Majjhima Nikāya
1. Mūla-Paṇṇāsa
1. Mūla-Pariyāya Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
I. The First Fifty Discourses
1. The Division of the Synopsis of Fundamentals

Sutta 1

Mūla-Pariyā'ya Suttaṃ^[1]

Discourse on the Synopsis of Fundamentals

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

Praise to the Lord, the Perfected One, the Completely Self-awakened One

[3]

[1][chlm][bodh][than][olds][upal] THUS have I heard:

At one time the Lord^[2] was staying near Ukkatthā
in the Subhaga Grove^[3]
close to^[4] the great sāl-tree.

While he was there the Lord addressed the monks,^[5] saying:

"Monks."

"Revered One,"^[6] these monks answered the Lord in assent.

The Lord spoke thus:

[2][bodh][than][olds][upal] "I will teach you, monks,
the synopsis of the fundamentals of all things.^[7]

Listen,
attend carefully,
and I will speak."

"Yes, Lord," these monks answered the Lord in assent.

The Lord spoke thus:

[3][bodh][than][olds][upal] "This is a case, monks,
where an uninstructed^[8] average person,
taking no count of the pure ones,^[9]
unskilled in theDhammaof the [4] pure ones,^[10]
untrained^[11] in theDhammaof the pure ones,
taking no count of the true men,^[12]
unskilled in theDhammaof the true men,
untrained in theDhammaof the true men,
recognises extension^[13] as extension;
^[14] having recognised extension as extension,
he thinks of extension,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) extension,
he thinks (of self as) extension,
he thinks, 'Extension is mine.'^[15]

He rejoices in extension.^[16]

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[4][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises liquid^[17] as liquid;
having recognised liquid as liquid,
he thinks of liquid,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) liquid,
he thinks (of self as) liquid,
he thinks, 'Liquid is mine.'

He rejoices in liquid.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[5][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises heat^[18] as heat;
having recognised heat as heat,
he thinks of heat,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) heat,
he thinks (of self as) heat,
he thinks, 'Heat is mine.'

He rejoices in heat.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[6][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises motion^[19] as motion;
having recognised motion as [5] motion,
he thinks of motion,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) motion,
he thinks (of self as) motion,
he thinks, 'Motion is mine.'

He rejoices in motion.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[7][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises [2] beings^[20] as beings;
having recognised beings as beings,
he thinks of beings,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) beings,
he thinks (of self as) beings,^[ed1]
he thinks, 'Beings are mine.'

He rejoices in beings.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[8][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises devas^[21] as devas;
having recognised devas as devas,
he thinks of devas,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) devas,
he thinks (of self as) devas,
he thinks, 'Devas are mine.'

He rejoices in devas.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[9][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognizes Pajāpati^[22] as Pajāpati;
having recognised Pajāpati as Pajāpati,
he thinks of Pajāpati,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) Pajāpati,
he thinks (of self as) Pajāpati,
he thinks, 'Pajāpati is mine.'

He rejoices in Pajāpati.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[10][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises Brahmā^[23] as Brahmā;
having recognised Brahmā as Brahmā,
he thinks of Brahmā,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) Brahmā,
he thinks (of self as) Brahmā,
he thinks, 'Brahmā is mine.'

He rejoices in Brahmā.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[11][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the Radiant ones
as the Radiant ones;
having recognised the Radiant ones as the Radiant ones,
he thinks of the Radiant ones,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the Radiant ones,
he thinks (of self as) the Radiant ones,
he thinks, 'The Radiant ones are mine.'

He rejoices in the Radiant ones.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[12][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the Lustrous ones as the Lustrous ones;
having recognised the Lustrous ones as the Lustrous ones,
he thinks of the Lustrous ones,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the Lustrous ones,
he thinks (of self as) the Lustrous ones,
he thinks, 'The Lustrous ones are mine.'

He rejoices in the Lustrous ones.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[13][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the Vehapphalā^[24] devas as the Vehapphalā devas;
having recognised the Vehapphalā devas as the Vehapphalā devas,
he thinks of the Vehapphalā devas,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the Vehapphalā devas,
he thinks (of self as) the Vehapphalā devas,
he thinks, 'The Vehapphalā devas are mine.'

