Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
51. Iddhi-Pāda Saṃyutta
7. Esana Vagga
Chapter VII
Suttas 67-76
Probings[1]
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Sutta 67
Probings
Once upon a time, The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthī-town, residing,
Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
"There are, beggars, three probings.
What three?
Probing for sense pleasure,
probing for being
probing for living like Brahmā.
These then, beggars are the three probing.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three probings, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three probings, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 68
Varieties
"There are, beggars, three varieties.
What three?
The variety thinking:
'I am better than'
the variety thinking:
'I am equal to'
the variety thinking:
'I am less than'.
These then, beggars are the three varieties.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three varieties, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three varieties, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 69
Corrupting Influences
"There are, beggars, three corrupting influences.
What three?
The corrupting influence of sense pleasure
the corrupting influence of being
the corrupting influence of blindness.
These then, beggars, are the three corrupting influences.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three corrupting influences, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three corrupting influences, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 70
Beings
"There are, beggars, three beings.
What three?
Sentient beings,
formed beings,
formless beings.
These then, beggars, are the three beings.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three beings, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three beings, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 71
Pains
"There are, beggars, three pains.
What three?
The pain of the painful,
the pain of the own-made,
the pain of the devolving.
These then, beggars, are the three pains.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three pains, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three pains, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 72
Hitches
"There are, beggars, three hitches.
What three?
The lust hitch,
the anger hitch,
the stupidity hitch.
These then, beggars, are the three hitches.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three hitches, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three hitches, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
§
Sutta 73
Taint[2]
"There are, beggars, three taints.
What three?
The taint of lust,
the taint of anger,
the taint of stupidity.
These then, beggars, are the three taints.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three taints, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three taints, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 74
Turbulences[3]
"There are, beggars, three turbulences.
What three?
The turbulence of lust,
the turbulence of anger,
the turbulence of stupidity.
These then, beggars, are the three turbulence.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three turbulence, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three turbulence, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 75
Sensations
"There are, beggars, three sensations.
What three?
Pleasant sensation,
unpleasant sensation,
not-unpleasant-but-not-pleasant sensation.
These then, beggars, are the three sensations.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three sensations, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three sensations, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
Sutta 76
Thirsts
"There are, beggars, three thirsts.
What three?
Thirst for sense pleasure,
thirst for being,
thirst for un-being.[4]
These then, beggars, are the three thirsts.
For, higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three thirsts, beggars,
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths.
What four power-paths?
Here beggars, a beggar develops the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,
develops the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.
It is thus then that for
higher knowledge of,
encompassing knowledge of,
the thorough fading away of,
and letting go of
these three thirsts, beggars
develop the four power-paths,
make a big thing of the four power-paths."
[1] Esanā. Turning this into an etymological joke. PED has: [ā + is1. with confusion of is1 and is2, icchati, see also ajjhesati, anvesati, pariyesati] to seek, search, strive for ...
Pariyesati [pari + esati, cp. BSanskrit paryesate to investigate AvSH I.339. The Pāli word shows confusion between esati and icchati, as shown by double forms -iṭṭhuṃ etc. See also anvesati] to seek for, look, search, desire
So going to
Anesanā (f.) [an + esanā] impropriety
we would arrive at improper behavior, brobably a result of impiepulation.
[2] Mala. PED has "anything impure, stain (lit. and fig.), dirt." In the use here this is a reference to the discoloration in the 'aura' of an individual with anger, etc. In other words this has more to do with the appearance or effect than the ethical nature of the phenomenon.
[3]Nigha1 PED: (nīgha) is invented by Com. and scholiasts to explain the combination anigha (anīgha sporadic, e.g. S V.57). But this should be divided an-īgha instead of a-nīgha. - (m.) rage, trembling, confusion, only in formula rāgo n. doso n. moho n. explaining the adj. anīgha.
gha [doubtful as to origin and etymology since only found in cpd. anīgha and abs. only in exegetical literature. If genuine, it should belong to rgh Sanskrit rghāyati to tremble, rage etc. See discussed under nigha1 confusion, rage, badness ...
[4] Vibhava-taṇhā. This could just as easily be translated 'Thirst for more-being' and I have sometimes included that along with 'un-being' in my translations. I now concede that this must be 'thirst for un-being' since thirst for more-being is encompassed in thirst for being and the thirst to find a solution to the problem of being is the single most important issue in Gotama's system and that search when it goes wrong seeks the solution in finding some way to be in a state of unbeing.
