Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
46. Bojjhanga Saṃyutta
1. Pabbata Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
46. Kindred Sayings on the Limbs of Wisdom
1. The Mountain
Sutta 6
Kuṇḍali Suttaṃ
Kuṇḍali[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One was staying at Sāketa,[2]
in Anjana Grove,
in Antelope Park.
Now on that occasion Kuṇḍaliya the wanderer
came to visit the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
he greeted him courteously and,
after the exchange of the compliments
of friendship and courtesy,
sat down at one side.
So seated,
Kuṇḍaliya the wanderer
said this to the Exalted One:
"Master Gotama, I live near the Park
and am a frequenter of companies.[3]
Well, Master Gotama, this is my practice
when I have had my morning meal.
I roam and wander from park to park,
from garden to garden.
There I behold certain recluses and brahmins
debating on the profit
of freedom from controversy[4]
and the profit of wrangling.
But what profit is there
in the worthy Gotama's way of living?"
§
"A Tathāgata, Kuṇḍaliya,
lives enjoying the profits
of the fruit
of release by knowledge."
■
"Pray, Master Gotama,
what are the conditions which,
when cultivated and made much of,
complete the release by knowledge?"
"There are seven limbs of wisdom, Kuṇḍaliya,
which, when cultivated and made much of,
complete the release by knowledge."
■
"What conditions, Master Gotama,
are these which,
cultivated and made much of,
complete the seven limbs of wisdom?"
"Four stations of mindfulness, Kuṇḍaliya,
if cultivated and made much of,
complete the seven limbs of wisdom."
■
"But, Master Gotama, what conditions,
if cultivated and made much of,
complete the four stations of mindfulness?"
[61] The three virtuous habits,[5] Kuṇḍaliya
if cultivated and made much of,
complete the four stations of mindfulness."
■
"But, Master Gotama, what are the conditions
if cultivated and made much of,
complete the three virtuous habits?"
"Control of the sense faculties, Kuṇḍaliya,
if cultivated and made much of,
completes the three virtuous habits.
But how cultivated
and how made much of, Kuṇḍaliya,
do they complete the three virtuous habits?
Herein, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
seeing a delightful object with the eye,
does not hanker for it,
does not thrill[6] thereat,
does not develop lust for it.
His body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
If with the eye
he behold an object repulsive,
he is not shocked[7] thereat,
his mind is not unsettled[8]
or depressed[9]
or resentful
because of that,
but his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
■
Again, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
hearing a delightful sound with the ear[10],
does not hanker for it,
does not thrill thereat,
does not develop lust for it.
His body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
If with the ear
he hear a repulsive sound,
he is not shocked thereat,
his mind is not unsettled
or depressed
or resentful
because of that,
but his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
■
Again, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
smelling a delightful scent with the nose,
does not hanker for it,
does not thrill thereat,
does not develop lust for it.
His body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
If with the nose
he smell a repulsive scent,
he is not shocked thereat,
his mind is not unsettled
or depressed
or resentful
because of that,
but his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
■
Again, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
tasting a delightful savour with the tongue,
does not hanker for it,
does not thrill thereat,
does not develop lust for it.
His body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
If with the tongue
he taste a repulsive savour,
he is not shocked thereat,
his mind is not unsettled
or depressed
or resentful
because of that,
but his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
■
Again, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
contacting with body a delightful touch,
does not hanker for it,
does not thrill thereat,
does not develop lust for it.
His body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
If with the body
he contact a repulsive touch,
he is not shocked thereat,
his mind is not unsettled
or depressed
or resentful
because of that,
but his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
■
Again, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
with mind cognizing a delightful state,
does not hanker for it,
does not thrill thereat,
does not develop lust for it.
His body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
If with the mind
he be conscious of a repulsive state,
he is not shocked thereat,
his mind is not unsettled
or depressed
or resentful
because of that,
but his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
inwardly well established
and released.
