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#### Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṅga Vagga

#### Sutta 139

#### Araṇa-Vibhaṅga Suttaṁ

# Analyzing Disengagement

Retold
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][chlm][pts][ntbb][upal] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time, Bhagava,
Sāvatthi-town,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park,
Jeta Grove revisiting,
said this to the Beggars gathered round:

"Beggars!" he says.

And "Broke Tooth!" they respond.

I will analyze for you the art of disengagement.

Listen up good,
pay attention,
I will speak!

"Even so, Bhante!"

And what is the Art of Disengagement?

[2] It is not submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures —
stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

[3] It is not being employed
in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

[4] Working towards neither of these extreme ends,
the Art of Disengagement is the walking of that Middle Path
awakened to by the Tathāgata,
made visible,
made known,
peaceful,
conducing to higher knowledge,
self-awakening,
Nibbāna.

[5] The Art of Disengagement, beggars,
is knowing what it is to take sides
and to be biased
either for or against,
and it is the non advocacy of either side,
the not being biased
either for or against,
but simply teaching Dhamma.

[6] The Art of Disengagement, beggars,
is understanding how to judge what is pleasant
and knowing how to judge what is pleasant,
being occupied solely
by inward pleasantness.

[7] It is knowing about
what should be spoken of
and what should be left unsaid,
knowing the appropriate time
to speak about private matters
and when and when not to confront another
with what is unpleasant to hear.

[8] It is the art of speaking clearly,
without hurry or drama,
without either denigrating the local idiom
or adhering rigidly only to
what is acceptable speech in certain circles.

[9] This, Beggars, is The Art of Disengagement.

§

[10] And what, Beggars, is the Analysis of the Art of Disengagement?

[11] This is what is meant by the statement:

'It is not submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures;
it is not being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment':

[12] Whatever is intent to experience pleasure
associated with the senses,
that is what is called
submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

This is a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is going to one extreme.

This is not the High Way.

[13] Whatever is non intent
to experience pleasure associated with the senses,
that is what is called
not submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
not submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

This is a thing which does not have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not going to that extreme.

This is the practice of the Art of Disengagement.

This is the High Way.

[14] Whatever is intent to inflict pain,
punishments,
misery
on the self,
that is what is called
being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

This is a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is going to the other extreme.

This is not the High Way.

[15] Whatever is non intent
to inflict pain,
punishments,
misery
on the self,
that is what is called
not being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

This is a thing which does not have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not going to that extreme.

This is the practice of the Art of Disengagement.

This is the High Way.

[16] This is what it means, Beggars, to say:

'Going after neither of these extremes
the Art of Disengagement
is the walking of that Middle Path
awakened to by the Tathāgata,
made visible,
made known,
peaceful,
conducing to higher knowledge,
self-awakening, Nibbāna.'

This is that High Way itself,
that is to say:

High View,
High Principles,
High Talk,
High Works,
High Lifestyle,
High Self Control,
High Mind,
High Serenity,
High Vision and
High Detachment.

[17] This is what it means, beggars,
to take sides
or to be biased
either for or against:

[18] In the case of the first case
you have the case
of the Beggar here
who is biased
for or against.

He indicates his bias against
by saying:

'All of you[1]
who are intent on the experience
of pleasure associated with the senses,
you are all
submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

You are doing a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

You are all going to one extreme.

You are not practicing the Art of Disengagement.

You are not going along the High Way.'

[19] He indicates bias for
by saying:

'All of you
who are not intent
on the experience of pleasure
associated with the senses,
you are not submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
not submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

You are not doing a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

You are not going to that extreme.

You are practicing the Art of Disengagement.

You are going along the High Way.'

[20] He indicates bias against by saying:

'All of you
who are intent on inflicting pain,
punishments,
misery
on yourselves,
that is what is called
being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

You are doing a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

You are going to the other extreme.

You are not practicing the Art of Disengagement.

You are not going along the High Way.'

[21] He indicates bias for
by saying

'All of you
who are not intent on inflicting pain,
punishments,
misery
on yourselves,
that is what is called
not being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

You are not doing a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

You are not going to that extreme.

