SN 22.70

Rajanīyasaṇṭhitasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā …pe… vihareyyan”ti. “Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, rajanīyasaṇṭhitaṁ; tatra te chando pahātabbo”ti. “Aññātaṁ, bhagavā, aññātaṁ, sugatā”ti.

Definitely Arousing

At Sāvatthī. Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha … and asked him, “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.” “Mendicant, give up desire for whatever is shaped by arousal.” “Understood, Blessed One! Understood, Holy One!”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsī”ti? “Rūpaṁ kho, bhante, rajanīyasaṇṭhitaṁ; tatra me chando pahātabbo. Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ rajanīyasaṇṭhitaṁ; tatra me chando pahātabbo. Imassa khvāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.

“But how do you see the detailed meaning of my brief statement?” “Sir, form is shaped by arousal; I should give up desire for it. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness is shaped by arousal; I should give up desire for it. That’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi. Rūpaṁ kho, bhikkhu, rajanīyasaṇṭhitaṁ; tatra te chando pahātabbo. Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ rajanīyasaṇṭhitaṁ; tatra te chando pahātabbo. Imassa kho, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo”ti …pe… aññataro ca pana so bhikkhu arahataṁ ahosīti.

“Good, good, mendicant! It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of what I’ve said in brief like this. Form is shaped by arousal; you should give up desire for it. Feeling … Perception … Choices … Consciousness is shaped by arousal; you should give up desire for it. This is how to see the detailed meaning of what I said in brief.” … And that mendicant became one of the perfected.