Saɱyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saɱyutta
§ IV: Paññāsaka Catuttha
3. Samudda Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
35. Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense
§ IV: The 'Fourth Fifty' Suttas
3. The Chapter on the Ocean
Sutta 193
Udāyī Suttaɱ
Udāyin[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][bodh][than][olds] Thus have I heard:
Once the venerable Ānanda and the venerable Udāyin
were staying at Kosambī in Ghosita Park.
[2][bodh][than][olds] Then the venerable Udāyin,
rising at eventide from his solitude,
went to visit the venerable Ānanda,
and on coming to him
greeted him courteously,
and after the [103] exchange of greetings and courtesies
sat down at one side.
[3][bodh][than][olds] So seated the venerable Udāyin
said to the venerable Ānanda: —
"Is it possible, friend Ānanda,
just as this body has
in divers ways been defined,
explained,
set forth by the Exalted One,
as being without the self, —
is it possible in the same way
to describe the consciousness,
to show it,
make it plain,
set it forth,
make it clear,
analyze and expound it
as being also without the self?"
"Just as this body has been defined,
explained,
set forth by the Exalted One, friend Udāyin,
so also is it possible to describe this consciousness,
to show it,
make it plain,
set it forth,
make it clear,
analyze and expound it
as being also without the self.
[4][bodh][than][olds] Owing to the eye and object
arises eye-consciousness,
does it not, friend?"
"Yes, friend."
"Well, if the condition,
if the cause
of the arising of eye-consciousness
should altogether,
in every way,
utterly come to cease without remainder,
would any eye-consciousness be evident?"
"Surely not, friend."
"Well, friend, it is by this method
that the Exalted One has explained,
opened up,
and shown
that this consciousness also
is without the self.
[5][bodh][than][olds] Again, owing to ear and sounds, friend,
arises ear-consciousness,
does it not?"
"It does, friend."
"Well, if the condition,
if the cause
of the arising of ear-consciousness
should cease altogether,
in every way,
utterly,
without remainder,
would any ear-consciousness be evident?"
"Surely not, friend."
"Well, friend, it is by this method
that the Exalted One has explained,
opened up,
and shown
that this consciousness also
is without the self.
[6][bodh][than][olds] Again, owing to nose and scents, friend,
arises nose-consciousness,
does it not?"
"It does, friend."
"Well, if the condition,
if the cause
of the arising of nose-consciousness
should cease altogether,
in every way,
utterly,
without remainder,
would any nose-consciousness be evident?"
"Surely not, friend."
"Well, friend, it is by this method
that the Exalted One has explained,
opened up,
and shown
that this consciousness also
is without the self.
[7][bodh][than][olds] Again, owing to tongue and savours, friend,
arises tongue-consciousness,
does it not?"
"It does, friend."
"Well, if the condition, if the cause of the arising of tongue-consciousness
should cease altogether,
in every way,
utterly,
without remainder,
would any tongue-consciousness be evident?"
"Surely not, friend."
"Well, friend, it is by this method
that the Exalted One has explained,
opened up,
and shown
that this consciousness also
is without the self.
[8][bodh][than][olds] Again, owing to body and things tangible, friend,
arises body-consciousness,
does it not?"
"It does, friend."
"Well, if the condition, if the cause of the arising of body-consciousness
should cease altogether,
in every way,
utterly,
without remainder,
would any body-consciousness be evident?"
"Surely not, friend."
"Well, friend, it is by this method
that the Exalted One has explained,
opened up,
and shown
that this consciousness also
is without the self.
[9][bodh][than][olds] Again, owing to mind and mind-states
arises mind-consciousness,
does it not?"
"Yes, friend."
"Well, if the condition, if the cause for the arising of mind- [104] consciousness
should cease altogether,
in every way,
utterly,
without remainder,
would any mind-consciousness be evident?"
"Surely not, friend."
"Well, friend, it is by this method
that the Exalted One has explained,
opened up,
and shown
that this consciousness also
is without the self.
[10][bodh][than][olds] Suppose, friend, that a man should roam about in need of heart of wood,[2]
searching for heart of wood,
looking for heart of wood, and,
taking a sharp axe,
should enter a forest.
There he sees a mighty plantain-trunk,
straight up,
new-grown,
of towering height.
He cuts it down at the root.
Having cut it down at the root he chops it off at the top.
Having done so he peels off the outer skin.
But he would find no pith inside.
Much less would he find heart of wood.
Even so, friend, a brother beholds no trace of the self
nor of what pertains to the self
in the sixfold sense-sphere.
[11][bodh][than][olds] So beholding, he is attached to nothing in the world.
Unattached, he is not troubled.
Untroubled, he is of himself utterly set free.
[3] So that he realizes,
"Destroyed is rebirth.
Lived is the righteous life.
Done is the task.
For life in these conditions there is no hereafter.'
[2] Cf. K.S. iii. 119.
[3] Parinibkhāyati.
