SN 22.3

Hāliddikānisutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākaccāno avantīsu viharati kuraraghare papāte pabbate. Atha kho hāliddikāni gahapati yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho hāliddikāni gahapati āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca: “vuttamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā aṭṭhakavaggiye māgaṇḍiyapañhe:

With Hāliddikāni

So I have heard. At one time Venerable Mahākaccāna was staying in the land of the Avantis near Kuraraghara on Steep Mountain. Then the householder Hāliddikāni went up to Venerable Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, this was said by the Buddha in the Chapter of the Eights, in ‘The Questions of Māgandiya’:

‘Okaṁ pahāya aniketasārī, Gāme akubbaṁ muni santhavāni; Kāmehi ritto apurakkharāno, Kathaṁ na viggayha janena kayirā’ti.

‘After leaving their bastion to migrate without abode, a sage doesn’t get close to anyone in town. Rid of sensual pleasures, not expecting, they wouldn’t get in arguments with people.’

Imassa nu kho, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa kathaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti?

How should we see the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement?”

“Rūpadhātu kho, gahapati, viññāṇassa oko. Rūpadhāturāgavinibandhañca pana viññāṇaṁ ‘okasārī’ti vuccati. Vedanādhātu kho, gahapati, viññāṇassa oko. Vedanādhāturāgavinibandhañca pana viññāṇaṁ ‘okasārī’ti vuccati. Saññādhātu kho, gahapati, viññāṇassa oko. Saññādhāturāgavinibandhañca pana viññāṇaṁ ‘okasārī’ti vuccati. Saṅkhāradhātu kho, gahapati, viññāṇassa oko. Saṅkhāradhāturāgavinibandhañca pana viññāṇaṁ ‘okasārī’ti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, okasārī hoti.

“Householder, the form element is a bastion for consciousness. One whose consciousness is shackled by greed for the form element is called a migrant going from bastion to bastion. The feeling element is a bastion for consciousness. One whose consciousness is shackled to greed for the feeling element is called a migrant going from bastion to bastion. The perception element is a bastion for consciousness. One whose consciousness is shackled to greed for the perception element is called a migrant going from bastion to bastion. The choices element is a bastion for consciousness. One whose consciousness is shackled to greed for the choices element is called a migrant going from bastion to bastion. That’s how one is a migrant going from bastion to bastion.

Kathañca, gahapati, anokasārī hoti? Rūpadhātuyā kho, gahapati, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā ye upayupādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā te tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Tasmā tathāgato ‘anokasārī’ti vuccati. Vedanādhātuyā kho, gahapati … saññādhātuyā kho, gahapati … saṅkhāradhātuyā kho, gahapati … viññāṇadhātuyā kho, gahapati, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā ye upayupādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā te tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Tasmā tathāgato ‘anokasārī’ti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, anokasārī hoti.

And how is one a migrant with no bastion? The Realized One has given up any desire, greed, relishing, and craving for the form element; any attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendencies. He has cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s why the Realized One is called a migrant with no bastion. The Realized One has given up any desire, greed, relishing, and craving for the feeling element … the perception element … the choices element … the consciousness element; any attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendencies. He has cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s why the Realized One is called a migrant with no bastion. That’s how one is a migrant with no bastion.

Kathañca, gahapati, niketasārī hoti? Rūpanimittaniketavisāravinibandhā kho, gahapati, ‘niketasārī’ti vuccati. Saddanimitta …pe… gandhanimitta … rasanimitta … phoṭṭhabbanimitta … dhammanimittaniketavisāravinibandhā kho, gahapati, ‘niketasārī’ti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, niketasārī hoti.

And how is one a migrant going from abode to abode? Shackled to chasing the abodes that are the features of sights, one is called a migrant going from abode to abode. Shackled to chasing the abodes that are the features of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts, one is called a migrant going from abode to abode. That’s how one is a migrant going from abode to abode.

Kathañca, gahapati, aniketasārī hoti? Rūpanimittaniketavisāravinibandhā kho, gahapati, tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Tasmā tathāgato ‘aniketasārī’ti vuccati. Saddanimitta … gandhanimitta … rasanimitta … phoṭṭhabbanimitta … dhammanimittaniketavisāravinibandhā kho, gahapati, tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Tasmā tathāgato ‘aniketasārī’ti vuccati. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, aniketasārī hoti.

And how is one a migrant without abode? The Realized One has given up being shackled to chasing the abodes that are the features of sights. He has cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s why the Realized One is called a migrant without abode. The Realized One has given up being shackled to chasing the abodes that are the features of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas. He has cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s why the Realized One is called a migrant without abode. That’s how one is a migrant without abode.

