No copyright

This work is intentionally being placed in the Public Domain.

May 23, 2021

§

Buddha Dust

Bits and scraps, crumbs, fine

Particles that drift down to

Walkers of The Walk.

Then: Thanks for that, Far-Seer!

Great 'Getter-of-the-Get'n!

■

May all beings be well and happy

May I act with friendliness in thought, word, and deed

towards all living beings

in whatsoever of the ten directions they may abide

whether far or near

May I sympathize with their pains and sorrows

Empathize with their situations

and be at all times objectively detached.

Majjhima Nikāya

3. Upari Paṇṇāsa

3. Suññata Vagga

Sutta 122

Mahā Suññata Suttaɱ

A Great Spell of Emptiness

Translated from the Pali

by

Michael M. Olds

BuddhaDust Publications

Los Altos

2021

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā sambuddhassa

In the name of The Lucky Man,

Aristocrat, Consummately Self-Awakened One

For my Mother and Father,

in gratitude for giving me this life.

To My Teachers

in the order encountered

H.C. Warren, Buddhism in Translations,

The Pali Text Society translators

T.W. and C.A.F. Rhys Davids, F.L. Woodward,

E.M. Hare, I.B. Horner,

and all those too little sung heros

that came before

and laid the foundations of today's Dhamma resources.

Ven. Jinamurti

Ven. Mew Fung Chen

Ven. M. Puṇṇaji

Carlos Castaneda

I HEAR TELL:

Once upon a time Bhagava,

Sakkaland revisiting,

Kapilavatthu town,

Nigrodha's Woods.

There Bhagava, having arisen earlier,

having attended to bowl and robes,

went into Kapilavathu on his begging rounds.

Having gone on his begging rounds in Kapilavatthu,

having returned,

having eaten,

he then went to the Sakkyan Kalakhemaka's residence

to spend the afternoon.

Now at this time in the Sakkyan Kalakhemaka's residence

there was a large group of bedrolls and sitting mats in evidence.

Seeing the large group of bedrolls and sitting mats in evidence

in the Sakkyan Kalakhemaka's residence

it occurred to Bhagava:

'There is a large group of bedrolls and sitting mats in evidence

in the Sakkyan Kalakhemaka's residence,

I wonder if a large group of bhikkhus resides here?'

Now at this time the Ancient, Ānanda,

together with a large group of bhikkhus

was making robe-cloth

at the Sakkyan Ghataya's residence.

Then, emerging from his reflections at even-tide,

The Lucky Man went to the Sakkyan Ghataya's residence

and there sat down on a prepared seat.

So seated The Lucky man said this to the Ancient Ānanda:

'There is a large group of bedrolls and sitting mats in evidence

in the Sakkyan Kalakhemaka's residence,

is a large group of bhikkhus residing there?'

There is a large group of bedrolls and sitting mats in evidence

in the Sakkyan Kalakhemaka's residence.

There is a large group of bhikkhus residing there.

Robe-cloth making time, bhante, has rolled around again.

It is not brilliant, Ānanda,

for a beggar to resort to association,

to resort to taking pleasure from association,

to be intent on the pleasure of resorting with associates,

to resort to gatherings,

to resort to taking pleasure from gatherings,

to enjoy gatherings.

For a beggar, Ānanda,

who resorts to association,

who resorts to taking pleasure from association,

who is intent on the pleasure of resorting with associates,

who resorts to gatherings,

who resorts to taking pleasure from gatherings,

who enjoys gatherings

that such a one

should get pleasure from renunciation,

get pleasure from solitude,

get pleasure from calm,

get pleasure from self-awakening,

that such a one

should enjoy the pleasure of progress without trouble,

without aggrivation —

such a thing is not to be seen.

But, Ānanda, for a beggar,

who lives alone,

secluded from associations

that such a one

should get pleasure from renunciation,

get pleasure from solitude,

get pleasure from calm,

get pleasure from self-awakening,

that such a one

should enjoy the pleasure of progress without trouble,

without aggrivation —

such a thing is to be seen.

