Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ III: Paññāsaka Tatiya
4. Devadaha 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
4. The Chapter on Devadaha
Sutta 134
Devadaha-Khaṇa Suttaṃ
The Moment at Devadaha[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][bodh][than] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying among the Sakkas at Devadaha,[2]
a township of the Sakkas.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One thus spake:
"I do not declare, Brethren,
that for all brothers
there is need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
Yet do I not declare
that for all brothers
there is no need so to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
Those brethren who are Arahants,
destroyers of the āsavas,
who have lived the life,
done the task,
removed the burden,
who have won their own highest good,
utterly destroyed the fetters of becoming,
who by right insight
have become free, -
for such, Brethren, I declare
that in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense
there is no need to strive earnestly.
Why so?
Because they have wrought so earnestly
as to be incapable of carelessness.
But those brothers who are yet earnest-minded pupils,[3]
who dwell aspiring
for the security that is unsurpassed, -
by those brothers I declare
that in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense
there is need to strive earnestly.
Why so?
Because, Brethren,
there are objects cognizable by the eye,
objects delightful or repulsive.
Though they touch the heart again and again,[4]
yet they cannot altogether lay hold of it
and so persist.
By their failure to lay hold of the heart
comes strenuous energy unquailing.
Mindfulness is set up untroubled.
The body is calmed,
not perturbed.
The heart is collected,
one-pointed.
Seeing this fruit of earnestness, Brethren,
I declare that such brothers
do need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
■
There are sounds cognizable by the ear,
objects delightful or repulsive.
Though they touch the heart again and again,
yet they cannot altogether lay hold of it
and so persist.
By their failure to lay hold of the heart
comes strenuous energy unquailing.
Mindfulness is set up untroubled.
The body is calmed,
not perturbed.
The heart is collected,
one-pointed.
Seeing this fruit of earnestness, Brethren,
I declare that such brothers
do need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
■
There are scents cognizable by the nose,
objects delightful or repulsive.
Though they touch the heart again and again,
yet they cannot altogether lay hold of it
and so persist.
By their failure to lay hold of the heart
comes strenuous energy unquailing.
Mindfulness is set up untroubled.
The body is calmed,
not perturbed.
The heart is collected,
one-pointed.
Seeing this fruit of earnestness, Brethren,
I declare that such brothers
do need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
■
There are savours cognizable by the tongue,
objects delightful or repulsive.
Though they touch the heart again and again,
yet they cannot altogether lay hold of it
and so persist.
By their failure to lay hold of the heart
comes strenuous energy unquailing.
Mindfulness is set up untroubled.
The body is calmed,
not perturbed.
The heart is collected,
one-pointed.
Seeing this fruit of earnestness, Brethren,
I declare that such brothers
do need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
■
There are things tactile cognizable by the body,
objects delightful or repulsive.
Though they touch the heart again and again,
yet they cannot altogether lay hold of it
and so persist.
By their failure to lay hold of the heart
comes strenuous energy unquailing.
Mindfulness is set up untroubled.
The body is calmed,
not perturbed.
The heart is collected,
one-pointed.
Seeing this fruit of earnestness, Brethren,
I declare that such brothers
do need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
■
There are mind-states cognizable by the mind,
objects delightful or repulsive.
Though they touch the heart again and again,
yet they cannot altogether lay hold of it
and so persist.
By their failure to lay hold of the heart
comes strenuous energy unquailing.
Mindfulness is set up untroubled.
The body is calmed,
not perturbed.
The heart is collected,
one-pointed.
Seeing this fruit of earnestness, Brethren,
I declare that such brothers
do need to strive earnestly
in respect of the sixfold sphere of sense.
[1] Devadaha-khhaṇo. The 'moment' is referred to in § 135.
[2] Cf. K.S. iii, 6 n.
[3] Sekhā.
[4] Phussa-phussa. Cf. D. i, 45 for the double, and for the figure of speech cf. S. ii, 235; K.S. iii, 17 n. (cittaṇ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti).
