are carriers of suffering."
"Monks, these six sense bases of contact, well-tamed, well-guarded, well-protected, well-restrained, are carriers of happiness. Which six? The eye, monks, as a sense base of contact, well-tamed, well-guarded, well-protected, well-restrained, is a carrier of happiness, etc. The tongue, monks, as a sense base of contact, well-tamed, well-guarded, well-protected, well-restrained, is a carrier of happiness, etc. The mind, monks, as a sense base of contact, well-tamed, well-guarded, well-protected, well-restrained, is a carrier of happiness. These, monks, are the six sense bases of contact, well-tamed, well-guarded, well-protected, well-restrained, that are carriers of happiness." This the Blessed One said, etc. the Teacher further said this -
Where the unrestrained one undergoes suffering;
And those who have understood their restraint,
Dwell with faith as their companion, untainted.
And also having seen those that are undelightful;
One should dispel the path of lust towards the delightful,
And not corrupt the mind thinking 'this is unpleasant to me'.
One should not be elated by a pleasant sound;
And towards the unpleasant, one should dispel what has gone to hate,
And not corrupt the mind thinking 'this is unpleasant to me'.
And also having smelled what is impure and unpleasant;
He should dispel aversion towards the unpleasant,
And led by desire, he should not be attached to the pleasant.
And also having tasted what is unpleasant at times;
He should eat the sweet flavour without grasping,
And should not show aversion towards the unpleasant.
And even when touched by pain, he should not tremble;
The two contacts, pleasure and pain, he should regard with equanimity,
Neither compliant nor opposed to anything.
Obsessing, they approach with perceptions;
All that is mind-made and connected with the household life,
Having dispelled, one moves about connected with renunciation.
The consciousness of one touched does not waver anywhere;
Those monks, having overcome lust and hate,
May you become ones who have gone beyond birth and death." The first.
2.
The Discourse on Mālukyaputta
95. Then the Venerable Mālukyaputta approached the Blessed One, etc. Seated to one side, the Venerable Mālukyaputta said this to the Blessed One - "It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Teaching in brief, so that having heard the Teaching from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."
"Here now, Mālukyaputta, what shall we say to the young monks! When indeed you, monk, who are old, aged, elderly, one who has traversed the span of life, advanced in years, request exhortation in brief."
"Although I, venerable sir, am old, aged, elderly, one who has traversed the span of life, advanced in years. Let the Blessed One teach me the Teaching in brief, venerable sir, let the Fortunate One teach me the Teaching in brief, perhaps I might understand the meaning of the Blessed One's saying. Perhaps I might become an heir to the Blessed One's saying."
"What do you think, Mālukyaputta, those forms cognizable by eye that are unseen, never seen before, that you do not see, and it does not occur to you 'I might see' - Is there desire or lust or affection in you there?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Those sounds cognizable by ear that are unheard, never heard before, that you do not hear, and it does not occur to you 'I might hear' - Is there desire or lust or affection in you there?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Those odours cognizable by nose that are unsmelled, never smelled before, that you do not smell, and it does not occur to you 'I might smell' - Is there desire or lust or affection in you there?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Those flavours cognizable by tongue that are untasted, never tasted before, that you do not taste, and it does not occur to you 'I might taste' - Is there desire or lust or affection in you there?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Those tangible objects cognizable by body that are untouched, never touched before, that you do not touch, and it does not occur to you 'I might touch' - Is there desire or lust or affection in you there?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Those mental phenomena cognizable by mind that are uncognised, never cognised before, that you do not cognise, and it does not occur to you 'I might cognise' - Is there desire or lust or affection in you there?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Here, Mālukyaputta, regarding phenomena to be seen, heard, sensed, and cognised: in the seen there will be merely the seen, in the heard there will be merely the heard, in the sensed there will be merely the sensed, in the cognised there will be merely the cognised. When, Mālukyaputta, regarding phenomena to be seen, heard, sensed, and cognised: in the seen there will be merely the seen, in the heard there will be merely the heard, in the sensed there will be merely the sensed, in the cognised there will be merely the cognised; then you, Mālukyaputta, will not be by that. When you, Mālukyaputta, are not by that; then you, Mālukyaputta, will not be therein. When you, Mālukyaputta, are not therein; then you, Mālukyaputta, will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. This itself is the end of suffering."
