Majjhima Nikāya
3. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṅga Vagga
Sutta 122
Mahā Suññatā Suttaṃ
The Greater Discourse on Voidness
Translated from the Pāḷi by Venerable Ñāṇamoli Thera
from A Treasury of the Buddha's Words
edited and arranged by Phra Khantipalo
Printed in Thailand by Mahāmakut Rājavidyālaya Press, 1977, for free distribution
Reformatted for BuddhaDust.
Original obtained from the
Buddhist Publication Society
Kandy, Sri Lanka
The Wheel Publication No. 87
Translator's Introduction
"Retire within yourselves; but first prepare yourselves to receive yourselves there. It would be madness to trust yourselves to yourselves if you do not know how to control yourselves. There are ways of failing in solitude as well as in company."
Montaigne
Often when the mind is tired and stale it needs the comfort and encouragement of a soothing kind. At other times such treatment can induce in it a false sense of security, and then it has to be jolted, woken up, even frightened if necessary, and injected with a sense of urgency. This discourse does precisely that. It does not offer comfort (which will be found elsewhere in the Canon). It urges forced marches to the goal, with awareness of present dangers as encouragement.
In more than one place in the Canon the Venerable Ānanda, the Buddha's faithful attendant, whose gentle concern with others' welfare led him now and then to neglect his own advancement to arahantship, suffers reproof for this wholly amiable trait. This discourse opens with a rebuke. And though elsewhere he was singled out for praise as the foremost of all the disciples in learning and remembering the discourses, he is here told that it is not enough merely to know about these things; they must be practised and put into effect. And the end carries a warning against underestimating the risks.
Voidness, the subject of the discourse, is not defined. It may be assumed, though, that the Venerable Ānanda, who remembered all the discourses he had heard, could recall others in which it is defined in the sense intended here. Similarly, the doctrine of no-self, which is the basis of such voidness, is taken for granted. (The explanation is in the commentaries, though not in the commentary to this Sutta which relies on commentaries to earlier Suttas in the Majjhima Nikāya for some of its material.) The discourse is concerned only with the purpose for which those already defined doctrines should be used, and not with the way in which we use them.
The discourse can be misunderstood if it is forgotten that the Buddha has described his teaching as having only one taste, that of deliverance, just as the sea has only one taste, that of salt (Udāna 5); and that he said of becoming: "Just as even a little dung stinks, so I do not recommend even a little becoming, not for so much as a finger snap" (AN 1 xviii. 13). And to understand its full force it must not be forgotten that one who ends selfish clinging (which maintains becoming), and reaches arahantship, figures as one who has achieved the good which surpasses all others for the benefit of the world. "To protect oneself, bhikkhus, the foundation of mindfulness should be cultivated. To protect another the foundation of mindfulness should be cultivated. One who protects himself protects another; one who protects another protects himself. And how, bhikkhus, does one who protects himself protect another? By cultivation, development, and repeated practice. And how, bhikkhus, does one who protects another protect himself? By patience, harmlessness, kindness and forbearance" (S V 169).
The "Mahā Suññatā Sutta" is mentioned in the commentaries as one of the patipadā suttas (see the Commentary to Majjhima No. 3), one of which would be adopted by a bhikkhu as a guide in the particular mode of practice (patipadā) that suited his temperament. Others of these patipadā suttas give prominence to such qualities as restraint and patience (MN 3), purity through the seven stages of purification (MN 24), and so forth. Here seclusion is stressed.
— Ñāṇamoli Thera
1. [1][chlm][pts][ntbb][than][olds][upal]
Thus I heard:
At one time the Blessed One was living in the country of the Sakyans,
at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's park.
2. Then when it was morning,
the Blessed One dressed and taking his bowl and robe went into Kapilavatthu for alms.
After he had returned from his almsround,
after his meal,
he went to spend the day at the dwelling of Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan.
On that occasion, however,
there were many resting places prepared in the dwelling of Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan.
