Saɱyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saɱyutta
13. Avijjā Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
3. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the Elements of Sensory Existence and other Subjects
22. Kindred Sayings on Elements
13. On Ignorance
Tatiya Koṭṭhita Suttaɱ
Sutta 135
Koṭṭhita (3)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the venerable Sāriputta
and the venerable Mahā-Koṭṭhita
were staying at Benares,
in Isipatana,
in the Deer-Park.
Then the venerable Sāriputta,
rising at eventide from his solitude,
came to the venerable Mahā-Koṭṭhita
and saluting him
sat down at one side.
So seated
he thus addressed the venerable Mahā-Koṭṭhita:
"'Ignorance! Ignorance!' is the saying, friend Koṭṭhita.
Pray, friend Koṭṭhita what is ignorance,
and to what extent is one ignorant?"
"Herein, friend, the untaught manyfolk
know not body,
know not the coming-to-pass of body,
know not the passing-away of body,
know not the way leading to the ceasing of body.[ed1]
They know not feeling,
know not the coming-to-pass of feeling,
know not the passing-away of feeling,
know not the way leading to the ceasing of feeling.
They know not perception,
know not the coming-to-pass of perception,
know not the passing-away of perception,
know not the way leading to the ceasing of perception.
They know not the activities,
know not the coming-to-pass of the activities,
know not the passing-away of the activities,
know not the way leading to the ceasing of the activities.
They know not consciousness,
know not the coming-to-pass of consciousness,
know not the passing-away of consciousness,
know not the way leading to the ceasing of consciousness.
This, friend, is ignorance,
and thus far is one ignorant."
§
"'Wisdom! Wisdom!' is the saying, friend Koṭṭhita.
Pray, friend Koṭṭhita what is wisdom,
and to what extent has one wisdom?"
"Herein, friend, the well-taught Ariyan disciple knows body,
knows the coming-to-pass of body,
knows the passing-away of body,
knows the way leading to the ceasing of body.
Knows feeling,
knows the coming-to-pass of feeling,
knows the passing-away of feeling,
knows the way leading to the ceasing of feeling.
Knows perception,
knows the coming-to-pass of perception,
knows the passing-away of perception,
knows the way leading to the ceasing of perception.
Knows the activities,
knows the coming-to-pass of the activities,
knows the passing-away of the activities,
knows the way leading to the ceasing of the activities.
Knows consciousness,
knows the coming-to-pass of consciousness,
knows the passing-away of consciousness,
knows the way leading to the ceasing of consciousness.
This, friend, is wisdom,
and thus far has one wisdom."
[ed1] Woodward here in his abridgment has 'the way going to the passing away of body'. What I have used is his translation elsewhere. It is not the 'passing away' of body that is the knowledge required here, but the 'ending' (his 'cessation') of body such as to end it's further arisings and passings-away.
