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Girimānanda Sutta (AN 10.60)

Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.60. - The Book of the Tens

Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Girimānanda was sick, afflicted, and gravely ill. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Bhante, the Venerable Girimānanda is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit him out of compassion.”

“If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about ten perceptions, it is possible that on hearing about them his affliction will immediately subside. What are the ten?

“(1) The perception of impermanence, (2) the perception of non-self, (3) the perception of unattractiveness, (4) the perception of danger, (5) the perception of abandoning, (6) the perception of dispassion, (7) the perception of cessation, (8) the perception of non-delight in the entire world, (9) the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, and (10) mindfulness of breathing.

(1) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘Form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, volitional activities are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent.’ Thus he dwells contemplating impermanence in these five aggregates subject to clinging. This is called the perception of impermanence.

(2) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-self? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘The eye is non-self, forms are non-self; the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self; the nose is non-self, odors are non-self; the tongue is non-self, tastes are non-self; the body is non-self, tactile objects are non-self; the mind is non-self, mental phenomena are non-self.’ Thus he dwells contemplating non-self in these six internal and external sense bases. This is called the perception of non-self.

(3) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of unattractiveness? Here, a bhikkhu reviews this very body upward from the soles of the feet and downward from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, as full of many kinds of impurities: ‘There are in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, fluid of the joints, urine.’ Thus he dwells contemplating unattractiveness in this body. This is called the perception of unattractiveness.

(4) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of danger? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘This body is the source of much pain and danger; for all sorts of afflictions arise in this body, that is, eye-disease, disease of the inner ear, nose-disease, tongue-disease, body-disease, head-disease, disease of the external ear, mouth-disease, tooth-disease, cough, asthma, catarrh, pyrexia, fever, stomach ache, fainting, dysentery, gripes, cholera, leprosy, boils, eczema, tuberculosis, epilepsy, ringworm, itch, scab, chickenpox, scabies, hemorrhage, diabetes, hemorrhoids, cancer, fistula; illnesses originating from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination; illnesses produced by change of climate; illnesses produced by careless behavior; illnesses produced by assault; or illnesses produced as the result of kamma; and cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, and urination.’ Thus he dwells contemplating danger in this body. This is called the perception of danger.

(5) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of abandoning? Here, a bhikkhu does not tolerate an arisen sensual thought; he abandons it, dispels it, terminates it, and obliterates it. He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will … an arisen thought of harming … bad unwholesome states whenever they arise; he abandons them, dispels them, terminates them, and obliterates them. This is called the perception of abandoning.

(6) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of dispassion? Here, having gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, nibbāna.’ This is called the perception of dispassion.

(7) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of cessation? Here, having gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, nibbāna.’ This is called the perception of cessation.

(9) “And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena? Here, a bhikkhu is repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by all conditioned phenomena. This is called the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena.

(10) “And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of breathing? Here, a bhikkhu, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down. Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body, and established mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.

“Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out long, he knows: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he knows: ‘I breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he knows: ‘I breathe out short.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I will breathe out.’

“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’

“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe out.’

“He trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.’

“This is called mindfulness of breathing.

“If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about these ten perceptions, it is possible that on hearing about them he will immediately recover from his affliction.”

Then, when the Venerable Ānanda had learned these ten perceptions from the Blessed One, he went to the Venerable Girimānanda and spoke to him about them. When the Venerable Girimānanda heard about these ten perceptions, his affliction immediately subsided. The Venerable Girimānanda recovered from that affliction, and that is how he was cured of his affliction.

Source: Sutta Central

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The Benefits of Being Monks and Nuns

If you tell some Western people about Buddha displaying the twelve deeds first being a child, then living a householder’s life, married life, then renouncing that and becoming a monk — they might think ordination is only for Eastern people, for Eastern culture. Because Buddha’s life happened in India, they will think it doesn’t relate to the West and, especially, they will think it relates just to ancient times. People think like this, it’s normal.

Likewise, Western people don’t know about the mind, nor do they know much about karma, or, for example, about the existence of the hell realms. Because these were taught by the Buddha in ancient times, people feel that hell doesn’t exist now. If hell doesn’t exist now then that would mean that nobody creates the negative karma to get reborn in hell. If no one could possibly get reborn in hell then everyone would have to have stabilized realizations.