When the Blessed One saw this,
he thought:
"There are many resting places prepared in the dwelling of Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan;
do many bhikkhus live there?"
3. But on that occasion the Venerable Ānanda was engaged with many bhikkhus in making robes at the dwelling of Ghatā the Sakyan.
Then when it was evening,
the Blessed One rose from meditation and he went to the dwelling of Ghatā the Sakyan:
on arriving there he sat down on the appointed seat;
when he had done so,
the Blessed One said to the Venerable Ānanda:
"There are many resting places prepared in the dwelling of Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan;
do many bhikkhus live there?"
4. "Many resting places, Venerable Sir,
are prepared in the dwelling of Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan;
many bhikkhus are living there.
A time for making robes is permitted to us, Venerable Sir."
5. "A bhikkhu, Ānanda,
does not shine forth by delighting in company,
enjoying company,
devoted to delight in company,
delighting in society,
enjoying society,
finding satisfaction in society.
6. Indeed, Ānanda,
that a bhikkhu delighting in company,
enjoying company,
devoted to delight in company,
delighting in society,
enjoying society,
finding satisfaction in society should come to obtain the bliss of renunciation,
the bliss of seclusion,
the bliss of peace the bliss of enlightenment at will,
without trouble and in full,
that is not possible.
But when a bhikkhu lives alone,
apart from society,
that he may be expected to obtain the bliss of renunciation,
the bliss of seclusion,
the bliss of peace,
the bliss of enlightenment at will,
without trouble and in full,
that is possible.
7. Indeed, Ānanda,
that a bhikkhu delighting in company,
enjoying company,
devoted to delight in company,
delighting in society,
enjoying society,
finding satisfaction in society should enter upon and dwell in either the temporary,
or the permanent and unshakeable,
delectable mind deliverance,
that is not possible.
But when a bhikkhu lives alone,
apart from society,
that he may be expected to enter upon and dwell in the temporary,
or the permanent and unshakeable,
delectable mind deliverance,
that is possible.
8. I do not see, Ānanda,
even one material form that,
because of the change and alteration of that material form,
will not cause sorrow and lamentation,
pain,
grief,
and woe to arise in him who delights and takes pleasure therein.
9. But this is the abiding, Ānanda,
discovered by the Perfect One,
that is,
to enter upon and dwell in voidness internally by not bringing to mind any sign.
If the Perfect One, Ānanda,
dwelling therein by that abiding,
is visited by bhikkhus or bhikkhunis,
by men or women lay disciples,
by kings or kings' ministers,
by other sectarians or their followers,
on such occasions, Ānanda,
since his mind tends to seclusion,
inclines to seclusion,
is bent on seclusion,
is detached,
delights in renunciation and has put an end to all states that give rise to cankers,
the Perfect One will assuredly give only such talk as is associated with dismissal.
10. Therefore, Ānanda,
if a bhikkhu should wish,
'May I enter upon and dwell in voidness internally,'
that bhikkhu must settle,
steady,
unify and concentrate his mind internally.
11. And how, Ānanda,
does a bhikkhu settle,
steady,
unify,
and concentrate his mind internally?
"Here, Ānanda,
a bhikkhu,
secluded from sense desires,
secluded from unprofitable things,
enters upon and dwells in the first jhāna,
which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought,
and is filled with rapture and bliss born of seclusion.
"With the subsiding of applied and sustained thought,
he enters upon and dwells in the second jhāna,
which possesses internal serenity and singleness of mind and is without applied thought and without sustained thought,
and is filled with rapture and bliss born of concentration.
With the fading away of rapture he dwells in equanimity,
mindful and fully aware,
and he feels with his mental faculties that bliss,
of which the Noble Ones say:
'He who has equanimity and is mindful dwells happily;'
thus he enters upon and dwells in the third jhāna.
"With the abandoning of bodily bliss and bodily pain,
and with the disappearance of previous joy and grief,
he enters upon and dwells in the fourth jhāna,
which is neither painful nor pleasant and possesses mindfulness purified by equanimity.
