1.
The Discourse on Soṇa
55.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Vulture's Peak mountain.
Now at that time the Venerable Soṇa was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Cool Grove.
Then when the Venerable Soṇa had gone to a private place and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind:
"Whatever disciples of the Blessed One dwell putting forth strenuous energy, I am one of them.
And yet my mind does not become liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging; there is indeed wealth in my family, it is possible both to enjoy wealth and to make merit.
What if I were to reject the training and, having returned to the lower life, both enjoy wealth and make merit!"
Then the Blessed One, having known with his mind the reflection in the mind of the Venerable Soṇa - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the Vulture's Peak mountain, appeared before the Venerable Soṇa in the Cool Grove. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. The Venerable Soṇa also, having paid respect to the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To the Venerable Soṇa seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Did not this reflection arise in your mind, Soṇa, when you had gone to a private place and were in seclusion: 'Whatever disciples of the Blessed One dwell putting forth strenuous energy, I am one of them. And yet my mind does not become liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging; there is indeed wealth in my family, it is possible both to enjoy wealth and to make merit. What if I were to reject the training and, having returned to the lower life, both enjoy wealth and make merit!'" "Yes, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Soṇa, were you formerly, when living the household life, skilled in the sound of the lute strings?" "Yes, venerable sir." "What do you think, Soṇa, when the strings of your lute were overly taut, was your lute at that time tuneful or fit for playing?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Soṇa, when the strings of your lute were overly slack, was your lute at that time tuneful or fit for playing?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"But when, Soṇa, the strings of your lute were neither overly taut nor overly slack, but established at an even pitch, was your lute at that time tuneful or fit for playing?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"So too, Soṇa, excessive energy leads to restlessness, and overly slack energy leads to idleness. Therefore, Soṇa, resolve upon evenness of energy, penetrate to evenness of the faculties, and grasp the sign there." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Soṇa assented to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having exhorted the Venerable Soṇa with this exhortation - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the Cool Grove, appeared on the Vulture's Peak mountain.
Then the Venerable Soṇa, at a later time, determined upon the balance of energy, and penetrated the balance of the faculties, and there he grasped the sign. Then dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Soṇa soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And the Venerable Soṇa became one of the Worthy Ones.
Then this occurred to the Venerable Soṇa who had attained arahantship - "What if I were to approach the Blessed One; having approached, I might declare the final liberating knowledge in the presence of the Blessed One." Then the Venerable Soṇa approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Soṇa said this to the Blessed One -
"Venerable sir, that monk who is a Worthy One, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, one who has lived the holy life, one who has done what had to be done, one who has laid down the burden, one who has attained his own welfare, one who has utterly eliminated the fetters of existence, one completely liberated through final knowledge, he is intent upon six states - he is intent upon renunciation, he is intent upon solitude, he is intent upon non-ill-will, he is intent upon the elimination of craving, he is intent upon the elimination of clinging, he is intent upon non-confusion.
"Now, venerable sir, here it might occur to a certain venerable one thus - 'Surely this venerable one is intent upon renunciation in dependence on mere faith alone.' But that, venerable sir, should not be seen thus. A monk, venerable sir, who has eliminated the mental corruptions, who has lived the holy life, who has done what had to be done, not regarding anything to be done by himself or any adding to what has been done, because of the elimination of lust, because of being without lust, is intent upon renunciation; because of the elimination of hate, because of being without hate, is intent upon renunciation; because of the elimination of delusion, because of being without delusion, is intent upon renunciation.
"Now, venerable sir, here it might occur to a certain venerable one thus - 'Surely this venerable one, desiring material gain, honour and fame, is intent upon solitude.' But that, venerable sir, should not be seen thus. A monk, venerable sir, who has eliminated the mental corruptions, who has lived the holy life, who has done what had to be done, not regarding anything to be done by himself or any adding to what has been done, because of the elimination of lust, because of being without lust, is intent upon solitude; because of the elimination of hate, because of being without hate, is intent upon solitude; because of the elimination of delusion, because of being without delusion, is intent upon solitude.
"Now, venerable sir, here it might occur to a certain venerable one thus - 'Surely this venerable one, returning to adherence to moral rules and austerities as having substance, is intent upon non-ill-will.' But that, venerable sir, should not be seen thus. A monk, venerable sir, who has eliminated the mental corruptions, who has lived the holy life, who has done what had to be done, not regarding anything to be done by himself or any adding to what has been done, because of the elimination of lust, because of being without lust, is intent upon non-ill-will; because of the elimination of hate, because of being without hate, is intent upon non-ill-will; because of the elimination of delusion, because of being without delusion, is intent upon non-ill-will.
"Because of the elimination of lust, because of being without lust, he is intent upon the elimination of craving; because of the elimination of hate, because of being without hate, he is intent upon the elimination of craving; because of the elimination of delusion, because of being without delusion, he is intent upon the elimination of craving.
"Because of the elimination of lust, because of being without lust, he is intent upon the elimination of clinging; because of the elimination of hate, because of being without hate, he is intent upon the elimination of clinging; because of the elimination of delusion, because of being without delusion, he is intent upon the elimination of clinging.
"Because of the elimination of lust, because of being without lust, he is intent upon non-confusion; because of the elimination of hate, because of being without hate, he is intent upon non-confusion; because of the elimination of delusion, because of being without delusion, he is intent upon non-confusion.
"For a monk with mind thus rightly liberated, venerable sir, even if severe forms cognisable by eye come into the range of the eye, they do not overpower his mind. His mind remains unmixed, stable, having attained imperturbability, and he contemplates its passing away. Even if severe sounds cognisable by ear... etc. odours cognisable by nose... flavours cognisable by tongue... tangible objects cognisable by body... mental phenomena cognisable by mind come into the range of the mind, they do not overpower his mind. His mind remains unmixed, stable, having attained imperturbability, and he contemplates its passing away. Just as, venerable sir, a rocky mountain without cracks, without hollows, one solid mass. Then even if a severe wind and rain were to come from the eastern direction, it would not make it tremble, would not make it shake, would not make it quake; even if a severe wind and rain were to come from the western direction... etc. even if a severe wind and rain were to come from the northern direction... even if a severe wind and rain were to come from the southern direction, it would not make it tremble, would not make it shake, would not make it quake; so too, venerable sir, for a monk with mind thus rightly liberated, even if severe forms cognisable by eye come into the range of the eye, they do not overpower his mind. His mind remains unmixed, stable, having attained imperturbability, and he contemplates its passing away. Even if severe sounds cognisable by ear... etc. odours cognisable by nose... flavours cognisable by tongue... tangible objects cognisable by body... mental phenomena cognisable by mind come into the range of the mind, they do not overpower his mind. His mind remains unmixed, stable, having attained imperturbability, and he contemplates its passing away."
For one inclined to non-ill-will, and to the elimination of clinging.
Having seen the arising of the sense bases, the mind becomes rightly liberated.
There is no adding to what has been done, nothing to be done is found.
So forms, flavours, sounds, odours and contacts, all these.
The mind is steady, liberated, and he contemplates its passing away." The first.