13. In the Sky -- II

(This text repeats the prose section of No. 12, without the verses)

14. The Guest House

"In a guest house, O monks, people from the east may take lodgings, or
people from the west, north or south. People from the warrior caste
may come and take lodgings there, and also Brahmins, middle class
people and menials.

"Similarly, O monks, there arise in this body various kinds of
feelings; there arise pleasant feelings, painful feelings and neutral
feelings; worldly feelings that are pleasant, painful or neutral, and
unworldly (spiritual) feelings that are pleasant, painful and
neutral."

15. Ananda -- I

Once the Venerable Ananda went to see the Blessed One. Having saluted
him respectfully, he sat down at one side. Thus seated, he said:

"What are the feelings, O Lord? What is the origin of feelings,
what is their cessation and the way leading to their cessation? What
is the gratification in feelings? What is the danger in feelings? And
what is the escape from them?"

"There are, Ananda, three kinds of feelings: pleasant, painful
and neutral. Through the origin of sense-impression there is origin
of feelings; through the cessation of sense-impression there is
cessation of feelings. It is the noble eightfold path that is the way
leading to the cessation of feelings, namely: right understanding,
right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right
effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.

"It is the happiness and gladness arising dependent on feelings
that is the gratification in feelings. Feelings are impermanent,
(liable to bring) pain, and are subject to change; this is the danger
in feelings. The removal and the giving up of the desire and lust for
feelings is the escape from feelings.

"I have further taught, Ananda, the gradual cessation of
conditioned phenomena (sankhara) ... (//to be continued as in Text 11,
para 4, up to//:) In a taint-free monk, greed, hatred and delusion
are quietened."

16. Ananda -- II

(In this discourse, the Buddha himself puts to Ananda the same
questions as in Text 15, and being requested by Ananda to give the
explanation himself, the Buddha answers in the same way as in Text
15.)

17-18. Many Monks

(Here, again, the same questions and answers are repeated, in the case
of "many monks." The introductory parts correspond to those in Texts
15 and 16.)

19. Carpenter Fivetools (Pancakanga) [17]

Once Carpenter Fivetools went to see the Venerable Udayi. Having
saluted him respectfully, he sat down at one side. Thus seated, he
asked the Venerable Udayi:

"How many kinds of feelings, reverend Udayi, were taught by the
Blessed One?"

"Three kinds of feelings, Carpenter, were taught by the Blessed
One: pleasant, painful and neutral feelings. These are the three
feelings taught by the Blessed One."

After these words, Carpenter Fivetools said: "Not three kinds of
feelings, reverend Udayi, were taught by the Blessed One. It is two
kinds of feelings that were stated by the Blessed One: pleasant and
painful feelings. The neutral feeling was said by the Blessed One to
belong to peaceful and sublime happiness."

But the Venerable Udayi replied: "It is not two feelings that
were taught by the Blessed One, but three: pleasant, painful and
neutral feelings."

(This exchange of views was repeated for a second and a third
time,) but neither was Carpenter Fivetools able to convince the
Venerable Udayi, nor could the Venerable Udayi convince Carpenter
Fivetools. It so happened that [the] Venerable Ananda had listened to
that conversation and went to see the Blessed One about it. Having
saluted the Blessed One respectfully, he sat down at one side. Thus
seated, he repeated the entire conversation that had taken place
between the Venerable Udayi and Carpenter Fivetools.

The Blessed One said: "Ananda, Udayi's way of presentation, with
which Carpenter Fivetools disagreed, was correct, indeed. But also
Carpenter Fivetool's way of presentation, with which Udayi disagreed,
was correct. In one way of presentation I have spoken of two kinds of
feelings, and in other ways of presentation I have spoken of three, of
six, of eighteen, of thirty-six, and of one hundred and eight kinds of
feelings. [18] So the Dhamma has been shown by me in different ways
of presentation.