"I, venerable sir, understand in detail the meaning of what the Blessed One has spoken in brief -
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away.
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away.
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away.
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away.
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away.
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one who diminishes suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near."
"I, venerable sir, understand in detail the meaning of what the Blessed One has spoken in brief thus." "Good, good, Mālukyaputta! Good indeed, Mālukyaputta, you understand in detail the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief -
With a mind filled with lust one feels, and remains grasping it.
Covetousness and harming, his mind is injured;
Thus for one who accumulates suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away, etc.
With dispassionate mind he feels, and does not remain holding to that.
It is exhausted, not accumulated, thus he lives mindful;
Thus for one who diminishes suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near."
"This, Mālukyaputta, is how the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief should be seen in detail."
Then the Venerable Mālukyaputta, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Blessed One had said, rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed. Then the Venerable Mālukyaputta, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed final goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwelt. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being." And the Venerable Mālukyaputta became one of the Worthy Ones. The second.
3.
The Discourse on Subject to Decline
96. "I will teach you, monks, what is subject to decline and what is not subject to decline, and the six bases of overcoming. Listen to that. And how, monks, is one subject to decline? Here, monks, for a monk, having seen a form with the eye, there arise evil unwholesome thoughts subject to mental fetters. If that monk accepts them, does not abandon them, does not dispel them, does not put an end to them, does not bring them to obliteration, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called decline by the Blessed One. Etc.
"Furthermore, monks, for a monk, having tasted a flavour with the tongue, there arise... etc. Furthermore, monks, for a monk, having cognised a mental object with the mind, there arise evil unwholesome thoughts subject to mental fetters. If that monk accepts them, does not abandon them, does not dispel them, does not put an end to them, does not bring them to obliteration, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called decline by the Blessed One. Thus, monks, one is subject to decline.
"And how, monks, is one not subject to decline? Here, monks, for a monk, having seen a form with the eye, there arise evil unwholesome thoughts subject to mental fetters. If that monk does not accept them, abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, brings them to obliteration, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am not declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called non-decline by the Blessed One. Etc.
"Furthermore, monks, for a monk, having tasted a flavour with the tongue, there arise... etc. Furthermore, monks, for a monk, having cognised a mental object with the mind, there arise evil unwholesome thoughts subject to mental fetters. If that monk does not accept them, abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, brings them to obliteration, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am not declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called non-decline by the Blessed One. Thus, monks, one is not subject to decline.
"And what, monks, are the six bases of overcoming? Here, monks, for a monk, having seen a form with the eye, there do not arise evil unwholesome thoughts subject to mental fetters. This should be known by that monk, monks - 'This sense base has been overcome.' For this was called a basis of overcoming by the Blessed One. Etc. Furthermore, monks, for a monk, having cognised a mental object with the mind, there do not arise evil unwholesome mental states, thoughts subject to mental fetters. This should be known by that monk, monks - 'This sense base has been overcome.' For this was called a basis of overcoming by the Blessed One. These are called, monks, the six bases of overcoming." The third.
4.
The Discourse on One Who Dwells in Heedlessness
97. "I will teach you, monks, one who dwells in heedlessness and one who dwells in diligence. Listen to that. And how, monks, is one a dweller in heedlessness? For one dwelling with the eye-faculty unrestrained, monks, the mind becomes soaked. For one whose mind is soaked regarding forms cognizable by the eye, gladness does not arise. When gladness is absent, joy does not arise. When joy is absent, tranquillity does not arise. When tranquillity is absent, suffering arises. The mind of one who is suffering does not become concentrated. When the mind is unconcentrated, mental states do not become manifest. Due to the non-manifestation of mental states, he goes by the term 'one who dwells in heedlessness', etc. For one dwelling with the tongue-faculty unrestrained, monks, the mind becomes soaked regarding flavours cognizable by the tongue; for one whose mind is soaked, etc. he goes by the term 'one who dwells in heedlessness', etc. For one dwelling with the mind faculty unrestrained, monks, the mind becomes soaked regarding mental phenomena cognizable by the mind; for one whose mind is soaked, gladness does not arise. When gladness is absent, joy does not arise. When joy is absent, tranquillity does not arise. When tranquillity is absent, suffering arises. The mind of one who is suffering does not become concentrated. When the mind is unconcentrated, mental states do not become manifest. Due to the non-manifestation of mental states, he goes by the term 'one who dwells in heedlessness'. Thus, monks, is one a dweller in heedlessness.