Usually, in order to not be reborn in the lower realms any more, one would have to have attained the Patience level, the third of the four levels of the Path of Preparation. Of the five paths to liberation, this is the second.

Jesus Christ also revealed the method of living in ordination. From that, so many monasteries and nunneries were established, which have produced so many saints and monks and nuns in Christianity.

It’s mainly because of delusion that people say ordination is not relevant to the twentieth century. You should protect your mind from delusions so that you don’t harm other sentient beings or yourself. In this way you won’t receive harm from others, and you will receive much peace and happiness. That is the nature of karma. This is the immediate goal; the longer-term goal is good rebirth, and then by far the longest are liberation and enlightenment.

Even though Buddha and Jesus revealed the method of ordination, however, it doesn’t mean that all lay people can be monks or nuns — just like some lay people can practice well, but that doesn’t mean that all lay people can practice well; it doesn’t mean that. It’s difficult for most lay people. Everybody doesn’t have karma to become sangha. Everybody cannot become sangha. Only some people can become sangha, because you need a lot of merit and no obstacles to be sangha. If there is no obstacle coming from your mind, manifesting out, then also there is no obstacle from outside.

The main point is that you need much time to practice Dharma, by keeping distant from the object of delusions. This is especially true for a beginner. You need to practice until one’s mind is stabilized in the realization of the three principal paths (renunciation, bodhicitta and emptiness) — if possible, even up till one is an aryan being (liberated). This is why monasteries, nunneries, caves, hermitage — ascetic places — are needed. This is why monasteries have discipline — discipline in the mind and externally. There you see the Importance of morality.

In order to actualize the fundamental path, you need the conditions for that practice: you need a lot of meditation; a lot of time to study and to meditate. The most important thing is to not distract the mind. The more negative karma you create, the more obstacles to realizations you make. And that means it takes longer and is more difficult to become free from samsara, even just for your own happiness.

Therefore, as much as you live in pure ordination, that much less you engage in negative karma. Renouncing the householder’s life and living as sangha cuts down so much negative karma. The idea is to have less external activities, work, less distractions, and therefore much more time for meditation, study. There are a lot of advantages to living the ordained life; a lot of time to meditate, to study, to develop one’s mind.

 

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One of the most important things for really developing the path to enlightenment is the realization of samatha — single pointed concentration. And for that, you need a lot of discipline, a lot of protection, a lot of morality; you have to cut a lot of distractions. Even to meditate well for one hour, you need to cut distractions and apply discipline; you need to renounce attachment even for that.

If you follow attachment, you cannot meditate even for one minute; you cannot find the time. For example if you sit down and your mind follows attachment towards your boyfriend or girlfriend, the desire object, then you won’t be able to meditate for even one second. Even from this simple example one can understand that living as an ordained person makes life so much easier.

The environment is very important in order for sangha to continue to be inspired to remain monks and nuns and to continue — month after month, year after year — to practice and develop the mind in the path to liberation and enlightenment. Especially for a beginner, whose mind is not stabilized with the three principal paths, calm abiding and so forth, the environment has a strong effect on the mind. It controls the mind of the person who doesn’t practice lam-rim, someone who, besides having no realizations, doesn’t even practice. If you know the teachings but don’t practice, whether you are lay or sangha, then external objects will control your mind, overwhelm your mind, and that makes you seek and run after objects.

But when you start to meditate on, to practice, lam-rim, the three principal paths, the mind is able to overcome the outside objects. The mind is more powerful than the outside objects when you meditate effectively, when you apply the teachings of the Buddha, especially the lam-rim, in daily life.

During the time that you apply the meditation, the mind is able to control the outside object, whether it is a living being or a non-living thing, whatever. Whether the object is a handsome, beautiful person or a beautiful flower, when you apply the lam-rim, the mind is more powerful, and the objects are under its control. Why? Because the delusion is under the control of lam-rim practice, the practice of the teaching of the Buddha.

As a beginner you need to have strong lam-rim meditation and at the same time to be away from the disturbing objects. The mind is very weak because it has been habituated since beginningless time with attachment, and has not been habituated with the three principles of the path to enlightenment. Therefore, the delusions are so strong, especially when disturbing objects are around you, and your intention or desire to seek liberation is very weak. The delusions are so strong in seeking samsara, seeking the object of delusion, of pleasure or desire.