You are practicing the Art of Disengagement.

You are going along the High Way.'

[22] He indicates bias against by saying:

'All of you
who have not let go of the yoke to rebirth are subject to
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

You are not practicing the Art of Disengagement.

You are not going along the High Way.'

[23] He indicates bias for by saying:

'All of you
who have let go of the yoke to rebirth are not subject to
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

You are practicing the Art of Disengagement.

You are going along the High Way.'

[24] This is what it means, beggars,
to not take sides
and to not be biased
either for or against,
and not taking sides,
not being biased
either for or against,
to simply teach Dhamma:

[25] Here one does not take sides,
does not indicate bias
for or against
and simply teaches Dhamma by saying:

'Whatever is intent to experience
pleasure associated with the senses,
that is what is called
submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

This is a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is going to one extreme.

This is not practicing the Art of Disengagement.

This is not the High Way.'

[26] Or by saying:

'Whatever is non intent to experience
pleasure associated with the senses,
that is what is called
not submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
not submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

This is a thing which does not have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not going to that extreme.

This is practicing the Art of Disengagement.

This is the High Way.'

[27] Or by saying:

'Whatever is intent to inflict pain,
punishments,
misery
on the self,
that is what is called
being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

This is a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is going to the other extreme.

This is not practicing the Art of Disengagement.

This is not the High Way.'

[28] Or by saying:

'Whatever is non-intent to inflict pain,
punishments,
misery on the self,
that is what is called
not being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

This is a thing which does not have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not going to that extreme.

This is practicing the Art of Disengagement.

This is the High Way.'

[29] Or by saying:

'To not let go of the yoke to rebirth
is to be subject to
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not practicing the Art of Disengagement.

This is not going along the High Way.'

[30] Or by saying:

'To let go of the yoke to rebirth
is to be free from
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is practicing the Art of Disengagement.

This is going along the High Way.'

[31] This is what it means, Beggars, to say:

'Going after neither of these extremes
the Art of Disengagement is the walking of that Middle Path
awakened to by the Tathāgata,
made visible,
made known,
peaceful,
conducing to higher knowledge,
self-awakening,
Nibbāna.

This is that High Way itself,
that is to say:

High View,
High Principles,
High Talk,
High Works,
High Lifestyle,
High Self Control,
High Mind,
High Serenity,
High Vision and
High Detachment.'

[32] This is what it means, Beggars,
to understand how to judge
what is pleasant
and knowing how to judge
what is pleasant,
to be occupied by the inward pleasantness:

[33] These five are called
'The Yokes to Sense Pleasures.'

What five?

Those Visible Objects,
Sounds,
Scents,
Savours and
Touches
that are wished for,
wanted,
much desired,
yearned for,
mooned over,
sought after,
that are enjoyed and liked,
that conduce to desire and lust.

These are called
'The Five Yokes to Sense Pleasures.'

[34] That pleasure that is experienced
as a consequence of being yoked to
through these five yokes to sense pleasure
are called:
the ploys,
the being in the employment of
sense pleasures,
stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment;
things which have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence;
going to the extreme;
not an aspect of the Art of Disengagement,
not going along the High Way.

[35] Pleasure of this sort, Beggars,
should not be wished for,
wanted,
much desired,
yearned for,
mooned over,
sought after,
indulged in,
cultivated or
developed.

They are such as such as is to be feared,
say I.

[36] But here a Beggar,
letting go of pleasures of this low sort,
separating himself
from unskillful states that hinder,
turning his mind to
the appreciation
of the peace and calm of solitude,
soaking,
permeating,
suffusing and
saturating
that body there
with the appreciation
of the peace and calm of solitude,
enters into
and lives in
the first burning.

This is called the happiness of letting go,
the happiness of being above it all,
the happiness of peace and calm,
the happiness of self-awakening.

This is a happiness
that should be wished for,
wanted,
desired,
sought after,
indulged in,
cultivated and
developed.

This is happiness
that is an aspect of The Art of Disengagement.

This is being occupied by inward pleasure.

