SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

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mikenz66
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SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by mikenz66 »

SN 1.10 PTS: S i 4 CDB i 93 Arañña Sutta: The Wilderness
translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland


Why do monks living in the forest wilderness look so happy?

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .irel.html

Thus have I heard. At one time the Lord was staying near Savatthi, at the Jeta Grove in Anathapindika's monastery. Now when night was passing a certain devataa, lighting up the whole Jeta Grove with her surpassing beauty, approached the Lord. Having drawn near and prostrated herself she stood to one side.[1]

Standing there the devata said:
  • Those living in the forest,
    Peaceful and calm, of pure life,
    Eating but one meal a day:
    How is it they appear so radiant?
The Lord replied:
  • They sorrow not for what is past,
    They have no longing for the future,
    The present is sufficient for them:
    Hence it is they appear so radiant.
    By having longing for the future,
    By sorrowing over what is past,
    By this fools are withered up
    As a cut down tender reed.
Note

1. A devataa (or deva) is an inhabitant of one of the several heavens. The word means "a shining one" and is related to the English words: deity, divinity, etc. The body of a devataa is purer and more subtle than a human being's and radiates light. The period before dawn is the usual time for these beings to visit the Buddha, one of whose titles, it should be remembered, is satthaa devamanussaana.m, the teacher of gods and men.
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mikenz66
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by mikenz66 »

SN 1.10 PTS: S i 4 CDB i 93 Arañña Sutta: A Face So Calm
translated from the Pali by Andrew Olendzki


http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .olen.html

[Devata:]
Those who abide in the forest,
Peaceful, living the holy life;
Those who eat but a single meal;
— why is it their face is so calm?

[The Buddha:]
They do not grieve over the past,
Nor do they yearn for the future;
They live only in the present
— That is why their face is so calm.

It's from yearning for the future,
And from grieving over the past;
This is how fools become withered
— Like a fresh reed that's been hacked down.
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mikenz66
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by mikenz66 »

SN 1.10 PTS: S i 4 CDB i 93 Arañña Sutta: The Wilderness
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu


http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Standing to one side, a devata addressed the Blessed One with a verse:
  • Living in the wilderness,
    staying peaceful, remaining chaste,
    eating just one meal a day:
    why are their faces
    so bright & serene?
[The Buddha:]
  • They don't sorrow over the past,
    don't long for the future.
    They survive on the present.
    That's why their faces
    are bright & serene.
    From longing for the future,
    from sorrowing over the past,
    fools wither away
    like a green reed cut down.
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by mikenz66 »

Sn 1.10. Forest
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi


http://suttacentral.net/sn1.10/en/

At Savatthi. Standing to one side, that devata recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:
  • “Those who dwell deep in the forest,
    Peaceful, leading the holy life,
    Eating but a single meal a day:
    Why is their complexion so serene?”
The Blessed One:
  • “They do not sorrow over the past,
    Nor do they hanker for the future.
    They maintain themselves with what is present:
    Hence their complexion is so serene. [18]

    “Through hankering for the future,
    Through sorrowing over the past,
    Fools dry up and wither away
    Like a green reed cut down.”
Notes:

[18] Spk: This verse was spoken by an earth-bound deva who dwelt in that forest. Each day he would see the bhikkhus who inhabited the forest sitting in meditation after their meal. As they sat, their minds would become unified and serene, and the serenity of their minds would become manifest in their complexion (vaṇṇa). Puzzled that they could have such serene faces while living under these austere conditions, the deva came to the Buddha to inquire into the cause. The facial complexion (mukhavaṇṇa) or complexion of the skin (chavivaṇṇa) is understood to indicate success in meditation; see SN 21:3 (II 275,20-21), SN 28:1 (III 235,22); and Vin I 40,14, and 41,2.
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by Samma »

Reading more of the canon there is more support for this live in the present thing that has turned into a cliche than I first realized. At least 4 places with this theme if I recall.

Certainly related to dropping vitaka/viccara. Probably played into the major zen theme of no thinking. Thinking being the major source of conceptualizing around past or future and a basis for longing or sorrow. Yet memory is so important on the path. So its a bit more nuanced, only certain ways of thinking or of longing and sorrow that are bad.

The other thing I would point out is "faces so bright & serene". Popular understanding of dhamma tends toward all about suffering, but could just as well said to be about happiness.
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by mikenz66 »

One could draw some comparisons between this sutta and MN 131
Let one not trace back the past
Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.
That which is past is left behind
Unattained is the "yet-to-come."
But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.
The Immovable — the-non-irritable.
In that state should the wise one grow
Today itself should one bestir
Tomorrow death may come — who knows?
For no bargain can we strike
With Death who has his mighty hosts.
But one who dwells thus ardently
By day, by night, untiringly
Him the Tranquil Sage has called
The Ideal Lover of Solitude.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nana.html
See this thread: http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 706#p86851

:anjali:
Mike
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by Samma »

Yea that seems to be the sutta with the most depth on the topic.

I'm sure you picked is in some way due to the connection to all the flood passages we have looked at:
http://www.fakebuddhaquotes.com/fake-bu ... the-day-4/

Buddharakkhita 348:
Let go of the past, let go of the future,
let go of the present, and cross over to the farther shore of existence.
With mind wholly liberated,
you shall come no more to birth and death.

Munindo 348:
Let go of the past. Let go of the future. Let go of the present. With a heart that is free cross over to that shore which is beyond suffering.

Gil Fronsdal 348:
Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present. Gone beyond becoming, with a mind released in every way, you do not again undergo birth and old age.

Thanissaro 348:
Gone to the beyond of becoming,
you let go of in front,
let go of behind,
let go of between.
With a heart everywhere let-go,
you don't come again to birth
& aging.
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PsychedelicSunSet
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by PsychedelicSunSet »

This isn't sutta, but towards the end of Ajaan Lee's autobiography he speaks pretty lengthily of why he thinks it's a benefit to live in the forest. The section is far to long to quote, but here's a link to the autobiography in PDF form. He begins talking about it at the bottom of page 81 with "I MAKE IT A PRACTICE".

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/leeauto.pdf


This is my first time participating in this forum, and I hope I'm not breaking any rules by not referencing sutta, as I couldn't find guidelines for this forum.


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mikenz66
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Re: SN 1.10: Arañña Sutta — The Wilderness

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi PsychedelicSunSet,

To me the point of studying suttas is to relate them to practice, so I think that it is great to see how modern teachers and practitioners might relate to this sutta.

:anjali:
Mike
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