Saṃyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saṃyutta
4. Na Tumhāka Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
3. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the Elements of Sensory Existence and other Subjects
22. Kindred Sayings on Elements
4. On Not Yours
Sutta 35
Paṭhama Bhikkhu Suttaṃ
The Mendicant[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][wrrn][bodh] Thus have I heard:—
The Exalted One was staying at Sāvatthī
In jeta Grove,
at Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
I
Then a certain brother came to the Exalted One,
saluted him
and sat down at one side.
So seated, that brother thus addressed the Exalted One:
"Well for me,[2] lord,
if the Exalted One would teach me a doctrine in a few words,
so that hearing the teaching of the Exalted One
I might dwell solitary,
secluded,
zealous,
ardent [33]
and aspiring.'
(The Exalted One said):
"That for which a brother has a bias,
by that he is reckoned.[3]
That for which he does not have a bias,
by that he is not reckoned."
"I understand, 0 Exalted One!
I understand, 0 Well-farer!"
"But how far, brother, do you understand in full
the meaning of what I have thus concisely stated?"
"If one cleave to body, lord,
by that he gets a name.
If he cleave to feeling,
by that he gets a name.
If he cleave to perception,
by that he gets a name.
If he cleave to the activities,
by that he gets a name.
If he cleave to consciousness,
by that he gets a name.
And if, lord, he cleavc not to body,
he gets no name thereby.
If he cleavc not to feeling,
he gets no name thereby.
If he cleavc not to perception,
he gets no name thereby.
If he cleavc not to the activities,
he gets no name thereby.
If he cleavc not to consciousness,
he gets no name thereby."
■
"Well said! Well said, brother!
Well do you understand in full
the meaning of what I concisely stated.
"If one cleave to body,
by that he gets a name.
If one cleave to feeling,
by that he gets a name.
If one cleave to perception,
by that he gets a name.
If one cleave to the activities,
by that he gets a name.
If one cleave to consciousness,
by that he gets a name.
And if one cleavc not to body,
he gets no name thereby.
If one cleavc not to feeling,
he gets no name thereby.
If one cleavc not to perception,
he gets no name thereby.
If one cleavc not to the activities,
he gets no name thereby.
If one cleavc not to consciousness,
he gets no name thereby.
That is how to understand in full
the meaning of what I concisely stated."
Then that brother welcomed the saying of the Exalted One,
and was pleased thereat,
and he rose from his seat,
saluted the Exalted One by the right
and departed.
II.
Thereupon that brother,
living solitary,
secluded,
zealous,
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:
"De- [34] stroyed is rebirth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is my task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter!"[4]
And that brother was now one of the saints.
[1] Trans. Warren, p. 161. Cf. S. ii, 244; K.S. li, 165.
[2] Sādhu. For this sense of the word see Sutta-Nipāta Comy. i, 176.
Mrs. Rhys Davids understanding is correct as far as it goes, but the deeper meaning is in a literal understanding. One seeks or desires to exist in a body, with sense-experiences, with perception, acting to create experience, and having consciousness.
— p.p.
[3] Sankhaṃ gacchati, 'goes to a reckoning, comes to be called' Comy. paraphrases paññattiṃ gacchati, 'is characterised,' 'is reckoned somebody.' Warren, 'comes to be' (see below, § 36) Mrs Rhys Davids wntes: I think the teaching is this: if your bias, bent, leaning, preoccupation is towards the life of tho body, or the things of the worldly mind, you come to be reckoned accordingly; your measure is taken thereby - i.e., you are materialistic, a pleasure-lover, or you are clever, wordy, astute, etc. The true way is to turn aside from both.
