Words Which Should Be Studied, Learned and Interrogated in the Foremost Assembly

“...Here, in this kind of assembly, when those dis- courses are being recited that are mere poetry composed by poets, beautiful in words and phrases, created by outsiders, spoken by disciples, the bhikkhus do not want to listen to them, do not lend an ear to them, or apply their minds to understand them; they do not think those teachings should be studied and learned.

But when those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata are being recited that are deep, deep in meaning, world-transcending, connected with emptiness, the bhikkhus want to listen to them, lend an ear to them, and apply their minds to understand them; they think those teachings should be studied and learned. And having learned those teachings, they interrogate each other about them and examine them thoroughly, [asking]: ‘How is this? What is the meaning of this?’ [They] disclose to [others] what is obscure and elucidate what is unclear, and dispel their perplexity about numerous perplexing points...”

_________

“And what is the assembly trained in vain talk, not in interrogation [okkācitavinītā parisā nopaṭipucchāvinītā ]?

Here, in this kind of assembly, when those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata are being recited that are deep, deep in meaning, world-transcending, connected with emptiness, the bhikkhus do not want to listen to them, do not lend an ear to them, or apply their minds to understand them; they do not think those teachings should be studied and learned. But when those discourses are being recited that are mere poetry composed by poets, beautiful in words and phrases, created by outsiders, spoken by disciples, they want to listen to them, lend an ear to them, and apply their minds to under- stand them; they think those teachings should be studied and learned. And having learned those teachings, they do not interrogate each other about them or examine them thoroughly, [asking]: ‘How is this? What is the meaning of this?’ They do not disclose [to others] what is obscure and elucidate what is unclear, or dispel their perplexity about numerous perplexing points. This is called the assembly trained in vain talk, not in interrogation. [okkācitavinītā parisā nopaṭipucchāvinītā]“And what is the assembly trained in interrogation, not in vain talk [paṭipucchāvinītā parisā nookkācitavinītā]?

Here, in this kind of assembly, when those discourses are being recited that are mere poetry composed by poets, beautiful in words and phrases, created by outsiders, spoken by disciples, the bhikkhus do not want to listen to them, do not lend an ear to them, or apply their minds to understand them; they do not think those teachings should be studied and learned. But when those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata are being recited that are deep, deep in meaning, world-transcending, connected with emptiness, the bhikkhus want to listen to them, lend an ear to them, and apply their minds to understand them; they think those teachings should be studied and learned. And having learned those teachings, they interrogate each other about them and examine them thoroughly, [asking]: ‘How is this? What is the meaning of this?’ [They] disclose to [others] what is obscure and elucidate what is unclear, and dispel their perplexity about numerous perplexing points. This is called the assembly trained in interrogation, not in vain talk [paṭipucchāvinītā parisā nookkācitavinītā].

“These, bhikkhus, are the two kinds of assemblies. Of these two kinds of assemblies, the assembly trained in interrogation, not in vain talk, is foremost.”

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2012).

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha:

A Translation of the Aṅguttara Nikāya.

Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-1-61429-040-7.

Words from Singleness of Mind

“Aggivessana,… the Tathāgata teaches the  Dhamma to others only to give them knowledge. When the talk is finished, Aggivessana, then I steady my mind internally, quieten it, bring it to singleness, and concentrate it on that same sign of concentration as before, in which I constantly abide.”

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2009).

The Middle LengthDiscourses of the Buddha:

A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya. Boston:

Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-072-0.

Words That Are Just So, Not Otherwise...

 “From the night he fully awakened, monks, until the night he attains final Nibbāna, in this interval, whatever he speaks, talks of, and expounds, all that is just so, not otherwise…”

Bhikkhu Bodhi, (2005) In the Buddha’s words:

An anthology of discourses from the Pāḷi canon /

edited and introduced.Boston : Wisdom Publications.

ISBN 978-0-86171-491-9.

Words to Be Undertook as Decreed, Not to Be Abolished

“As long as the bhikkhus do not decree anything that has not been decreed or abolish anything that has already been decreed, but undertake and follow the training rules as they have been decreed, only growth is to be expected for them, not decline.”

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2012). The Numerical Discourses

 of the Buddha:A Translation of the Aṅguttara Nikāya.

Boston:Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-1-61429-040-7.

Words that Should Be Studied and Mastered (Simile of the Drum Peg)

“Bhikkhus, once in the past the Dasarahas had a kettle drum called the Summoner. When the Summoner became cracked, the Dasarahas inserted another peg. Eventually the time came when the Summoner’s original drumhead had disappeared and only a collection of pegs remained.

“So too, bhikkhus, the same thing will happen with the bhikkhus in the future. When those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness, are being recited, they will not be eager to listen to them, nor lend an ear to them, nor apply their minds to understand them; and they will not think those teachings should be studied and mastered. But when those discourses that are mere poetry composed by poets, beautiful in words and phrases, created by outsiders, spoken by [their] disciples, are being recited, they will be eager to listen to them, will lend an ear to them, will apply their minds to under- stand them; and they will think those teachings should be studied and mastered.

In this way, bhikkhus, those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness, will disappear....”

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses

of the Buddha:A Translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya.

Boston:Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-331-8.

Words of Immediately Effective Dhamma

“Good, bhikkhus. So you have been guided by me with this Dhamma, which is visible here and now (sandiṭṭhiko), immediately effective (akāliko), inviting inspection (ehipassiko), onward leading (opaneyyiko), to be experienced by the wise for themselves (paccattaṃ     veditabbo viññūhī) ... ”

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2009).