Kathañca, gahapati, gāme santhavajāto hoti? Idha, gahapati, ekacco gihīhi saṁsaṭṭho viharati sahanandī sahasokī, sukhitesu sukhito, dukkhitesu dukkhito, uppannesu kiccakaraṇīyesu attanā tesu yogaṁ āpajjati. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, gāme santhavajāto hoti.

And how does one get close to people in town? It’s when someone mixes closely with laypeople, sharing their joys and sorrows—happy when they’re happy and sad when they’re sad—and getting themselves involved in their business. That’s how one gets close to people in town.

Kathañca, gahapati, gāme na santhavajāto hoti? Idha, gahapati, bhikkhu gihīhi asaṁsaṭṭho viharati na sahanandī na sahasokī na sukhitesu sukhito na dukkhitesu dukkhito, uppannesu kiccakaraṇīyesu na attanā tesu yogaṁ āpajjati. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, gāme na santhavajāto hoti.

And how does one not get close to people in town? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t mix closely with laypeople, not sharing their joys and sorrows—not happy when they’re happy or sad when they’re sad—and not getting themselves involved in their business. That’s how one doesn’t get close to people in town.

Kathañca, gahapati, kāmehi aritto hoti? Idha, gahapati, ekacco kāmesu avigatarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, kāmehi aritto hoti.

And how is one not rid of sensual pleasures? It’s when someone isn’t rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. That’s how one is not rid of sensual pleasures.

Kathañca, gahapati, kāmehi ritto hoti? Idha, gahapati, ekacco kāmesu vigatarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, kāmehi ritto hoti.

And how is one rid of sensual pleasures? It’s when someone is rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. That’s how one is rid of sensual pleasures.

Kathañca, gahapati, purakkharāno hoti? Idha, gahapati, ekaccassa evaṁ hoti: ‘evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁvedano siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁsañño siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānan’ti. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, purakkharāno hoti.

And how is one expecting? It’s when someone thinks: ‘In the future, may I be of such form, such feeling, such perception, such choices, and such consciousness!’ That’s how one is expecting.

Kathañca, gahapati, apurakkharāno hoti? Idha, gahapati, ekaccassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘evaṁrūpo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁvedano siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁsañño siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁsaṅkhāro siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānaṁ, evaṁviññāṇo siyaṁ anāgatamaddhānan’ti. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, apurakkharāno hoti.

And how is one not expecting? It’s when someone doesn’t think: ‘In the future, may I be of such form, such feeling, such perception, such choices, and such consciousness!’ That’s how one is not expecting.

Kathañca, gahapati, kathaṁ viggayha janena kattā hoti? Idha, gahapati, ekacco evarūpiṁ kathaṁ kattā hoti: ‘na tvaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānāsi; ahaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānāmi. Kiṁ tvaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānissasi? Micchāpaṭipanno tvamasi; ahamasmi sammāpaṭipanno. Pure vacanīyaṁ pacchā avaca; pacchā vacanīyaṁ pure avaca. Sahitaṁ me, asahitaṁ te. Adhiciṇṇaṁ te viparāvattaṁ. Āropito te vādo; cara vādappamokkhāya. Niggahitosi; nibbeṭhehi vā sace pahosī’ti. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, kathaṁ viggayha janena kattā hoti.

And how does one argue with people? It’s when someone takes part in this sort of discussion: ‘You don’t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You’re practicing wrong. I’m practicing right. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. I stay on topic, you don’t. What you’ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You’re trapped; get yourself out of this—if you can!’ That’s how one argues with people.

Kathañca, gahapati, kathaṁ na viggayha janena kattā hoti? Idha, gahapati, bhikkhu na evarūpiṁ kathaṁ kattā hoti: ‘na tvaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānāsi …pe… nibbeṭhehi vā sace pahosī’ti. Evaṁ kho, gahapati, kathaṁ na viggayha janena kattā hoti.

And how does one not argue with people? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t take part in this sort of discussion: ‘You don’t understand this teaching and training … get yourself out of this—if you can!’ That’s how one doesn’t argue with people.

Iti kho, gahapati, yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā aṭṭhakavaggiye māgaṇḍiyapañhe:

So, householder, that’s how to understand the detailed meaning of what the Buddha said in brief in the Chapter of the Eights, in ‘The Questions of Māgandiya’:

‘Okaṁ pahāya aniketasārī, Gāme akubbaṁ munisanthavāni; Kāmehi ritto apurakkharāno, Kathaṁ na viggayha janena kayirā’ti. Imassa kho, gahapati, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti.

‘After leaving their bastion to migrate without abode, a sage doesn’t get close to anyone in town. Rid of sensual pleasures, not expecting, they wouldn’t get in arguments with people.’”