6.
The Discourse on Exploration
66.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kurus, where there was a market town of the Kurus named Kammāsadhamma.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"Do you, monks, meditate on the inner meditation?"
When this was said, a certain monk said this to the Blessed One -
"I, venerable sir, meditate on the inner meditation."
"In what way, then, monk, do you meditate on the inner meditation?"
Then that monk explained.
As that monk explained, that monk did not satisfy the Blessed One's mind.
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "This is the time, Blessed One; this is the time, Fortunate One; that the Blessed One would speak on the inner meditation. Having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it." "Then, Ānanda, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"Here, monks, a monk meditating meditates on the inner meditation - 'This manifold, various suffering that arises in the world - ageing and death. What is the source of this suffering, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? When what exists does ageing and death exist? When what is absent does ageing and death not exist?' He meditating thus knows - 'This manifold, various suffering that arises in the world - ageing and death. This suffering has clinging as its source, clinging as its origin, clinging gives birth to it, clinging is its production. When clinging exists, ageing and death exist; when clinging is absent, ageing and death do not exist.' He understands ageing and death, understands the origin of ageing and death, understands the cessation of ageing and death, and understands the practice that is suitable for leading to the cessation of ageing and death. He is thus practising and living in conformity with the Teaching. This is called, monks, a monk practising for the complete elimination of suffering in every respect, for the cessation of ageing and death.
"Then further, meditating thoroughly he meditates on the inner meditation - 'But this clinging, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? When what exists does clinging exist, when what is absent does clinging not exist?' He meditating thus knows - 'Clinging has craving as its source, craving as its origin, craving gives birth to it, craving is its production; when craving exists, clinging exists; when craving is absent, clinging does not exist.' He understands clinging, understands the origin of clinging, understands the cessation of clinging, and understands the practice that is suitable for leading to the cessation of clinging. He is thus practising and living in conformity with the Teaching. This is called, monks, a monk practising for the complete elimination of suffering in every respect, for the cessation of clinging.
"Then further, meditating thoroughly he meditates on the inner meditation - 'But this craving, when arising, where does it arise, when settling, where does it settle?' He meditating thus knows - Whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, here this craving when arising arises, here when settling it settles. And what in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature? The eye in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature. Here this craving when arising arises, here when settling it settles. The ear in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature... etc. The nose in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature... The tongue in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature... The body in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature... The mind in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature; here this craving when arising arises, here when settling it settles.
"Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, in the past period of time, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they saw it as permanent, they saw it as happiness, they saw it as self, they saw it as health, they saw it as security. They increased craving. Those who increased craving, they increased clinging. Those who increased clinging, they increased suffering. Those who increased suffering, they were not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they were not released from suffering, I say.
"And whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, in the future period of time, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they will see it as permanent, they will see it as happiness, they will see it as self, they will see it as health, they will see it as security. They will increase craving. Those who will increase craving, they will increase clinging. Those who will increase clinging, they will increase suffering. Those who will increase suffering, they will not be released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they will not be released from suffering, I say.
"And whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, at present, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they see it as permanent, they see it as happiness, they see it as self, they see it as health, they see it as security. They increase craving. Those who increase craving, they increase clinging. Those who increase clinging, they increase suffering. Those who increase suffering, they are not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they are not released from suffering, I say.
"Just as, monks, a drinking bowl endowed with colour, endowed with odour, endowed with flavour. And it is conjoined with poison. Then a man might come along, overcome by heat, afflicted by heat, weary, thirsty and parched. They might say to him thus - 'This, hey man, is a drinking bowl endowed with colour, endowed with odour, endowed with flavour; and it is conjoined with poison. If you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will be agreeable to you in colour, in odour, and in flavour; and having drunk it, on that account you will undergo death or suffering like death.' He, hastily, without reflecting, might drink it, might not give it up. On that account he might undergo death or suffering like death. So too, monks, whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past period of time, whatever in the world has a dear nature... etc. in the future period of time... etc. at present, whatever ascetics or brahmins, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they see it as permanent, they see it as happiness, they see it as self, they see it as health, they see it as security, they increase craving. Those who increase craving, they increase clinging. Those who increase clinging, they increase suffering. Those who increase suffering, they are not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they are not released from suffering, I say.
"But whatever, monks, ascetics or brahmins in the past period of time, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they saw it as impermanent, they saw it as suffering, they saw it as non-self, they saw it as disease, they saw it as peril, they abandoned craving. Those who abandoned craving, they abandoned clinging. Those who abandoned clinging, they abandoned suffering. Those who abandoned suffering, they were released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they were released from suffering, I say.
"And whatever, monks, ascetics or brahmins in the future period of time, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they will see it as impermanent, they will see it as suffering, they will see it as non-self, they will see it as disease, they will see it as peril, they will abandon craving. Those who will abandon craving... etc. they will be released from suffering, I say.
"And whatever, monks, ascetics or brahmins at present, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they see it as impermanent, they see it as suffering, they see it as non-self, they see it as disease, they see it as peril, they abandon craving. Those who abandon craving, they abandon clinging. Those who abandon clinging, they abandon suffering. Those who abandon suffering, they are released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they are released from suffering, I say.
"Just as, monks, a drinking bowl endowed with colour, endowed with odour, endowed with flavour. And it is conjoined with poison. Then a man might come along, overcome by heat, afflicted by heat, weary, thirsty and parched. They might say to him thus - 'This, hey man, is a drinking bowl endowed with colour, endowed with odour, endowed with flavour, and it is conjoined with poison. If you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will be agreeable to you in colour, in odour, and in flavour; and having drunk it, on that account you will undergo death or suffering like death.' Then, monks, it might occur to that man - 'It is possible for me to dispel this thirst for liquor with water, or to dispel it with whey, or to dispel it with salted gruel, or to dispel it with sour vinegar; but I would not drink that, which would be for my welfare and happiness for a long time.' He, having reflected, might not drink from that drinking bowl, might give it up. On that account he might not undergo death or suffering like death. So too, monks, whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past period of time, whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature, they saw it as impermanent, they saw it as suffering, they saw it as non-self, they saw it as disease, they saw it as peril, they abandoned craving. Those who abandoned craving, they abandoned clinging. Those who abandoned clinging, they abandoned suffering. Those who abandoned suffering, they were released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they were released from suffering, I say.
"And whatever, monks, in the future period of time... etc. at present ascetics or brahmins who see whatever in the world has a dear nature and a pleasant nature as impermanent, see it as suffering, see it as non-self, see it as a disease, see it as peril, they abandon craving. Those who abandon craving, they abandon clinging. Those who abandon clinging, they abandon suffering. Those who abandon suffering are released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; they are released from suffering, I say." The sixth.