"Thus, Ānanda,
does a bhikkhu settle,
steady,
unify,
and concentrate his mind internally.
12. He brings to mind voidness internally.
While bringing to mind voidness internally,
still his mind does not enter into voidness internally,
nor does it become settled,
steady and resolute.
When that is so, Ānanda,
the bhikkhu understands thus:
'While bringing to mind voidness internally,
still my mind does not enter voidness internally,
nor does it become settled,
steady and resolute.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
"He brings to mind voidness externally ... .
"He brings to mind voidnesss internally and externally ... .
13. He brings to mind the imperturbable.
While bringing to mind the imperturbable,
still his mind does not enter into the imperturbable,
nor does it become settled,
steady and resolute.
When that is so, Ānanda,
the bhikkhu understands thus:
'While bringing to mind the imperturbable,
still my mind does not enter into the imperturbable,
nor does it become settled,
steady and resolute.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
14. That bhikkhu, Ānanda,
must then continue to settle,
steady,
unify,
and concentrate his mind internally in that same sign of concentration as before.
15. He brings to mind voidness internally.
While bringing to mind voidness internally,
his mind enters into voidness internally,
becomes settled,
steady and resolute.
When that is so, Ānanda, the bhikkhu understands thus:
"While bringing to mind voidness internally,
my mind enters into voidness internally,
becomes settled,
steady and resolute."
Thus he is possessed of full awareness herein.
"He brings to mind voidness externally ... .
"He brings to mind voidness internally and externally ... .
16. He brings to mind the imperturbable.
While bringing to mind the imperturbable,
his mind enters into the imperturbable,
becomes settled,
steady and resolute.
When that is so, Ānanda,
the bhikkhu understands thus:
'While bringing to mind the imperturbable,
my mind enters into the imperturbable,
becomes settled,
steady and resolute.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
17. If, Ānanda,
dwelling in this way,
a bhikkhu's mind inclines to walking,
he walks:
'Walking thus,
the evil,
unprofitable states of covetousness and grief will not invade me.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
18. If, Ānanda,
dwelling in this way,
a bhikkhu's mind inclines to standing,
he stands:
'Standing thus,
the evil,
unprofitable states of mind will not invade me.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
19. If, Ānanda,
dwelling in this way,
a bhikkhu's mind inclines to sitting,
he sits ... .
20. If, Ānanda,
dwelling in this way,
a bhikkhu's mind inclines to lying down,
he lies down ... .
21. If, Ānanda,
dwelling in this way,
a bhikkhu's mind inclines to talking he resolves:
'Such talk as is low,
vulgar,
base,
ignoble,
as leads to harm,
as leads not to revulsion,
to fading away,
to cessation,
to pacification
to direct knowledge,
to enlightenment,
to Nibbāna;
that is to say,
talk of kings,
robbers,
ministers,
armies,
alarms,
battles,
food,
drink,
clothing,
beds,
garlands,
perfumes,
relatives,
vehicles,
villages,
towns,
cities,
countries,
women heroes,
street inhabitants,
wells,
the dead,
trivialities,
the origin of the world,
the origin of the sea,
whether things are so or are not so—in such talk I shall not indulge.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
22. But Ānanda,
he resolves:
'Such talk as is concerned with effacement,
as favours the mind's release,
as leads to complete revulsion,
to fading away,
to cessation,
to pacification,
to direct knowledge,
to enlightenment,
to Nibbāna;
that is to say,
talk on wanting little,
on contentment,
seclusion,
aloofness from contact,
strenuousness,
virtuous conduct,
concentration,
understanding deliverance,
knowledge and vision concerning deliverance —
in such talk I shall indulge.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
23. If, Ānanda,
dwelling in this way,
a bhikkhu's mind inclines to thinking,
he resolves,
'Such thoughts as are low,
vulgar,
base,
ignoble,
as lead to harm,
as lead not to revulsion,
to fading away,
to cessation,
to pacification,
to direct knowledge,
to enlightenment,
to Nibbāna;
that is to say,
thoughts of lust,
of ill-will,
of cruelty —
in such thoughts I shall not indulge.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
24. But, Ānanda, he resolves,
'Such thoughts as are noble,
as lead forth from the round of rebirths,
and lead on rightly to the destruction of suffering for him who practises them;
that is to say,
thoughts of renunciation,
non-ill-will,
non-cruelty —
in such thoughts I shall indulge.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
25. There are, Ānanda,
these five cords of sense-desire.