Therefore you need strong lam-rim meditation to subdue the mind, to control the mind, and at the same time you need to retreat from, keep distant from, the object of delusion; you need to retreat from attachment and to retreat from the object of attachment. If you don’t retreat from the internal suffering of attachment and desire, then being ordained with the desire objects around you will be a bit like sitting next to a fire and at the same time wishing to be cool.

Of course, one thing is to set up a good external environment for Western sangha, but from the individual sangha’s side, they need to stay in t he right environment. Even if someone sets up a good environment but the individual sangha doesn’t stay in the right environment, then, as I mentioned before, because the mind is very weak and there is no realization, no stabilization, the external object will take over the mind. Which means you will follow the delusions; the delusions will take over the mind, and you will be unable to practice Dharma, una6le to live in the vows. That makes life so hard, so difficult, and that’s why living in ordination feels like living in a prison. This is a mistaken view.

By thinking of the results of living in ordination — liberation and enlightenment you should feel so fortunate, and you should enjoy all the advantages you can get: morality is like a degree that gets you respect from others, a job to earn a living, and a one hundred-percent good rebirth, whenever you die. Morality is a passport to a good rebirth. Most urgent is to stop rebirth in the lower realms; and then, on top of that, morality is the basis, the foundation for liberation and enlightenment. Therefore there is a need to set up a good environment.

There are so many benefits of living in ordination, as explained by Buddha in sutra and in the lam-rim teachings. In the monks’ confession that is done twice a month, some of these benefits of keeping vows are recited for inspiration, as are some of the shortcomings of breaking vows. Bikkshus who have morality have “shining body glorification.” They naturally become known to people, (famous). People praise those qualities. They will achieve happiness.

There is no way for one who has morality to receive harm from others. This point is very important. To receive harm from others you have to create the cause, that is, causing harm to others. So you should concentrate on the importance of this very logical point. A person who doesn’t have eyes cannot see form. Likewise a person who doesn’t have morality cannot be liberated. A person who doesn’t live in morality is like someone without limbs and so cannot walk on the road to go where they wish (this is not talking about using modern techniques like artificial legs).

As a vase is a basis for jewels, so morality is a basis for all the realizations. If the vase is broken then it cannot act as a container for precious jewels. Similarly if someone breaks vows, then it’s difficult to achieve realizations. So without the very foundation of morality, can one achieve sorrowless state in the future? No.

These are just a few of the benefits from the sutra spoken by the Buddha that are normally recited in the bi-monthly confession for both bikkshus and novices.

Each sangha has to have a plan to protect themselves by living in the right environment. That is why monasteries are set up, that is the purpose of the vinaya rules. They help to protect the mind. By protecting the mind, guarding the mind, you become free from an the problems and obstacles, all the sufferings. You get liberated ultimately from all the sufferings, from samsara, the oceans of sufferings. All your wishes for happiness, up to highest enlightenment, get fulfilled, and also cause happiness to all sentient beings.

Many of the vinaya precepts describing what to do and what not to do were advised by Buddha to protect other people’s minds, to prevent them from criticizing the sangha, which is a very heavy object. That happens if you are careless of the sentient beings’ minds, their feelings, their happiness, their suffering. So one does have the responsibility to guide other people’s minds. If one is able to follow the vinaya correctly, it generates a lot of faith in other people’s minds and plants the seed of liberation and enlightenment. It inspires them to follow the path by taking ordination.

Normally, sentient beings follow the Buddha’s example of how to practice Dharma. Being sangha causes others to respect you and causes them to create much good. Even when they respect you, they create much merit. Also, living in pure ordination causes your prayers to have so much power for success when you pray for other people. Your prayers and pujas have much power for success for other people. If you are living a pure life, that means you can achieve the result much more easily; your reciting mantras has much more power, effect. The deities, Buddhas, Dharma protectors have to listen to your requests, they have to help you. They have no choice because of your purity; and even without your requests they naturally have to serve you, have to help you.

When other sentient beings make offerings to you, they create much merit. Since you are living purely there is also no danger to yourself by accepting offerings. Otherwise, it is said in the teachings, eating offerings is like drinking lava or eating iron when it is afire with flames. It is said that to eat these is much easier than to live on the offerings made by people with devotion.

There is a big difference between lay and ordained people giving teachings. If you are ordained, there is great effect, because what someone sees is a person living in renunciation. Lay people will respect what you are doing, living a life that the lay person cannot do; that quality that is difficult to achieve. Respect comes from the side of the lay people.

