MN 45 The Shorter Discourse on Taking Up Practices

Medium Discourses Collection 45 – Majjhima Nikāya 45

MN 45 The Shorter Discourse on Taking Up Practices – Cūḷadhammasamādānasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.3

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

1.4

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

1.5

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

1.6

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

2.1

“Bhikkhū, there are these four ways of taking up practices.

“cattārimāni, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānāni.

2.2

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

2.3

There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain.

Atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannasukhaṁ āyatiṁ dukkhavipākaṁ;

2.4

There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.

atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannadukkhañceva āyatiñca dukkhavipākaṁ;

2.5

There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure.

atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannadukkhaṁ āyatiṁ sukhavipākaṁ;

2.6

There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.

atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannasukhañceva āyatiñca sukhavipākaṁ.

3.1

And what is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannasukhaṁ āyatiṁ dukkhavipākaṁ?

3.2

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

3.3

‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures.’

‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti.

3.4

They throw themselves into sensual pleasures,

Te kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjanti.

3.5

cavorting with female wanderers with fancy hair-dos.

Te kho moḷibaddhāhi paribbājikāhi paricārenti.

3.6

They say,

Te evamāhaṁsu:

3.7

‘What future danger do those ascetics and brahmins see in sensual pleasures that they speak of giving up sensual pleasures, and advocate the complete understanding of sensual pleasures?

‘kiṁsu nāma te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānā kāmānaṁ pahānamāhaṁsu, kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññapenti?

3.8

Pleasant is the touch of this female wanderer’s arm, tender, soft, and downy!’ And they throw themselves into sensual pleasures.

Sukho imissā paribbājikāya taruṇāya mudukāya lomasāya bāhāya samphasso’ti te kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjanti.

3.9

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Te kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti.

3.10

And there they feel painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.

Te tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti.

3.11

They say,

Te evamāhaṁsu:

3.12

‘This is that future danger that those ascetics and brahmins saw. For it is because of sensual pleasures that I’m feeling painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.’

‘idaṁ kho te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānā kāmānaṁ pahānamāhaṁsu, kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññapenti, ime hi mayaṁ kāmahetu kāmanidānaṁ dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayāmā’ti.

4.1

Suppose that in the last month of summer a camel’s foot creeper pod were to burst open

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse māluvāsipāṭikā phaleyya.

4.2

and a seed were to fall at the root of a sal tree.

Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, māluvābījaṁ aññatarasmiṁ sālamūle nipateyya.

4.3

Then the deity haunting that sal tree would become apprehensive and nervous.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, yā tasmiṁ sāle adhivatthā devatā sā bhītā saṁviggā santāsaṁ āpajjeyya.

4.4

But their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin—deities of the parks, forests, trees, and those who haunt the herbs, grass, and big trees—would come together to reassure them,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ sāle adhivatthāya devatāya mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā ārāmadevatā vanadevatā rukkhadevatā osadhitiṇavanappatīsu adhivatthā devatā saṅgamma samāgamma evaṁ samassāseyyuṁ:

4.5

‘Do not fear, sir, do not fear!

‘mā bhavaṁ bhāyi, mā bhavaṁ bhāyi;

4.6

Hopefully that seed will be swallowed by a peacock, or eaten by a deer, or burnt by a forest fire, or picked up by a lumberjack, or eaten by termites, or it may not even be fertile.’

appeva nāmetaṁ māluvābījaṁ moro vā gileyya, mago vā khādeyya, davaḍāho vā ḍaheyya, vanakammikā vā uddhareyyuṁ, upacikā vā uṭṭhaheyyuṁ, abījaṁ vā panassā’ti.

4.7

But none of these things happened. And the seed was fertile, so that when the clouds soaked it with rain, it sprouted.

Atha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, māluvābījaṁ neva moro gileyya, na mago khādeyya, na davaḍāho ḍaheyya, na vanakammikā uddhareyyuṁ, na upacikā uṭṭhaheyyuṁ, bījañca panassa taṁ pāvussakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhaṁ sammadeva viruheyya.

4.8

And the creeper wound its tender, soft, and downy tendrils around that sal tree.

Sāssa māluvālatā taruṇā mudukā lomasā vilambinī, sā taṁ sālaṁ upaniseveyya.

