Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ 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 191
Koṭṭhika Suttaṃ
Koṭṭhika[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 Sāriputta and the venerable Koṭṭhika the Great were staying near Benares,
at Isipatana in the Antelope Park.
[2] Then the venerable Koṭṭhika the Great,
rising from his solitude at eventide,
went to visit the venerable Sāriputta,
and on coming to him
greeted him courteously,
and after the exchange of greetings and courtesies
sat down at one side.
[3] So seated
he said to the venerable Sāriputta: —
"How now, friend?
Is the eye the bond of objects,
or are objects the bond of the eye?
Is the ear the bond of sounds,
or are sounds the bond of the ear?
Is the nose the bond of scents,
or are scents the bond of the nose?
Is the tongue the bond of savours,
or are savours the bond of the tongue?
Is the body the bond of tangibles,
or are tangibles the bond of the body?
Is mind the bond of mind-states,
or are mind-states the bond of the mind?"
■
[4] "Not so, friend Koṭṭhika.
The eye is not the bond of objects,
nor are objects the bond of the eye,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The ear is not the bond of sounds,
nor are sounds the bond of the ear,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The nose is not the bond of scents,
nor are scents the bond of the nose,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The tongue is not the bond of savours,
nor are savours the bond of the tongue,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The body is not the bond of tangibles,
nor are tangibles the bond of the body,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The mind is not the bond of mind-states,
nor are mind-states the bond of the mind,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
§
[5] Suppose, friend,
two oxen,
one white and one black,
tied by one rope
or one yoke-tie.
Would one be right in saying
that the black ox is the bond for the white one,
or that the white ox is the bond for the black one?"
"Surely not, friend."
"No, friend.
It is not so.
But the rope
or the yoke-tie [102] which binds the two, —
that is the bond that unites them.
So it is that the eye is not the bond of objects,
nor are objects the bond of the eye,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The ear is not the bond of sounds,
nor are sounds the bond of the ear,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The nose is not the bond of scents,
nor are scents the bond of the nose,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The tongue is not the bond of savours,
nor are savours the bond of the tongue,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The body is not the bond of tangibles,
nor are tangibles the bond of the body,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The mind is not the bond of mind-states,
nor are mind-states the bond of the mind,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
§
[6] If the eye, friend,
were the bond of objects,
or if objects were the bond of the eye,
then this righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
could not be proclaimed.
But since the eye, friend,
is not the bond of objects,
nor are objects the bond of the eye,
but the desire and lust
which are in them
is the bond,
therefore is the righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
proclaimed.
■
If the ear, friend,
were the bond of sounds,
or if sounds were the bond of the ear,
then this righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
could not be proclaimed.
But since the ear, friend,
is not the bond of sounds,
nor are sounds the bond of the ear,
but the desire and lust
which are in them
is the bond,
therefore is the righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
proclaimed.
■
If the nose, friend,
were the bond of scents,
or if scents were the bond of the nose,
then this righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
could not be proclaimed.
But since the nose, friend,
is not the bond of scents,
nor are scents the bond of the nose,
but the desire and lust
which are in them
is the bond,
therefore is the righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
proclaimed.
■
If the tongue, friend,
were the bond of savours,
or if savours were the bond of the tongue,
then this righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
could not be proclaimed.
But since the tongue, friend,
is not the bond of savours,
nor are savours the bond of the tongue,
but the desire and lust
which are in them
is the bond,
therefore is the righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
proclaimed.
■
If the body, friend,
were the bond of tangibles,
or if tangibles were the bond of the body,
then this righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
could not be proclaimed.
But since the body, friend,
is not the bond of tangibles,
nor are tangibles the bond of the body,
but the desire and lust
which are in them
is the bond,
therefore is the righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
proclaimed.
■
If the mind, friend,
were the bond of mind-states,
or if mind-states were the bond of the mind,
then this righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
could not be proclaimed.
But since the mind, friend,
is not the bond of mind-states,
nor are mind-states the bond of the mind,
but the desire and lust
which are in them
is the bond,
therefore is the righteous life
for the utter destruction of Ill
proclaimed.
§
[7] Now by this method
it is to be understood,
as I have stated:
That the eye is not the bond of objects,
nor are objects the bond of the eye,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The ear is not the bond of sounds,
nor are sounds the bond of the ear,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The nose is not the bond of scents,
nor are scents the bond of the nose,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The tongue is not the bond of savours,
nor are savours the bond of the tongue,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The body is not the bond of tangibles,
nor are tangibles the bond of the body,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The mind is not the bond of mind-states,
nor are mind-states the bond of the mind,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
§
[8] There is in the Exalted One an eye, friend.
The Exalted One sees an object with the eye.
But in the Exalted One is no desire and lust.
Wholly heart-free is the Exalted One.
■
There is in the Exalted One an ear, friend.
The Exalted One hears sounds with the ear.
But in the Exalted One is no desire and lust.
Wholly heart-free is the Exalted One.
■
There is in the Exalted One a nose, friend.
The Exalted One smells scents with the nose.
But in the Exalted One is no desire and lust.
Wholly heart-free is the Exalted One.
■
There is in the Exalted One a tongue, friend.
The Exalted One tastes savours with the tongue.
But in the Exalted One is no desire and lust.
Wholly heart-free is the Exalted One.
■
There is in the Exalted One a body, friend.
The Exalted One contacts tangibles with the body.
But in the Exalted One is no desire and lust.
Wholly heart-free is the Exalted One.
■
There is in the Exalted One a mind, friend.
The Exalted One cognizes mind-states with the mind.
But in the Exalted One is no desire and lust.
Wholly heart-free is the Exalted One.
[9] By this method, friend, you are to understand, as I said before:
That the eye is not the bond of objects,
nor are objects the bond of the eye,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The ear is not the bond of sounds,
nor are sounds the bond of the ear,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The nose is not the bond of scents,
nor are scents the bond of the nose,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The tongue is not the bond of savours,
nor are savours the bond of the tongue,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The body is not the bond of tangibles,
nor are tangibles the bond of the body,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
The mind is not the bond of mind-states,
nor are mind-states the bond of the mind,
but that desire and lust that arise
owing to these two,
that is the bond.
[1] Supra, § 161. This may be another ease of Koṭṭhika's arranging with Sāriputta to 'play' at teacher and pupil, so as to aid the former to win proficiency as a teacher. Cf. Comy. on M. i, 293, i.e., Pap. Sūd., ii, 335. (The suggestion is that of Mrs. Rhys Davids.)
