"The Noble Quest" (sutra)

Amber Larson, CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Ven. Thanissaro (trans.), Ariyapariyesana Sutra (MN 26), "The Noble Quest" or "The Search for Enlightenment"

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One (the Buddha) was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, in the multi-millionaire's (Anathapindika's) monastery.

Then early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and cloak, he went into Savatthi for alms food gathering. Then a large number of monastics went to Ven. Ananda and said:

"It has been a long time, friend Ananda, since we have heard a Dharma talk in the Blessed One's presence. It would be good if we could get to hear a Dharma talk in the Blessed One's presence."
 
"In that case, venerable ones, go to the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin. Perhaps you will get to hear a Dharma talk in the Blessed One's presence."
 
"As you say, friend," the monastics replied to Ven. Ananda and departed.
 
Then the Blessed One, having gone for alms, after his meal, on returning from his round, said: "Ananda, let's go to the Eastern Park, the palace of Migara's mother, for the day's abiding."

"As you say, venerable sir," Ven. Ananda replied to the Blessed One.
 
So the Blessed One, together with Ven. Ananda, went to the Eastern Park, to the palace of Migara's mother, for the day's abiding. Then in the evening, emerging from [meditative] seclusion, he said to Ven. Ananda: "Ananda, let's go to the Eastern Gatehouse to bathe our limbs."

"As you say, venerable sir," Ven. Ananda replied to the Blessed One.
 
So the Blessed One, together with Ven. Ananda, went to the Eastern Gatehouse to bathe his limbs. Having bathed his limbs at the Eastern Gatehouse, coming out of the water, he stood in his lower robe, drying his limbs. Then Ven. Ananda said to him:

"Venerable sir, the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin is not far away. Pleasing is the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin. Delightful is the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin. It would be good if the Blessed One went to the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin out of compassion." The Blessed One acquiesced by his silence.
 
So the Blessed One went to the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin. Now at that time a large number of monastics had gathered in the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin for a Dharma discussion.

The Blessed One stood outside the door waiting for the discussion to end. On knowing that the discussion had ended, clearing his throat [to courteously signal that he was approaching], he tapped on the door. The monastics opened the door for him.

The Buddha addresses the monastics.

Entering the hermitage of Rammaka the Brahmin, the Blessed One sat down on a seat prepared for him. As he was sitting there, he addressed the monastics:

"For what discussion are you gathered together here? In the midst of what discussion have you been interrupted?"
 
"Venerable sir, our interrupted Dharma discussion was about the Blessed One himself, and then the Blessed One arrived."
 
"Good, meditators. It is fitting that you, as offspring of good families who have gone forth [into wandering asceticism] out of confidence from the home-life into the left-home life, should gather for Dharma discussion. When you have gathered you have two duties, either Dharma discussion or noble silence [Note 1].

• [NOTE 1]: See Ud 2.2 and AN 10.69. Noble silence = the levels of absorption (jhana) beginning with the second.

Noble and Ignoble Quests

Prince Siddhartha renounces the throne and worldly life as Chanda and Kanthaka look on.

 .

Prince Siddhartha leaves on Kanthaka

"Meditators, there are two quests, the ignoble and the noble quest. What is the ignoble quest? A person, being subject to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, one seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to sickness... death... sorrow... defilement.
 
"What is subject to [re-]birth [which is therefore inseparably bound up with re-death]? Spouses and children are subject to birth. Male and female slaves... goats and sheep... fowl and swine... elephants, cattle, horses, and mares... gold and silver are subject to birth. Subject to birth are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to birth.
 
"What is subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement? Spouses and children are subject to birth. Male slaves and female slaves... goats and sheep... fowl and swine... elephants and cattle, horses and mares... gold and silver [2]...

• [2]: The Burmese, Sri Lankan, and Pali Text Society of London editions of the Pali canon exclude gold and silver from the list of objects subject to sickness, death, and sorrow, apparently on the grounds that they themselves do not grow ill, die, or feel sorrow. But the Thai edition of the canon includes gold and silver in the list of objects subject to sickness, death, and sorrow in the sense that any happiness based on them is subject to change because of one's own sickness, death, and sorrow.