What five?
Visible objects cognizable by the eye that are sought after,
desired,
pleasing,
gratifying,
associated with desire,
and productive of greed;
sounds cognizable by the ear ... ;
odours cognizable by the nose ...;
flavours cognizable by the tongue...;
tangible objects cognizable by the body that are sought after,
desired,
pleasing,
gratifying,
associated with desire and productive of greed.
These are the five cords of sense-desire wherein a bhikkhu should constantly review his own mind thus:
'Does there arise in me any mental attachment concerned with any source of defilement among these five cords of sense-desire?'
26. If, Ānanda, while reviewing,
the bhikkhu understands,
'There arises in me mental attachment concerned with some source of defilement among these five cords of sense-desire,'
then the bhikkhu understands thus:
'Greed for the five cords of sense-desire is not abandoned in me.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
27. But if, Ānanda,
while reviewing,
the bhikkhu understands:
'There does not arise in me any mental attachment concerned with any source of defilement among these five cords of sense-desire,'
then the bhikkhu understands thus,
"Greed for the five cords of sense-desire is abandoned in me.'
Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
28. There are, Ānanda,
these five aggregates as objects of clinging,
wherein a bhikkhu should dwell contemplating arising and passing away:
'Thus is matter,
thus its arising,
thus its passing away;
thus is feeling,
thus its arising,
thus its passing away;
thus is perception,
thus its arising,
thus its passing away;
thus are formations,
thus their arising,
thus their passing away;
thus is consciousness,
thus its arising,
thus its passing away.'
29. In one who dwells contemplating arising and passing away of these five aggregates as objects of clinging,
the conceit
'I am,'
based on these five aggregates as objects of clinging is abandoned.
This being so the bhikkhu understands thus:
'The conceit
"I am,"
based on the five aggregates as objects of clinging is abandoned in me."
"Thus he is possessed of full awareness therein.
30. These, Ānanda,
are states of wholly profitable origin;
they are noble,
supramundane,
inaccessible to the Evil one.
31. What do you think, Ānanda?
With what aim in view is a disciple justified in seeking the Master's company,
even if resisted?"
32. Our doctrines [Dhamma], Venerable Sir,
have their roots in the Blessed One;
they have the Blessed One as their leader,
have the Blessed One as their refuge.
It would be good if the meaning of these words would occur to the Blessed One;
having heard it,
the bhikkhus will bear it in mind."
33. A disciple, Ānanda,
is not justified in seeking the Master's company for the sake of expositions of discourses and stanzas.
Why is that?
For long, Ānanda,
these doctrines have been heard by you,
borne in mind,
recited by word,
reviewed by the mind,
thoroughly mastered by the understanding.
But such talk as is concerned with effacement,
as favours the mind's release,
as leads to complete revulsion,
to fading away,
to cessation,
to pacification,
to direct knowledge,
to enlightenment,
to Nibbāna;
that is to say,
talk on wanting little,
contentment,
seclusion,
aloofness from contact,
strenuousness,
virtuous conduct,
concentration,
understanding,
deliverance,
knowledge,
and vision concerning deliverance —
for the sake of such talk, Ānanda,
a disciple is justified in seeking the Master's company,
even if resisted.
34. Yet when this is so, Ānanda,
there comes to be the teacher's undoing,
there comes to be the pupil's undoing,
and there comes to be the undoing of the dweller in the life of purity.
35. And how, Ānanda,
comes to be the teacher's undoing?