4.9

Then the deity thought,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ sāle adhivatthāya devatāya evamassa:

4.10

‘What future danger did my friends see when they said:

‘kiṁsu nāma te bhonto mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā ārāmadevatā vanadevatā rukkhadevatā osadhitiṇavanappatīsu adhivatthā devatā māluvābīje anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānā saṅgamma samāgamma evaṁ samassāsesuṁ:

4.11

‘Do not fear, sir, do not fear!

“mā bhavaṁ bhāyi mā bhavaṁ bhāyi,

4.12

Hopefully that seed will be swallowed by a peacock, or eaten by a deer, or burnt by a forest fire, or picked up by a lumberjack, or eaten by termites, or it may not even be fertile.’

appeva nāmetaṁ māluvābījaṁ moro vā gileyya, mago vā khādeyya, davaḍāho vā ḍaheyya, vanakammikā vā uddhareyyuṁ, upacikā vā uṭṭhaheyyuṁ, abījaṁ vā panassā”ti;

4.13

Pleasant is the touch of this creeper’s tender, soft, and downy tendrils.’

sukho imissā māluvālatāya taruṇāya mudukāya lomasāya vilambiniyā samphasso’ti.

4.14

Then the creeper enfolded the sal tree,

Sā taṁ sālaṁ anuparihareyya.

4.15

made a canopy over it,

Sā taṁ sālaṁ anupariharitvā upari viṭabhiṁ kareyya.

4.16

draped a curtain around it,

Upari viṭabhiṁ karitvā oghanaṁ janeyya.

4.17

and split apart all the main branches.

Oghanaṁ janetvā ye tassa sālassa mahantā mahantā khandhā te padāleyya.

4.18

Then the deity thought,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ sāle adhivatthāya devatāya evamassa:

4.19

‘This is the future danger that my friends saw!

‘idaṁ kho te bhonto mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā ārāmadevatā vanadevatā rukkhadevatā osadhitiṇavanappatīsu adhivatthā devatā māluvābīje anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānā saṅgamma samāgamma evaṁ samassāsesuṁ:

4.20

“mā bhavaṁ bhāyi mā bhavaṁ bhāyi, appeva nāmetaṁ māluvābījaṁ moro vā gileyya, mago vā khādeyya, davaḍāho vā ḍaheyya, vanakammikā vā uddhareyyuṁ, upacikā vā uṭṭhaheyyuṁ abījaṁ vā panassā”ti.

4.21

It’s because of that camel’s foot creeper seed that I’m feeling painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.’

Yañcāhaṁ māluvābījahetu dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayāmī’ti.

4.22

In the same way, there are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’ …

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, santi eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino ‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti.

4.23

Te kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjanti.

4.24

Te moḷibaddhāhi paribbājikāhi paricārenti.

4.25

Te evamāhaṁsu:

4.26

‘kiṁsu nāma te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānā kāmānaṁ pahānamāhaṁsu, kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññapenti?

4.27

Sukho imissā paribbājikāya taruṇāya mudukāya lomasāya bāhāya samphasso’ti.

4.28

Te kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjanti.

4.29

Te kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti.

4.30

Te tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti.

4.31

Te evamāhaṁsu:

4.32

‘idaṁ kho te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānā kāmānaṁ pahānamāhaṁsu, kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññapenti.

4.33

Ime hi mayaṁ kāmahetu kāmanidānaṁ dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayāmā’ti.

4.34

This is called the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannasukhaṁ āyatiṁ dukkhavipākaṁ.

5.1

And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannadukkhañceva āyatiñca dukkhavipākaṁ?

5.2

It’s when someone goes naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don’t come or wait when called. They don’t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared on purpose for them, or an invitation for a meal.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco acelako hoti muttācāro hatthāpalekhano, naehibhaddantiko, natiṭṭhabhaddantiko, nābhihaṭaṁ, na uddissakataṁ, na nimantanaṁ sādiyati,

5.3

They don’t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who has a man in her home; or where there’s a dog waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or liquor or wine, and drink no beer.

so na kumbhimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na kaḷopimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na eḷakamantaraṁ, na daṇḍamantaraṁ, na musalamantaraṁ, na dvinnaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ, na gabbhiniyā, na pāyamānāya, na purisantaragatāya, na saṅkittīsu, na yattha sā upaṭṭhito hoti, na yattha makkhikā saṇḍasaṇḍacārinī, na macchaṁ, na maṁsaṁ, na suraṁ, na merayaṁ, na thusodakaṁ pivati.

