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Translated
from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.
I
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 Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the
middle, admirable in the end; I will expound the holy life both in its
particulars & in its essence, entirely complete, surpassingly pure -- in
other words, the six sextets. Listen & pay close attention. I will
speak."
"As
you say, lord," the monks responded.
The
Blessed One said: "The six internal media should be known. The six
external media should be known. The six classes of consciousness should be
known. The six classes of contact should be known. The six classes of feeling
should be known. The six classes of craving should be known.
"'The
six internal media should be known.' Thus it was said. In
reference to what was it said? The eye-medium, the ear-medium, the nose-medium,
the tongue-medium, the body-medium, the intellect-medium. 'The six internal
media should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.
This is the first sextet.
"'The
six external media should be known.' Thus it was said. In
reference to what was it said? The form-medium, the sound-medium, the
aroma-medium, the flavor-medium, the tactile sensation-medium, the idea-medium.
'The six external media should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to
this was it said. This is the second sextet.
"'The
six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus it was
said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there
arises consciousness at the eye. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises
consciousness at the ear. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises
consciousness at the nose. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises
consciousness at the tongue. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations
there arises consciousness at the body. Dependent on the intellect & ideas
there arises consciousness at the intellect. 'The six classes of consciousness
should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said. This
is the third sextet.
"'The
six classes of contact should be known.' Thus it was said. In reference to what
was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the
eye. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the ear & sounds
there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact.
Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The
meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there
arises consciousness at the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact.
Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at
the body. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the intellect &
ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is
contact. 'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus it was said. And in
reference to this was it said. This is the fourth sextet.
"'The
six classes of feeling should be known.' Thus it was said.
In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises
consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as
a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the ear & sounds there
arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. With
contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the nose &
aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The meeting of the three is
contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on
the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. The meeting
of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is
feeling. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises
consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as
a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the intellect & ideas
there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is
contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. 'The six
classes of feeling should be known.' Thus it was said. And in reference to this
was it said. This is the fifth sextet.
"'The
six classes of craving should be known.' Thus it was said.
In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises
consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as
a requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition
there is craving. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness
at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite
condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is
craving. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the
nose. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite
condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is
craving. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at
the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite
condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition there is
craving. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises
consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as
a requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite condition
there is craving. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises
consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. With
contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. With feeling as a requisite
condition there is craving. 'The six classes of craving should be known.' Thus
it was said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the sixth sextet.
"If
anyone were to say, 'The eye is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The
arising & falling away of the eye are discerned. And when its arising &
falling away are discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises & falls
away.' That's why it wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'The eye is the
self.' So the eye is not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Forms are the self,'
that wouldn't be tenable... Thus the eye is not-self and forms are not-self. If
anyone were to say, 'Consciousness at the eye is the self,' that wouldn't be
tenable... Thus the eye is not-self, forms are not-self, consciousness at the
eye is not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Contact at the eye is the self,' that
wouldn't be tenable... Thus the eye is not-self, forms are not-self,
consciousness at the eye is not-self, contact at the eye is not-self. If anyone
were to say, 'Feeling is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable... Thus the eye is
not-self, forms are not-self, consciousness at the eye is not-self, contact at
the eye is not-self, feeling is not self. If anyone were to say, 'Craving is
the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The arising & falling away of craving
are discerned. And when its arising & falling away are discerned, it would
follow that 'My self arises & falls away.' That's why it wouldn't be
tenable if anyone were to say, 'Craving is the self.' Thus the eye is not-self,
forms are not-self, consciousness at the eye is not-self, contact at the eye is
not-self, feeling is not self, craving is not-self.
"If
anyone were to say, 'The ear is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If
anyone were to say, 'The nose is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If
anyone were to say, 'The tongue is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If
anyone were to say, 'The body is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable...
"If
anyone were to say, 'The intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The
arising & falling away of the intellect are discerned. And when its arising
& falling away are discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises &
falls away.' That's why it wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'The
intellect is the self.' So the intellect is not-self. If anyone were to say,
'Ideas are the self,' that wouldn't be tenable... Thus the intellect is
not-self and ideas are not-self. If anyone were to say, 'Consciousness at the
intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable... Thus the intellect is
not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self. If
anyone were to say, 'Contact at the intellect is the self,' that wouldn't be
tenable... Thus the intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at
the intellect is not-self, contact at the intellect is not-self. If anyone were
to say, 'Feeling is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable... Thus the intellect
is not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is not-self,
contact at the intellect is not-self, feeling is not self. If anyone were to
say, 'Craving is the self,' that wouldn't be tenable. The arising & falling
away of craving are discerned. And when its arising & falling away are
discerned, it would follow that 'My self arises & falls away.' That's why
it wouldn't be tenable if anyone were to say, 'Craving is the self.' Thus the
intellect is not-self, ideas are not-self, consciousness at the intellect is
not-self, contact at the intellect is not-self, feeling is not self, craving is
not-self.
