-N,O,P-

Na Tumhaka Sutta

Not Yours

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

“Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit. And what is not yours?”

“The eye is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit. Forms are not yours… Eye-consciousness is not yours… Eye-contact is not yours… Whatever arises in dependence on eye-contact, experienced either as pleasure, as pain, or as neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit.”

“The ear is not yours: let go of it…”

“The nose is not yours: let go of it…”

“The tongue is not yours: let go of it…”

“The body is not yours: let go of it…”

“The intellect is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit. Ideas are not yours… Intellect-consciousness is not yours… Intellect-contact is not yours… Whatever arises in dependence on intellect-contact, experienced either as pleasure, as pain, or as neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit.”

“Suppose a person were to gather or burn or do as he likes with the grass, twigs, branches, and leaves here in Jeta’s Grove. Would the thought occur to you, ‘It’s us that this person is gathering, burning, or doing with as he likes’?”

“No, lord. Why is that? Because those things are not our self nor do they pertain to our self.”

“In the same way, monks, the eye is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit… The ear… The nose… The tongue… The body… The intellect is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit… Whatever arises in dependence on intellect-contact, experienced either as pleasure, as pain, or as neither-pleasure-nor-pain, that too is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit.”

Nadi Sutta

The River

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, “Monks, suppose there were a river, flowing down from the mountains, going far, its current swift, carrying everything with it, and — holding on to both banks — kasa grasses, kusa grasses, reeds, birana grasses, and trees were growing. Then a man swept away by the current would grab hold of the kasa grasses, but they would tear away, and so from that cause he would come to disaster. He would grab hold of the kusa grasses… the reeds… the birana grasses… the trees, but they would tear away, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.”

“In the same way, there is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form (the body) to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. That form tears away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.”

“He assumes feeling to be the self, or the self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or the self as in feeling. That feeling tears away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.”

“He assumes perception to be the self, or the self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or the self as in perception. That perception tears away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.”

“He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self, or the self as possessing fabrications, or fabrications as in the self, or the self as in fabrications. Those fabrications tear away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.”

“He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. That consciousness tears away from him, and so from that cause he would come to disaster.”

“Now, monks, what do you think: Is form constant or inconstant?”

“Inconstant, lord.”

“Is feeling constant or inconstant?”

“Inconstant, lord.”

“Is perception constant or inconstant?”

“Inconstant, lord.”

“Are fabrications constant or inconstant?”

“Inconstant, lord.”

“Is consciousness constant or inconstant?”

“Inconstant, lord.”

“Thus, monks, whatever form is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: all form is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment: ‘this is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’”

“Whatever feeling… Whatever perception… Whatever fabrications…”

“Whatever consciousness is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: all consciousness is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment: ‘this is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’”

“Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he grows dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is released. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’”

Nagara Sutta

The City

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Dwelling at Savatthi… “Monks, before my Awakening, when I was just an un-awakened Bodhisattva, the realization came to me: ‘how this world has fallen on difficulty! It is born, it ages, it dies, it falls away and re-arises, but it does not discern the escape from this stress, from this aging and death. O when will it discern the escape from this stress, from this aging and death?’”

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Aging and death exist when what exists? From what as a requisite condition is there aging and death?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Aging and death exist when birth exists. From birth as a requisite condition comes aging and death.’ Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Birth exists when what exists? From what as a requisite condition comes birth?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Birth exists when becoming exists. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth…’ ‘Name-and-form exists when what exists? From what as a requisite condition is there name-and-form?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Name-and-form exists when consciousness exists. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-and-form.’ Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Consciousness exists when what exists? From what as a requisite condition comes consciousness?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Consciousness exists when name-and-form exists. From name-and-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness.’”

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘this consciousness turns back at name-and-form, and goes no farther. It is to this extent that there is birth, aging, death, falling away, and re-arising, i.e., from name-and-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness, from consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-and-form. From name-and-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media… Thus is the origination of this entire mass of stress. Origination, origination.’ Vision arose, clear knowing arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before.”

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Aging and death don’t exist when what doesn’t exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of aging and death?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Aging and death don’t exist when birth doesn’t exist. From the cessation of birth comes the cessation of aging and death.’… ‘Name-and-form doesn’t exist when what doesn’t exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of name-and-form?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Name-and-form doesn’t exist when consciousness doesn’t exist. From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-and-form.’ Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Consciousness doesn’t exist when what doesn’t exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of consciousness?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Consciousness doesn’t exist when name-and-form doesn’t exist. From the cessation of name-and-form comes the cessation of consciousness.’”

