Maha-salayatanika Sutta: The Great Six Sense-media Discourse
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
from the study guideI have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
"Monks, I will teach you the great six sense-media [discourse]. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "Not knowing, not seeing the eye as it actually is present; not knowing, not seeing forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is infatuated with the eye... forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future accumulation. The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that — grows within him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily distresses & mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress & mental stress.
"Not knowing, not seeing the ear... Not knowing, not seeing the nose... Not knowing, not seeing the tongue... Not knowing, not seeing the body...
"Not knowing, not seeing the intellect as it actually is present; not knowing, not seeing ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect as they actually are present; not knowing, not seeing whatever arises conditioned through intellect-contact — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is infatuated with the intellect... ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the intellect and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — infatuated, attached, confused, not remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future accumulation. The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that — grows within him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances grow. His bodily torments & mental torments grow. His bodily distresses & mental distresses grow. He is sensitive both to bodily stress & mental stress.
"However, knowing & seeing the eye as it actually is present, knowing & seeing forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye as they actually are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is not infatuated with the eye... forms... consciousness at the eye... contact at the eye... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the eye and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future diminution. The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions... the four bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [1] [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five clinging-aggregates,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as a clinging-aggregate. These are the qualities that are to be comprehended through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance & craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity & insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing & release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"Knowing & seeing the ear... Knowing & seeing the nose... Knowing & seeing the tongue... Knowing & seeing the body...
"Knowing & seeing the intellect as it actually is present, knowing & seeing ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect as they actually are present, knowing & seeing whatever arises conditioned through intellect-contact — experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — as it actually is present, one is not infatuated with the intellect... ideas... consciousness at the intellect... contact at the intellect... whatever arises conditioned by contact at the intellect and is experienced as pleasure, pain, or neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
"For him — uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five clinging-aggregates head toward future diminution. The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of body & ease of awareness.
"Any view belonging to one who has come to be like this is his right view. Any resolve, his right resolve. Any effort, his right effort. Any mindfulness, his right mindfulness. Any concentration, his right concentration: just as earlier his actions, speech, & livelihood were already well-purified. Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions... the four bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity & insight.
"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge? 'The five clinging-aggregates,' should be the reply. Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate... feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as a clinging-aggregate. These are the qualities that are to be comprehended through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance & craving for becoming: these are the qualities that are to be abandoned through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge? Tranquillity & insight: these are the qualities that are to be developed through direct knowledge.
"And what qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge? Clear knowing & release: these are the qualities that are to be realized through direct knowledge."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.
Note
1.These thirty-seven qualities are collectively termed the "wings to Awakening" (bodhipakkhiyadhamma). For a thorough discussion, see The Wings to Awakening, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
149 Mahāsalāyatanika Sutta The Great Sixfold Base
SUMMARY
Pressing Out Pure Ho ney 151
This brief discourse builds on the last one. It is a complete, clear, and direct
discourse explaining the cause of suffering and its end. If one has wrong view
about the six sense bases (not seeing things as they actually are with wisdom,
which implies not seeing the three characteristics), then this leads to more
suffering and the continuation of being. If one has right view, this leads to
liberation.
NOT ES
[3] When one does not know and see the eye, forms, eyeconsciousness,
eyecontact,
feeling as it actually is, then one is inflamed by lust for these things.
(The other four sense bases and mind are referred to in [48].)
When one abides
inflamed by lust, infatuated, contemplating gratification, then the five aggregates
affected by clinging are built up for oneself in the future, and one’s craving,
which brings renewal of being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delight in
this and that increases. One’s bodily and mental troubles, torments and fevers
increase, and one experiences bodily and mental suffering.
[9] When one knows and sees the eye as it actually is, then one is not
inflamed by lust for these things. When one abides uninflamed by lust,
uninfatuated, contemplating danger, then the five aggregates affected by
clinging are diminished for oneself in the future; and one’s craving, which brings
renewal of being, is accompanied by delight and lust, and delight in this and that
is abandoned, one’s bodily and mental fevers are abandoned, and one
experiences bodily and mental pleasure. (The other four sense bases and mind
are referred to in [1226].)
[1011]
The 37 requisites for enlightenment [Ed: See my notes for MN151 for
the use of this term.] come to fulfillment in him by development. Serenity and
insight occur in him. He fully understands by direct knowledge those things that
should be fully understood by direct knowledge: the five aggregates affected by
clinging. He abandons by direct knowledge those things that should be
abandoned by direct knowledge: ignorance and craving for being. He develops
those things that should be developed by direct knowledge: serenity and insight.
He realizes by direct knowledge those things that should be realized by direct
knowledge: true knowledge and deliverance.
PRACT ICE
Reflect on the phrase: “When one knows and sees the eye as it actually is…”
What does this mean to you? This discourse is a clear instruction to have insight
into each of the six sets of six (from the previous discourse). What do you
actually know and see when you look into the five senses and mind in this way?
How does seeing in this way lead to the end of suffering?