Lay people should think in this way, they should look at sangha in this way, and let it cause devotion. If lay people don’t think that sangha have any qualities, and they don’t make offerings, don’t support sangha, they don’t create their own good karma.

Without protecting the mind, without morality, you cannot do perfect service for other sentient beings, even if you are a lay person. When you try to help others, problems and difficulties always arise because you have ego, because of the three poisonous minds. So without Dharma practice you can’t really do perfect service for others. Sooner or later a problem arises in your work, whether you are running a country or doing public service. Even in normal daily life it’s like that. Without morality, without protection of the mind, without some discipline, you can’t really have satisfaction, peace and happiness in the heart, you can’t fulfillment in the heart.

Even Hindus achieve the nine levels of Samatha, which is one of the common meditations that can be achieved even without refuge in Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. Even they are able to achieve detached mind, renunciation of the desire realm; their pleasure. That means even they follow morality and discipline along with this renunciation. Then they become detached by thinking of the shortcomings of being in the form realm. Even after that they achieve the tip of samsara within the formless realms, which have the four mental states; they get detached from the three earlier realms by thinking of their shortcomings.

So even the Hindus practice renunciation, they are able to achieve renunciation. Not the renunciation of the whole entire samsara; that is not mentioned in Hinduism. To achieve ultimate liberation is not mentioned, neither is a description of the five paths or even emptiness. There is no way to achieve liberation without emptiness, without knowing the Prasangika view of emptiness, from the four schools of Buddhist philosophy.

 

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If ordination does not have a big advantage, if it is not extremely important, then for what reason did Buddha himself show a monk’s life, shaving his head himself at the River Nairanjana? (According to Mahayana, Buddha’s becoming enlightened in Bodhgaya was not the first time; in reality, he became enlightened an inconceivable time ago.)

All the twelve deeds that Buddha showed, and the Four Noble Truths, teach us sentient beings how to practice Dharma. There are all these sufferings and problems, and the one way you can get out of this forever and never experience it at all is by overcoming the cause: by liberating the mind from the delusions and karma. Only then will you achieve ultimate liberation and never have to experience suffering at all. That can be achieved because there is a true path that one can practice, the method. So basically the Four Noble Truths and the twelve deeds show how to practice Dharma.

 

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Generalizing that it is the best thing for everyone to leave ordained life and take up lay practice is a wrong concept. The problem is, one: a lack of real understanding of Dharma, especially karma; and two: the extremely important thing missing is missing from the meditation experience, renunciation by realizing the sufferings of samsara and the lower realms, realizing impermanence and death; no strong experience is there, the realization is not there.

Even when there is some understanding of Dharma, it all remains intellectual, so the mind stays the same or becomes worse: even there are stronger delusions than before, depending on the person. Then of course, the way one lives the life is with delusion: the one from whom one has taken Refuge is delusion, the friend is delusion, Guru and Triple Gems are delusion. Then one follows someone else, and they too are delusion.

Life like this can be very difficult. Life can be extremely difficult, very confused; or sangha in robes, with shaved head, but inwardly the opposite. Of course, nobody is making one’s life difficult; one’s self is making one’s own life difficult, because one is in a prison of samsara by following the delusions. So then, because of your own experience, you, the one person’s experience, from not having practiced Dharma continuously, you tell everybody that it is not a good idea to be a monk but better to be lay and practice Dharma.

In Tibet we have a practice called Tsa-tsa: from a block of Buddha’s image we make many hundreds and thousands of tsa-tsas. It’s like you become the block and make everybody become the same as you. I think that this might be a way of making bad tsa-tsas.

What makes the nun’s or monk’s life difficult living in ordination is like this. If, in your heart the goal is nirvana, then it becomes extremely easy, no problem, even if you face some hardships, it is a pleasure; they are not important to your mind. But if, in your heart, the goal you want to achieve is samsara, the delight of samsaric pleasures, then even if other people don’t make life difficult, you yourself make it difficult. Even if other people think it’s okay, in your mind it is difficult. So, living in ordination depends on what is in your heart as the goal. If you change it from samsara into liberation and enlightenment, and keep that twenty-four hours, all the time, then there is no problem. This way your life is not torn out, and it’s very clear in your heart.

