Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
45. Magga Saɱyutta
1. Avijjā Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
45. Kindred Sayings on the Way
1. On Ignorance

Sutta 8

Vibhaṅga Suttaɱ

Analysis

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

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[7]

[1][bodh][than] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"I will teach you, monks, the Ariyan eightfold way.

I will analyze it for you.

Do ye listen.

Give careful heed and I will speak."

"Yes, lord," said those monks in assent to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One then said:

"What, monks, is the Ariyan eightfold way?

It is
right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration.

 

§

 

And what, monks, is right view?

It is the knowledge of Ill,
knowledge of the arising of ill,
knowledge [8] of the ceasing of ill,
and knowledge of the practice leading to the ceasing of ill.

That, monks, is called 'right view.'

■

And what, monks, is right aim?

It is the aim to renounce,
the aim to be free from malice,
the aim to be harmless.

That, monks, is called 'right aim.'

■

And what, monks, is right speech?

It is the avoiding of lying speech,
the avoiding of calumny,
of cutting speech,
of wanton speech.

That, monks, is called 'right speech.'

■

And what, monks, is right action?

It is the avoiding of taking life,
the avoiding of stealing,
the avoiding of unchastity.

That, monks, is called 'right action.'

■

And what, monks, is right living?

Herein, monks, the Ariyan disciple,
by abandoning a wrong way of life,
gets his living by a right way of life.

That is called 'right living.'

■

And what, monks, is right effort?

Herein a monk puts forth desire [to do],
makes an effort,
begins to strive,
applies his mind,
lays hold of his mind
to prevent the arising of ill,
unprofitable states
not yet arisen.

As to ill,
unprofitable states that have arisen,
he puts forth desire
makes an effort,
begins to strive,
applies his mind,
lays hold of his mind
to destroy them.

As to profitable states
that have not yet arisen,
he puts forth desire
makes an effort,
begins to strive,
applies his mind,
lays hold of his mind
for their arising.

As to profitable states
that have already arisen,
he puts forth desire,
makes an effort,
begins to strive,
applies his mind,
lays hold of his mind
for their continuance,
for their non-confusion,^[1]
for their more-becoming,
increase,
culture
and fulfilment.

That, monks, is called 'right effort.'^[2]

■

And what, monks, is right mindfulness?^[3]

Herein a monk abides contemplating body in body
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed,
mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He abides contemplating feelings in feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed,
mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He abides contemplating mind in mind
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed,
mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

He abides contemplating mind-states in mind-states
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed,
mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.

This, monks, is called 'right mindfulness.'

■

[9] And what, monks, is right concentration?

Herein a monk, aloof from sensuality,
aloof from evil states,
enters on the first trance,
which is accompanied by thought directed and sustained,
born of solitude,
easeful and zestful,
and abides therein.

By the calming down of thought directed and sustained,
he enters on the inward calm,
that one-pointedness of mind,
apart from thought directed and sustained,
that is born of mental balance,
zestful and easeful,
that is the second trance.

Then, by the fading out of zest,
he abides indifferent,
mindful and composed,
and experiences ease through the body.

Having entered on the third trance,
which the Ariyans describe in these terms:

"He who is indifferent and mindful dwells happily,"^[4]

he abides therein.

Then, by the abandoning of ease,
by the abandoning of discomfort,
by the destruction of the happiness and unhappiness
that he had before,
having entered on that state
which is neither pleasant nor painful,
that utter purity of mindfulness
reached by indifference,
which is the fourth trance,
he abides therein.

This, monks, is called 'right concentration.'"

 

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^[1] Asammosāya.

^[2] These are called the 'four right efforts' (sammappadhānāni). Cf. infra, Book V.

^[3] Cf. K.S. iv, 160 ff.

^[4] Similar phrases are in the Upānishads (e.g., kaṭha-).