Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka-Nipāta
III: Anuttariya Vagga
The Book of Sixes
Sutta 27
Paṭhama Samaya Suttaṃ
Visiting A Mind-Become One
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time, The Lucky Man Sāvatthī Town revisiting.
There then a beggar[1] approached The Lucky Man.[2]
Having approached he gave salutation and took a seat to one side.
Seated at one side then, that beggar said this to the Lucky Man:
2. "How many times are there, Bhante, that a beggar should come to see a mind-become one?"
■
"Six, beggar, are the times that a beggar should come to see a mind-become one.
What six?
Here, beggar, at such a time
as a beggar abides overwhelmed in heart
by lust for sense-pleasures,
beset by lust for sense-pleasures,
and the riddance of such lust for sense-pleasure as has arisen is not known,
at such a time a beggar should come to see a mind-become one and say:
'I friend, abide overwhelmed in heart
by lust for sense-pleasures,
beset by lust for sense-pleasures,
and the riddance of such lust for sense-pleasures as has arisen is not known by me.
Well done for me, friend, would be a dissertation
on the letting go of lust for sense-pleasures.'
Then that mind-become one gives that beggar a dissertation
on the letting go of lust for sense-pleasures.[3]
This, beggar, is the first occasion
when a beggar should come to see a mind-become-one.
Again, beggar, and furthermore, at such a time
as a beggar abides overwhelmed in heart
by deviance,
beset by deviance,
and the riddance of such deviance as has arisen is not known,
at such a time a beggar should come to see a mind-become one and say:
'I friend, abide overwhelmed in heart
by deviance,
beset by deviance,
and the riddance of such deviance as has arisen is not known by me.
Well done for me, friend, would be a dissertation
on the letting go of deviance.'
Then that mind-become one gives that beggar a dissertation
on the letting go of deviance.[4]
This, beggar, is the second occasion
when a beggar should come to see a mind-become one.
Again, beggar, and furthermore, at such a time
as a beggar abides overwhelmed in heart
by lazyness and inertia,
beset by lazyness and inertia,
and the riddance of such lazyness and inertia as has arisen is not known,
at such a time a beggar should come to see a mind-become one and say:
'I friend, abide overwhelmed in heart
by lazyness and inertia,
beset by lazyness and inertia,
and the riddance of such lazyness and inertia as has arisen is not known by me.
Well done for me, friend, would be a dissertation
on the letting go of lazyness and inertia.'
Then that mind-become one gives that beggar a dissertation
on the letting go of lazyness and inertia.[5]
This, beggar, is the third occasion
when a beggar should come to see a mind-become one.
Again, beggar, and furthermore, at such a time
as a beggar abides overwhelmed in heart
by agitation and anxiety,
beset by agitation and anxiety,
and the riddance of such agitation and anxiety as has arisen is not known,
at such a time a beggar should come to see a mind-become one and say:
'I friend, abide overwhelmed in heart
by agitation and anxiety,
beset by agitation and anxiety,
and the riddance of such agitation and anxiety as has arisen is not known by me.
Well done for me, friend, would be a dissertation
on the letting go of agitation and anxiety.'
Then that mind-become one gives that beggar a dissertation
on the letting go of agitation and anxiety.[6]
This, beggar, is the fourth occasion
when a beggar should come to see a mind-become one.
Again, beggar, and furthermore, at such a time
as a beggar abides overwhelmed in heart
by second-thoughts,
beset by second-thoughts,
and the riddance of such second-thoughts as has arisen is not known,
at such a time a beggar should come to see a mind-become one and say:
'I friend, abide overwhelmed in heart
by second-thoughts,
beset by second-thoughts,
and the riddance of such second-thoughts as has arisen is not known by me.
Well done for me, friend, would be a dissertation
on the letting go of second-thoughts.'
Then that mind-become one gives that beggar a dissertation
on the letting go of second-thoughts.[7]
This, beggar, is the fifth occasion when a beggar should come to see a mind-become one.
Again, beggar, and furthermore, at such a time as a beggar
does not know,
does not see that mark,
proceeding from which mark,
when that mark is studied in mind
concludes in the destruction of the corrupting influences,
at such a time a beggar should come to see a mind-become one and say:
'I friend, do now know,
do not see that mark,
proceeding from which mark,
when that mark is studied in mind,
concludes in the destruction of the corrupting influences.
Well done for me, friend, would be a dissertation
on knowing,
on seeing that mark,
proceeding from which mark,
when that mark is studied in mind,
concludes in the destruction of the corrupting influences.'
Then that mind-become one gives that beggar a dissertation
on knowing,
on seeing that mark,
proceeding from which mark,
when that mark is studied in mind,
concludes in the destruction of the corrupting influences.[8]
This, beggar, is the sixth occasion
when a beggar should come to see a mind-become one.
These, beggar, are the six times that a beggar should come to see a mind-become one."
