Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
51. Iddhi-Pāda Saṃyutta
8. Ogha Vagga
Chapter VIII
Suttas 77-86
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Sutta 77
The Flood
Once upon a time, The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthī-town, residing,
Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
"There are, beggars, four floods.
What four?
The flood of sense-pleasures,
the flood of being,
the flood of opinions,
the flood of blindness.
These then, beggars, are the four floods.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four floods, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four floods, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 78
Yokes
"There are, beggars, four yokes.
What four?
The sense-pleasure yoke,
the being yoke,
the opinion yoke,
the blindness yoke.
These then, beggars, are the four yokes.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four yokes, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four yokes, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 79
Supports[1]
"There are, beggars, four supports.
What four?
The sense-pleasure support,
the opinion support,
the ethics and ritual support,
the self-experience support.
These then, beggars, are the four supports.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four supports, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four supports, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 80
Ties
"There are, beggars, these four ties.
What four?
The coveting body-tie[2]
the anger body-tie
the ethics-gains-ardency-ritual-attachment body-tie
the this-is-the-highest-truth-position body-ties.
These then, beggars, are the four ties.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four ties, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these four ties, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 81
Bias
"There are, beggars, seven biases.
What seven?
The bias towards lust for sense-pleasures,
the bias towards reaction,
the bias towards opinions,
the bias towards doubt and wavering,
the bias towards pride,
the bias towards lust for life,
the bias towards blindness.
These then, beggars, are the seven biases.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these seven biases, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these seven biases, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 82
Pleasure-cords
"There are, beggars, five pleasure-cords.[3]
What five?
Eye-consciousness and forms — forms wished for, loved, lovely, pleasing, sense pleasures regal and engaging.
Ear-consciousness and sounds — forms wished for, loved, lovely, pleasing, sense pleasures regal and engaging.
Nose-consciousness and scents — forms wished for, loved, lovely, pleasing, sense pleasures regal and engaging.
Tongue-consciousness and tastes — forms wished for, loved, lovely, pleasing, sense pleasures regal and engaging.
Body-consciousness and touches — forms wished for, loved, lovely, pleasing, sense pleasures regal and engaging.
These then, beggars, are the five pleasure-cords.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five pleasure-cords, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five pleasure-cords, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
§
Sutta 83
Obstruction
"There are, beggars, five obstructions.
What five?
The pleasure-wishing obstruction,
the anger obstruction,
the lazy-ways and inertia obstruction,
the fear and trembling obstruction,
the doubt and wavering obstruction.
These then, beggars, are the five obstructions.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five obstructions, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five obstructions, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 84
Stockpiled Supports
"There are, beggars, five stockpiled supports.
What five?
Form stockpiled support,
sensation stockpiled support,
perception stockpiled support,
own-making stockpiled support,
consciousness stockpiled support.
These then, beggars, are the five stockpiled supports.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five stockpiled supports, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five stockpiled supports, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 85
Yokes to Lower Rebirths
"There are, beggars, five yokes to lower rebirths.
What five?
One-truth (own body) view,
doubt,
ethics-gains-ardency-ritual-attachment,
pleasure-wishing,
anger.
These then, beggars, are the five yokes to lower rebirths.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five yokes to lower rebirths, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five yokes to lower rebirths, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 86
Yokes to Higher Rebirths
"There are, beggars, five yokes to higher rebirths.
What five?
Lust for form,
lust for the formless,
pride,
fear,
blindness.
These then, beggars, are the five yokes to higher rebirths.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five yokes to higher rebirths, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these five yokes to higher rebirths, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
[1] upādānāni. One of the most troublesome words for me. Bhk. Bodhi: 'clinging'; Woodward and others: 'Grasping', Bhk. Thanissaro uses 'clinging, sustenance' and has written that he relates this to the fueling of a fire. I don't see clinging or grasping there. I have used 'bind-up' and 'up-keep' (going to 'upa-dāna'), 'going-after-getting' (using upa ā dāna). The most important place for this term to be made clear is in the paṭicca samuppāda, where it is the link between thirst and being. In reaction to sensation there is thirst (or wanting or desire), in reaction to thirst upadana results in the possibility of being some sort of being in some place of being. The breakdown of the word according to PED is upa ā dā 'up to give', and says:
... substratum by means of which an active process is kept alive or going), fuel, supply, provision; adj. (*-) supported by, drawing one's existence from S I.69; II 85 (aggikkhandho -assa pariyādānā by means of taking up fuel); V.284 (vāt-); J III.342 sa-upādāna (adj.) provided with fuel S IV.399; anupādāna without fuel DhA II.163. 2. (applied.) "drawing upon", grasping, holding on, grip, attachment; adj. (*-) finding one's support by or in, clinging to, taking up, nourished by.
In this sutta we are given a list of things which we can see are 'supports' for continued living, or 'fuel' for continued living. They could be 'ways one grasps after being' or 'ways one clings to being'; they could be used for the upkeep of living, or as what binds one up in living. Supports, scaffolding ...?
[2] Kāya-gantha. Body-tie. Tie to existence in a body.
[3] Something I think it is helpful to point out here is that this list does not include the mind-sense. There is a distinction made throughout the suttas between the pleasure of enjoying these five senses and the use of the mind which can be categorized as a sense with dhammas as its object or as an extra-sensory phenomena. Mind [mana] also encompasses 'heart' [citta] which is the apparatus for experience of mental states, and memory [sati] for the experience of recollection, investigation, experience of insight.' The five are lower experiences and area always to be let go whereas the mind is only a problem when it is accompanied by the idea of self. That is how I understand this. The reader should always note whether what is being referred to in a sutta is the five or the six.
