Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ III: Paññāsaka Tatiya
2. Loka-Kāma-Guṇa 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
2. The Chapter on the Worldly Sensual Elements
Sutta 120
Sāriputta-Saddhi-Vihārika Suttaṃ
Sāriputta
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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Once the venerable Sāriputta was once staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then a certain brother came to visit the venerable Sāriputta.
After the exchange of greetings and friendly courtesies
he sat down at one side.
So seated
that brother thus addressed the venerable Sāriputta: -
"Friend Sāriputta, my fellow-lodger
has renounced the training
and gone back to the lower life."[1]
"So it happens, friend,
with one the door of whose faculties is unguarded,[2]
who is immoderate in eating,
and not given to watchfulness.
That brother, friend,
is of such a nature.
There is apparent confusion here as to how this should be read. It can be heard as 'This particular bhikkhu, so long as he lives will find it impossible...' or 'So living, a bhikkhu, will find it impossible ...' The former would be a more forceful lesson to the bhikkhu being addressed; the latter a more accessible lesson for later hearers.
— p.p.
So long as he lives
it will be impossible for him to apply himself[3]
to the righteous life
in all its fullness,
in all its purity.
Indeed, friend, a brother,[4]
the door of whose faculties is guarded,
who is moderate in eating
and given to watchfulness, -
for such an one,
so long as he lives,
it is possible to apply himself
to the righteous life
in all its fullness,
in all its purity.
§
And how, friend, has one
the door of his faculties guarded?
Herein a brother, seeing an object with the eye,
is not misled by its outer view,[5]
nor by its lesser details.
Since coveting and dejection,
evil,
unprofitable states,
might overwhelm one who dwells
with the faculty of eye uncontrolled,
he applies himself to such control,
sets a guard over the faculty of eye,
attains control thereof.
■
When he hears a sound with the ear,
is not misled by its outer view,
nor by its lesser details.
Since coveting and dejection,
evil,
unprofitable states,
might overwhelm one who dwells
with the faculty of ear uncontrolled,
he applies himself to such control,
sets a guard over the faculty of ear,
attains control thereof.
■
When he smells a scent with the nose,
is not misled by its outer view,
nor by its lesser details.
Since coveting and dejection,
evil,
unprofitable states,
might overwhelm one who dwells
with the faculty of nose uncontrolled,
he applies himself to such control,
sets a guard over the faculty of nose,
attains control thereof.
■
When he tastes a savour with the tongue,
is not misled by its outer view,
nor by its lesser details.
Since coveting and dejection,
evil,
unprofitable states,
might overwhelm one who dwells
with the faculty of tongue uncontrolled,
he applies himself to such control,
sets a guard over the faculty of tongue,
attains control thereof.
■
When he contacts tangibles with the body,
is not misled by its outer view,
nor by its lesser details.
Since coveting and dejection,
evil,
unprofitable states,
might overwhelm one who dwells
with the faculty of body uncontrolled,
he applies himself to such control,
sets a guard over the faculty of body,
attains control thereof.
■
When he cognizes mental states with the mind,
is not misled by its outer view,
nor by its lesser details.
[64] Since coveting and dejection,
evil,
unprofitable states,
might overwhelm one who dwells
with the faculty of mind uncontrolled,
he applies himself to such control,
sets a guard over the faculty of mind,
attains control thereof.
§
And how, friend, is one moderate in eating?
Herein, friend, a brother takes his food thoughtfully[6] and prudently,
not for sport,[7]
not for indulgence,
not for personal charm or adornment,
but just enough for the support
and upkeep of the body,
to allay its pains,[8]
to help the practice of the righteous life,
with the thought:
'My former feeling I check,
and set going no new feeling.
So shall I keep going,[9]
be blameless,
and live at ease.'
Thus, friend, is one moderate in eating.
§
And how, friend, is one given to watchfulness?
Herein, friend, by day
a brother walks up and down
and then sits,
and thus cleanses his heart
from states that may hinder.
By night, for the first watch
a brother walks up and down
and then sits,
and thus cleanses his heart
from states that may hinder.
In the middle watch of the night,
lying on his right side
he takes up the lion-posture,[10]
resting one foot on the other,
and thus collected and composed
fixes his thought on rising up again.
In the last watch of the night,
at early dawn,
he walks up and down,
and then sits,
and so cleanses his heart
from states that may hinder.
Thus, friend, is one given to watchfulness.
Wherefore, friend, thus should you train yourselves:
'We will be watchful over our faculties,
moderate in eating
and given to watchfulness.'
Thus, friend, must you train yourself."
[1] Cf. K.S. ii, 38.
[2] Cf. Buddh. Psych. Ethics, pp. 350 ff. and nn.; Dialog. i, 80; Vis. Magg., 16 and refs. (Comy. does not comment here, having done so elsewhere). For the passage following see § 198 (2).
[3] Santānessati = ghaṭessati. Comy.
[4] Text has so, which would refer to this particular brother. I read yo with MSS. S. 1-3.
[5] Nimitta-gāhin.
[6] Cf. K.S. ii, 68; Expositor, 511.
[7] Not for athletic prowess.
[8] Vihiṇsa-uparatiyā. Cf. Asḷ. 403.
[9] Yātrā me bhavissati.
[10] Sīha-seyyaṇ. Cf. A. ii, 244 (trans. in Numerical Sayings by A. D. Jayasundere), where the four postures are given, here quoted by Comy.