For a beggar, Ānanda,

who resorts to association,

who resorts to taking pleasure from association,

who is intent on the pleasure of resorting with associates,

who resorts to gatherings,

who resorts to taking pleasure from gatherings,

who enjoys gatherings

to enter into and reside in

either the time-bound and happy,

or the non-time-bound and unshakable hearts release —

such a thing is not to be seen.

But, Ānanda, for a beggar,

who lives alone,

secluded from associations

to enter into and reside in

either the time-bound and happy,

or the non-time-bound and unshakable hearts release —

such a thing is to be seen.

§

I do not, Ānanda, behold one material thing

the devotion to which,

the obsession with which

because of the vicissitudes befalling material things,

does not produce grief and lamentation,

pain and misery,

and despair.

This, however, Ānanda,

is a habit awakened to

by the Getter of the Getting:

through not studying any identifying marks whatsoever,

the entering into

and making a habitat of

inward emptiness.

And if, Ānanda,

while the Getter of the Getting

is inhabitating this habitat

there come beggars,

female beggars,

laymen and laywomen,

kings and the ministers of kings,

scholars and the students of other schools,

— then, Ānanda, The Getter of the Getting,

with heart inclined to separation,

tending towards separation,

bent on separation,

firm in seclusion,

devoted to renunciation,

bringing to an end all things standing for corruption,

speaks exclusively about such

as has to do with disengagement.

Therefore, Ānanda, if a beggar should resolve:

'Let me enter into

and make a habitat of

inward emptiness.'

Then Ānanda, a beggar needs to set up,

settle down

compose

and focus the heart

on the internal.

And how, Ānanda, does a beggar set up,

settle down,

compose

and focus the heart on the internal?

Here, Ānanda, a beggar,

separated from pleasures of the senses

separated from gross envolvements

with the internal dialog,

with rambling thoughts

with the interest,

enjoyment,

and sense of ease

that come with solitude,

enters into the first burning

and makes a habitat of that.

Separated from the internal dialog

and meandering thoughts,

with impassivity

and having become whole-heartedly single-minded,

bringing the attention to the interest,

enjoyment,

and sense of ease

that come with serenity,

without internal dialog

without meandering thoughts,

he enters the second burning

and makes a habitat of that.

Separated from interest and enjoyment,

with impassivity,

detachment,

and clear consciousness

bringing the attention to the pleasure

that comes with that sense of ease

the Aristocrats describe as:

'Detached,

minding,

he's got the sweet life!'

he enters The Third Burning

and makes a habitat of that.

Letting go of pain

letting go of pleasure

letting go of their anticedent

mental pleasures and miseries,

without pain

without pleasure

clearly conscious,

detached,

mindful of the

bright

shiny

clean-clear-through

radiance

of

detachment

he enters The Fourth Burning

and makes a habitat-a-that.

This is how, Ānanda,

a beggar sets up,

settles down,

composes

and focuses the heart

on the internal.

Then he studiously examines

the internal emptiness.

While he studiously examines the internal emptiness

his heart does not leap up,

is not made peaceful,

is not made steady,

is not released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

'While I studiously examined

the internal emptiness

my heart did not leap up,

was not made peaceful,

was not made steady,

was not released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then he studiously examines

the external emptiness.[4]

While he studiously examines

the external emptiness

his heart does not leap up,

is not made peaceful,

is not made steady,

is not released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

'While I studiously examined

the external emptiness

my heart did not leap up,

was not made peaceful,

was not made steady,

was not released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then he studiously examines

the internal-external emptiness.

While he studiously examines the internal-external emptiness

his heart does not leap up,

is not made peaceful,

is not made steady,

is not released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

'While I studiously examined the internal-external emptiness

my heart did not leap up,

was not made peaceful,

was not made steady,

was not released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then he studiously examines unshakability.

While he studiously examines unshakability

his heart does not leap up,

is not made peaceful,

is not made steady,

is not released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

While I studiously examined unshakability

my heart did not leap up,

was not made peaceful,

was not made steady,

was not released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then, Ānanda, that beggar needs to set up, settle down

compose

and focus the heart

on the first sign of serenity

concerning the internal.

Then he studiously examines

the internal emptiness.

While he studiously examines the internal emptiness

his heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

'While I studiously examine the internal emptiness

my heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then he studiously examines

the external emptiness.

