AN 7 The Book of the Sevens – Sattakanipāta > AN 7.51 Bound and Unbound

Numbered Discourses 7.51 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.51

5. A Great Sacrifice – 5. Mahāyaññavagga

AN 7.51 Bound and Unbound – Saṁyogasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, I will teach you an exposition of the teaching on the bound and the unbound.

“Saṁyogavisaṁyogaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi.

1.2

Listen and pay close attention, I will speak. …

Taṁ suṇātha …pe…

1.3

And what is the exposition of the teaching on the bound and the unbound?

katamo ca so, bhikkhave, saṁyogo visaṁyogo dhammapariyāyo?

2.1

A woman focuses on her own femininity:

Itthī, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ itthindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

2.2

her feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

2.3

She’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

Sā tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

2.4

So she focuses on the masculinity of others:

Sā tattha rattā tatrābhiratā bahiddhā purisindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

2.5

masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

2.6

She’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

Sā tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

2.7

So she desires to bond with another.

Sā tattha rattā tatrābhiratā bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ ākaṅkhati.

2.8

And she desires the pleasure and happiness that comes from such a bond.

Yañcassā saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca ākaṅkhati.

2.9

Sentient beings who are attached to their femininity are bound to men.

Itthatte, bhikkhave, abhiratā sattā purisesu saṁyogaṁ gatā.

2.10

This is how a woman does not transcend her femininity.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, itthī itthattaṁ nātivattati.

3.1

A man focuses on his own masculinity:

Puriso, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ purisindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

3.2

his masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

3.3

He’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

So tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

3.4

So he focuses on the femininity of others:

So tattha ratto tatrābhirato bahiddhā itthindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

3.5

feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

3.6

He’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

So tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

3.7

So he desires to bond with another.

So tattha ratto tatrābhirato bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ ākaṅkhati.

3.8

And he desires the pleasure and happiness that comes from such a bond.

Yañcassa saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca ākaṅkhati.

3.9

Sentient beings who are attached to their masculinity are bound to women.

Purisatte, bhikkhave, abhiratā sattā itthīsu saṁyogaṁ gatā.

3.10

This is how a man does not transcend his masculinity.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puriso purisattaṁ nātivattati.

3.11

This is how one is bound.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁyogo hoti.

4.1

And how does one become unbound?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, visaṁyogo hoti?

4.2

A woman doesn’t focus on her own femininity:

Itthī, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ itthindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

4.3

her feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

4.4

She isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

Sā tattha na rajjati, sā tatra nābhiramati.

4.5

So she doesn’t focus on the masculinity of others:

Sā tattha arattā tatra anabhiratā bahiddhā purisindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

4.6

masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

4.7

She isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

Sā tattha na rajjati, tatra nābhiramati.

4.8

So she doesn’t desire to bond with another.

Sā tattha arattā tatra anabhiratā bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ nākaṅkhati.

4.9

Nor does she desire the pleasure and happiness that comes from such a bond.

Yañcassā saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca nākaṅkhati.

4.10

Sentient beings who are not attached to their femininity are not bound to men.

Itthatte, bhikkhave, anabhiratā sattā purisesu visaṁyogaṁ gatā.

4.11

This is how a woman transcends her femininity.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, itthī itthattaṁ ativattati.

5.1

A man doesn’t focus on his own masculinity:

Puriso, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ purisindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

5.2

masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

5.3

He isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

So tattha na rajjati, so tatra nābhiramati.

5.4

So he doesn’t focus on the femininity of others:

So tattha aratto tatra anabhirato bahiddhā itthindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

5.5

feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

5.6

He isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

So tattha na rajjati, tatra nābhiramati.

5.7

So he doesn’t desire to bond with another.

So tattha aratto tatra anabhirato bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ nākaṅkhati.

5.8

Nor does he desire the pleasure and happiness that comes from such a bond.

Yañcassa saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca nākaṅkhati.

5.9

Sentient beings who are not attached to their masculinity are not bound to women.

Purisatte, bhikkhave, anabhiratā sattā itthīsu visaṁyogaṁ gatā.

5.10

This is how a man transcends his masculinity.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puriso purisattaṁ ativattati.

5.11

This is how one is unbound.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, visaṁyogo hoti.

5.12

This is the exposition of the teaching on the bound and the unbound.”

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁyogo visaṁyogo dhammapariyāyo”ti.

5.13

Aṭṭhamaṁ.