Saɱyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saɱyutta
§ II: Paññāsaka Dutiya
4. Channa 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
§ II: The 'Second Fifty' Suttas
4. The Chapter on Channa and Others
Sutta 89
Bāhiya Suttaɱ
Bāhiya
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's, Park.[ed1]
Then the venerable Bāiya[1] came to see the Exalted One,
saluted him,
and sat down at one side.
Seated at one side the venerable Bāiya said to the Exalted One: -
"Well for me, lord, if the Exalted One would teach me a teaching in brief,
hearing which teaching from the Exalted One
I might dwell solitary,
remote,
earnest,
ardent
and aspiring."
"Now what think you, Bāiya?
Is the eye permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are objects permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is eye-consciousness permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is eye-contact permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"That weal or woe or neutral state experienced, that arises from eye-contact, -
is that permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
Now what think ye, Bāiya?
"Is the ear permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are sounds permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is ear-consciousness permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is ear-contact permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"That weal or woe or neutral state experienced, that arises from ear-contact, -
is that permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
Now what think ye, Bāiya?
Is the nose permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are scents permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is nose-consciousness permanetn
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is nose-contact permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"That weal or woe or neutral state experienced, that arises from nose-contact, -
is that permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
Now what think ye, Bāiya?
Is the tongue permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are savours permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is tongue-consciousness permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is tongue-contact permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"That weal or woe or neutral state experienced, that arises from tongue-contact, -
is that permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
"Now what think ye, Bāiya?
Is the body permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are things tactile permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is body-consciousness permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is body-contact permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"That weal or woe or neutral state experienced, that arises from body-contact, -
is that permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
"Now what think ye, Bāiya?
Is the mind permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are mind-states permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is mind-consciousness permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is mind-contact permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"That weal or woe or neutral state experienced, that arises from mind-contact, -
is that permanent
or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"What is impermanent,
is that weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
by nature changeable, -
is it fitting to regard that as:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self?'"
"Surely not, lord."
[14] So seeing, Bāiya, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by the eye,
is repelled by objects,
is repelled by eye-consciousness,
is repelled by eye-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to eye-contact.
■
So seeing, Bāiya, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by the ear,
is repelled by sounds,
is repelled by ear-consciousness,
is repelled by ear-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to ear-contact.
■
So seeing, Bāiya, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by the nose,
is repelled by scents,
is repelled by nose-consciousness,
is repelled by nose-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to nose-contact.
■
So seeing, Bāiya, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by the tongue,
is repelled by savours,
is repelled by tongue-consciousness,
is repelled by tongue-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to tongue-contact.
■
So seeing, Bāiya, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by the body,
is repelled by things tactile,
is repelled by body-consciousness,
is repelled by body-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to body-contact.
■
So seeing, Bāiya, the well-taught Ariyan disciple
is repelled by the mind,
is repelled by mind-states,
is repelled by mind-consciousness,
is repelled by mind-contact,
is repelled by that weal or woe or neutral state experienced,
which arises owing to mind-contact.
§
Being repelled by these,
he lusts not for them.
Not lusting he is set free.
In this freedom
comes insight
that it is a being free.
Thus he realizes:
'Rebirth is destroyed,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task.
For life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'"
§
Then the venerable Bāiya was delighted with the words of the Exalted One
welcomed the words of the Exalted One,
and took pleasure therein,
and rising from his seat
he saluted the Exalted One by the right.
Then the venerable Bāiya,
dwelling solitary,
remote,
earnest,
ardent
and aspiring,
in no long time attained that goal
for which the clansmen rightly leave home for the homeless life,
even that unrivalled goal of righteous living;
attained it even in that very life,
and knowing it for himself,
realizing it for himself,
abode therein,
so that he came to know:
"Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter."
And the venerable Bāiya was yet another of the Arahants.
[1] Cf. Uddna, i, 10, where a brother of this name was called Dārucīriya, because he wore a dress of bark.
[ed1] The Pali begins "There then ..." which would indicate by reference to the previous sutta which in the text has a similar nidana, that this sutta was delevered in Rājagaha, the location of the sutta prior to that one. But the previous sutta was, according to MN 145 actually delivered in Sāvatthi, so I take it that this "There..." indicates Sāvatthi, not Rājagaha.
