SN 35.243

Avassutapariyāyasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Tena kho pana samayena kāpilavatthavānaṁ sakyānaṁ navaṁ santhāgāraṁ acirakāritaṁ hoti anajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā kenaci vā manussabhūtena. Atha kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “idha, bhante, kāpilavatthavānaṁ sakyānaṁ navaṁ santhāgāraṁ acirakāritaṁ anajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā kenaci vā manussabhūtena. Taṁ, bhante, bhagavā paṭhamaṁ paribhuñjatu. Bhagavatā paṭhamaṁ paribhuttaṁ pacchā kāpilavatthavā sakyā paribhuñjissanti. Tadassa kāpilavatthavānaṁ sakyānaṁ dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

The Explanation on the Festering

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Now at that time a new town hall had recently been constructed for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu. It had not yet been occupied by an ascetic or brahmin or any human at all. Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, a new town hall has recently been constructed for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu. It has not yet been occupied by an ascetic or brahmin or any human at all. May the Buddha be the first to use it, and only then will the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu use it. That would be for the lasting welfare and happiness of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.” The Buddha consented with silence.

Atha kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena navaṁ santhāgāraṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā sabbasanthariṁ santhāgāraṁ santharitvā āsanāni paññāpetvā udakamaṇikaṁ patiṭṭhāpetvā telappadīpaṁ āropetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “sabbasantharisanthataṁ, bhante, santhāgāraṁ, āsanāni paññattāni, udakamaṇiko patiṭṭhāpito, telappadīpo āropito. Yassadāni, bhante, bhagavā kālaṁ maññatī”ti. Atha kho bhagavā nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena yena navaṁ santhāgāraṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā pāde pakkhāletvā santhāgāraṁ pavisitvā majjhimaṁ thambhaṁ nissāya puratthābhimukho nisīdi. Bhikkhusaṅghopi kho pāde pakkhāletvā santhāgāraṁ pavisitvā pacchimaṁ bhittiṁ nissāya puratthābhimukho nisīdi bhagavantaṁyeva purakkhatvā. Kāpilavatthavā sakyā pāde pakkhāletvā santhāgāraṁ pavisitvā puratthimaṁ bhittiṁ nissāya pacchimābhimukhā nisīdiṁsu bhagavantaṁyeva purakkhatvā. Atha kho bhagavā kāpilavatthave sakye bahudeva rattiṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uyyojesi: “abhikkantā kho, gotamā, ratti. Yassadāni kālaṁ maññathā”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho kāpilavatthavā sakyā bhagavato paṭissutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu.

Knowing that the Buddha had consented, the Sakyans rose from their seats, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. Then they went to the new town hall, where they spread carpets all over, prepared seats, set up a water jar, and placed an oil lamp. Then they went back to the Buddha and told him of their preparations, saying, “Please, sir, come at your convenience.” Then the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the new town hall together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Having washed his feet, he entered the town hall and sat against the central column facing east. The Saṅgha of mendicants also washed their feet, entered the town hall, and sat against the west wall facing east, with the Buddha right in front of them. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu also washed their feet, entered the town hall, and sat against the east wall facing west, with the Buddha right in front of them. The Buddha spent much of the night educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the Sakyans with a Dhamma talk. Then he sent them off, saying, “The night is getting late, Gotamas. Please go at your convenience.” “Yes, sir,” replied the Sakyans. They got up from their seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving.

Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkantesu kāpilavatthavesu sakyesu āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi: “vigatathinamiddho kho, moggallāna, bhikkhusaṅgho. Paṭibhātu taṁ, moggallāna, bhikkhūnaṁ dhammī kathā. Piṭṭhi me āgilāyati; tamahaṁ āyamissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paccassosi. Atha kho bhagavā catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappesi, pāde pādaṁ accādhāya, sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā. Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi: “āvuso bhikkhave”ti. “Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca: “avassutapariyāyañca vo, āvuso, desessāmi, anavassutapariyāyañca. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:

Then, not long after the Sakyans had left, the Buddha addressed Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, “Moggallāna, the Saṅgha of mendicants is rid of dullness and drowsiness. Give them some Dhamma talk as you feel inspired. My back is sore, I’ll stretch it.” “Yes, sir,” Mahāmoggallāna replied. And then the Buddha spread out his outer robe folded in four and laid down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. There Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the mendicants: “Reverends, mendicants!” “Reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this: “I will teach you the explanation of the festering and the not festering. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

“Kathaṁ, āvuso, avassuto hoti? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassatī viharati parittacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe… jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe… manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassatī ca viharati parittacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti. Ayaṁ vuccati, āvuso, bhikkhu avassuto cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu …pe… avassuto jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu …pe… avassuto manoviññeyyesu dhammesu. Evaṁvihāriñcāvuso, bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ …pe… jivhāto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ …pe… manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ.

