SN 12.67 Bundles of Reeds – Naḷakalāpīsutta

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SN 12.67 Bundles of Reeds – Naḷakalāpīsutta

Linked Discourses 12.67 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.67

7. The Great Chapter – 7. Mahāvagga

SN 12.67 Bundles of Reeds – Naḷakalāpīsutta

 

At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye.

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Sāriputta:

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, are old age and death made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or do they arise by chance, not made by oneself or another?”

“kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, paraṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca jarāmaraṇaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ jarāmaraṇan”ti?

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, old age and death are not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor do they arise by chance, not made by oneself or another.

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca jarāmaraṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ jarāmaraṇaṁ.

Rather, rebirth is a condition for old age and death.”

Api ca jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan”ti.

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, is rebirth made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or does it arise by chance, not made by oneself or another?”

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkatā jāti, paraṅkatā jāti, sayaṅkatā ca paraṅkatā ca jāti, udāhu asayaṅkārā aparaṅkārā adhiccasamuppannā jātī”ti?

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, rebirth is not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor does it arise by chance, not made by oneself or another.

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkatā jāti, na paraṅkatā jāti, na sayaṅkatā ca paraṅkatā ca jāti, nāpi asayaṅkārā aparaṅkārā adhiccasamuppannā jāti.

Rather, continued existence is a condition for rebirth.”

Api ca bhavapaccayā jātī”ti.

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, is continued existence made by oneself? …” …

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkato bhavo …pe…

“Is grasping made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkataṁ upādānaṁ …

“Is craving made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkatā taṇhā …

“Is feeling made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkatā vedanā …

“Is contact made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkato phasso …

“Are the six sense fields made by oneself? …” …

sayaṅkataṁ saḷāyatanaṁ …

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, are name and form made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or do they arise by chance, not made by oneself or another?”

sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpan”ti?

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, name and form are not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor do they arise by chance, not made by oneself or another.

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ, adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpaṁ.

Rather, consciousness is a condition for name and form.”

Api ca viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan”ti.

“Well, Reverend Sāriputta, is consciousness made by oneself? Or by another? Or by both oneself and another? Or does it arise by chance, not made by oneself or another?”

“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, udāhu asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇan”ti?

“No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, consciousness is not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor does it arise by chance, not made by oneself or another.

“Na kho, āvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ.

Rather, name and form are conditions for consciousness.”

Api ca nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan”ti.

“Just now I understood you to say:

“Idāneva kho mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ evaṁ ājānāma:

‘No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, name and form are not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor do they arise by chance, not made by oneself or another.

‘na khvāvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ nāmarūpaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca nāmarūpaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ nāmarūpaṁ.

Rather, consciousness is a condition for name and form.’

Api ca viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti.

But I also understood you to say:

Idāneva ca pana mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ evaṁ ājānāma:

‘No, Reverend Koṭṭhita, consciousness is not made by oneself, nor by another, nor by both oneself and another, nor does it arise by chance, not made by oneself or another.

‘na khvāvuso koṭṭhika, sayaṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na paraṅkataṁ viññāṇaṁ, na sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca viññāṇaṁ, nāpi asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ.

Rather, name and form are conditions for consciousness.’

Api ca nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.

How then should we see the meaning of this statement?”

Yathā kathaṁ panāvuso sāriputta, imassa bhāsitassa attho daṭṭhabbo”ti?

“Well then, reverend, I shall give you a simile.

“Tenahāvuso, upamaṁ te karissāmi.

For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said.

Upamāyapidhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānanti.

Suppose there were two bundles of reeds leaning up against each other.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso, dve naḷakalāpiyo aññamaññaṁ nissāya tiṭṭheyyuṁ.

In the same way, name and form are conditions for consciousness.

Evameva kho, āvuso, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ;

Consciousness is a condition for name and form.

viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpaṁ;

Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields.

nāmarūpapaccayā saḷāyatanaṁ;

The six sense fields are conditions for contact. …

saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso …pe…

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

If the first of those bundles of reeds were to be pulled away, the other would collapse.

Tāsañce, āvuso, naḷakalāpīnaṁ ekaṁ ākaḍḍheyya, ekā papateyya;

And if the other were to be pulled away, the first would collapse.

aparañce ākaḍḍheyya, aparā papateyya.

In the same way, when name and form cease, consciousness ceases.

Evameva kho, āvuso, nāmarūpanirodhā viññāṇanirodho;

When consciousness ceases, name and form cease.

viññāṇanirodhā nāmarūpanirodho;

When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease.

nāmarūpanirodhā saḷāyatananirodho;

When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases. …

saḷāyatananirodhā phassanirodho …pe…

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī”ti.

“It’s incredible, Reverend Sāriputta, it’s amazing!

“Acchariyaṁ, āvuso sāriputta;

abbhutaṁ, āvuso sāriputta.

How well spoken this was by Venerable Sāriputta!

Yāvasubhāsitañcidaṁ āyasmatā sāriputtena.

And we can express our agreement with Venerable Sāriputta’s statement on these thirty-six grounds.

Idañca pana mayaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa bhāsitaṁ imehi chattiṁsāya vatthūhi anumodāma:

If a bhikkhu teaches Dhamma for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding old age and death, they’re qualified to be called a ‘bhikkhu who speaks on Dhamma’.

‘Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, dhammakathiko bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding old age and death, they’re qualified to be called a ‘bhikkhu who practices in line with the teaching’.

Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they’re freed by not grasping by disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding old age and death, they’re qualified to be called a ‘bhikkhu who has attained extinguishment in this very life’.

Jarāmaraṇassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto hoti, diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If a bhikkhu teaches Dhamma for disillusionment regarding rebirth …

Jātiyā ce …

continued existence …

bhavassa ce …

grasping …

upādānassa ce …

craving …

taṇhāya ce …

feeling …

vedanāya ce …

contact …

phassassa ce …

the six sense fields …

saḷāyatanassa ce …

name and form …

nāmarūpassa ce …

consciousness …

viññāṇassa ce …

saṅkhāra

saṅkhārānañce …

If a bhikkhu teaches Dhamma for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding ignorance, they’re qualified to be called a ‘bhikkhu who speaks on Dhamma’.

avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya dhammaṁ deseti, dhammakathiko bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding ignorance, they’re qualified to be called a ‘bhikkhu who practices in line with the teaching’.

Avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāya.

If they’re freed by not grasping by disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding ignorance, they’re qualified to be called a ‘bhikkhu who has attained extinguishment in this very life’.”

Avijjāya ce, āvuso, bhikkhu nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto hoti, diṭṭhadhammanibbānappatto bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāyā’”ti.