"And how, monks, is one a dweller in diligence? For one dwelling with the eye-faculty restrained, monks, the mind does not become soaked regarding forms cognizable by the eye; for one whose mind is not soaked, gladness arises. In one who is gladdened, joy arises. When the mind is filled with joy, the body becomes calm. One whose body is calm dwells happily. The mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. When the mind is concentrated, mental states become manifest. Due to the manifestation of mental states, he goes by the term 'one who dwells in diligence', etc. For one dwelling with the tongue-faculty restrained, monks, the mind does not become soaked, etc. he goes by the term 'one who dwells in diligence'. For one dwelling with the mind faculty restrained, monks, the mind does not become soaked regarding mental phenomena cognizable by the mind; for one whose mind is not soaked, gladness arises. In one who is gladdened, joy arises. When the mind is filled with joy, the body becomes calm. One whose body is calm dwells happily. The mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. When the mind is concentrated, mental states become manifest. Due to the manifestation of mental states, he goes by the term 'one who dwells in diligence'. Thus, monks, is one a dweller in diligence." The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on Restraint
98. "I will teach you, monks, restraint and non-restraint. Listen to that. And how, monks, is there non-restraint? There are, monks, forms cognizable by eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing. If a monk delights in that, asserts it, and remains grasping it, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called decline by the Blessed One. Etc. There are, monks, flavours cognizable by tongue, etc. There are, monks, mental phenomena cognizable by mind that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing. If a monk delights in that, asserts it, and remains grasping it, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called decline by the Blessed One. Thus, monks, there is non-restraint.
"And how, monks, is there restraint? There are, monks, forms cognizable by eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing. If a monk does not delight in that, does not assert it, and does not remain grasping it, this should be known by that monk, monks - 'I am not declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called non-decline by the Blessed One. Etc. There are, monks, flavours cognizable by tongue, etc. There are, monks, mental phenomena cognizable by mind that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing. If a monk does not delight in that, does not assert it, and does not remain grasping it, this should be known by that monk - 'I am not declining from wholesome mental states.' For this was called non-decline by the Blessed One. Thus, monks, there is restraint." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on Concentration
99. "Monks, develop concentration. A concentrated monk, monks, understands as it really is. And what does he understand as it really is? He understands as it really is: 'The eye is impermanent'; he understands as it really is: 'Forms are impermanent'; he understands as it really is: 'Eye-consciousness is impermanent'; he understands as it really is: 'Eye-contact is impermanent'. He understands as it really is: 'Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is impermanent'. Etc. He understands as it really is: 'The mind is impermanent'. Mental phenomena... Mind-consciousness... Mind-contact... He understands as it really is: 'Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is impermanent'. Monks, develop concentration. A concentrated monk, monks, understands as it really is." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on Seclusion
100. "Devote yourselves to seclusion, monks. A monk in seclusion, monks, understands as it really is. And what does he understand as it really is? He understands as it really is: 'The eye is impermanent'; he understands as it really is: 'Forms are impermanent'; he understands as it really is: 'Eye-consciousness is impermanent'; he understands as it really is: 'Eye-contact is impermanent'. He understands as it really is: 'Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is impermanent'. Etc. He understands as it really is: 'Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is impermanent'. Devote yourselves to seclusion, monks. A monk in seclusion, monks, understands as it really is." The seventh.
8.