“And how is someone festering? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch … know an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted. And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. This is called a mendicant who is festering when it comes to sights known by the eye, sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind. When a mendicant lives like this, if Māra comes at them through the eye he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. If Māra comes at them through the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso, naḷāgāraṁ vā tiṇāgāraṁ vā sukkhaṁ kolāpaṁ terovassikaṁ. Puratthimāya cepi naṁ disāya puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, labhetheva aggi otāraṁ, labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ; pacchimāya cepi naṁ disāya puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya …pe… uttarāya cepi naṁ disāya …pe… dakkhiṇāya cepi naṁ disāya …pe… heṭṭhimato cepi naṁ …pe… uparimato cepi naṁ … yato kutoci cepi naṁ puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, labhetheva aggi otāraṁ labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ. Evameva kho, āvuso, evaṁvihāriṁ bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ …pe… jivhāto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati …pe… manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, labhateva māro otāraṁ, labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ. Evaṁvihāriñcāvuso, bhikkhuṁ rūpā adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu rūpe adhibhosi; saddā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu sadde adhibhosi; gandhā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu gandhe adhibhosi; rasā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu rase adhibhosi; phoṭṭhabbā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu phoṭṭhabbe adhibhosi; dhammā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu, na bhikkhu dhamme adhibhosi. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, bhikkhu rūpādhibhūto, saddādhibhūto, gandhādhibhūto, rasādhibhūto, phoṭṭhabbādhibhūto, dhammādhibhūto, adhibhūto, anadhibhū, adhibhaṁsu naṁ pāpakā akusalā dhammā saṅkilesikā ponobhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, avassuto hoti.

Suppose there was a house made of reeds or straw that was dried up, withered, and decrepit. If a person came to it with a burning grass torch from the east, west, north, south, below, above, or from anywhere, the fire would find a vulnerability, it would get an opportunity. In the same way, when a mendicant lives like this, if Māra comes at them through the eye he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. If Māra comes at them through the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. When a mendicant lives like this, they’re mastered by sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas, they don’t master these things. This is called a mendicant who has been mastered by sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. They’re mastered, not a master. Bad, unskillful qualities have mastered them, which are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, and resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That’s how someone is festering.

Kathañcāvuso, anavassuto hoti? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe… jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe… manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso, tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, bhikkhu anavassuto cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu …pe… anavassuto manoviññeyyesu dhammesu. Evaṁvihāriñcāvuso, bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ …pe… jivhāto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati …pe… manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ.

And how is someone not festering? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch … know an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. This is called a mendicant who is not festering when it comes to sights known by the eye, sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind. When a mendicant lives like this, if Māra comes at them through the eye he doesn’t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. If Māra comes at them through the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind he doesn’t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity.

Seyyathāpi, āvuso, kūṭāgāraṁ vā sālā vā bahalamattikā addāvalepanā. Puratthimāya cepi naṁ disāya puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, neva labhetha aggi otāraṁ, na labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ …pe… pacchimāya cepi naṁ … uttarāya cepi naṁ … dakkhiṇāya cepi naṁ … heṭṭhimato cepi naṁ … uparimato cepi naṁ … yato kutoci cepi naṁ puriso ādittāya tiṇukkāya upasaṅkameyya, neva labhetha aggi otāraṁ, na labhetha aggi ārammaṇaṁ. Evameva kho, āvuso, evaṁvihāriṁ bhikkhuṁ cakkhuto cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ …pe… manato cepi naṁ māro upasaṅkamati, neva labhati māro otāraṁ, na labhati māro ārammaṇaṁ. Evaṁvihārī cāvuso, bhikkhu rūpe adhibhosi, na rūpā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; sadde bhikkhu adhibhosi, na saddā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; gandhe bhikkhu adhibhosi, na gandhā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; rase bhikkhu adhibhosi, na rasā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; phoṭṭhabbe bhikkhu adhibhosi, na phoṭṭhabbā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu; dhamme bhikkhu adhibhosi, na dhammā bhikkhuṁ adhibhaṁsu. Ayaṁ vuccatāvuso, bhikkhu rūpādhibhū, saddādhibhū, gandhādhibhū, rasādhibhū, phoṭṭhabbādhibhū, dhammādhibhū, adhibhū, anadhibhūto, adhibhosi te pāpake akusale dhamme saṅkilesike ponobhavike sadare dukkhavipāke āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiye. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, anavassuto hotī”ti.

Suppose there was a bungalow or hall made of thick clay with its plaster still wet. If a person came to it with a burning grass torch from the east, west, north, south, below, above, or from anywhere, the fire wouldn’t find a vulnerability, it would get no opportunity. In the same way, when a mendicant lives like this, if Māra comes at them through the eye he doesn’t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. If Māra comes at them through the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind he doesn’t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. When a mendicant lives like this, they master sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas, they’re not mastered by these things. This is called a mendicant who has mastered sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. They’re a master, not mastered. Bad, unskillful qualities have been mastered by them, which are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, and resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That’s how someone is not festering.”

Atha kho bhagavā uṭṭhahitvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi: “sādhu sādhu, moggallāna. Sādhu kho tvaṁ, moggallāna, bhikkhūnaṁ avassutapariyāyañca anavassutapariyāyañca abhāsī”ti.

Then the Buddha got up and said to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “Good, good, Moggallāna! It’s good that you’ve taught this explanation of the festering and the not festering.”

Idamavoca āyasmā mahāmoggallāno. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Attamanā te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

That is what Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said, and the Teacher concurred. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what Mahāmoggallāna said.