While he studiously examines the external emptiness

his heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

While I studiously examine the external emptiness

my heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then he studiously examines the internal-external emptiness.

While he studiously examines the internal-external emptiness

his heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

'While I studiously examine the internal-external emptiness

my heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

Then he studiously examines unshakability.

While he studiously examines unshakability

his heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar is cognizant thus:

'While I studiously examine unshakability

my heart leaps up,

is made peaceful,

is made steady,

is released.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

When, Ānanda, a beggar

inhabiting this habitat

sets his heart on walking,

he thinks:

'While walking

let me not be corrupted

by bad,

unskillful states

of wishing and discontent.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

When, Ānanda, a beggar

inhabiting this habitat

sets his heart on standing,

he thinks:

'While standing

let me not be corrupted

by bad,

unskillful states

of wishing and discontent.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

When, Ānanda, a beggar

inhabiting this habitat

sets his heart on sitting,

he thinks:

'While sitting

let me not be corrupted

by bad,

unskillful states

of wishing and discontent.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

When, Ānanda, a beggar

inhabiting this habitat

sets his heart on reclining,

he thinks:

'While reclining

let me not be corrupted

by bad,

unskillful states

of wishing and discontent.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

When, Ānanda, a beggar

inhabiting this habitat

sets his heart on discourse,

he thinks:

'While discoursing,

let me not talk such talk

as is low,

rustic,

plebian,

unaristocratic,

not conducive

to complete turning away from,

to detachment,

stopping,

calm,

super-knowledge,

self-awakening,

Nibbāna;

that is to say:

talk of

kings and ministers of state,

robbers and thieves,

the horrors of war and battle;

talk of food, drink, clothes, beds, garlands and perfumes;

talk of cities, towns, villages,

relationships, men and women,

heroes and villains;

gossip at the corner,

over the back fence,

or at the well

talk of those alive

or of those who are departed;

talk comparing differences between this and that;

speculative talk about creation,

existence or non-existence —

Let me not talk talk like this.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

But, that talk

which is lofty,

a help to opening up the mind

and which conduces

to complete turning away from,

to detachment,

stopping,

calm,

super-knowledge,

self awakening

Nibbāna;

that is to say:

talk about wanting little,

talk about contentment,

talk about impassivity,

talk about living in solitude,

talk about putting forth energy,

talk about ethical conduct,

talk about serenity,

talk about wisdom,

talk about freedom,

talk about the knowledge and vision of freedom,

he thinks:

'Let me talk talk like this.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

When, Ānanda, a beggar

inhabiting this habitat

sets his heart on thinking,

he thinks:

'While thinking,

let me not think such thoughts

as are low,

rustic,

plebian,

unaristocratic,

not conducive to

complete turning away from,

detachment,

stopping,

calm,

super-knowledge,

self-awakening,

Nibbāna;

that is to say:

thoughts of lust,

thoughts of anger,

thoughts of harming —

let me not think such thoughts as these.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

But, Ānanda, such thoughts

as are aristocratic,

setting down the way out,

setting down for the doer thereof

the consummate destruction of pain,

suchas:

thinking about renunciation,

thinking about non-violence,

he thinks:

'Let me think such thoughts as these.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

§

Five, Ānanda,

are the strands of sense-pleasure.

What five?

Forms perceptible by the eye,

wished for,

enjoyed,

charming,

forms that are loved,

connected with sense-pleasures,

making for lust;

Forms perceptible by the ear,

wished for,

enjoyed,

charming,

forms that are loved,

connected with sense-pleasures,

making for lust;

Forms perceptible by the nose,

wished for,

enjoyed,

charming,

forms that are loved,

connected with sense-pleasures,

making for lust;

Forms perceptible by the tongue,

wished for,

enjoyed, charming,

forms that are loved,

connected with sense-pleasures,

making for lust;

Forms perceptible by the body,

wished for,

enjoyed,

charming,

forms that are loved,

connected with sense-pleasures,

making for lust.

These, Ānanda, are

the five strands of sense-pleasure

In this case

a beggar should review his state of mind

in this way:

'Does there currently arise to mind

in one way or another

such as has to do with

the five strands of sense-pleasure?'