"This, monks, is the path of practice leading to
self-identification. One assumes about the eye that 'This is me, this is my
self, this is what I am.' One assumes about forms... One assumes about
consciousness at the eye... One assumes about contact at the eye... One assumes
about feeling... One assumes about craving that 'This is me, this is my self,
this is what I am.'
"One
assumes about the ear...
"One
assumes about the nose...
"One
assumes about the tongue...
"One
assumes about the body...
"One
assumes about the intellect that 'This is me, this is my self, this is what I
am.' One assumes about ideas... One assumes about consciousness at the
intellect... One assumes about contact at the intellect... One assumes about
feeling... One assumes about craving that 'This is me, this is my self, this is
what I am.'
"Now,
this is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
self-identification. One assumes about the eye that 'This is not me, this is
not my self, this is not what I am.' One assumes about forms... One assumes
about consciousness at the eye... One assumes about contact at the eye... One
assumes about feeling... One assumes about craving that 'This is not me, this
is not my self, this is not what I am.'
"One
assumes about the ear...
"One
assumes about the nose...
"One
assumes about the tongue...
"One
assumes about the body...
"One
assumes about the intellect that 'This is not me, this is not my self, this is
not what I am.' One assumes about ideas... One assumes about consciousness at
the intellect... One assumes about contact at the intellect... One assumes
about feeling... One assumes about craving that 'This is not me, this is not my
self, this is not what I am.'
"Dependent
on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of
the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there arises what
is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when
touched by a feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes it, or remains
fastened to it, then one's passion-obsession gets obsessed. If, when touched by
a feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats one's breast,
becomes distraught, then one's resistance-obsession gets obsessed. If, when
touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it
actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape
from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession gets obsessed. That a person
-- without abandoning passion-obsession with regard to a feeling of pleasure,
without abolishing resistance-obsession with regard to a feeling of pain,
without uprooting ignorance-obsession with regard to a feeling of neither
pleasure nor pain, without abandoning ignorance and giving rise to clear
knowing -- would put an end to suffering & stress in the here & now:
such a thing isn't possible.
"Dependent
on the ear & sounds...
"Dependent
on the nose & aromas...
"Dependent
on the tongue & flavors...
"Dependent
on the body & tactile sensations...
"Dependent
on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The
meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there
arises what is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If,
when touched by a feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes it, or remains
fastened to it, then one's passion-obsession gets obsessed. If, when touched by
a feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats one's breast,
becomes distraught, then one's resistance-obsession gets obsessed. If, when
touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it
actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape
from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession gets obsessed. That a person
-- without abandoning passion-obsession with regard to a feeling of pleasure,
without abolishing resistance-obsession with regard to a feeling of pain,
without uprooting ignorance-obsession with regard to a feeling of neither
pleasure nor pain, without abandoning ignorance and giving rise to clear
knowing -- would put an end to suffering & stress in the here & now:
such a thing isn't possible.
"Dependent
on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of
the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there arises what
is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when
touched by a feeling of pleasure, one does not relish it, welcome it, or remain
fastened to it, then one's passion-obsession doesn't get obsessed. If, when
touched by a feeling of pain, one does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, beat
one's breast or become distraught, then one's resistance obsession doesn't get
obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one
discerns, as it actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure,
drawback, & escape from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession
doesn't get obsessed. That a person -- through abandoning passion-obsession
with regard to a feeling of pleasure, through abolishing resistance-obsession
with regard to a feeling of pain, through uprooting ignorance-obsession with
regard to a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, through abandoning ignorance
and giving rise to clear knowing -- would put an end to suffering & stress
in the here & now: such a thing is possible.
"Dependent
on the ear & sounds...
"Dependent
on the nose & aromas...
"Dependent
on the tongue & flavors...
"Dependent
on the body & tactile sensations...
"Dependent
on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The
meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there
arises what is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If,
when touched by a feeling of pleasure, one does not relish it, welcome it, or
remain fastened to it, then one's passion-obsession doesn't get obsessed. If,
when touched by a feeling of pain, one does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, beat
one's breast or become distraught, then one's resistance obsession doesn't get
obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one
discerns, as it actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure,
drawback, & escape from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession
doesn't get obsessed. That a person -- through abandoning passion-obsession
with regard to a feeling of pleasure, through abolishing resistance-obsession
with regard to a feeling of pain, through uprooting ignorance-obsession with
regard to a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, through abandoning ignorance
and giving rise to clear knowing -- would put an end to suffering & stress
in the here & now: such a thing is possible.
"Seeing
thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with
the eye, disenchanted with forms, disenchanted with consciousness at the eye,
disenchanted with contact at the eye, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted
with craving.
"He
grows disenchanted with the ear...
"He
grows disenchanted with the nose...
"He
grows disenchanted with the tongue...
"He
grows disenchanted with the body...
"He
grows disenchanted with the intellect, disenchanted with ideas, disenchanted
with consciousness at the intellect, disenchanted with contact at the
intellect, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with craving. Disenchanted,
he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full
release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is
ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for
this world.'"
That
is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted at his words. And
while this explanation was being given, the hearts of 60 monks, through no
clinging (not being sustained), were fully released from
fermentation/effluents.
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