This is a happiness free from fear,
say I.

[37] Or, again, Beggars,
letting go of thinking and thinking about,
with a sense of enthusiasm
and enjoyment
born of the appreciation of serenity,
soaking,
permeating,
suffusing and
saturating
that body there
with the enthusiasm
and enjoyment
born of the appreciation of serenity,
a Beggar enters into
and lives in
the second burning.

This is called
the happiness of letting go,
the happiness of being above it all,
the happiness of peace and calm,
the happiness of self-awakening.

This is a happiness
that should be wished for,
wanted,
desired,
sought after,
indulged in,
cultivated
and developed.

This is happiness
that is an aspect of The Art of Disengagement.

This is being occupied by inward pleasure.

This is a happiness free from fear,
say I.

[38] Or, again, Beggars,
letting go of enthusiasm,
simply enjoying the ease
spoken of by the Aristocrats
when they say:

'Mindful and serene, this beggar has the life!'

Soaking,
permeating,
suffusing and
saturating
that body there
with the enjoyment of ease,
he enters into
and lives in
the third burning.

This is called
the happiness of letting go,
the happiness of being above it all,
the happiness of peace and calm,
the happiness of self-awakening.

This is a happiness
that should be wished for,
wanted,
desired,
sought after,
indulged in,
cultivated and
developed.

This is happiness
that is an aspect of The Art of Disengagement.

This is being occupied by inward pleasure.

This is a happiness free from fear,
say I.

[39] Or, again, Beggars,
by letting go of ease,
by letting go of both
mental pleasure and mental pain
and bodily pleasure and bodily pain,
thoroughly detached,
with the serenity of the
bright
shinny
clean clear through
radiance of detachment,
soaking,
permeating,
suffusing and
saturating
that body there
with the pleasure of the
bright
shinny
clean clear through
radiance of detachment,
he enters into
and lives in
the fourth burning.

This is called
the happiness of letting go,
the happiness of being above it all,
the happiness of peace and calm,
the happiness of self-awakening.

This is a happiness
that should be wished for,
wanted,
desired,
sought after,
indulged in,
cultivated and developed.

This is happiness
that is an aspect of The Art of Disengagement.

This is being occupied by inward pleasure.

This is a happiness free from fear,
say I.

[40] This is what it means, Beggars,
to understand how to judge
what is pleasant and
knowing how to judge what is pleasant,
to be occupied by
the inward pleasantness.

[41] This is what it means
to know about what should be spoken of
and what should be left unsaid,
to know the appropriate time
to speak about private matters
and confront another
with what is unpleasant to hear:

[42] Here Beggars,
if a matter heard privately
is not in accordance with the facts,
is distorted,
and is irrelevant to attainment,
then one should not repeat such talk.

[43] If a matter heard privately
is in accordance with the facts,
is not distorted,
but is irrelevant to attainment,
then one should not repeat such talk.

[44] And if a matter heard privately
is in accordance with the facts,
is not distorted,
and is relevant to attainment
then when the appropriate circumstances present themselves[2]
such talk may be repeated.

[45] Or if a matter is deemed to be unpleasant to hear,
is not in accordance with the facts,
is distorted,
and is irrelevant to attainment,
then one should not confront an individual
with such a subject.

[46] Or if a matter is deemed to be unpleasant to hear,
is in accordance with the facts,
is not distorted,
and is irrelevant to attainment,
then one should not confront an individual
with such a subject.

[47] But if a matter is deemed to be unpleasant to hear,
is in accordance with the facts,
is not distorted,
and is relevant to attainment,
then when the appropriate circumstances present themselves
one may confront an individual
with such a subject.

[48] This, beggars,
is the art of speaking clearly,
without either denigrating the local idiom
or adhering rigidly
only to what is acceptable speech in certain circles.

[49] In speaking hurriedly
or in an overly dramatic manner, beggars,
one is quickly fatigued,
one loses one's train of thought,
the voice gets hoarse
and loses its pleasant sound,
and the meaning is not conveyed clearly.