"Regarding the Dhamma thus shown by me in different ways, if there
are those who do not agree with, do not consent to, and do not accept
what is rightly said and rightly spoken, it may be expected of them
that they will quarrel, and get into arguments and disputes, hurting
each other with sharp words.

"Regarding the Dhamma thus shown by me in different ways, if there
are those who agree with, consent to, and accept what is rightly said
and rightly spoken, it may be expected of them that they will live in
concord and amity, without dispute, like milk (that easily mixes) with
water, looking at each other with friendly eyes.

"There are five strands of sense desire. What are these five?
Forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for, desirable, agreeable
and endearing, bound up with sensual desire and tempting to lust.
Sounds cognizable by the ear ... odors cognizable by the nose ...
flavors cognizable by the tongue ... tangibles cognizable by the
body, that are wished for, desirable, agreeable and endearing, bound
up with sense desire, and tempting to lust. These are the five
strands of sense desire. The pleasure and joy arising dependent on
these five strands of sense desire, that is called sensual pleasure.

"Now, if someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure and
joy that can be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not?
Because there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that
pleasure and is more sublime. And what is this pleasure? Here, quite
secluded from sensual desires, secluded from unwholesome states of
mind, a monk enters upon and abides in the first meditative absorption
(jhana), which is accompanied by thought conception and discursive
thinking and has in it joy and pleasure born of seclusion. This is
the other kind of pleasure which surpasses that (sense) pleasure and
is more sublime.

"If someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure that can
be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not? Because
there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is
more sublime. And what is that pleasure? Here, with the stilling of
thought conception and discursive thinking ... a monk enters upon and
abides in the second meditative absorption ... in the sphere of the
infinity of space ... of the infinity of consciousness ... of
no-thingness ... of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

"If someone were to say: 'This is the highest pleasure that can
be experienced,' I would not concede that. And why not? Because
there is another kind of pleasure which surpasses that pleasure and is
more sublime. And what is this pleasure? Here, by completely
surmounting the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a
monk enters upon and abides in the cessation of perception and
feeling. This is the other kind of pleasure which surpasses that
pleasure and is more sublime. [19]

"It may happen, Ananda, that Wanderers of other sects will be
saying this: 'The recluse Gotama speaks of the Cessation of
Perception and Feeling and describes it as pleasure. What is this
(pleasure) and how is this (a pleasure)?'

"Those who say so, should be told: 'The Blessed One describes as
pleasure not only the feeling of pleasure. But a Tathagata describes
as pleasure whenever and whereinsoever it is obtained.'"

20. Bhikkhus

(This Discourse, addressed to Bhikkhus, repeats the main part of Text
19, without its introductory section.)

21. Sivaka

Once the Blessed One dwelled at Rajagaha in the Bamboo-Grove
Monastery, at the Squirrel's Feeding Place. There a wandering
ascetic, Moliya Sivaka by name, called on the Blessed One, and after
an exchange of courteous and friendly words, sat down at one side.
Thus seated, he said:

"There are, revered Gotama, some ascetics and brahmins who have
this doctrine and view: 'Whatever a person experiences, be it
pleasure, pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure, all that is caused by
previous action.' Now, what does the revered Gotama say about this?"

"Produced by (disorders of the) bile, there arise, Sivaka, certain
kinds of feelings. That this happens, can be known by oneself; also
in the world it is accepted as true. Produced by (disorders of the)
phlegm ... of wind ... of (the three) combined ... by change of
climate ... by adverse behavior ... by injuries ... by the results of
Kamma -- (through all that), Sivaka, there arise certain kinds of
feelings. That this happens can be known by oneself; also in the
world it is accepted as true.

"Now when these ascetics and brahmins have such a doctrine and
view that 'whatever a person experiences, be it pleasure, pain or
neither-pain-nor-pleasure, all that is caused by previous action,'
then they go beyond what they know by themselves and what is accepted
as true by the world. Therefore, I say that this is wrong on the part
of these ascetics and brahmins."