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha:

 A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya. Boston:

Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-072-0.

Words of Dhamma and Discipline; Words To Be Dwelled with as One’s Own Island, as One’s Own Refuge

‘Ānanda, it may be that you will think: “The Teacher’s instruction has ceased, now we have no teacher!” It should not be seen like this, Ānanda, for what I have taught and explained to you as Dhamma and discipline will, at my passing, be your teacher.’ ──DN

“Those bhikkhus, Ānanda, either now or after I am gone, who dwell with themselves as their own island, with themselves as their own refuge, with no other refuge; who dwell with the Dhamma as their island, with the Dhamma as their refuge, with no other refuge ── it is these bhikkhus, Ananda, who will be for me topmost of those keen on the training.” ── SN

“Ānanda, when there are two men living, he under whom there occurs a breach of this good practice ── he is the last man among them. Therefore, Ānanda, I say to you: continue this good practice instituted by me and do not be the last man.”── MN

Maurice Walshe (trans.) (2012). The Long Discourses of

 the Buddha:A Translation of the Dīgha Nikāya. Boston:

Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-103-1.

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses

 of the Buddha:A Translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya. Boston:Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-331-8.

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2009).

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha:

 A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya. Boston:

 Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-072-0.

Discourses on the faculties

“Sāriputta, does the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full  confidence in  him  entertain any perplexity  or  doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching?”

“Venerable sir, the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him does not entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching. It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith will dwell with energy aroused for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the acquisition of wholesome states; that he will be strong, firm in exertion, not shirking the responsibility of cultivating wholesome states. That energy of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of energy.

“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith and whose energy is aroused will be mindful, possessing supreme mindfulness and discretion, one who remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. That mindfulness of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of mindfulness. 

“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith, whose energy is aroused, and whose mindfulness is established, will gain concentration, will gain one-pointedness  of  mind,  having  made  release  the  object.  That  concentration  of  his, venerable sir, is his faculty of concentration.

“It is indeed to be expected, venerable sir, that a noble disciple who has faith, whose energy is aroused, whose mindfulness is established, and whose mind is concentrated, will understand  thus:  ‘This  saṃsāra  is  without  discoverable  beginning.  A  first  point  is  not discerned  of  beings  roaming  and  wandering  on,  hindered  by  ignorance  and  fettered  by craving. But the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance, the mass of darkness: this is the peaceful state, this is the sublime state, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ That wisdom of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of wisdom.

“And, venerable sir, when he has again and again strived in such a way, again and again recollected in such a way, again and again concentrated his mind in such a way, again and again understood with wisdom in such a way, that noble disciple gains complete faith thus: ‘As to these things that previously I had only heard about, now I dwell having contacted them with the body and, having pierced them through with wisdom, I see.’ That faith of his, venerable sir, is his faculty of faith.”     “Good, good, Sāriputta! Sāriputta, the noble disciple who is completely dedicated to the Tathāgata and has full confidence in him does not entertain any perplexity or doubt about the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata’s teaching.”

(The Buddha then repeats verbatim Sāriputta’s entire statement regarding the noble disciple’s faculties.)

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses

of the Buddha:A Translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya.

 Boston:Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-331-8.

Idappaccayatā and Dependent Origination

“Therein, bhikkhu, the instructed noble disciple attends carefully and closely to dependent origination itself thus:

‘When this exists, that comes to be;

with the arising of this, that arises.

When this does not exist, that does not come to be;

with the cessation of this, that ceases.

That is, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations [come to be];

with volitional formations as condition, consciousness;

with consciousness as condition, name-and-form;

with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases;

with the six sense bases as condition, contact;

with contact as condition, feeling;

with feeling as condition, craving;

with craving as condition, clinging;

with clinging as condition, existence;

with existence as condition, birth;

with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.

Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations;

with the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness;

with the cessation of consciousness, cessation of name-and-form;

with the cessation of name-and-form, cessation of the six sense bases;

with the cessation of the six sense bases, cessation of contact;

with the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling;

with the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving;

with the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging;

with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence;

with the cessation of existence, cessation of birth;

with the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses

 of the Buddha:A Translation of the Saṃyutta Nikāya.

Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-331-8.

Three Types of Beings

“Then I listened to the Brahmā’s pleading, and out of compassion for beings I surveyed the world with the eye of a Buddha. Surveying the world with the eye of a Buddha, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities and with bad qualities, easy to teach and hard to teach, and some who dwelt seeing fear and blame in the other world. Just as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses that are born and grow in the water thrive immersed in the water without rising out of it, and some other lotuses that are born and grow in the water rest on the water’s surface, and some other lotuses that are born and grow in the water rise out of the water and stand clear, unwetted by it; so too, surveying the world with the eye of a Buddha, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and with dull faculties, with good qualities and with bad qualities, easy to teach and hard to teach, and some who dwelt seeing fear in blame and in the other world. Then I replied to the Brahmā Sahampati in stanzas:

‘Open for them are the doors to the Deathless,

Let those with ears now show their faith.

Thinking it would be troublesome, 0 Brahmā,

I did not speak the Dhamma subtle and sublime.’

Then the Brahmā Sahampati thought: ‘The Blessed One has consented to my request that he teach the Dhamma.’ And after paying homage to me, keeping me on the right, he thereupon departed at once.

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (2009).

 The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha:

A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya. Boston:

Wisdom Publications. ISBN 978-0-86171-072-0.