[50] Speaking in an unhurried manner
without over-dramatizing, beggars,
one is not quickly fatigued,
one retains one's train of thought,
the voice does not get horse
and lose its pleasant sound,
and the meaning is conveyed clearly.

[51] In different areas of the country,
in different social classes,
and across Time,
a patta has come to be known as a bowl,
a platter,
a plate,
a tin,
a cup,
a trencher,
a saucer,
a dish,
a vessel,
a pan,
a pot,
a mug,
a basin,
china,
and so forth.

[52] One denigrates the local idiom
and adheres rigidly
only to what is acceptable speech in certain circles
by saying:

'This is a patta,
(or a bowl, a platter, a plate, a tin, a cup, a trencher, a saucer, a dish, a vessel, a pan, a pot, a mug, a basin, and so forth).

This
and this alone
is the proper word for this,
all other words for this
are incorrect.'

[53] One does not denigrate the local idiom
or adhere rigidly
only to what is acceptable speech in certain circles
saying:

'This which here is called a patta,
those there call a bowl
(or a platter, a plate, a tin, a cup, a trencher, a saucer, a dish, a vessel, a pan, a pot, a mug, a basin, and so forth),
so when the word "bowl
(or platter, or plate, or tin, or cup, or trencher, or saucer, or dish, or vessel, or pan, or pot, or mug, or basin, and so forth)
is used you should understand the meaning to be 'patta'.[3]

§

[54] Here then, whatever is intent
to experience pleasure
associated with the senses,
that is what is called
submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

This is a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is going to one extreme.

This is not the High Way.

This is being engaged.

[55] Here then, whatever is non intent
to experience pleasure
associated with the senses,
that is what is called
not submitting to the ploy of sweet pleasures,
not submitting to the ploy of stuff that has been left behind,
ordinary,
plain,
unaristocratic,
not connected to attainment.

This is a thing which does not have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not going to that extreme.

This is the practice of the Art of Disengagement.

This is the High Way.

This is being disengaged.

[56] Here then, whatever is intent
to inflict pain,
punishments,
misery
on the self,
that is what is called
being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

This is a thing which has
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is going to the other extreme.

This is not the High Way.

This is being engaged.

[57] Here then,
whatever is non intent to inflict pain,
punishments,
misery on the self,
that is what is called
not being employed in exhausting the self
in painful,
unaristocratic toil
unconnected to attainment.

This is a thing which does not have
grief and lamentation,
pain and misery
and despair
as a consequence.

This is not going to that extreme.

This is the practice of the Art of Disengagement.

This is the High Way.

This is being disengaged.

[58] This is what it means then, Beggars,
to say:

'Going after neither of these extremes
the Art of Disengagement is the walking
of that Middle Path
awakened to by the Tathāgata,
made visible,
made known,
peaceful,
conducing to higher knowledge,
self-awakening,
Nibbāna.

This is that High Way itself,
that is to say:

High View,
High Principles,
High Talk,
High Works,
High Lifestyle,
High Self Control,
High Mind,
High Serenity,
High Vision and
High Detachment.

This is what it means to be disengaged.

So spoke the Lucky Man.

Pleased in mind,
these bhikkhus said:

"Wonderful!"

[1] Any indication of a "subject" for the statement: "Those who", "Anyone," "You," "So and So," etc. But the interesting thing to note here is the way The Buddha is using his own way of describing the categories of bias as the object of this analysis, so that we end up with what not to do on two levels (engagement in pleasure-seeking and bias) and how not to think or speak about what we are not to do as well. A very efficient way to drive home a lesson.

[2] Such as when the person themselves brings up the subject, when the person asks a direct question that elicits that information, or when one judges that the person will be receptive to discussion of the subject.

[3] There is of course huge controversy over the meaning of this instruction. The reason is the implications it has to translation. It is being mostly conveniently interpreted as meaning that we should use the term used locally. In other words: translate. The other understanding is that we should be teaching the local population the Pāḷi term. Both, of course involve translation, but with the former you end up looking to the local work for meaning, in the latter you look to the translation as a guide to what is to be found in the Pāḷi. It is the latter method which is being attempted on this site.

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