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d.
Maggasacca Pabba (Section on the Noble Truth of the Path leading to
the cessation of Dukkha) And
what, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation
of dukkha? It
is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, Right View (Samma-ditthi), Right
Thought (Samma-sankappa), Right Speech (Samma-vaca), Right Action (Samma-kammanta),
Right Livelihood (Samma-ajiva), Right Effort (Samma-vayama), Right Mindfulness
(Samma-sati), and Right Concentration (Samma-samadhi). And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Thought? Thoughts directed to liberation
from sensuality; thoughts free from ill-will; and thoughts free from
cruelty. This, bhikkhus, is called Right Thought.note105 And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Speech? Abstaining from lying, from
tale-bearing,note106
from abusive speech, and from vain and unbeneficial talk.note107
This, bhikkhus, is called Right Speech. And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Action? Abstaining from killing living
beings,note108 from
stealingnote109 and
from wrongful indulgence in sense pleasures.note110
This, bhikkhus, is called Right Action. And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Livelihood? Here (in this teaching),
bhikkhus, the noble disciple completely abstains from a wrong way of
livelihood and makes his living by a right means of livelihood. This,
bhikkhus, is called Right Livelihood.note111 And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Effort? Here (in this teaching), bhikkhus,
a bhikkhu generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies
his mind, and strives ardently to prevent the arising of evil, unwholesome
states of mind that have not yet arisen. He generates an intention,
makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently
to abandon evil, unwholesome states of mind that have arisen. He generates
an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives
ardently to attain wholesome states of mind that have not yet arisen.
He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his
mind, and strives ardently to maintain the wholesome states of mind
that have arisen, to prevent their lapsing, to increase them, to cause
them to grow, and to completely develop them. This, bhikkhus, is called
Right Effort. And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Mindfulness? Here (in this teaching),
bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells perceiving again and again the body as just
the body with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus
keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving
again and again feelings as just feelings with diligence, clear understanding
and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the
world, he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind
with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away
covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again
and again dhammas as just dhammas with diligence, clear understanding
and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the
world. This, bhikkhus, is called Right Mindfulness. And
what, bhikkhus, is Right Concentration? Here (in this teaching),
bhikkhus, a bhikkhu being detached from sensual desire and unwholesome
states attains and dwells in the first jhana which has vitakka and vicara;
and rapture (piti) and sukha born of detachment (from the hindrances).note112
With the subsiding of vitakka and vicara, a bhikkhu attains and dwells
in the second jhana, with internal tranquility and one-pointedness of
mind, without vitakka and vicara, but with rapture and sukha born of
concentration. Being without rapture, a bhikkhu dwells in equanimity
with mindfulness and clear understanding, and experiences sukha in mind
and body. He attains and dwells in the third jhana; that which causes
a person who attains it to be praised by the Noble Ones note113
as one who has equanimity and mindfulness, one who abides in sukha.
By becoming detached from both sukha and dukkha and by the previous
cessation of gladness and mental pain, a bhikkhu attains and dwells
in the fourth jhana, a state of pure mindfulness born of equanimity.
This, bhikkhus, is called Right Concentration. This, bhikkhus, is called the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation of dukkha. Thus he dwells perceiving again and again dhammas as just dhammas (not mine, not I, not self, but just as phenomena) in himself; or he dwells perceiving again and again dhammas as just dhammas in others; or he dwells perceiving again and again dhammas as just dhammas in both himself and in others. He dwells perceiving again and again the cause and the actual appearing of dhammas; or he dwells perceiving again and again the cause and the actual dissolution of dhammas; or he dwells perceiving again and again both the actual appearing and dissolution of dhammas with their causes.note114 To
summarize, he is firmly mindful of the fact that only dhammas exist
(not a soul, a self or I). That mindfulness is just for gaining insight
(vipassana) and mindfulness progressively. Being detached from craving
and wrong views he dwells without clinging to anything in the world.
Thus, bhikkhus, in this way a bhikkhu dwells perceiving again and again
the Four Noble Truths as just the Four Noble Truths. Indeed,
bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four satipatthanas in this manner
for seven years, one of two results is to be expected in him: Arahatship
in this very existence, or if there yet be any trace of clinging, the
state of an Anagami.note115 Let
alone seven years, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four satipatthanas
in this manner for six years, five years, four years, three years, two
years, or one year. Let
alone one year, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four satipatthanas
in this manner for seven months, one of two results is to be expected
in him: Arahatship in this very existence, or if there yet be any trace
of clinging, the state of an Anagami. Let
alone seven months, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four satipatthanas
in this manner for six months, five months, four months, three months,
two months, one month, or half a month. Let
alone half a month, bhikkhus, whosoever practises these four satipatthanas
in this manner for seven days, one of two results is to be expected
in him: Arahatship in this very existence or if there yet be any trace
of clinging, the state of an Anagami. This
is what I meant when I said: "Bhikkhus, this is the one and the
only way for the purification (of the minds) of beings, for overcoming
sorrow and lamentation, for the cessation of physical and mental pain,
for attainment of the Noble Paths, and for the realization of Nibbana.
That only way is the four satipatthanas". This is what the Bhagava said. Delighted, the bhikkhus rejoice at the Bhagava's words. Sadhu!
Sadhu! Sadhu! |
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