...are subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement. Subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement. This is the ignoble quest.
 
"What is the noble quest? A person, being subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeks the unborn, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana. Being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeks the unaging, unsick, deathless, sorrowless, undefiled, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana. This is the noble quest.
 
"I, too, meditators, before my enlightenment, when I was an unawakened bodhisattva [a "being bent on enlightenment"], being subject to birth, sought what was likewise subject to birth. Being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, I sought [happiness in] what was likewise subject to sickness... death... sorrow... defilement.

"Then the thought occurred to me, 'Why do I, being subject to birth, seek what is likewise subject to birth? Being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, why do I seek what is likewise subject to sickness... death... sorrow... defilement?

"What if I, being subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, were to seek the unborn, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana? What if I, being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, were to seek the unaging, unsick, deathless, sorrowless, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana?'
 
"So, later, while still young, a black-haired youth endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life -- while my parents, unwilling, were crying with tears streaming down their faces -- I shaved off my hair and beard, put on the saffron robe and went forth from the home-life into the left-home life.

To find a teacher

I will instruct you on meditation.

"Having thus gone forth in search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I went to [Yogi] Alara Kalama and, when I arrived, said to him: 'Friend Kalama, I want to practice in this doctrine and discipline (dharma-vinaya).'
 
"Having said this, he replied, 'You may stay here, friend. This doctrine (dharma) is such that a wise person can soon enter and dwell in the teacher's knowledge, having realized it through direct knowledge.'
 
"It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere service, recitation and repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the words of the elders, and I could affirm that I knew and saw -- I, along with others.
 
"I thought, 'It isn't through mere conviction [confidence, conviction, verifiable faith, saddha] that Alara Kalama declares, "I have entered and dwell in this doctrine (dharma), having realized it for myself through direct knowledge."

"Certainly he dwells knowing and seeing this doctrine.' So I went to him and said, 'To what extent do you declare that you have entered and dwell in this doctrine?' When this was said, he declared the sphere of nothingness.

"I thought, 'Not only does Alara Kalama have confidence, persistence, mindfulness, coherence (concentration, samadhi), and wisdom (insight, discernment), but I, too, have confidence, persistence, mindfulness, coherence, and wisdom.

"What if I were to endeavor to realize for myself the doctrine that Alara Kalama declares he has entered and dwells in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge?' So it was not long before I quickly entered and dwelled in that doctrine, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.

"I went to him and said, 'Friend Kalama, is this the extent to which you have entered and dwell in this doctrine, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge?'

"'Yes, friend...'

"'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered and dwell in this doctrine, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'
 
"'It is a gain for us, friend, a great gain for us, that we have such a companion in the supreme life. So the doctrine declare I have entered and dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge, is the doctrine you declare you have entered and dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge.

"And the doctrine you declare you have entered and dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge, is the doctrine I declare I have entered and dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge. The doctrine I know is the doctrine you know; the doctrine you know is the doctrine I know. As I am, so are you; as you are, so am I. Come , friend, let us now lead this community (sangha) together.'
 
"In this way did Alara Kalama, my teacher (guru), place me, his pupil (chela), on the same level as himself and pay me great honor. But the thought occurred to me, 'This doctrine does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment/awakening, nor to nirvana, but only to rebirth (reappearance) in the sphere of nothingness.' So, dissatisfied with that doctrine, I left.

Another teacher

I will teach you a higher attainment.

"In quest of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I went to [Yogi] Uddaka Ramaputta and, when I arrived, said to him: 'Friend Uddaka, I want to practice in this doctrine and discipline.'
 
"When this was said, he replied, 'You may stay here, friend. This doctrine is such that a wise person can soon enter and dwell in the teacher's knowledge, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.'
 
"It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere lip service, recitation and repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the words of the elders, and I could affirm that I knew and saw -- I, along with others.
 