Of course you can’t have both samsara and liberation. As was mentioned by the Kadampa Geshes, you cannot sew with a two-pointed needle. This way you lose Dharma liberation. As the Kadampa Geshes mentioned, seeking the happiness of this life and seeking Dharma don’t happen together. If you seek the happiness of life then you lose Dharma, like the example of the two-pointed needle which cannot sew. Dharma and liberation are lost when you seek both nirvana and samsara.

One can understand from these examples, even without relating them to Buddhism, the importance, the need, for ordained life. So generalizing in the West that it is not a good idea to be ordained, taking lay practice as the best thing for everyone, that is a wrong concept.

 

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Saccavibhanga Sutta: Discourse on The Analysis of the Truths

Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Deer Park at Isipatana (the Resort of Saints) near Varanasi (Benares). Then he addressed the monks saying: "O Monks." "Venerable Sir," replied those monks in assent to the Blessed One. Thereupon he said: "The matchless Wheel of Dhamma set in motion by the Tathagata,[1] the Consummate One, the supremely Enlightened One, in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Varanasi, cannot be set in motion by a recluse or brahmana or Deva or Mara or Brahma or by anyone in the world. That is to say, it was a proclamation of the Four Noble Truths, by way of teaching, laying down, establishing, opening up, analyzing, and elucidating them. "Of what four: It was a proclamation of the Noble Truth of suffering (dukkha), by way of teaching... (as before) and elucidating it; of the Noble Truth of the arising (cause) of suffering... of the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering... of the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering. This matchless Wheel of Dhamma, monks, set in motion by the Tathagata, the Consummate One, the supremely Enlightened One, in the Deer Park at Isipatana near Varanasi, cannot be set in motion by a recluse... or by anyone in the world. That is to say, it was a proclamation of the Four Noble Truths, by way of teaching, laying down, establishing, opening up, analyzing, and elucidating them. "Monks, follow Sariputta and Moggallana; associate with Sariputta and Moggallana. Wise monks do help (materially and spiritually) those who live the holy life. Monks, Sariputta is like unto a mother, Moggallana is like unto a foster-mother to a child. Sariputta, monks, trains (beings) in the path[2] of stream-attainment. Moggallana in the highest goal (arahantship).[3] Sariputta, monks, is able to proclaim, teach, lay down, establish, open up, analyze, and elucidate the Four Noble Truths." This the Blessed One said, and having said so, the Welcome Being (sugata)[4] rose from his seat and entered (his) abode. Not long after the Blessed One had departed, the Venerable Sariputta addressed the monks, saying: "Reverend friends." "Your reverence," the monks replied the Venerable Sariputta in assent. This the Venerable Sariputta said: "Your reverence, the matchless Wheel of Dhamma set in motion by the Tathagata, the Consummate One, the supremely Enlightened One, in the Deer Park, at Isipatana near Varanasi, cannot be set in motion by a recluse or brahmana... (as before) in the world. That is to say, it was a proclamation of the Four Noble Truths, by way of teaching, laying down, establishing, opening up, analyzing, and elucidating them. "Of what four? It was a proclamation of the Noble Truth of suffering (dukkha) by way of teaching... elucidating it; of the Noble Truth of the arising of suffering... of the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering... of the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering. "What, your reverence, is the Noble Truth of suffering? Birth is suffering; aging is suffering; death is suffering; grief, lamentation, bodily pain, mental pain and despair are suffering; not getting what one desires, that too is suffering: In brief the five aggregates subject to grasping are suffering. "What is birth? It is the birth of beings in the various classes (planes) of beings; the production, their conception, coming into existence (re-birth), the appearance of the aggregates, acquiring of the sense-bases. This is called birth. "What is aging? It is the aging of beings in the various classes of beings, their decay, broken teeth, graying hair, wrinkled skin, the dwindling of the life-span, the wearing out of the sense-organs. This is called aging. "What is death? It is the passing away of beings in the various classes of beings; the falling away, the breaking up, the disappearance, the death, making end of life, the breaking up of the aggregates, the laying down of the body. This is called death. "What is grief? It is the grief, sorrow, sorrowfulness, the state of being sorry, inward sorrow, inward intense sorrow visited by some calamity or other, smitten by some kind of ill or other. This is called grief. "What is lamentation? It is the crying, the wailing, the act of crying, the act of wailing, the state of crying, the state of wailing of one visited by some calamity or other, smitten by some kind of ill or other. This is called lamentation. "What is suffering? It is bodily suffering, bodily unpleasantness, the painful and unpleasant feeling produced by bodily contact. This is called suffering. "What is misery? It is mental suffering, unpleasantness, the painful and unpleasant feeling produced by mental contact. This is called misery. "What is despair? It is despondency, despair, the state of despondency, the state of despair of one visited by some calamity or other. This is called despair. "What is meant by not getting what one desires, that too is suffering? To beings subject to birth there comes desire: 'O might we not be subject to birth, and birth not come to us.' But this cannot be attained by mere desiring. So not getting what one desires, that too, is suffering. To beings subject to aging there comes the desire: 'O might we not be subject to aging, and aging not come to us...' (as before). To beings subject to disease there comes the desire: 'O might we not be subject to disease and disease not come to us...' To beings subject to death there comes the