Here, Ānanda,
some teacher retires to a secluded abode:
to the forest,
the root of a tree,
a rock,
a hill cleft,
a mountain cave,
a charnel ground,
a woodland solitude,
an open space,
a heap of straw.
While dwelling thus in retreat,
priests and laymen from town and country visit him.
When that happens,
he goes astray,
hungers,
succumbs to craving,
and reverts to abundance.
This teacher, Ānanda,
is said to be undone by the teacher's undoing.
He has been struck down by evil unprofitable things that bring defilement;
cause continued becoming;
conduce to misery;
result in pain;
and produce future birth,
ageing and death.
Thus, Ānanda,
there comes to be the teacher's undoing.
36. And how, Ānanda,
does there come to be the pupil's undoing?
A pupil of that teacher,
emulating the teacher's seclusion,
retires to a secluded abode ... .
Thus, Ānanda,
there comes to be the pupil's undoing.
37. And how, Ānanda,
does there come to be the undoing of the dweller in the life of purity?
Here, Ānanda,
the Perfect One appears in the world,
Accomplished,
Fully Enlightened,
endowed with clear vision and virtuous conduct,
sublime,
knower of worlds,
incomparable leader of men to be tamed,
teacher of gods and men,
Enlightened,
Blessed.
He retires to a secluded abode:
to the forest,
the root of a tree,
a rock,
a hill cleft,
a mountain cave,
a charnel ground,
a woodland solitude,
an open space,
a heap of straw.
While dwelling thus in retreat,
priests and laymen from town and country visit him.
When this happens,
he does not go astray,
nor hunger,
nor succumb to craving,
nor revert to abundance.
But a disciple of this teacher,
emulating his teacher's seclusion,
retires to a secluded abode ... .
While dwelling thus in retreat,
priests and laymen from town and country visit him.
When this happens,
he goes astray,
hungers,
succumbs to craving and reverts to abundance.
This dweller in the life of purity, Ānanda,
is said to be undone by the undoing of the dweller in the life of purity.
He has been struck down by evil,
unprofitable things that bring defilement;
cause continued becoming,
conduce to misery;
result in pain;
and produce future birth,
ageing and death.
Thus, Ānanda,
there comes to be the undoing of a dweller in the life of purity.
And herein, Ānanda,
the undoing of a dweller in the life of purity has a more painful result,
a more bitter result,
than the teacher's undoing or the pupil's undoing,
and it even leads to rebirth in the states of woe.
38. And herein, Ānanda,
bear yourselves towards me in amity,
not in hostility;
long shall that be to your welfare and happiness.
39. And how, Ānanda,
do disciples bear themselves in hostility towards the Master,
not in amity?
Here, Ānanda,
compassionate and seeking their welfare,
the Master teaches the Truth [Damma] to the disciples out of compassion:
'This is for your welfare,
this is for your happiness.'
His disciples do not want to hear,
do not give ear,
do not lend their minds to knowledge;
erring,
they turn aside from the Master's teaching.
Thus do disciples bear themselves in hostility towards the Master,
not in amity.
40. And how, Ānanda,
do disciples bear themselves in amity towards the Master,
not in hostility?
Here, Ānanda,
compassionate and seeking their welfare,
the Master teaches the Truth to the disciples out of compassion:
'This is for your welfare,
this is for your happiness.'
His disciples want to hear,
give ear,
lend their minds to knowledge;
nor, erring,
do they turn aside from the Master's teaching.
Thus do disciples bear themselves in amity towards the Master,
not in hostility.
"Therefore, Ānanda,
bear yourselves in amity towards me,
not in hostility;
long shall this be for your welfare and happiness.
41. I shall not, Ānanda,
treat you as the potter treats the raw damp clay.
Repeatedly admonishing,
repeatedly testing,
I shall speak to you, Ānanda.
He who is sound will stand the test."
So said the Blessed One.
Glad at heart,
the Venerable Ānanda rejoiced at his words.