"I thought, 'It wasn't through mere confidence (faith) that Rama declared, "I have entered and dwell in this doctrine, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge." Certainly he dwelled knowing and seeing this doctrine.' So I went to Uddaka and said, 'To what extent did Rama declare that he had entered and dwelled in this doctrine?' When this was said, Uddaka declared the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
 
"I thought, 'Not only did Rama have confidence, persistence, mindfulness, coherence, and wisdom, but I, too, have confidence, persistence, mindfulness, coherence, and wisdom. What if I were to endeavor to realize for myself the doctrine that Rama declared he entered and dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge?'

" 'So it was not long before I quickly entered and dwelled in that doctrine, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge. I went to Uddaka and said, 'Friend, Uddaka, is this the extent to which Rama entered and dwelled in this doctrine, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge?'

• [It seems clear that what these two "doctrines" (dhammas) are referring to are teachings, techniques, or modes of attaining the higher meditative absorptions corresponding to the sphere of nothingness and the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception," a state of consciousness so subtle that one can neither say one is perceiving nor certainly is one unconscious and therefore not perceiving.]

"'Yes, friend...'
 
"'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered and dwell in this doctrine, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'
 
"'It is a gain for us, friend, a great gain for us, that we have such a companion in the supreme life. So the doctrine Rama declared he entered and dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge, is the doctrine you declare you have entered and dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge.

"And the doctrine you declare you have entered and dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge, is the doctrine Rama declared he entered and dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.

"The doctrine he knew is the doctrine you know; the doctrine you know is the doctrine he knew. As he was, so are you; as you are, so was he. Come, friend, [co-]lead this community.'
 
"In this way did Uddaka Ramaputta, my companion in the supreme life, place me in the position of teacher and pay me great honor. But the thought occurred to me, 'This doctrine does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, nor to nirvana, but only to rebirth in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.' So, dissatisfied with that doctrine, I left.
 

"In quest of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I wandered by stages in the country of Magadha and came to the military town of Uruvela.

"There I saw some delightful countryside, with an inspiring forest grove, a clear-flowing river with fine, delightful banks, and villages for alms gathering on all sides. The thought occurred to me, 'How delightful is this countryside, with its inspiring forest grove, clear-flowing river with fine, delightful banks, and villages for alms gathering on all sides!

"This is just right for the exertion of a member of the Shakya clan intent on exertion.' So I sat down right there, thinking, 'This is just right for exertion.'
 
"Then, meditators, being subject myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled peace from that yoke, nirvana, I reached the unborn, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana.

"Being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeking the unaging, unsick, deathless, sorrowless, unexcelled rest from that yoke, nirvana, I reached the  unaging, unsick, deathless, sorrowless, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana.

"Knowledge and vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'
 
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Dharma (ultimate doctrine) that I have attained is deep, subtle, hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, to-be-experienced by the wise.

• [3]: The section from here to Brahma Sahampati's disappearance is recounted in the third person at SN 6.1.

"But this generation delights in attachment (craving, grasping, clinging), is excited by attachment, enjoys attachment. For a generation delighting in attachment, excited by attachment, enjoying attachment, this/that conditionality and dependent origination are hard to see.

"This state, too, is hard to see: the resolving of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the abandoning of craving, dispassion, cessation, nirvana.

"If I were to teach the Dharma and others were to fail to understand me, that would be tiresome for me, troublesome for me.'
 
"Just then these verses, never heard before, unspoken in the past, occurred to me:

"'Enough now with teaching

what only with difficulty I reached.

This Dharma is not easily realized

by those overcome by passion and aversion.

What is profound, subtle, deep, hard to see,

going against the flow -- those delighting in passion,

cloaked in a mass of darkness, will not see.' 

 

"As I reflected in this way, my mind/heart inclined

to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dharma.

Brahma and other devas speak to the Buddha.

"Then Brahma Sahampati -- having known in his mind the line of thinking in my mind -- thought: 'The world is lost! The world is destroyed! The mind of the Tathagata, the arhat, the Rightly Self-Awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dharma!'

