AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

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mikenz66
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AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

Post by mikenz66 »

AN 4.1 PTS: A ii 1
Anubuddha Sutta: Understood
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi


http://suttacentral.net/an4.1/en

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajjis at Bhaṇḍagāma. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!”

“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: [618] “Bhikkhus, it is because of not understanding and penetrating four things that you and I have roamed and wandered for such a long stretch of time. [619] What four?

“It is, bhikkhus, because of not understanding and penetrating noble virtuous behavior, noble concentration, noble wisdom, and noble liberation that you and I have roamed and wandered for such a long stretch of time.

“Noble virtuous behavior has been understood and penetrated. Noble concentration has been understood and penetrated. Noble wisdom has been understood and penetrated. Noble liberation has been understood and penetrated. Craving for existence has been cut off; the conduit to existence has been destroyed; [620] now there is no more renewed existence.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
  • “Virtuous behavior, concentration, wisdom,
    and unsurpassed liberation:
    these things the illustrious Gotama
    understood by himself.

    “Having directly known these things,
    the Buddha taught the Dhamma to the bhikkhus.
    The Teacher, the end-maker of suffering,
    the One with Vision, has attained nibbāna.” [621]
Notes:

[618] What follows is included in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, DN 16.4.2–3, II 122–23.
http://suttacentral.net/dn16/en Section 27: The Four Noble Things
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .vaji.html

[619] Dīghamaddhānaṃ sandhāvitaṃ saṃsaritaṃ. The “long stretch” of wandering is saṃsāra, derived from the verb saṃsarati, seen here in the past participle saṃsaritaṃ. Mp glosses dīghamaddhānaṃ with cirakālaṃ (“a long time”) and explains sandhāvitaṃ as “roamed by going from one state of existence to another” (bhavato bhavaṃ gamanavasena sandhāvitaṃ).

[620] Bhavanetti. Mp: “The rope of existence (bhavarajju) is a name for craving. Just as oxen are bound by a rope around the neck, so this leads beings from one existence to another. Therefore it is called the conduit to existence.”

[621] Cakkhumā parinibbuto. Mp: “He attained nibbāna by the extinction of defilements. This was the first nibbāna, which occurred for him in the vicinity of the bodhi tree. But afterward, between the twin sal trees (at Kusinārā) he attained nibbāna by the nibbāna element without residue remaining.”
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Re: AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

Post by mikenz66 »

AN 4.1 PTS: A ii 1
Anubuddha Sutta: Understanding
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu


Why do we wander aimlessly in samsara? It's because we haven't yet realized four noble qualities.

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

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Vajjians at Bhanda Village. There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"

"Yes, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said: "It's because of not understanding and not penetrating four things that we have wandered & transmigrated on such a long, long time, you & I. Which four?

"It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble virtue that we have wandered & transmigrated on such a long, long time, you & I.

"It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble concentration that we have wandered & transmigrated on such a long, long time, you & I.

"It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble discernment that we have wandered & transmigrated on such a long, long time, you & I.

"It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble release that we have wandered & transmigrated on such a long, long time, you & I.

"But when noble virtue is understood & penetrated, when noble concentration... noble discernment... noble release is understood & penetrated, then craving for becoming is destroyed, the guide to becoming (craving & attachment) is ended, there is now no further becoming."

That is what the Blessed One said. When the One Well-gone had said that, he — the Teacher — said further:
  • Unexcelled virtue, concentration,
    discernment, & release:
    have been understood by Gotama of glorious stature.
    Having known them directly,
    he taught the Dhamma to the monks —
    the Awakened One
    the Teacher who has put an end to suffering & stress,
    the One with vision
    totally unbound.
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Re: AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

Post by Sam Vara »

Interesting to see that both translations use the term "penetrate" to denote a type of mental activity. I don't know what the Pali term is, but I'm guessing that the analogy with the idea of physical or spatial penetration must be thought useful here. It is clearly something extra to mere "understanding"; possibly like the modern informal "getting into" a concept or an idea. ("I'm really getting into the idea of anatta.") But I suspect this doesn't really do it justice.
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Re: AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

Post by Mkoll »

Dear friends,

When I got to reading: "Bhikkhus, it is because of not understanding and penetrating four things...", my mind immediately jumped to the understanding and penetration of the Four Noble Truths. It's interesting to see it expressed as the understanding and penetration of the three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path and Noble Liberation/Release.

:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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mikenz66
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Re: AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

Post by mikenz66 »

It's interesting that the Noble Truths do not appear to be listed in the AN as you might expect. There doesn't seem to be a sutta that says: "Bhikkhus, are these four truths...". However, they are mentioned in various suttas, including:
AN 3.58 Tikaṇṇa
(3) “When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of defilement, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ He understands as it really is: ‘These are the taints’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the origin of the taints’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the cessation of the taints’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.’
:anjali:
Mike
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mikenz66
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Re: AN 4.1: Anubuddha Sutta — Understood

Post by mikenz66 »

Mkoll wrote: It's interesting to see it expressed as the understanding and penetration of the three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path and Noble Liberation/Release.
Yes, it looks like:
noble virtuous behavior, noble concentration, noble wisdom (virtue, concentration, discernment in Ven Thanissaro's translations)
are the three-fold grouping of the eight-fold path:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training
"And are the three aggregates [of virtue, concentration, & discernment] included under the noble eightfold path, lady, or is the noble eightfold path included under the three aggregates?"

"The three aggregates are not included under the noble eightfold path, friend Visakha, but the noble eightfold path is included under the three aggregates. Right speech, right action, & right livelihood come under the aggregate of virtue. Right effort, right mindfulness, & right concentration come under the aggregate of concentration. Right view & right resolve come under the aggregate of discernment."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
:anjali:
Mike
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