§
Now, Kuṇḍaliya,
since on seeing an object with the eye,
whether objects are delightful or repulsive,
his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
but inwardly well established
[62] and released;
since on hearing a sound with, the ear,
whether sounds are delightful or repulsive,
his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
but inwardly well established
and released;
since on smelling a scent with the nose,
whether scents are delightful or repulsive,
his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
but inwardly well established
and released;
since on tasting a savour with the tongue,
whether savours are delightful or repulsive,
his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
but inwardly well established
and released;
since with body contacting a tangible,
whether tangibles are delightful or repulsive,
his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
but inwardly well established
and released;
since with mind cognizing a mental state,
whether mental states be delightful or repulsive,
his body is unmoved,
his mind is unmoved,
but inwardly well established
and released, -
restraint of faculties thus cultivated,
thus made much of,
completes the three virtuous habits
(of body, speech and mind).
■
And how cultivated, Kuṇḍaliya,
how made much of,
do the three virtuous habits
complete the four stations of mindfulness?
Herein, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk,
by abandoning vicious habit of body,
cultivates virtuous habit of body.
Abandoning vicious habit of speech,
he cultivates virtuous habit of speech.
Abandoning vicious habit of mind,
he cultivates virtuous habit of mind.
Thus cultivated, Kuṇḍaliya,
thus made much of,
the three virtuous habits
complete the four stations of mindfulness.
■
And how cultivated, Kuṇḍaliya,
how made much of,
do the four stations of mindfulness
complete the seven limbs of wisdom?
Herein, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk
abides in body contemplating body[11]
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He abides in feelings contemplating feelings
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
He abides in mind-states contemplating mind-states
(as transient),
ardent,
self-possessed
and mindful,
by restraining the dejection in the world
that arises from coveting.
Thus cultivated, Kuṇḍaliya,
thus made much of,
the four stations of mindfulness
complete the seven limbs of wisdom.
■
And how cultivated, Kuṇḍaliya,
how made much of,
do the seven limbs of wisdom
complete the release by knowledge?
Herein, Kuṇḍaliya, a monk cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is mindfulness,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
[63] on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is investigation of the Norm,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is energy,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is zest,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is tranquillity,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is concentration,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
He cultivates the limb of wisdom
that is equanimity,
which is based on seclusion,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.
Thus cultivated, Kuṇḍaliya
thus made much of,
do the seven limbs of wisdom
complete the release by knowledge."
At these words the wanderer Kuṇḍaliya exclaimed:
"Excellent, lord!
Excellent, lord!
Just as if one should lift up the fallen,
discover the hidden,
point out the way to the bewildered,
show a light in the gloom, saying:|| ||
'Now they that have eyes to see||
can see objects,' -|| ||
even so in divers ways
has the Exalted One expounded the truth.
I, even I, lord,
do go for refuge to the Exalted One,
to the Norm
and to the Order of monks.
May the Exalted One accept me as his follower,
as one who from this time forth
even to life's end
hath gone to refuge in him."
[1] One who wears ear-rings.
[2] In Oudh, once the capital of Kosala. Cf. infra, text 219; K.S. i, 77 n.; Buddh. India, 39, 103.
[3] Parisāvacaro (A. v, 10). 'One who attended gatherings where views are aired ("debating societies").' Comy.
[4] The 'thus-talk' of views. Iti-vāda-pamolckha. Cf. M. i, 133; A. ii, 26; Dial. i, 13 n.
[5] A. i, 49: Kāya-, vaci-, mano-caritāni.
[6] Text abhihaṇsati (? to bristle or tingle with delight), but Comy. abhihasati.
[7] Mañku = désolé.
[8] Apatiṭṭhita-citto {Comy. atiṭṭha-).
[9] Adīna-mānaso. Comy. Domanassa vasena ādīna-citto (ādīna = not depressed).
[10] Cf. K.S. iv, 63, 69, 71, 105, etc.
