SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 48 Linked Discourses on the Faculties – Indriyasaṁyutta > SN 48.53 A Trainee

Linked Discourses 48.53 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.53

6. The Boar’s Cave – 6. Sūkarakhatavagga

SN 48.53 A Trainee – Sekhasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū, is there a way that a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing at the level of a trainee, can understand that they are a trainee? And that a bhikkhu who is an adept, standing at the level of an adept, can understand that they are an adept?”

“atthi nu kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma sekho bhikkhu sekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘sekhosmī’ti pajāneyya, asekho bhikkhu asekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘asekhosmī’ti pajāneyyā”ti?

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…

“There is a way that a bhikkhu who is a trainee, standing at the level of a trainee, can understand that they are a trainee, and that a bhikkhu who is an adept, standing at the level of an adept, can understand that they are an adept.

“atthi, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma sekho bhikkhu sekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘sekhosmī’ti pajāneyya, asekho bhikkhu asekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘asekhosmī’ti pajāneyya.

And what is a way that a bhikkhu who is a trainee can understand that they are a trainee?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma sekho bhikkhu sekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘sekhosmī’ti pajānāti?

It’s when a bhikkhu who is a trainee truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

Idha, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti—

This is a way that a bhikkhu who is a trainee can understand that they are a trainee.

ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma sekho bhikkhu sekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘sekhosmī’ti pajānāti.

Furthermore, a bhikkhu who is a trainee reflects:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:

‘Is there any other ascetic or brahmin elsewhere whose teaching is as true, as real, as accurate as that of the Buddha?’

‘atthi nu kho ito bahiddhā añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yo evaṁ bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ tathaṁ dhammaṁ deseti yathā bhagavā’ti?

They understand:

So evaṁ pajānāti:

‘There is no other ascetic or brahmin elsewhere whose teaching is as true, as real, as accurate as that of the Buddha.’

‘natthi kho ito bahiddhā añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yo evaṁ bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ tathaṁ dhammaṁ deseti yathā bhagavā’ti.

This too is a way that a bhikkhu who is a trainee can understand that they are a trainee.

Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma sekho bhikkhu sekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘sekhosmī’ti pajānāti.

Furthermore, a bhikkhu who is a trainee understands the five faculties:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sekho bhikkhu pañcindriyāni pajānāti—

faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom.

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

And although they don’t have direct meditative experience of their destination, apex, fruit, and culmination,

Yaṅgatikāni yaṁparamāni yaṁphalāni yaṁpariyosānāni. Na heva kho kāyena phusitvā viharati;

they do see them with penetrating wisdom.

paññāya ca ativijjha passati.

This too is a way that a bhikkhu who is a trainee can understand that they are a trainee.

Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma sekho bhikkhu sekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘sekhosmī’ti pajānāti.

And what is the way that a bhikkhu who is an adept can understand that they are an adept?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma asekho bhikkhu asekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘asekhosmī’ti pajānāti?

It’s when a bhikkhu who is an adept understands the five faculties:

Idha, bhikkhave, asekho bhikkhu pañcindriyāni pajānāti—

faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom.

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

They have direct meditative experience of their destination, apex, fruit, and culmination,

Yaṅgatikāni yaṁparamāni yaṁphalāni yaṁpariyosānāni. Kāyena ca phusitvā viharati;

and they see them with penetrating wisdom.

paññāya ca ativijjha passati.

This is a way that a bhikkhu who is an adept can understand that they are an adept.

Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma asekho bhikkhu asekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘asekhosmī’ti pajānāti.

Furthermore, a bhikkhu who is an adept understands the six faculties:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, asekho bhikkhu cha indriyāni pajānāti.

eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

‘Cakkhundriyaṁ, sotindriyaṁ, ghānindriyaṁ, jivhindriyaṁ, kāyindriyaṁ, manindriyaṁ—

They understand: ‘These six faculties will totally and utterly cease without anything left over. And no other six faculties will arise anywhere anyhow.’

imāni kho cha indriyāni sabbena sabbaṁ sabbathā sabbaṁ aparisesaṁ nirujjhissanti, aññāni ca cha indriyāni na kuhiñci kismiñci uppajjissantī’ti pajānāti.

This too is a way that a bhikkhu who is an adept can understand that they are an adept.”

Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma asekho bhikkhu asekhabhūmiyaṁ ṭhito ‘asekhosmī’ti pajānātī”ti.