Knowing and Seeing (sutra)

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly translation "The Ship," Nava Sutta (SN 22.101)

The Buddha reclining into nirvana, Thailand flooding (framework.latimes.com)

  

SAVATTHI, ancient India - The Blessed One said, "O meditators, I tell you, the defilements (āsavas) end for one who knows and sees [who has wisdom and direct intuitive vision]. 

"For one who knows what, for one who sees what, is there the end of the defilements? 'Such is form [feeling, perception, formations, consciousness], such its origination, such its passing away.' It is for one who knows this, who sees this, that the defilements end.

 

"Even if a meditator -- failing to devote effort to development -- were to wish, 'O that my mind/heart might be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging!' still one's mind would not be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging. Why?

"It is due to a lack of development, it should be answered. A lack of development of what? It is due to a lack of developing the:

1. Four Foundations of Mindfulness
2. Four Right Efforts
3. Four Bases of Power
4. Five Controlling Faculties
5. Five Powers
6. Seven Factors for Enlightenment
7. Eight Factors of the Noble Path. [Collectively these 37 factors in seven groups are known as the "Requisites of Enlightenment" or bodhipakkhiya dhamma.]

I laid them; that should be enough.

"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or 12 eggs. If she fails to cover them correctly, protect them correctly, incubate them correctly then, even if she were to wish, 'O that my chicks might break through the shells with their beaks and claws and hatch safely!' still it would not happen that those chicks would break through their shells and hatch safely. Why? 

"It is because the hen failed to covered them correctly, protect them correctly, incubate them correctly. In the same way, even if a meditator, failing to devote effort to development, were to wish, 'O that my heart/mind might be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging!' still one's mind/heart would not be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging. Why? 

"It is due to a lack of development, it should be answered. A lack of development of what? It is due to a lack of developing the [37 Requisites of Enlightenment].

Ship in a bottle in a storm like a castaway message (wallmay.net)

  

Success without wishing

"In just the same way, even if a meditator -- devoting effort to development -- were NOT to wish, 'O that my heart/mind might be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging!' — still one's mind/heart would be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging. Why?

"It is due to development, it should be answered. A development of what? It is due to development of the [37 Requisites of Enlightenment].

 

"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or 12 eggs she covers correctly, protects correctly, incubates correctly. Even if she were not to wish, 'O that my chicks might break through their shells with their beaks and claws and hatch safely!' still those chicks will break through their shells and hatch safely. Why?

"It is because the hen has covered them, protected them, incubated them correctly.

"In the same way, even though a meditator -- devoting effort to development -- were not to wish, 'O that my heart/mind might be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging!' still one's mind/heart would be released from the defilements by abandoning clinging. Why?

"It is due to development, it should be answered. A development of what? The  [37 Requisites of Enlightenment].

  

Wearing away

The Buddha, Sukhothai, Thailand (ashabot/flickr)

"Just as when a carpenter or apprentice sees finger marks on worn into the handle of a tool but does not know exactly, 'Today my tool handle wore down this much, or yesterday wore down that much, or the day before yesterday wore down that much.' Nevertheless, the carpenter or apprentice knows it is worn down when it is worn down.

"In the same way, when a meditator dwells devoted to effort in development, one does not know, 'Today the defilements wore down this much, or yesterday wore down that much, or the day before yesterday wore down that much.' Nevertheless, one knows they are worn down when they are worn down.

 

Rotten ship crumbles and sinks (DM)

"Just as when an seafaring ship, rigged with sails and masts, after months on the water, is left on shore for the winter, its sails -- weathered by sun and wind, moistened by clouds during the rainy season -- easily rots and crumbles away. 

"In just the same way, when a meditator dwells devoted to development, one's defilements [bonds] easily rot and crumble way."

• Knowing and Seeing by Pa Auk Sayadaw The Three Trainings of virtuous conduct, concentration (absorption), and wisdom are the three stages of Buddhist practice. Through the practice of these Three Trainings an ordinary person can attain supreme nirvana and become a noble one. The Path of Purification, compiled by Ven. Buddhaghosa, is an exposition of the Three Trainings based on the Pali sutras and commentaries, which explains the Seven Stages of Purification and the 16 insight-knowledges.
• See "Discourse on All Defilements" (MN 2) Which defilements should be removed through vision? 17. "Monastics! What are the defilements that should be removed through vision? In the world the uninstructed worldlings not in the habit of seeing the noble [enlightened] ones, who is not proficient in the Dharma of the noble ones, and who is not trained and disciplined in the Dharma [and Vinaya] of the noble ones, who is not in the habit of seeing the virtuous [enlightened], who is not proficient in the Dharma of the virtuous, and who is not trained and disciplined in the Dharma of the virtuous, does not know the factors..."