"Then, just as a strong man might straighten his flexed arm or flex his straight arm, Brahma Sahampati left the Brahma-world and appeared in front of me. Arranging his upper robe over one shoulder [as a mark of respect], he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted me with his hands before his heart (in anjali mudra), and said to me:

"'Venerable sir, let the Blessed One teach the Dharma! Let the Well-Gone-One teach the Dharma! There are beings with but a little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dharma. There will be those who will understand the Dharma.'
 
"That is what Brahma Sahampati said. Having said that, he added:
 

"'In the past there appeared among the Magadhans an impure doctrine devised by the stained. Throw open the door to deathlessness! Let them hear the Dharma realized by the Stainless One! Just as one standing on a rocky crag might see people all around below so, O Wise One, with all-pervading vision, ascend the palace fashioned of Dharma.

"Free from sorrow, behold the people submerged in sorrow, oppressed by rebirth and aging. Rise up, Hero, victor in battle! O, Teacher, wander without debt in the world. Teach the Dharma, O Blessed One: There will be those who will understand.'

"Then, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for living beings, I surveyed the world [-system] with the eye of an Awakened One. As I did so, I saw beings with but a little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with skillful attributes and those with unskillful, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world [to come].

Lotuses rise high above the muck unstained

"Just as in a pond of [muck where grow] blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses -- born and growing in the water -- might flourish while still immersed in the water, without rising above the water, whereas some might stand at an even level with the water; while some might rise above the water and stand without being stained by the water -- so, too, surveying the world with the eye of an Awakened One, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with skillful attributes and those with unskillful, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world [to come by rebirth].
 
"Having seen this, I answered Brahma Sahampati in verse:
 

"'Open are the doors to Deathlessness to those with ears.

Let them show their confidence.

Perceiving trouble, O Brahma, I did not tell people

the refined, sublime Dharma.' 

 

"Then Brahma Sahampati thinking, 'The Blessed One has given his consent to teach the Dharma,' bowed down to me and, circling me on the right [as marks of respect], disappeared right there.
 
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I first teach the Dharma? Who will quickly understand this Dharma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Alara Kalama is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little dust in his eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dharma first? He will quickly understand this Dharma.' Then devas ["shining ones"] came to me and said, 'Venerable sir, Alara Kalama died seven days ago.'

"And knowledge and vision arose within me: 'Alara Kalama died seven days ago.' The thought occurred to me, 'A great loss has Alara Kalama suffered [for not living long enough to hear this Dharma]. If he had heard this Dharma, he would have quickly understood it [and attained enlightenment and liberation from all further rebirth and suffering once and for all].'
 
"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dharma first? Who will quickly understand this Dharma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Uddaka Ramaputta is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little dust in his eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dharma first? He will quickly understand this Dharma.'

"Then devas came to me and said, 'Venerable sir, Uddaka Ramaputta died last night.' And knowledge and vision arose within me: 'Uddaka Ramaputta died last night.' The thought occurred to me, 'A great loss has Uddaka Ramaputta suffered. If he had heard this Dharma, he would have quickly understood it.'
 

The five wandering ascetics became the first five bhikkhus or monastics.

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The Buddha addresses the five ascetics.

"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dharma first? Who will quickly understand this Dharma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'They were very helpful to me, the group of five wandering ascetics [my previous companions in asceticism] who attended to me when I was resolute in exertion [and severe austerities]. What if I were to teach them the Dharma first?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'Where is the group of five ascetics staying now?' And with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, I saw that they were staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
 
"Then, having stayed at Uruvela as long as I liked, I set out to wander by stages to Varanasi. [Two men named] Upaka the Ajivaka saw me on the road between Gaya and the Enlightenment (place).

"Seeing me they said, 'Clear, friend, are your features. Pure and bright your complexion. On whose account have you gone forth [from the home-life to the left-home life]? Who is your teacher? In whose spiritual doctrine do you delight?'
 
"When this was said, I replied to Upaka the Ajivaka in verse:
 

" 'All-vanquishing, all-knowing am I,

with regard to all things, I have let go.