He rejoices in the Vehapphalā devas.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[14][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the Overlord^[25] as the Overlord;
having recognised the Overlord as the Overlord,
he thinks of the Overlord,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the Overlord,
he thinks (of self as) the Overlord,
he thinks, 'The Overlord is mine.'
He rejoices in the Overlord.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[15][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the plane of infinite ether^[26] as the plane of infinite ether;
having recognised the plane of infinite ether as the plane of infinite ether,
he thinks of the plane of infinite ether,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the plane of infinite ether,
he thinks (of self as) the plane of infinite ether,
he thinks, 'The plane of infinite ether is mine.'
He rejoices in the plane of infinite ether.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[16][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the plane of infinite consciousness as the plane of infinite consciousness;
having recognised the plane of infinite consciousness as the plane of infinite consciousness,
he thinks of the plane of infinite consciousness,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the plane of infinite consciousness,
he thinks (of self as) the plane of infinite consciousness,
he thinks, 'The plane of infinite consciousness is mine.'

He rejoices in the plane of infinite consciousness.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[17][bodh][than][olds][upal] [3] He recognises the plane of no-thing as the plane of no-thing;
having recognised the plane of no-thing as the plane of no-thing,
he thinks of the plane of no-thing,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the plane of no-thing,
he thinks (of self as) the plane of no-thing,
he thinks, 'The plane of no-thing is mine.'

He rejoices in the plane of no-thing.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[18][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception
as the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception;
having recognised the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception
as the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
he thinks of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
he thinks (of self as) the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
he thinks, 'The plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is mine.'

He rejoices in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[19][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the seen^[27] as the seen;
having recognised the seen as the seen,
he thinks of the seen,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the seen,
he thinks (of self as) the seen,
he thinks, 'The seen is mine.'

He rejoices in the seen.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[20][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the heard as the heard;
having recognised the heard as the heard,
he thinks of the heard,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the heard,
he thinks (of self as) the heard,
he thinks, 'The heard is mine.'

He rejoices in the heard.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[21][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the sensed as the sensed;
having recognised the sensed as the sensed,
he thinks of the sensed,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the sensed,
he thinks (of self as) the sensed,
he thinks, 'The sensed is mine.'

He rejoices in the sensed.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[22][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises the cognised as the cognised;
having recognised the cognised as the cognised,
he thinks of the cognised,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) the cognised,
he thinks (of self as) the cognised,
he thinks, 'The cognised is mine.'

He rejoices in the cognised.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[23][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises unity as unity^[28];
having recognised unity as unity,
he thinks of unity,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) unity,
he thinks (of self as) unity,
he thinks, 'Unity is mine.'

He rejoices in unity.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[24][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises diversity as diversity;
having recognised diversity as diversity,
he thinks of diversity,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) diversity,
he thinks (of self as) diversity,
he thinks, 'Diversity is mine.'

He rejoices in diversity.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[25][bodh][than][olds][upal] He recognises universality^[29] as universality;
having recognised universality as universality,
he thinks of universality,
he thinks (of self) in (regard to) universality,
he thinks (of self as) universality,
he thinks, 'Universality is mine.'

He rejoices in universality.

What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

■

[26][bodh][than][olds][upal] [4] he recognises Nibbāna^[30] as Nibbāna;
having recognised Nibbāna as Nibbāna,
he thinks of Nibbāna,^[31]
he thinks (of the self) in (regard to) Nibbāna,
he thinks (of self as) Nibbāna,
he thinks, 'Nibbāna is mine.'

He rejoices in Nibbāna.

[6] What is the reason for this?

I say that it is not thoroughly understood by him.

[27-50][bodh][than][olds][upal] Monks, whatever monk is a learner,^[32]
not attained to perfection,^[33]
but who lives striving for the incomparable security from bondage,
he intuitively knows extension as extension;^[34]
from intuitively knowing extension as extension,
let him not think of extension,
let him not think (of self) in (regard to) extension,
let him not think (of self) as extension,
let him not think, 'Extension is mine.'

Let him not rejoice in extension.

What is the reason for this?