If, Ānanda, when a beggar reviews thus

he knows:

'There does currently arise to mind

in one way or another

such as has to do with

the five strands of sense-pleasure.'

Such being the case, Ānanda,

a beggar knows:

'Desire and lust for

the five strands of sense pleasures

have not been let go by me.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

If, Ānanda, when a beggar reviews thus

he knows:

'There does not currently arise to mind

in one way or another

such as has to do with

the five strands of sense-pleasure.'

Such being the case, Ānanda,

a beggar knows:

'Desire and lust for

the five strands of sense pleasures

has been let go by me.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

§

Five, Ānanda, are

the bound-up stockpiles

concerning which a beggar

should live attentive

to their comings and goings:

'This is material form,

this is the arising of material form,

this is the going of material form.

This is sense-experience,

this is the arising of sense-experience,

this is the going of sense-experience.

This is perception,

this is the arising of perception,

this is the going of perception.

This is own-making,

this is the arising of own-making,

this is the going of own-making.

This is consciousness,

this is the arising of consciousness,

this is the going of consciousness.

When he so lives

attentive to the comings and goings

of these five bound-up stockpiles,

any pride of ownership

coming from the five bound-up stockpiles

is let go.

This being so, Ānanda,

a beggar knows it thus:

'In me

the pride of ownership

for the five bound-up stockpiles

has been let go.'

In this way

he makes himself conscious of the matter.

These things, Ānanda

have only to do with what is skilled,

Aristocratic,

other-worldly,

beyond the scope of The Bad Guy.

§

What do you think, Ānanda?

What advantage

does the student of the Aristocrats see

that he should follow a Teacher

even though being repeatedly nudged?"

"For us, bhante,

the Dhamma is rooted in the Lucky Man,

channeled by the Bhagava,

depends on the Lightning-bearer.

It would be good, bhante,

if the point of this

were to occur to Bhagava

to explain.

The Bhagava saying it,

the beggars will bear it in mind."

"It is not, Ānanda,

for the sake of hearing suttas,

verses,

expositions,

that the student of the Aristocrats

should follow a Teacher.

How come?

There is many a long day, Ānanda,

for such things to be heard,

retained,

talked over,

collected,

analyzed in mind;

for their theses to be well-penetrated.

But, Ānanda,

talk about minding your own business,

leading to the unobstructed heart,

utter indifference,

and dispassion,

a help to ending,

settling down,

self-awakening,

Nibbāna,

suchas:

talk about having few wishes,

talk about contentment,

talk about seclusion,

talk about withdrawl,

talk about rousing up energy,

talk about ethics,

talk about serenity,

talk about wisdom,

talk about freedom,

talk about knowing and seeing freedom —

it is for the sake of such talk as this, Ānanda,

that the student of the Aristocrats

sees that he should follow a Teacher

even though being repeatedly nudged.

§

There is that, Ānanda,

which is annoyance suffered by teachers;

there is that,

which is annoyance suffered by students;

there is that,

which is annoyance suffered

by those living the best of lives.

And how, Ānanda,

is there annoyance suffered by teachers?

Here Ānanda, a teacher resorts

to sleeping and sitting alone,

secluded,

in some park,

at the root of some tree,

in the mountains,

in a cave,

on the edge of a cliff,

in the charnal grounds,

in the forest wilderness,

in the open air,

on a pile of straw.

Living secluded in this way,

brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside

come round to visit.

Then, brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside,

coming round to visit,

he gets rigid,

filled with hankering,

exhibits greed,

and returns to luxury.

This, Ānanda,

is what is called

'annoyance suffered by teachers.'

A teacher thus annoyed

is harassed by bad unskillful things,

connected with slime,

leading to rebirth

fearful,

with painful result in future

birth, aging, and death.

This is how, Ānanda,

there is annoyance to be had by teachers.

And how, Ānanda,

is there annoyance to be had by students?

In this case, Ānanda,

the teacher's student,

imagining he is cultivating aloofness,

resorts to sleeping and sitting alone,

secluded,

in some park,

at the root of some tree,

in the mountains,

in a cave,

on the edge of a cliff,

in the charnal grounds,

in the forest wilderness,

in the open air,

on a pile of straw.

