SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 41 Connected Discourses with Citta the Householder – Cittasaṁyutta > SN 41.6 With Kāmabhū (2nd)

Linked Discourses 41.6 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 41.6

1. With Citta – 1. Cittavagga

SN 41.6 With Kāmabhū (2nd) – Dutiyakāmabhūsutta

At one time Venerable Kāmabhū was staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā kāmabhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharati ambāṭakavane.

Then Citta the householder went up to Venerable Kāmabhū, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho citto gahapati yenāyasmā kāmabhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, how many processes are there?”

“kati nu kho, bhante, saṅkhārā”ti?

“Householder, there are three processes.

“Tayo kho, gahapati, saṅkhārā—

Physical, verbal, and mental processes.”

kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” Citta approved and agreed with what Kāmabhū said. Then he asked another question:

“Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato kāmabhussa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, what is the physical process? What’s the verbal process? What’s the mental process?”

“katamo pana, bhante, kāyasaṅkhāro, katamo vacīsaṅkhāro, katamo cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“Breathing is a physical process. Placing the mind and keeping it connected are verbal processes. Perception and feeling are mental processes.”

“Assāsapassāsā kho, gahapati, kāyasaṅkhāro, vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, why is breathing a physical process? Why are placing the mind and keeping it connected verbal processes? Why are perception and feeling mental processes?”

“kasmā pana, bhante, assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro, kasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“Breathing is physical. It’s tied up with the body, that’s why breathing is a physical process.

“Assāsapassāsā kho, gahapati, kāyikā. Ete dhammā kāyappaṭibaddhā, tasmā assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro.

First you place the mind and keep it connected, then you break into speech. That’s why placing the mind and keeping it connected are verbal processes.

Pubbe kho, gahapati, vitakketvā vicāretvā pacchā vācaṁ bhindati, tasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro.

Perception and feeling are mental. They’re tied up with the mind, that’s why perception and feeling are mental processes.”

Saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā. Ete dhammā cittappaṭibaddhā, tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?”

“kathaṁ pana, bhante, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpatti hotī”ti?

“A bhikkhu who is entering such an attainment does not think:

“Na kho, gahapati, saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:

‘I will enter the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling.’

‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjissan’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno’ti vā.

Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.”

Atha khvassa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, which cease first for a bhikkhu who is entering the cessation of perception and feeling: physical, verbal, or mental processes?”

“saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ nirujjhanti, yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“Verbal processes cease first, then physical, then mental.”

“Saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa kho, gahapati, bhikkhuno vacīsaṅkhāro paṭhamaṁ nirujjhati, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“What’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a bhikkhu who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling?”

“yvāyaṁ, bhante, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, imesaṁ kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti?

“When someone dies, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled; their vitality is spent; their warmth is dissipated; and their faculties have disintegrated.

“Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato tassa kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu parikkhīṇo, usmā vūpasantā, indriyāni viparibhinnāni.

When a bhikkhu has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled. But their vitality is not spent; their warmth is not dissipated; and their faculties are very clear.

Yo ca khvāyaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, tassapi kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu aparikkhīṇo, usmā avūpasantā, indriyāni vippasannāni.

That’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a bhikkhu who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.”

Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, idaṁ nesaṁ nānākaraṇan”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, how does someone emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling?”

“kathaṁ pana, bhante, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṁ hotī”ti?

“A bhikkhu who is emerging from such an attainment does not think:

“Na kho, gahapati, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:

‘I will emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling.’

‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahissan’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhito’ti vā.

Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.”

Atha khvassa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti, yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu, bhante …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, which arise first for a bhikkhu who is emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling: physical, verbal, or mental processes?”

“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ uppajjanti, yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“Mental processes arise first, then physical, then verbal.”

“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa, gahapati, bhikkhuno cittasaṅkhāro paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato vacīsaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, when a bhikkhu has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, how many kinds of contact do they experience?”

“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ pana, bhante, bhikkhuṁ kati phassā phusanti”?

“They experience three kinds of contact:

“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ kho, gahapati, bhikkhuṁ tayo phassā phusanti—

emptiness, signless, and undirected contacts.”

suññato phasso, animitto phasso, appaṇihito phasso”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question:

“Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, when a bhikkhu has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, what does their mind slant, slope, and incline to?”

“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno kiṁninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kiṁpoṇaṁ, kiṁpabbhāran”ti?

“Their mind slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion.”

“Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa kho, gahapati, bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāran”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” Citta approved and agreed with what Kāmabhū said. Then he asked another question:

“Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato kāmabhussa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, how many things are helpful for attaining the cessation of perception and feeling?”

“saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā pana, bhante, kati dhammā bahūpakārā”ti?

“Well, householder, you’ve finally asked what you should have asked first!

“Addhā kho tvaṁ, gahapati, yaṁ paṭhamaṁ pucchitabbaṁ taṁ pucchasi.

Nevertheless, I will answer you.

Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi.

Two things are helpful for attaining the cessation of perception and feeling:

Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā kho, gahapati, dve dhammā bahūpakārā—

serenity and discernment.”

samatho ca vipassanā cā”ti.