5.4

They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls.

So ekāgāriko vā hoti ekālopiko, dvāgāriko vā hoti dvālopiko …pe… sattāgāriko vā hoti sattālopiko.

5.5

They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day.

Ekissāpi dattiyā yāpeti, dvīhipi dattīhi yāpeti … sattahipi dattīhi yāpeti.

5.6

They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live committed to the practice of eating food at set intervals.

Ekāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti, dvīhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti … sattāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti. Iti evarūpaṁ addhamāsikampi pariyāyabhattabhojanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.

5.7

They eat herbs, millet, wild rice, poor rice, water lettuce, rice bran, scum from boiling rice, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. They survive on forest roots and fruits, or eating fallen fruit.

So sākabhakkho vā hoti, sāmākabhakkho vā hoti, nīvārabhakkho vā hoti, daddulabhakkho vā hoti, haṭabhakkho vā hoti, kaṇabhakkho vā hoti, ācāmabhakkho vā hoti, piññākabhakkho vā hoti, tiṇabhakkho vā hoti, gomayabhakkho vā hoti, vanamūlaphalāhāro yāpeti pavattaphalabhojī.

5.8

They wear robes of sunn hemp, mixed hemp, corpse-wrapping cloth, rags, lodh tree bark, antelope hide (whole or in strips), kusa grass, bark, wood-chips, human hair, horse-tail hair, or owls’ wings.

So sāṇānipi dhāreti, masāṇānipi dhāreti, chavadussānipi dhāreti, paṁsukūlānipi dhāreti, tirīṭānipi dhāreti, ajinampi dhāreti, ajinakkhipampi dhāreti, kusacīrampi dhāreti, vākacīrampi dhāreti, phalakacīrampi dhāreti, kesakambalampi dhāreti, vāḷakambalampi dhāreti, ulūkapakkhampi dhāreti,

5.9

They tear out their hair and beard, committed to this practice.

kesamassulocakopi hoti, kesamassulocanānuyogamanuyutto,

5.10

They stand forever, refusing seats.

ubbhaṭṭhakopi hoti, āsanapaṭikkhitto,

5.11

They squat, committed to persisting in the squatting position.

ukkuṭikopi hoti ukkuṭikappadhānamanuyutto,

5.12

They lie on a mat of thorns, making a mat of thorns their bed.

kaṇṭakāpassayikopi hoti, kaṇṭakāpassaye seyyaṁ kappeti,

5.13

They’re committed to the practice of samādhi in water three times a day, including the evening.

sāyatatiyakampi udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.

5.14

And so they live committed to practicing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body.

Iti evarūpaṁ anekavihitaṁ kāyassa ātāpanaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.

5.15

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

5.16

This is called the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannadukkhañceva āyatiñca dukkhavipākaṁ.

6.1

And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannadukkhaṁ āyatiṁ sukhavipākaṁ?

6.2

It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyā tibbarāgajātiko hoti, so abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti;

6.3

pakatiyā tibbadosajātiko hoti, so abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti;

6.4

pakatiyā tibbamohajātiko hoti, so abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.

6.5

They lead the full and pure spiritual life in pain and sadness, weeping, with tearful faces.

So sahāpi dukkhena, sahāpi domanassena, assumukhopi rudamāno paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati.

6.6

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

6.7

This is called the way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannadukkhaṁ āyatiṁ sukhavipākaṁ.

7.1

And what is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannasukhañceva āyatiñca sukhavipākaṁ?

7.2

It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyā na tibbarāgajātiko hoti, so na abhikkhaṇaṁ rāgajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti;

7.3

pakatiyā na tibbadosajātiko hoti, so na abhikkhaṇaṁ dosajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti;

7.4

pakatiyā na tibbamohajātiko hoti, so na abhikkhaṇaṁ mohajaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvedeti.

7.5

Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption …

So vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

7.6

second absorption …

Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe…

7.7

third absorption …

tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …

7.8

fourth absorption.

catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

7.9

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

7.10

This is called the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṁ paccuppannasukhañceva āyatiñca sukhavipākaṁ.

7.11

These are the four ways of taking up practices.”

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri dhammasamādānānī”ti.

7.12

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

7.13

Satisfied, the bhikkhū were happy with what the Buddha said.

Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

7.14

Cūḷadhammasamādānasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.