When this was spoken, Moliya Sivaka, the wandering ascetic, said:
"It is excellent, revered Gotama, it is excellent indeed! ... May the
revered Gotama regard me as a lay follower who, from today, has taken
refuge in him as long as life lasts."

22. Hundred and Eight Feelings

"I shall show you, O monks, a way of Dhamma presentation by which
there are one hundred and eight (feelings). Hence listen to me.

"In one way, O monks, I have spoken of two kinds of feelings, and
in other ways of three, five, six, eighteen, thirty six and one
hundred and eight feelings.

"What are the two feelings? Bodily and mental feelings.
What are the three feelings? Pleasant, painful and
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings.
What are the five feelings? The faculties of pleasure, pain,
gladness, sadness and equanimity.
What are the six feelings? The feelings born of
sense-impression through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and
mind.
What are the eighteen feelings? There are the (above) six
feelings by which there is an approach (to the objects) in
gladness; and there are six approaches in sadness and there
are six approaches in equanimity.
What are the thirty six feelings? There are six feelings of
gladness based on the household life and six based on
renunciation; six feelings of sadness based on the
household life and six based on renunciation; six feelings
of equanimity based on the household life and six based on
renunciation.
What are the hundred and eight feelings? There are the (above)
thirty six feelings of the past; there are thirty six of
the future and there are thirty six of the present.

"These, O monks, are called the hundred and eight feelings; and
this is the way of the Dhamma presentation by which there are one
hundred and eight feelings."

Texts 23-29
(Repeat the paras 3 and 4 of Text 15; only the interlocutions
differ.)


Text 30
(Contains only an enumeration of the three kinds of feeling.)


31. Cessation

"There is, O monks, worldly joy (piti), there is unworldly joy, and
there is a still greater unworldly joy. There is worldly happiness
(sukha), there is unworldly happiness, and there is a still greater
unworldly happiness. There is worldly equanimity, there is unworldly
equanimity, and there a still greater unworldly equanimity. There is
worldly freedom, there is unworldly freedom, and there is a still
greater unworldly freedom.

"Now, O monks, what is worldly joy? There are these five cords of
sense desire: forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for and
desired, agreeable and endearing, associated with sense-desire and
tempting to lust. Sounds cognizable by the ear ... odors cognizable
by the nose ... flavors cognizable by the tongue ... tangibles
cognizable by the body, wished for and desired, agreeable and
endearing, associated with sense-desire and tempting to lust. It is
the joy that arises dependent on these five cords of sense desire
which is called 'worldly joy.'

"Now what is unworldly joy? Quite secluded from sense desires,
secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon and
abides in the //first meditative absorption (jhana)//, which is
accompanied by thought-conception and discursive thinking, and has joy
and happiness born of seclusion. With the stilling of
thought-conception and discursive thinking, he enters upon and abides
in the //second meditative absorption// which has internal confidence
and singleness of mind without thought conception and discursive
thinking, and has joy and happiness born of concentration. This is
called 'unworldly joy.'

"And what is the still greater unworldly joy? When a taint-free
monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of hatred,
freed of delusion, then there arises joy. This called a 'still
greater unworldly joy.'

"Now, O monks, what is worldly happiness? There are these five
cords of sense desire: forms cognizable by the eye ... sounds
cognizable by the ear ... odors cognizable by the nose ... flavors
cognizable by the tongue ...tangibles cognizable by the body that are
wished for and desired, agreeable and endearing, associated with sense
desire and alluring. It is the happiness and gladness that arises
dependent on these five cords of sense desire which are called 'worldly
happiness.'

"Now what is unworldly happiness? Quite secluded from sense
desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a monk enters upon
and abides in the //first meditative absorption// ... With the
stilling of thought-conception and discursive thinking, he enters upon
and abides in the //second meditative absorption// ... With the fading
away of joy as well, he dwells in equanimity, mindfully and fully
aware he feels happiness within, and enters upon and abides in the
//third meditative absorption// of which the Noble Ones announce: 'He
dwells in happiness who has equanimity and is mindful.' This is
called 'unworldly happiness.'

