Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ III: Paññāsaka Tatiya
1. Yoga-k-Khemi Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
35. Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense
§ III: The 'Third Fifty' Suttas
1. The Chapter on Winning Security
Sutta 108
Seyya Suttaṃ
Better[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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The Exalted One once staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One thus spake:
"Owing to the existence of what, Brethren,
by adherence to what
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"For us, lord,
things have the Exalted One as their root,
their guide
and their resort.
Well indeed were it if the meaning
of this that he has spoken
were to manifest itself to the Exalted One.
Hearing it from him,
the brethren will remember it."
"Well then, brethren, listen,
give your mind thoroughly
and I will speak."
"Even so, lord," responded those brethren.
The Exalted One spake thus:
"Owing to the existence of the eye, Brethren,
dependent on the eye,
by adhering to the eye
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'.
■
"Owing to the existence of the ear, Brethren,
dependent on the eye,
by adhering to the eye
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'.
■
"Owing to the existence of the nose, Brethren,
dependent on the eye,
by adhering to the eye
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'.
■
"Owing to the existence of the tongue, Brethren,
dependent on the eye,
by adhering to the eye
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'.
■
"Owing to the existence of the body, Brethren,
dependent on the eye,
by adhering to the eye
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'.
■
"Owing to the existence of the mind, Brethren,
dependent on the eye,
by adhering to the eye
comes the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'.
§
Now what think ye, brethren?
Is the eye permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"And what is impermanent,
is that woe or weal?"
"Woe, lord."
Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature, -
without dependence on that
could there be the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"Surely not, lord."
■
Is the ear permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"And what is impermanent,
is that woe or weal?"
"Woe, lord."
Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature, -
without dependence on that
could there be the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"Surely not, lord."
■
Is the nose permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"And what is impermanent,
is that woe or weal?"
"Woe, lord."
Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature, -
without dependence on that
could there be the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"Surely not, lord."
■
Is the tongue permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"And what is impermanent,
is that woe or weal?"
"Woe, lord."
Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature, -
without dependence on that
could there be the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"Surely not, lord."
■
Is the body permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"And what is impermanent,
is that woe or weal?"
"Woe, lord."
Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature, -
without dependence on that
could there be the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"Surely not, lord."
■
Is the mind permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, lord."
"And what is impermanent,
is that woe or weal?"
"Woe, lord."
Now what is impermanent,
woeful,
unstable in nature, -
without dependence on that
could there be the notion of
'better am I' or
'equal am I' or
'inferior am I'?"
"Surely not, lord."
§
"So seeing, the well-taught Axiyan disciple
is averse from the eye
is averse from the ear
is averse from the nose
is averse from the tongue
is averse from the body
is averse from the the mind.
Being averse,
he lusts not.
Not lusting,
he is set free.
By being free
comes the knowledge that one is free.
So that he realizes:
'Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task.
For life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'"
[1] Cf, K.S. i, 17 and n. 3; iii, 48, [but ?] etc..
