On that occasion, he was already staying in the potter’s workshop. Then the Buddha went to Ven. Pukkusāti and said to him: “If it is not inconvenient for you, monastic (bhikkhu), I will stay one night in the workshop.”
5. “Under whom have you gone forth, monastic? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine (
“Friend, there is the recluse Gautama, the son of the Sakyans who went forth from a Sakyan clan. Now a good report of that Blessed Gautama has been spread to this effect:
I have gone forth under that Blessed One; that Blessed One is my teacher; I profess the doctrine
of that Blessed One.” [Without realizing it, of course, he was referring to the Buddha.]
8. “‘Monastic, this person consists of six elements.’ So it was said. With reference to what was this said?
There is the earth element, water element, fire element, air element, space element, and the consciousness element. It was said with reference to these.
9. “‘Monastic, this person consists of six bases of contact.’ So it was said. With reference to what was this said? There is the base of eye-contact, base of ear-contact, base of nose-contact, base of tongue-contact, base of body-contact, and the base of mind-contact. It was said with reference to these.
10. “‘Monastic, this person consists of 18 kinds of mental exploration.’ So it was said. With reference to what was this said? On seeing a form with the eye, one explores a form productive of joy [pleasant sensation], one explores a form productive of grief [unpleasant sensation], one explores a form productive of equanimity [neutral sensation].
On hearing a sound with the ear… smelling an odor with the nose… tasting a flavor with the tongue… touching a tangible with the body… cognizing a mind-object with the mind, one explores a mind-object productive of joy, one explores a mind-object productive of grief, one explores a mind-object productive of equanimity.
So it was with reference to these that it was said: ‘Monastic, this person consists of 18 kinds of mental exploration.’
Four Foundations11. “‘Monastic, this person has four foundations.’ So it was said. With reference to what? There are these foundations:
- wisdom
- truth
- relinquishment
- peace
12. “‘One should pursue wisdom, preserve truth, cultivate relinquishment, and train for peace.’ So it was said. With reference to what?
13. “How, monastic, does one pursue [not neglect] wisdom? There are these six [aforementioned] elements.
Earth Element
14. “What is the earth element? It is either internal or external. What is the internal? Whatever, belonging to oneself, is solid, tangible, and clung-to -- that is, head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines,
mesentery, contents of the stomach, feces, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is solid, solidified, and clung-to -- is called the internal earth element.
“Now both the internal and the external earth element are simply earth element. And that should be seen
as it actually is with proper wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“When one sees it as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted [disillusioned] with the earth element. And the mind becomes dispassionate toward earth [does not cling to it].
Water Element
15. “What is the water element? It is either internal or external. Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is fluid, liquid, and clung-to -- that is, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spittle, snot, oil-of-the-joints, urine, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is fluid, liquid, and clung-to -- is called the internal water element.
“Now both the internal and the external are simply water element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“When one sees it as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the water element. And the mind becomes dispassionate toward water [does not cling to it].
Fire Element
16. “What is the fire element? It is either internal or external. Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is fire [related to temperature, whether cold or hot], ripening [breaking down], and clung-to -- that is, that by which one is warmed, ages, and is consumed, and that by which what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted gets completely digested, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is fire, ripening, and clung-to -- is called the internal fire element.
“Now both the internal and the external are simply fire element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“When one sees it as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the fire element. And the mind becomes dispassionate toward fire [does not cling to it].
Air Element
17. “What is the air element? It may be either internal or external. Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is air [various qualities that allow for movement, support, etc.], gaseous, and clung-to -- that is, up-going
winds, down-going winds, winds in the belly, winds in the bowels, winds that course through the limbs [that, ultimately, make movement possible], in-breath and out-breath, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is air, airy, and clung-to -- is called the internal air element.
“Now both the internal and the external are simply air element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“When one sees it as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the air element. And the mind becomes dispassionate toward air [does not cling to it].
Space Element
18. “What is the space element? It may be either internal or external. Whatever internally, belonging to oneself, is space [delimiting solids], open, and clung-to -- that is, the openings of the ears, the nostrils, the door of the mouth, and those openings whereby what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted gets swallowed, and where they collect, and whereby they are excreted from below, or whatever else internally, belonging to oneself, is space, open, and clung-to -- is called the internal space element.
“Now both the internal and the external are simply space element. And that should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
“When one sees it as it actually is with proper wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with the space element. And the mind becomes dispassionate toward space.
Consciousness19. “Then there remains only consciousness, purified and bright [naturally luminous]. What does one cognize with that consciousness?
“One cognizes: ‘[This is] pleasant’; one cognizes: ‘[This is] painful’; one cognizes: ‘[This is] neither-painful-nor-pleasant [neutral].’
