Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
12. Nidāna Saṃyutta
III. Dasa-Balā Vagga
Sutta 28
Bhikkhu Suttaṃ
The Beggar
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time, The Lucky man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anathapiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.
There then The Lucky Man addressed the beggars, saying:
"Beggars!"
And the beggars responding "Bhante!"
The Lucky Man said this to them:
Here, beggars, a beggar understands aging and death,
understands the self-arising of aging and death,
understands the ending of aging and death,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of aging and death.
He understands birth,
understands the self-arising of birth,
understands the ending of birth,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of birth.
He understands existence,
understands the self-arising of existence,
understands the ending of existence,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of existence.
He understands bind-ups,
understands the self-arising of bind-ups,
understands the ending of bind-ups,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of bind-ups.
He understands thirst,
understands the self-arising of thirst,
understands the ending of thirst,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of thirst.
He understands sensation,
understands the self-arising of sensation,
understands the ending of sensation,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of sensation.
He understands touch,
understands the self-arising of touch,
understands the ending of touch,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of touch.
He understands the six-realms,
understands the self-arising of the six-realms,
understands the ending of the six-realms,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of the six-realms.
He understands named-form,
understands the self-arising of named-form,
understands the ending of named-form,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of named-form.
He understands consciousness,
understands the self-arising of consciousness,
understands the ending of consciousness,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of consciousness.
He understands own-making,
understands the self-arising of own-making,
understands the ending of own-making,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of own-making.
§
And what, beggars, is aging?
Whatsoever for this or that being
of this or that group of beings
is aging,
agedness,
the breaking down,
the graying,
the wrinkling of the skin,
the drawing to a close of the lifespan,
the collapse of the forces.
This is called 'aging.'
And what, beggars, is death?
Whatsoever for this or that being
of this or that group of beings
is the quittance,
passing away,
breaking up,
disappearance,
the moment of death in
the process of dying,
having done one's time,
the breaking up of the stockpiles,
the laying down of the body,
the cutting off of the life force.
This is called 'death.'
This is that aging and
this that death.
This, beggars, is what is called 'aging and death'.
■
Birth arising,
aging and death arises
birth ending,
aging and death ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of aging and death.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is birth?
Whatsoever for this or that being
of this or that group of beings
is birth,
origin,
descent,
coming into existence,
coming into further existence,
the reappearance of the stockpiles,
the attaining of the sense realms.
This, beggars, is what is called 'birth.'
■
Existence arising,
birth arises;
existence ending,
birth ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of birth.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is existence?
Three, beggars, are the existences:
Sense-pleasure-existence,
formed-existence,
formless-existence.
This is what is called 'existence.'
Bind-ups arising,
existence arises;
bind-ups ending,
existence ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of existence.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, are bind-ups?
Four, beggars, are the bind-ups:
Sense-pleasure-bind-ups,
view-bind-ups,
ethical practices-bind-ups,
self-experience-bind-ups.
This is what is called 'bind-ups.'
Thirst arising,
bind-ups arise;
thirst ending,
bind-ups end.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of bind-ups.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is thirst?
Six, beggars, are the thirsts:
Visual objects-thirsts,
sounds-thirsts,
scents-thirsts,
savours-thirsts,
touches-thirsts,
things-thirsts.
This is what is called 'thirst.'
Sensation arising,
thirst arises;
sensation ending,
thirst ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of thirst.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is sensation?
Six, beggars, embody sensation:
Own-eye-touch sensation,
own-ear-touch sensation,
own-nose-touch sensation,
own-tongue-touch sensation,
own-body-touch sensation,
own-mind-touch sensation.
This is what is called 'sensation.'
Touch arising,
sensation arises;
touch ending,
sensation ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of sensation.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is touch?
Six, beggars, are the touches:
Own-eye-touch,
own-ear-touch,
own-nose-touch,
own-tongue-touch,
own-body-touch,
own-mind-touch.
This is what is called 'touch.'
The six-spheres arising,
touch arises;
the six-spheres ending,
touch ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of touch.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, are 'the six-spheres'?
The sphere of the eye,
the sphere of the ear,
the sphere of the nose,
the sphere of the tongue,
the sphere of the body,
the sphere of the mind.
This is what is called 'the six-spheres.'
Named-form arising,
the six-spheres appear;
named-form ending,
the six-spheres end.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of the six-spheres.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is 'named-form'?
Sense-experience,
perception,
intent
contact
work of mind
these are what is called 'name.'
The Four Great Elements
and the forms supported by the Four Great Elements,
this is what is called 'form'.
It is this 'name',
and this 'form,' beggars,
that is called 'named-form'.
Consciousness arising,
named-forms appear;
consciousness ending,
named-forms end.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of named-form.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is 'consciousness'?
Eye-consciousness,
ear-consciousness,
nose-consciousness,
tongue-consciousness,
body-consciousness,
mind-consciousness.
This is what is called 'consciousness'.
Own-making arising,
consciousness arises;
own-making ending,
consciousness ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of consciousness.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
■
And what, beggars, is 'own-making'?
Three, beggars, are own-makings:
Bodily-own-making,
speech-own-making,
heart-own-making.
This is what is called 'own-making'.
Blindness arising,
own-making arises;
blindness ending,
own-making ends.
And it is this Aristocratic Eight-Dimensional Way
that is the path to walk
to go to the ending of own-making.
That is to say:
High view,
high principles,
high talk,
high works,
high lifestyle,
high self-control,
high mind,
high serenity.
§
Then, beggars,
when the student of the Aristocrats
understands aging and death,
understands the self-arising of aging and death,
understands the ending of aging and death,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of aging and death;
understands birth,
understands the self-arising of birth,
understands the ending of birth,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of birth;
understands existence,
understands the self-arising of existence,
understands the ending of existence,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of existence;
understands bind-ups,
understands the self-arising of bind-ups,
understands the ending of bind-ups,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of bind-ups;
understands thirst,
understands the self-arising of thirst,
understands the ending of thirst,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of thirst;
understands sensation,
understands the self-arising of sensation,
understands the ending of sensation,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of sensation;
understands touch,
understands the self-arising of touch,
understands the ending of touch,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of touch;
understands the six-realms,
understands the self-arising of the six-realms,
understands the ending of the six-realms,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of the six-realms;
understands named-form,
understands the self-arising of named-form,
understands the ending of named-form,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of named-form;
understands consciousness,
understands the self-arising of consciousness,
understands the ending of consciousness,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of consciousness;
understands own-making,
understands the self-arising of own-making,
understands the ending of own-making,
understands the walk to walk
to the understanding of own-making;
such a student of the Aristocrats is called a view-winner,
a getter of the true Dhamma,
a shaman who has got knowledge,
a shaman who has got vision,
an attainer of the Dhamma-ear,
an aristocrat of penetrating wisdom
who stands knocking at the door of the Deathless."