“The thought occurred to me, ‘I have attained this path to Awakening, i.e., from the cessation of name-and-form comes the cessation of consciousness, from the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-and-form. From the cessation of name-and-form comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease. Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of stress. Cessation, cessation.’ Vision arose, clear knowing arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before.”

“It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves, and ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the king or the king’s minister, saying, ‘Sire, you should know that while traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path… I followed it… I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital… complete with parks, groves, and ponds, walled, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!’ The king or king’s minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the city would become powerful, rich, and well-populated, fully grown and prosperous.”

“In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging and death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging and death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging and death, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging and death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth… becoming… clinging… craving… feeling… contact… the six sense media… name-and-form… consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.”

“Following it, I came to direct knowledge of fabrications, direct knowledge of the origination of fabrications, direct knowledge of the cessation of fabrications, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of fabrications. Knowing that directly, I have revealed it to monks, nuns, male lay followers and female lay followers, so that this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated, wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial and human beings.”

Nagaravindeyya Sutta

The Discourse Delivered at Nagaravindika

I heard thus:

At one time the Blessed One was touring the Kosala country with a large Community of Bhikkhus and arrived at the Brahmin village Nagaravindika of Kosala. The Brahmin householders of Nagaravindika heard ‘The good recluse Gotama, son of the Sakyas, who became homeless, while touring the Kosala country with a large Community of Bhikkhus have arrived at the Brahmin village Nagaravindika. This is the fame that has spread about him. That Blessed One is worthy, rightfully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, has gone well, knows the worlds, is the incomparable tamer of those to be tamed, Teacher of gods and men, enlightened and blessed. We should see such worthy ones. Then the Brahmin householders of Nagaravindika approached the Blessed One. Some of them exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One and sat on a side. Some joined their hands in reverence and sat on a side. Some made their names and clans heard in the presence of the Blessed One and sat on a side and the rest silently sat on a side.

To the Brahmin householders of Nagaravindika the Blessed One said.

‘Householders, if the homeless ascetics of other beliefs ask you: “Householders, what kind of recluses and Brahmins should not be revered, esteemed and worshipped?” You should reply them thus. Those recluses and Brahmins, without dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness, internally not appeased, abide with good and bad conduct by body, speech and mind. Such recluses and Brahmins should not be revered, esteemed and worshipped. For we too are without dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness, internally not appeased, abide with good and bad conduct by body, speech and mind. Not seeing any good conduct above that, we should not revere, esteem and worship those good recluses and Brahmins. Those recluses and Brahmins, without dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness… for scents cognizable by nose consciousness… for tastes cognizable by tongue-consciousness… for touches cognizable by body consciousness and for thoughts cognizable by mind-consciousness internally not appeased, abide with good and bad conduct by body, speech and mind. Such recluses and Brahmins should not be revered, esteemed and worshipped. For we too are without dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for thoughts cognizable by mind-consciousness, internally not appeased, abide with good and bad conduct by body, speech and mind. Not seeing any good conduct above that, we should not revere, esteem and worship those good recluses and Brahmins. Householders, you should reply those ascetics of other beliefs in this manner.

Householders, if the homeless ascetics of other beliefs ask you: “Householders, what kind of recluses and Brahmins should be revered, esteemed and worshipped?” You should reply to them thus. Those recluses and Brahmins, with dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness, internally appeased, abide with the right conduct by body, speech and mind. Such recluses and Brahmins should be revered, esteemed and worshipped. For we are without dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for forms cognizable by eye-consciousness, internally not appeased, abide with good and bad conduct by body, speech and mind. Seeing good conduct in these recluses and Brahmins above us, we should revere, esteem and worship those good recluses and Brahmins. Those recluses and Brahmins, with dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for sounds cognizable by ear-consciousness… for scents cognizable by nose consciousness… for tastes cognizable by tongue-consciousness… for touches cognizable by body consciousness… and for thoughts cognizable by mind-consciousness internally appeased, abide with the right conduct by body, speech and mind. Such recluses and Brahmins should be revered, esteemed and worshipped. For we are without dispelled greed, aversion and delusion, for thoughts cognizable by mind-consciousness, internally not appeased, abide with good and bad conduct by body, speech and mind. Seeing good conduct in these recluses and Brahmins above us, we should revere, esteem and worship those good recluses and Brahmins. Householders, you should reply those ascetics of other beliefs in this manner.