“In dependence on a contact to be felt as pleasant there arises a pleasant feeling. When one feels a pleasant feeling, one understands: ‘I feel a pleasant feeling.’
“One further understands: ‘With the cessation of that same contact to be felt as pleasant, its corresponding feeling -- the pleasant feeling that
arose in dependence on that contact -- ceases and subsides.’
“In dependence on a contact to be felt as painful there arises a painful feeling....
“In dependence on a contact to be felt as neither-painful-nor-pleasant there arises a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling....
“Just as from contact and friction between two fire-sticks heat is generated and fire is produced -- and with the separation of the fire-sticks, the corresponding heat ceases and subsides -- so too, in dependence on a contact… to be felt as painful… to be felt as neither-painful-nor-pleasant there arises a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling… One understands: ‘With the cessation of that same contact... [and] its corresponding feeling… ceases and subsides.’
Equanimity20. “Then there remains only equanimity, purified and bright, malleable, wieldy, and radiant. Suppose a skilled goldsmith or an apprentice were to prepare a furnace, heat a crucible, grasp gold with tongs, and put it into the crucible.
“From time to time he would blow on it. From time to time he would sprinkle water on it. And from time to time he would just look on. [In this way] that gold would become refined, well refined, completely refined, faultless, rid of dross, malleable, wieldy, and radiant.
“Then whatever kind of ornament he wished to make, whether a golden chain or earrings or a necklace or a golden garland, it would serve this purpose.
“So, too, there remains only equanimity, purified and bright, malleable, wieldy, and radiant.
21. “One understands: ‘If I were to direct this equanimity, so purified and bright, to the base of boundless space and to develop my mind accordingly, then this equanimity of mine, supported by that base, clinging to it, would remain for a very long time.
“If I were to direct this equanimity, so purified and bright, to the base of boundless consciousness… to the base of nothingness… to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and to develop my mind accordingly, then this equanimity of mine, supported by that base, clinging to it, would remain for a very long time.’
22. “One understands: ‘If I were to direct this equanimity, so purified and bright, to the base of boundless space and to develop my mind accordingly, this would be conditioned [
dependent on conditions, arising in complete dependence on conditions].
“If I were to direct this equanimity, so purified and bright, to the base of boundless consciousness… to the base of nothingness… to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and to develop my mind accordingly, this would be conditioned.’
Nirvana (the Unconditioned Element)“One does not form any condition or generate any volition tending toward either being or non-being. Since one does not form any condition or generate any volition tending toward either being or non-being, one does not cling to anything in this world.
“When one
does not cling, one is not agitated. When one is not agitated, one personally experiences nirvana.
“One understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the
high life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state.’
23. “If one feels [experiences] a pleasant feeling, one understands: ‘It is impermanent; there is no holding on to it; there is no delight in it.’
“If he feels a painful feeling, one understands: ‘It is impermanent; there is no holding on to it; there is no delight in it.’
“If one feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one understands: ‘It is impermanent; there is no holding on to it; there is no delight in it.’
24. “If one feels a pleasant feeling, one feels it detached; if one feels a painful feeling, one feels it detached; if one feels a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one feels it detached.
“When one feels a feeling terminating with the body, one understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with the body.’ When one feels a feeling terminating with life, one understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with life.’
“One understands: ‘On the dissolution of the body, with the ending of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool [
nirvanered because nirvana is not a thing or place but a quenching, a cooling, a slaking, a fading, a going out, an ending of all suffering] right here.’
“Just as an oil-lamp [with an
ultimately illusory flame] burns in dependence on oil and a wick, and when the oil and wick are used up, if it does not get any more fuel, it is extinguished from lack of fuel. So, too, when one feels a feeling terminating with the body… a feeling terminating with life, one understands: ‘I feel a feeling terminating with life.’
“One understands: ‘On the dissolution of the body, with the ending of life, all that is felt, not being delighted in, will become cool right here.’
25. “Therefore a practitioner possessing [this wisdom] possesses the supreme foundation of wisdom. For this is the supreme noble wisdom, namely, the knowledge of the destruction of all suffering.
26. “One's deliverance, being founded upon truth, is unshakable. For that is false which has a deceptive nature, and that is true which has an undeceptive nature -- nirvana.
“Therefore a practitioner possessing [this truth] possesses the supreme foundation of truth. For this is the supreme noble truth, namely, nirvana, which has an undeceptive nature.
Complete Freedom27. “Formerly, when one was ignorant, one undertook and accepted acquisitions [grasped at things one mistook as I, me, or mine]. Now one has abandoned them, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump [which will not regenerate, unlike other trees which with roots intact will grow again], done away with them so that they are no longer subject to arising in the future.