All-abandoning, released with the end of clinging:

having fully known [nirvana] on my own,

to whom would I point as my teacher?

• [4]: This verse is also found at Dhp 353.

" 'I have no teacher, and one like me cannot be found.

In this world with its devas, I have no counterpart.

For I am an arhat in the world; I, the unexcelled teacher.

I, alone, am rightly self-awakened. Cooled am I, nirvana-ed.

To set rolling the Wheel of Dharma I go to the city of Kasi.

In a world gone blind, I beat the drum of Deathlessness.' 

 

"'From your claims, friend, you must be an unbounded conqueror.'
 

'Conquerors are those like me who have reached formations' end.

I have conquered unskillful qualities, and so, Upaka, I'm a conqueror.' 

 

"When this was said, Upaka replied, 'That may be, friend, that may be.' And -- shaking his head -- he left taking a side road.

• [Upaka's reply may not have been so starkly dismissive of the Buddha's claims. His words may also be translated as, "May it be so, friend."]

"Then, wandering by stages, I arrived at Varanasi, at the Deer Park in Isipatana, where the group of five ascetics were staying. From afar they saw me coming and, seeing me, made a pact with one another (saying), 'Friends, here comes the wandering ascetic Gautama, who is living luxuriously, straying from his [former] austerities, backsliding into abundance.

" 'He does not deserve to be bowed down to, to be greeted by standing up, nor to have his robe and bowl received. Nevertheless, a seat should be prepared. If he wants to, he can sit down.'

"But as I approached, they were unable to keep their pact. One, standing to greet me, respectfully received my robe and bowl. Another graciously spread out a seat. Another courteously set out water for washing my feet. However, they addressed me by name [Gautama] and as 'friend.'
 
"So I said to them, 'Do not address the Tathagata [the "Wayfarer," the "Welcome One," the "Well-Gone One"] by name or as "friend." Friends, the Tathagata is a worthy one [an arhat], rightly self-awakened.

"Lend ear, friends: the Deathless [nirvana] has been attained! I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dharma [this doctrine, this means of attaining nirvana]. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach and remain in the ultimate goal of the supreme life for which members of the family clan rightly go forth from the home-life into the left-home life, knowing and realizing it for themselves here and now [in this very life].'
 
"When this was said, the group of five ascetics replied, 'By that [former] practice, that conduct, that performance of austerities you did not attain any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge or vision worthy of a noble [i.e., enlightened] one.

" 'So how can you now -- living luxuriously, straying from your [former] austerities, backsliding into abundance -- have attained any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble one?'
 
"When this was said, I explained, 'The Tathagata, ascetics, is not living luxuriously, has not strayed from his exertion, has not backslid into abundance. The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained!

"I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dharma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach and remain in the ultimate goal of the supreme life for which members of the family clan rightly go forth from the home-life into the left-home life, knowing and realizing it for themselves here and now.'
 
A second and third time the group of five ascetics repeated their question...So how can you now -- living luxuriously, straying from your austerities, backsliding into abundance -- have attained any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of a noble one?'
 
"When this was said, I asked the group of five ascetics, 'Do you recall my ever having spoken in this way before?'
 
"'No, venerable sir.'
 
"'The Tathagata, ascetics, is not living luxuriously, has not strayed from his exertion, has not backslid into abundance. Friends, the Tathagata is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dharma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach and remain in the ultimate goal of the supreme life for which members of the family clan rightly go forth from the home-life into the left-home life, knowing and realizing it for themselves here and now.'
 
"So I was able to convince them. I would teach two ascetics while three went for alms, and all six of us lived off what the three brought back from their alms round. Then I would teach three monks while two went for alms, and the six of us lived off of what the two brought back from their alms round.

"Then the group of five ascetics -- thus exhorted, thus instructed by me -- being subject themselves to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled peace from that yoke, nirvana, reached the unborn, unexcelled peace from that yoke: nirvana.

"Being subject to aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... sickness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeking the unaging, unsick, deathless, sorrowless, unexcelled peace from that yoke, nirvana, they reached the unaging, sickless, deathless, sorrowless, unexcelled rest from that yoke: nirvana. Knowledge and vision arose in them: 'Unprovoked is our release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'

"Meditator, there are five strands of sensuality. What are the five?