The First Discourse on Not Yours
101. "What, monks, is not yours, abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. And what, monks, is not yours? The eye, monks, is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Forms are not yours. Abandon them. They abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Eye-consciousness is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Eye-contact is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. The ear is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Sounds are not yours. Abandon them. They abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Ear-consciousness is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Ear-contact is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Whatever feeling arises with ear-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. The nose is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Odours are not yours. Abandon them. They abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Nose-consciousness is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Nose-contact is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Whatever feeling arises with nose-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness.
The tongue is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Flavours are not yours. Abandon them. They abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Tongue-consciousness is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Tongue-contact is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Whatever feeling arises with tongue-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Etc.
The mind is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Mental phenomena are not yours. Abandon them. They abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Mind-consciousness is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Mind-contact is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness.
"Just as, monks, whatever grass, sticks, branches and leaves there are in this Jeta's Grove, if people were to carry them away or burn them or do with them as they wish, would you think thus - 'People are carrying us away or burning us or doing with us as they wish'?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"What is the reason for this?"
"Because, venerable sir, this is not our self nor what belongs to a self."
"Just so, monks, the eye is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Forms are not yours... eye-consciousness... Eye-contact... etc. Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness." The eighth.
9.
The Second Discourse on Not Yours
102. "What, monks, is not yours, abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. And what, monks, is not yours? The eye, monks, is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Forms are not yours. Abandon them. They abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Eye-consciousness is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Eye-contact is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Etc. Whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - that too is not yours. Abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness. Whatever, monks, is not yours, abandon that. That abandoned by you will be for your welfare and happiness." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Water
103. "Udaka Rāmaputta, monks, used to speak thus - 'This surely is one who has attained the highest knowledge, this surely is one who has conquered all, this surely has uprooted the root of the boil that was not uprooted.' But this Udaka Rāmaputta, monks, while not being one who has attained the highest knowledge, says 'I am one who has attained the highest knowledge'; while not being one who has conquered all, says 'I am one who has conquered all'; while the root of the boil is not uprooted, says 'the root of the boil has been uprooted by me.' Here indeed, monks, a monk speaking rightly would say - 'This surely is one who has attained the highest knowledge, this surely is one who has conquered all, this surely has uprooted the root of the boil that was not uprooted.'"
"And how, monks, is one who has attained the highest knowledge? When, monks, a monk understands as they really are the origin, passing away, gratification, danger, and escape regarding the six sense bases of contact; thus, monks, a monk is one who has attained the highest knowledge.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who has conquered all? When, monks, a monk, having understood as they really are the origin, passing away, gratification, danger, and escape regarding the six sense bases of contact, is liberated by non-clinging; thus, monks, a monk is one who has conquered all.
"And how, monks, is the root of the boil that was not uprooted, uprooted for a monk? 'Boil', monks, this is a designation for this body made of the four primary elements, originating from mother and father, built up from cooked rice and food made with flour, subject to impermanence, to rubbing, massaging, breaking up and destruction. 'Root of the boil', monks, this is a designation for craving. When, monks, for a monk craving has been abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future; thus, monks, the root of the boil that was not uprooted is uprooted for a monk.
"Udaka Rāmaputta, monks, used to speak thus - 'This surely is one who has attained the highest knowledge, this surely is one who has conquered all, this surely has uprooted the root of the boil that was not uprooted.' But this Udaka Rāmaputta, monks, while not being one who has attained the highest knowledge, says 'I am one who has attained the highest knowledge'; while not being one who has conquered all, says 'I am one who has conquered all'; while the root of the boil is not uprooted, says 'the root of the boil has been uprooted by me.' Here indeed, monks, a monk speaking rightly would say - 'This surely is one who has attained the highest knowledge, this surely is one who has conquered all, this surely has uprooted the root of the boil that was not uprooted.'" The tenth.
The Chapter on the Six is the tenth.
Its summary:
Concentration, seclusion, two with 'Not Yours', and Udaka.
The second fifty in the Section on the Six Sense Bases is complete.
The chapter summary of that:
With the six chapters the fifty, this is the second fifty.
The first hundred.