“Therefore a practitioner possessing [this relinquishment] possesses the supreme foundation of relinquishment. For this is the supreme noble relinquishment, namely, the relinquishing [abandoning] of all acquisitions.
28. “Formerly, when one was ignorant, one experienced covetousness [greed], desire, and lust. Now one has abandoned them, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, done away with them so that they are no longer subject to arising in the future.
“Formerly, when one was ignorant, one experienced anger, ill will, and hate. Now one has abandoned them, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, done away with them so that they are no longer subject to arising in the future.
“Formerly, when one was ignorant, one experienced ignorance and delusion [with regard to the Four Noble Truths and complete liberation from suffering]. Now one has abandoned them, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, done away with them so that they are no longer subject to arising in the future.
Peace“Therefore a practitioner possessing [this peace] possesses the supreme foundation of peace. For this is the supreme noble peace, namely, the pacification [appeasing] of lust, hate, and delusion.
29. “So it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘One should [for the sake of freedom and happiness] pursue wisdom, preserve truth, cultivate relinquishment, and train for peace.’
30. “‘The tides of conceiving do not sweep over one who stands on these [foundations]. And when the tides of conceiving no longer sweep over one, that person is called a sage at peace.’ So it was said. With reference to what was this said?
Conceiving31. “Monastic, ‘I am’ is a conceiving;
- ‘I am this’ is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall be’ is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall not be’ is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall be possessed of form’ is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall be formless’ [on a formless plane of existence] is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall be percipient’ is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall be non-percipient’ [on an unconscious plane of existence] is a conceiving;
- ‘I shall be neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient’ is a conceiving.
“Conceiving is a disease, conceiving is a tumor, conceiving is a dart. By overcoming all conceivings [deluded conceptions, "thought coverings"], monastic, one is called a sage at peace.
“And the sage at peace is not reborn, does not age, does not die; one is not shaken and is not agitated. For [what can upset as is asked in the
Heart Sutra] there is nothing present in one by which one might be reborn.
“Not being reborn, how could one age? Not aging, how could one die? Not dying, how could one be shaken? Not being shaken, why should one be agitated?
32. “So it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘The tides of conceiving do not sweep over one who stands on these [foundations]. And when the tides of conceiving no longer sweep over one, that person is called a sage at peace.’
“Monastic, bear in mind this
brief exposition of the six elements.”
33. Thereupon, Ven. Pukkusāti thought: “Indeed, the Teacher has come to me! The Sublime One has come to me! The Fully Enlightened One has come to me!”
Then he rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and prostrating himself with his head at the Buddha’s feet [all customary marks of respect in ancient India], he said:
“Venerable sir, a transgression overcame me, in that foolishly, confused and blundering, I presumed to address the Blessed One as ‘friend.’ Venerable sir, may the Blessed One forgive my transgression seen as such for the sake of restraint in the future.”
“Surely, monastic, a transgression overcame you, in that foolishly, confused and blundering, you presumed to address me as ‘friend.’ But since you see your transgression as such and make amends in accordance with the Dharma [Doctrine and Discipline], it is forgiven. For it is growth in the Noble One’s Discipline when one sees one’s transgression as such, makes amends in accordance with the Dharma, and undertakes restraint in the future.”
34. “Venerable sir, I would receive
the full admission [which would make Pukkusati not a monastic, as the Buddha has been addressing him, but an Indian
sannyasi or a Buddhist novice at best] under the Blessed One.”
“But are your bowl and robes complete, monastic?”
“Venerable sir, my bowl and robes are not complete.”
“Monastic, Tathāgatas [Buddhas] do not give the full admission to anyone whose bowl and robes are not complete.”
35. Then Ven. Pukkusāti, having delighted and rejoiced in the Buddha’s words, rose from his seat. And after paying homage to the Buddha and keeping him on his right [more signs of respect], he departed search of bowl and robes.
But while he was searching for bowl and robes, a stray cow killed him.
36. Then a number of monastics went to the Buddha. And after paying their respects to him, they sat down at one side and told him: “Venerable sir, the clansman Pukkusāti, who was given brief instruction by the Blessed One, has died. What is his destination? What is his future course [of rebirth]?”
“Monastics, the clansman Pukkusāti was wise. He practiced in accordance with the Dharma and did not trouble me in the interpretation of the Dharma. With the destruction of
the five lower fetters, the clansman Pukkusāti has reappeared spontaneously [in the
Pure Abodes] and will attain final nirvana there without ever returning from that world.”
That is what the Enlightened One said. The monastics were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
How is it done? One first develops serenity to the point of absorption (