Living secluded in this way,

brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside

come round to visit.

Then, brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside,

coming round to visit,

he gets rigid,

filled with hankering,

exhibits greed,

and returns to luxury.

This, Ānanda,

is what is called

'annoyance to be had by students.'

A student thus annoyed

is harassed by bad unskillful things,

connected with slime,

leading to rebirth,

fearful,

with painful result in future

birth, aging, and death.

This is how, Ānanda,

there is annoyance to be had by students.

And how, Ānanda,

is there annoyance to be had

by those living the best of lives?

Here Ānanda,

a Getter-of-the-Getting appears in the world,

Aristocrat,

Number One Self-Awakened One,

with fully developed vision,

the welcome one,

seer of the world,

incomparable dhamma-trainer of men,

teacher of gods and men,

a Buddha,

the Lucky Man.

He resorts to sleeping and sitting alone,

secluded,

in some park,

at the root of some tree,

in the mountains,

in a cave,

on the edge of a cliff,

in the charnal grounds,

in the forest wilderness,

in the open air,

on a pile of straw.

Living secluded in this way,

brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside

come round to visit.

Then, brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside,

coming round to visit,

he does not get rigid,

is not filled with hankering,

does not exhibit greed

or return to luxury,

but, Ānanda, this teacher's student,

imagining he is cultivating aloofness,

resorts to sleeping and sitting alone,

secluded,

in some park,

at the root of some tree,

in the mountains,

in a cave,

on the edge of a cliff,

in the charnal grounds,

in the forest wilderness,

in the open air,

on a pile of straw.

Living secluded in this way,

brahmins and householders

inhabitants of town and countryside

come round to visit.

Then, brahmins and householders,

inhabitants of town and countryside,

coming round to visit,

he gets rigid,

filled with hankering,

exhibits greed,

and returns to luxury.

This, Ānanda,

is what is called

'annoyance suffered

by those leading the best of lives.'

One living the best of lives

thus annoyed

is harassed by bad unskillful things,

connected with slime,

leading to rebirth,

fearful,

with painful result in future

birth, aging, and death.

This is how, Ānanda,

there is annoyance suffered

by those living the best of lives.

But in this case, Ānanda,

that annoyance

of the liver of the best of lives

results in even more pain,

results in even more bitterness

than that annoyance of the teacher,

that annoyance of the student,

and further it leads to ruin.

Therefore, Ānanda,

act towards me with friendliness,

not hostility,

and that will be

for your wellbeing and happiness

on many a long night.

How then does a student

act towards his teacher

with hostility,

not friendliness?

Here, Ānanda,

the teacher teaches dhamma

pointing out out the beneficial

out of kindness of heart,

saying:

'This is for your benefit,

this is for your well-being.'

But these students

do not want to learn,

do not listen,

do not apply themselves,

do not prepare their hearts for omniscience.

They veer off,

turning away

from the teachers instruction.

This is the way, Ānanda,

students behave towards their teacher

with hostility

not friendliness.

And how then does a student

act towards his teacher

with friendliness

not hostility?

Here, Ānanda,

the teacher teaches dhamma

pointing out the beneficial

out of kindness of heart,

saying:

'This is for your benefit,

this is for your well-being.'

These students want to learn,

do listen,

do apply themselves,

do prepare their hearts for omniscience.

They do not veer off,

do not turn away

from the teachers instruction.

This is the way, Ānanda,

students behave towards their teacher

with friendliness

not hostility.

Therefore, Ānanda,

behave towards me

with friendliness

not hostility.

This will be for your benefit

and well-being

on many a long night.

[27] [pts] [ntbb] Not for me, Ānanda,

is the over-protection of the potter

for the unfired vessel.

I will speak to you, Ānanda,

constantly correcting,

constantly correcting.

I will speak to you, Ānanda,

contstantly nudging,

constantly nudging.

The essence will stand.

This is what Bhagava said.

"Delightful!" said the Ancient Ānanda,

uplifted in mind

by what the Lucky Man said.

Table of Contents

1. Start