desire: 'O might we not be subject to death and death not come to us...' To beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, suffering, misery, and despair there comes the desire: 'O might we not be subject to sorrow, lamentation, suffering, misery, and despair, and sorrow, lamentation, suffering, misery, and despair not come to us.' But this cannot be attained by merely desiring. So not getting what one desires that too is suffering. "What, in brief, are the five aggregates subject to grasping that are suffering? These are the aggregate of matter subject to grasping, the aggregate of feeling..., the aggregate of perception..., the aggregate of mental (volitional) formations..., the aggregate of consciousness subject to grasping. These are called, in brief, the five aggregates subject to grasping that are suffering. This is called the Noble Truth of suffering. "What is the Noble Truth of the arising of suffering? It is this craving which produces re-becoming (re-birth) accompanied by passionate greed, and finding delight now here now there, namely the craving for sense pleasures, craving for existence and craving for non-existence (self-annihilation). This is called the Noble Truth of the arising of suffering. "What is the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering? It is the complete cessation of that very craving, giving it up, relinquishing it, liberating oneself from it, and detaching oneself from it. This is called the Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering. "And what is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering? It is this Noble Eightfold Path itself, namely: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. "What is right understanding? It is this knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the arising of suffering, knowledge of the cessation of suffering, knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering — this is called right understanding. "What is right thought? Thought of renunciation, thought of goodwill, thought of not harming — this is called right thought. "What is right speech? Abstention from false speech, abstention from tale-bearing, abstention from harsh (abusive) speech, abstention from idle chatter (gossip), this is called right speech. "What is right action? Abstention from killing, abstention from stealing, abstention from illicit sexual indulgence, this is called right action. "What is right livelihood? Herein (in this dispensation) the ariyan disciple avoiding wrong livelihood, makes his living by right livelihood, this is called right livelihood. "What is right effort? Herein a monk puts forth will, strives, stirs up energy, strengthens his mind, exerts himself to prevent the arising of evil, of unwholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen; puts forth will... (as before) to banish the evil, unwholesome thoughts that have already arisen; puts forth will... to develop wholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen; and puts forth will, strives, stirs up energy, strengthens his mind, exerts himself to maintain, to preserve, increase, to bring them to maturity, development, and to complete the wholesome thoughts that have arisen. This is called right effort. "What is right mindfulness? Herein a monk lives practicing body contemplation on the body, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful (of it), having overcome covetousness and dejection concerning the world (of the body). "He lives practicing feeling-contemplation on the feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful (of it) having overcome covetousness and dejection concerning the world (of feelings). "He lives practicing mind-contemplation on the mind, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful (of it) having overcome covetousness and dejection concerning the world (of the mind). "He lives practicing mind-object contemplation on the mind objects, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful (of it) having overcome covetousness and dejection concerning the world (of mental objects). This is called right mindfulness. "And what is right concentration? Herein a monk aloof from sense desires, aloof from unwholesome thoughts, attains to and abides in the first meditative absorption (jhana) which is detachment-born and accompanied by applied thought, sustained thought, joy, and bliss. "By allaying applied and sustained thought he attains to, and abides in the second jhana which is inner tranquillity, which is unification (of the mind), devoid of applied and sustained thought, and which has joy and bliss. "By detachment from joy he dwells in equanimity, mindful, and with clear comprehension and enjoys bliss in body, and attains to and abides in the third jhana which the noble ones (ariyas) call: 'Dwelling in equanimity, mindfulness, and bliss.' "By giving up of bliss and suffering, by the disappearance already of joy and sorrow, he attains to, and abides in the fourth jhana, which is neither suffering nor bliss, and which is the purity of equanimity-mindfulness. This is called right concentration. "This is called the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering. "Your reverence, the matchless Wheel of Dhamma set in motion by the Tathagata, the Consumate One, the supremely Enlightened One, in the Deer Park, at Isipatana near Varanasi, cannot be set in motion by a recluse or brahmana or deva or Brahma or by anyone in the world. That is to say, it was a proclamation of the Four Noble Truths, by way of teaching, laying down, establishing, opening up, analyzing, and elucidating them." This the Venerable Sariputta said. Those monks glad at heart rejoiced at the words of the Venerable Sariputta. Notes 1. For a very comprehensive account of the Four Noble Truths read The Buddha's Ancient Path, Piyadassi Thera, Buddhist Publication Society. Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon). 2. Literally "fruit," "sotapatti phale." 3. To train in the path of stream-attainment is more difficult than to train in the path of arahantship for the reason that in the former case one has to deal with undeveloped beings, and in the latter case with those who are already developed, and who are, by virtue of their development, not destined to fall back. 4. This is another epithet of the Buddha.