[1] Bhikkhu. From the √bhu to beg. The lowest of occupations. See: Using "Beggar" for "Bhikkhu" Using 'Beggar' for 'Bhikkhu' ... again
[3] Kāma-rāga. Sense-pleasure-lust. A Nīvaraṇā, a diversion from clear view as in something that obscures the view of one's face in a bowl of water. Simile: A pot of water mixed with lac, turmeric, blue or yellow dye. Results from: incautious attention to the pleasant feature of a thing. Cure: diverting the mind to attention to the unpleasant, insight into the ultimately painful nature of the pleasant.
[4] Vyāpāda. Deviance from the Path: esp. anger and actions proceeding from anger. A Nīvaraṇā. Simile: A pot of water heated on the fire, boiling up and bubbling over. Results from: incautious attention to the unpleasant feature of a thing. Cure: diverting the mind with thoughts of friendliness, well-wishing.
[5] Thina-middha Thick-fat-sluggishness, sloth, torpor, laziness, inertia. A Nīvaraṇā. Simile: A pot of water covered over with slimy moss and water-plants. Cure: putting forth energy; not over-eating; good posture, attention to perception of light.
[6] Uddhacca-kukkucca. Remorse, fear, anxiety resulting from bad behavior. A Nīvaraṇā. Simile: A pot of water shaken with the wind, so that the water trembles, eddies and ripples. Cure: deliberately stilling, calming, tranquillizing and pacifying the body and mind; attention to one's effort to improve one's ethical behavior; letting go and entering the jhānas.
[7] Vicikicchā Second-thought, uncertainty, doubt, hesitation. A Nīvaraṇā. Simile: A pot of water stirred up, turbid, made muddy, set in a darkened room. Cure: Investigating Dhamma. Tracing things to their point of origin.
[8] Yan nimittaṃ āgamma yaṃ nimittaṃ mana-sikaroto anantarā āsavānaṃ khayo hoti, taṃ nimittaṃ na jānāti, na passati. Not knowing, not seeing that mark, proceeding from which mark, when that mark is studied in mind concludes in the destruction of the corrupting influences — āsavas: the corrupting influence of sense-pleasures; the corrupting influence of existence; the corrupting influence of blindness; and the corrupting influence of points of view. The corrupting influences are likened to a running sore. The sense pleasures are likened to a meatless bone, carrion attacked by vultures, a blazing torch carried against the wind, falling into a pit of glowing charcoal, a loan, having climbed a tree to enjoy the fruit while another man is chopping it down [see MN 54]; its mark is the pleasure, excitement, enjoyment, and delight in experience through the senses. Existence is likened to a man wandering in a waterless desert overcome with thirst and fatigue. It occurs with the conjunction of consciousness with named-forms and is the single condition which, if eliminated, eliminates old age, sickness, suffering and death, grief and lamentation, pain and misery, and despair; its marks are perception through the senses, and the presence of the thought "I am", "This is me" "This is myself", "This is mine." Blindness is likened to the man standing at the foot of a mountain disputing the view of his friend standing at the peak; a hidden thing; a man lost in the woods; beings existing in the dark unable to see visible shapes. It is the not seeing that 'this' is pain, that the origin of this pain is thirst, that the end of this pain is the end of that thirst, and that the way is the way to walk the walk that ends thirst; its mark is having an opinion about things; wanting to 'do' to create experience for the self. Clinging to point of view is likened to a man pierced by a poison arrow who insists on knowing the maker of the arrow and other details about the arrow before he submits to treatment for the poison. Point of view is forming an opinion from experience beyond direct observation. It generally involves the necessity to know all things at all times. To say: 'This is not myself,' is the statement of a direct observation about a thing under observation; it involves the need only to recognize the characteristic of change in that single thing; to say: 'There is no self' is the statement of an opinion formed about all things drawn from such a direct observation and is a point of view. One can state that there is no thing that is the self based on the direct observation that by the nature of existence as a phenomena occurring in and dependent on time, any thing that has come into existence is subject to time and consequently comes to an end, and that therefore all things that exist are out of one's control, and cannot because of that rightfully be called one's own, or that which belongs to the self. That is still not saying 'There is no Self' and is a statement of an observable fact, not a point of view. All behavior within existence is founded on a point of view. To extract the mind from existence by abandoning points of view, one adopts an intermediate point of view based on what is not a point of view concerning existence and non-existence, which aims at eliminating blindness, and which is not attached to issues of existence and non-existence but on observable phenomena which will lead to the abandoning of existence, that is, it directs the attention to pain and its elimination, that is, the Four Truths: 'This is Pain'; 'The origin of Pain is Thirst' the ending of Pain is the ending of that Thirst; and the Way is the way to do it. The mark of point of view is the presence of the thought "It is ... was, will be; It is not ... was not, will not be; This is the truth and all other beliefs are foolish."