"And what is the still greater unworldly happiness? When a
taint-free monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of
hatred, freed of delusion, then there arises happiness. This is
called a 'still greater unworldly happiness.'

"Now, O monks, what is worldly equanimity? There are these five
cords of sensual desire: forms cognizable by the eye ... tangibles
cognizable by the body that are wished for and desired, agreeable and
endearing, associated with sense desire and alluring. It is the
equanimity that arises with regard to these five cords of sense desire
which is called 'worldly equanimity.'

"Now, what is unworldy equanimity? With the abandoning of
pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of gladness and
sadness, a monk enters upon and abides in the //fourth meditative
absorption//, which has neither pain-nor-pleasure and has purity of
mindfulness due to equanimity. This is called 'unworldly equanimity.'

"And what is the still greater unworldly equanimity? When a
taint-free monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed, freed of
hatred and freed of delusion, then there arises equanimity. This is
called a 'still greater unworldly equanimity.'

"Now, O monks, what is worldly freedom? The freedom connected
with the material. What is unworldly freedom? The freedom connected
with the immaterial. And what is the still greater unworldly freedom?
When a taint-free monk looks upon his mind that is freed of greed,
freed of hatred, and freed of delusion, then there arises freedom."


* * *

NOTES


[1] Comy.: He knows the feelings by way of the Truth of Suffering.

[2] Comy.: He knows them by way of the Truth of the Origin of
Suffering.

[3] Comy.: He knows, by way of the Truth of Cessation, that
feelings cease in Nibbana.

[4] Comy.: He knows the feelings by way of the Truth of the Path
leading to the Cessation of Suffering.

[5] //Parinibbuto//, "fully extinguished"; Comy.: through the full
extinction of the defilements (//kilesa-parinibbanaya//).

[6] On "feelings of all kinds", see Text 22.

[7] //Phussa phussa vayam disva//, The Comy. explains differently,
paraphrasing these words by //nanena phusitva phusitva//, "
repeatedly experiencing (them) by way of the knowledge (of rise
and fall)." These verses occur also in Sutta Nipata, v. 739, with
one additional line.

[8] //anusaya//.

[9] "Conceit" refers in particular to self-conceit (//asmi-mano//),
i.e., personality belief, on both the intellectual and the
emotional levels.

[10] //patala//.

[11] Comy. (paraphrased): According to popular belief, there is in
the ocean a very deep abyss hollowed out by the force of the
water, which is the abode of aquatic animals as well as dragon
deities (naga), etc. Hence, for these beings, this abyss
provides a basis for their existence, a comfortable abode.
Therefore, to call it a //bottomless// pit is unrealistic and
not factual, because it gives an inadequate and non-evident
meaning to the word. It is rather bodily pain, inseparable from
bodily existence, which deserves to be called a "bottomless pit"
of suffering, being a part of unfathomable Samsara.

[12] Comy.: In this Discourse, by the words "noble disciple," it is,
in the first place, a Stream-winner (sotapanna) that is meant.
But also a meditator with strong insight and keen intellect is
capable of withstanding feelings that arise without being
carried away by them. He, too, ought to be included here
(because he penetrates the feelings to some extent; Sub-comy.).

[13] The term //body// may be taken here as referring to the first
five of the six bases of sense-impression (//phassayatana//).

[14] Sense-impression, or contact (//phassa//), is a mental factor
and does not imply physical impingement.

[15] //tajjam vedayitam//.

[16] In the section on "being quietened" (//patipassaddha//), the
four immaterial absorptions (//arupajjhana//) are not mentioned.
According to Comy. they are implied in the "cessation of
perception and feelings" (for the attainment of which they are a
condition).

[17] This text is identical with Majjhima Nikaya No. 59,
//Bahuvedaniya Sutta// ("Many Kinds of Feelings").

[18] See Text 22.