Saṃyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saṃyutta
10. Puppha 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
10. On Flowers
Sutta 100
Dutiya Gaddūla or Baddhūla Suttaṃ
The Leash (2)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren!"
"Master!" responded those brethren.
The Exalted One said:
"Incalculable, brethren, is the beginning
of this round of rebirth.
No beginning is made known
of beings
wrapt in ignorance,
fettered by craving,
who run on,
who fare on the round of rebirth.
■
Just like a dog, brethren,
tied up by a leash to a strong stake or pillar -
if he goes,
he goes up to that stake or pillar;
if he stands still,
he stands close to that stake or pillar;
if he squats down,
he squats close to that stake or pillar;
if he lies down,
he lies dose to that stake or pillar.
■
Even so, brethren, the untaught manyfolk regard body (thus):|| ||
'This is mine;
this am I;
this is the self of me.'
They regard feeling (thus):|| ||
'This is mine;
this am I;
this is the self of me.'
They regard perception (thus):|| ||
'This is mine;
this am I;
this is the self of me.'
They regard the activities (thus):|| ||
'This is mine;
this am I;
this is the self of me.'
They regard consciousness (thus):|| ||
'This is mine;
this am I;
this is the self of me.'
■
If they go,
it is towards this fivefold grasping-group
that they go.
If they stand still,
it is close to this fivefold grasping-group
that they stand still.
If they sit,
it is close to this fivefold grasping-group
that they sit.
If they lie down,
it is close to this fivefold grasping-group
that they lie down.
§
[128] Wherefore, brethren, again and again
must one regard one's own mind thus:
'For a long, long time
this mind has been tainted by lust,
by hatred,
by illusion.'
By a tainted mind, brethren,
beings are tainted.
By purity of mind beings are made pure.
Brethren, have ye ever seen a picture
which they call 'a show-piece?'"[1]
"Yes, lord."
"Well, brethren, this so-called show-piece
is thought out by mind.
Wherefore, brethren,
mind is even more diverse
than that show piece.[2]
Wherefore, brethren, again and again
must one regard one's own mind thus:
'For a long, long time
this mind has been tainted by lust,
by hatred,
by illusion.'
By a tainted mind, brethren,
beings are tainted.
By purity of mind beings are made pure.
§
Brethren, I see not any single group[3]
so diverse as the creatures of the animal world.
Those creatures of the animal world, brethren,
are thought out by mind.[4]|| ||
Wherefore, brethren,
mind is even more diverse
than those creatures of the animal world.
Wherefore, brethren, again and again
must one regard one's own mind thus:
'For a long, long time
this mind has been tainted by lust,
by hatred,
by illusion.'
By a tainted [129] mind, brethren,
beings are tainted.
By purity of mind beings are made pure.[5]
§
Just as if, brethren,
a dyer or a painter,
if he have dye
or lac
or turmeric,
indigo
or madder,
and a well-planed board
or wall
or strip of cloth,
can fashion the likeness of a woman
or of a man
complete in all its parts,[6]
even so, brethren,
the untaught manyfolk
creates and re-creates its body,
creates and re-creates its feelings,
creates and re-creates its perception,
creates and re-creates its activities,
creates and re-creates its consciousness.
§
Now as to this, what think you, brother?|| ||
Is body permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is feeling permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is perception permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Are the activities permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
■
"Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"That which is impermanent,
is it weal or woe?"
"Woe, lord."
"But that which is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature,
is it right to regard it thus:
'This is mine,
this am I
this is the Self of me?'"
"Surely not, lord."
§
"Therefore, brethren, every body whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every body should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every feeling whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every feeling should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every perception whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every perception should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every activity whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every activity should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
■
Every consciousness whatever,
be it past,
future
or present,
be it inward or outward,
gross or subtle,
low or high,
far or near, -
every consciousness should be thus regarded,
as it really is,
by right insight:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not the Self of me.'
§
"Wherefore, brethren, he who thus sees
conceives disgust at body,
at feeling,
at perception,
at the activities,
at consciousness.
Being disgusted
he is repelled by them;
by that repulsion he is released;
by that release he is set free;
knowledge arises:
in the freed man is the freed thing,
and he knows:
'Destroyed is rebirth;
lived is the righteous life;
done is the task;
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'"
[1] Caraṇaṇ nāma cittaṇ. Expos.. 85 'A master-piece.' Comy.,
vicaraṇa-cittaṇ and adds that the artists went about (vicaranti) exhibiting their work, which, it seems, was like Hogarth's 'The Rake's Progress,' etc. Also, p. 185, 'consciousness (citta) is so called because of its variegated (citta-) nature.' 'Dazzling' or 'showy' or 'brilliant,' German 'bunt' would better express the meaning of citta (citra = μνριότοπος).
[2] Expos.. 86, 'Even more artistic than art itself.' Cf. Brethren, 378, 419.
[3] Eka-nikāya, Expos.. 32, 88.
[4] Comy. 'Thought out by work-of-mind. But we are not to suppose that that work-of-mind energizes thus (in the case, say, of quails and partridges) "we will become thus and thus varrgated." But it is action that leads to a birth-womb. Their varied nature has its origin in the womb.' Does this phrase of the Buddha point to a belief in a creative universal mind (cf. Mano-pubbangamā dhammā. Dhp. 1)? (It should be remembered that mind is a mode of action, i.e., karma. - original Ed.)
[5] Quoted Papañca, i, 232. where it is added that the purification must be done by the practice of the satipaṭṭhāna-maggo.
[6] Cf. S. ii, 101; K.S. ii, 71.
