Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35. Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta
§ III: Paññāsaka Tatiya
5. Nava-Purāṇa 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
5. The Chapter on 'New and Old'
Sutta 152
'Atthi Nu Kho Pariyāyo?' Suttaṃ
Is There A Method?[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][olds] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren."
"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One thus spake:
"Is there, Brethren, any method,
by following which
a brother, apart from belief,
apart from inclination,
apart from hearsay,
apart from argument as to method,
apart from reflection on reasons,
apart from delight in speculation,
could affirm insight, thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter?'"
"For us, lord, things have their root in the Exalted One,
their guide,
their resort.[2]
Well indeed were it
if the meaning of this that has been spoken
were to manifest itself in the Exalted One.
Hearing it from him
the brethren will remember it."
"There is indeed a method, Brethren,
by following which
a brother, apart from belief,
apart from inclination,
apart from hearsay,
apart from argument as to method,
apart from reflection on reasons,
apart from delight in speculation,
could affirm insight,[3] thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter?'
And what is that method?
Herein, Brethren, a brother,
beholding an object with the eye,
either recognizes within him the existence
of lust, malice and illusion, thus:
'I have lust, malice and illusion,'
or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus:
'I have not lust, malice and illusion.'
Now as to that recognition
of their existence or non-existence within him,
are these conditions,
I ask,
to be understood by belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Are not these states to be understood
by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?"
"Surely, lord."
"Then, Brethren,
this is the method
by following which,
apart from belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation
whereby a brother could affirm insight thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
■
[89] Again, as to hearing a sound with the ear,
either recognizes within him the existence
of lust, malice and illusion, thus:
'I have lust, malice and illusion,'
or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus:
'I have not lust, malice and illusion.'
Now as to that recognition
of their existence or non-existence within him,
are these conditions,
I ask,
to be understood by belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Are not these states to be understood
by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?"
"Surely, lord."
"Then, Brethren,
this is the method
by following which,
apart from belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation
whereby a brother could affirm insight thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
■
Again, as to smelling a scent with the nose,
either recognizes within him the existence
of lust, malice and illusion, thus:
'I have lust, malice and illusion,'
or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus:
'I have not lust, malice and illusion.'
Now as to that recognition
of their existence or non-existence within him,
are these conditions,
I ask,
to be understood by belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Are not these states to be understood
by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?"
"Surely, lord."
"Then, Brethren,
this is the method
by following which,
apart from belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation
whereby a brother could affirm insight thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
■
Again, as to tasting a savour with the tongue,
either recognizes within him the existence
of lust, malice and illusion, thus:
'I have lust, malice and illusion,'
or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus:
'I have not lust, malice and illusion.'
Now as to that recognition
of their existence or non-existence within him,
are these conditions,
I ask,
to be understood by belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Are not these states to be understood
by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?"
"Surely, lord."
"Then, Brethren,
this is the method
by following which,
apart from belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation
whereby a brother could affirm insight thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
■
Again, as to contacting a tangible with the body,
either recognizes within him the existence
of lust, malice and illusion, thus:
'I have lust, malice and illusion,'
or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus:
'I have not lust, malice and illusion.'
Now as to that recognition
of their existence or non-existence within him,
are these conditions,
I ask,
to be understood by belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Are not these states to be understood
by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?"
"Surely, lord."
"Then, Brethren,
this is the method
by following which,
apart from belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation
whereby a brother could affirm insight thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
■
Again, as to cognizing a mind-state with the mind,
either recognizes within him the existence
of lust, malice and illusion, thus:
'I have lust, malice and illusion,'
or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus:
'I have not lust, malice and illusion.'
Now as to that recognition
of their existence or non-existence within him,
are these conditions,
I ask,
to be understood by belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Are not these states to be understood
by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?"
"Surely, lord."
"Then, Brethren,
this is the method
by following which,
apart from belief,
or inclination,
or hearsay,
or argument as to method,
or reflection on reasons,
or delight in speculation
whereby a brother could affirm insight thus:
'Ended is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
■
"Then, Brethren, that is the method,
by following which
a brother, apart from belief,
apart from inclination,
apart from hearsay,
apart from argument as to method,
apart from reflection on reasons,
apart from delight in speculation,
could affirm insight, thus:
'Elided is birth,
lived is the righteous life,
done is the task,
for life in these conditions
there is no hereafter.'
[1] Cf. K.S. ii, 82.
[2] Text abbreviates this formula in reply, which I give here in full. Cf. K.S. ii, 19, 56, etc.
[3] Aññaṇ vyākareyya ( = arahattaṇ. Comy.).