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Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion

have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Varanasi in the Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of five monks: "There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. "And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. "Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:[1] Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful. "And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now here & now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming. "And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, & letting go of that very craving. "And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. "Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:' This noble truth of stress has been comprehended.' "Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the origination of stress'... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be abandoned' [2] ... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress has been abandoned.' "Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be directly experienced'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been directly experienced.' "Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be developed'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress has been developed.' [3] "And, monks, as long as this — my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be — was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk. But as soon as this — my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be — was truly pure, then I did claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk. Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'" That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five monks delighted at his words. And while this explanation was being given, there arose to Ven. Kondañña the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye: Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation. And when the Blessed One had set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, the earth devas cried out: "At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahman or contemplative, deva, Mara or God or anyone in the cosmos." On hearing the earth devas' cry, the devas of the Four Kings' Heaven took up the cry... the devas of the Thirty-three... the Yama devas... the Tusita devas... the Nimmanarati devas... the Paranimmita-vasavatti devas... the devas of Brahma's retinue took up the cry: "At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahman or contemplative, deva, Mara, or God or anyone at all in the cosmos." So in that moment, that instant, the cry shot right up to the Brahma worlds. And this ten-thousand fold cosmos shivered & quivered & quaked, while a great, measureless radiance appeared in the cosmos, surpassing the effulgence of the devas. Then the Blessed One exclaimed: "So you really know, Kondañña? So you really know?" And that is how Ven. Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Kondañña — Kondañña who knows. Notes 1. The Pali phrases for the four noble truths are grammatical anomalies. From these anomalies, some scholars have argued that the expression "noble truth" is a later addition to the texts. Others have argued even further that the content of the four truths is also a later addition. Both of these arguments are based on the unproven assumption that the language the Buddha spoke was grammatically regular, and that any irregularities were later corruptions of the language. This assumption forgets that the languages of the Buddha's time were oral dialects, and that the nature of such dialects is to contain many grammatical irregularities. Languages tend to become regular only when being used to govern a large nation state or to produce a large body of literature: events that happened in India only after the Buddha's time. (A European example: Italian was a group of irregular oral dialects until Dante fashioned it into a regular language for the sake of his poetry.) Thus the irregularity of the Pali here is no proof either for the earliness or lateness of this particular teaching. 2. Another argument for the lateness of the expression "noble truth" is that a truth — meaning an accurate statement about a body of facts — is not something that should be abandoned. In this case, only the craving is to be abandoned, not the truth about craving. However, in Vedic Sanskrit — as in modern English — a "truth" can mean both a fact and an accurate statement about a fact. Thus in this case, the "truth" is the fact, not the statement about the fact, and the argument for the lateness of the expression does not hold. 3. The discussion in the four paragraphs beginning with the phrase, "Vision arose...," takes two sets of variables — the four noble truths and the three levels of knowledge appropriate to each — and lists their twelve permutations. In ancient Indian philosophical and legal traditions, this sort of discussion is called a wheel. Thus, this passage is the Wheel of Dhamma from which the discourse takes its name.

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