Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.8

The Related Suttas Collection 45.8

1. Avijjāvagga

1. Ignorance

Vibhaṅgasutta

Analysis

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Ariyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ desessāmi vibhajissāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I will teach and analyze for you the noble eightfold path. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo? Seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

“And what is the noble eightfold path? It is right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi? Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi.

And what is right view? Knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is called right view.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo? Yo kho, bhikkhave, nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo.

And what is right thought? It is the thought of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. This is called right thought.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāvācā? Yā kho, bhikkhave, musāvādā veramaṇī, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī, samphappalāpā veramaṇī—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvācā.

And what is right speech? Avoiding speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called right speech.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammākammanto? Yā kho, bhikkhave, pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, adinnādānā veramaṇī, abrahmacariyā veramaṇī—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammākammanto.

And what is right action? Avoiding killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual activity. This is called right action.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako micchāājīvaṁ pahāya sammāājīvena jīvitaṁ kappeti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo.

And what is right livelihood? It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. This is called right livelihood.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati, uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti …pe… anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti …pe… uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo.

And what is right effort? It’s when a bhikkhu generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have not arisen do arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. This is called right effort.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāsati? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; citte cittānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsati.

And what is right mindfulness? It’s when a bhikkhu meditates by watching, again and again, an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of feelings—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of the mind—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate watching, again and again, an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. This is called right mindfulness.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhī”ti.

And what is right samādhi? It’s when a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first jhāna, which has the (mental) joy and (bodily) pleasure born of seclusion, while thougths are being born and sustained analysis is going on. As the thougths being born and the sustained analysis going on are stilled, they enter and remain in the second jhāna, which has the (mental) joy and (bodily) pleasure born of samādhi, with internal clarity and mind at one, without thougths being born and without sustained analysis going on. And with the fading away of (mental) joy, they enter and remain in the third jhāna, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally feeling deeply the (bodily) pleasure of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, a pleasure is to meditate.’ Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth jhāna, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. This is called right samādhi.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.