1. Forms cognizable via the eye -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing.
2. Sounds cognizable via the ear -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing.
3. Aromas cognizable via the nose -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing.
4. Flavors cognizable via the tongue -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing.
5. Sensations cognizable via the body -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing.

"These are the five strands of sensuality.

"And any Brahmins or wandering ascetics bound to these five strands of sensuality -- infatuated with them, having totally fallen for them, consuming [and consumed by] them without perceiving their drawbacks or discerning the escape from them -- should be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin: Mara [lit., "the Killer," Death, the Tempter, rebirth and redeath, the obstacle, a yakkha who obstructs important figures to prevent them from gaining liberation] can do with them as Mara will.

"It is just as if a wild deer were bound up in a heap of snares. That deer would be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin: The hunter can do with it as the hunter will. When the hunter comes, it will not get away as it would like.

"In the same way, any Brahmins or wandering ascetics bound tied to these five strands of sensuality -- infatuated with them, having totally fallen for them, consuming [and consumed by] them without seeing their drawbacks or discerning the escape from them -- should be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin: Mara can do with them as Mara will.
 
"But any Brahmins or wandering ascetics not bound to these five strands of sensuality -- uninfatuated with them, having not totally fallen for them, consuming them seeing their drawbacks and discerning the escape from them -- should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin. Mara cannot do with them as Mara will.

"It is just as if a wild deer were to lie unbound on a heap of snares. It would be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin. The hunter cannot do with it as the hunter will. When the hunter comes, the deer will get away as it would like.

"In the same way, any Brahmins or wandering ascetics not bound to these five strands of sensuality -- uninfatuated with them, having not totally fallen for them, consuming them seeing their drawbacks and discerning the escape from them -- should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin. Mara cannot do with them as Mara will.

The meditative absorptions 

.

"Suppose that a wild deer is living in a wilderness glen. Carefree it walks, carefree it stands, carefree it sits, carefree it lies down. Why is that? Because it has gone beyond the hunter's range.

• [5]: For another use of the wild deer as a symbol for a free mind, see Ud 2.10.

"In the same way, a meditator -- quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful states -- enters and abides in the first  meditative absorption (jhana): rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by applied and sustained attention. This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to [Mara] the Evil One.

• [6]: As the Commentary points out, simply attaining the states of mental coherence or concentration (samadhi) from the first absorption (jhana) through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception blinds Mara only temporarily. Only with the arising of insight, wisdom, discernment is Mara blinded for good. On Mara's blindness, see Sn 5.15 and SN 22.87 (the latter in The Mind Like Fire Unbound). For the meaning of "trackless," see Dhp 92-93, 179-180.

"Then again the meditator, with the stilling of applied and sustained attention, enters and abides in the second meditative absorption: rapture and pleasure born of composure, unification of mind free of applied and sustained attention -- internal assurance.

"This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to [Mara] the Evil One.
 
"Then again the meditator, with the fading away of rapture, one abides equanimous [unbiased], mindful, and awake, and senses pleasure with the body. One enters and abides in the third meditative absorption, of which the noble ones [people who have reached any of the stages of enlightenment] declare, 'Equanimous and mindful, one has a pleasant abiding.' This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to [Mara] the Evil One.

"Then again the meditator, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain (eustress and distress, gladness and sadness) -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation and discouragement -- enters and abides in the fourth meditative absorption: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain.

"This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to [Mara] the Evil One.
 
"Then again the meditator, with the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, [thinking or perceiving,] 'Boundless space,' enters and abides in the sphere of boundless space. This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.
 
"Then again the meditator, with the complete transcending of the sphere of boundless space, [thinking or perceiving,] 'Boundless consciousness,' enters and abides in the sphere of boundless consciousness. This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.
 
"Then again the meditator, with the complete transcending of the sphere of boundless consciousness, [thinking or perceiving,] 'There is nothing,' enters and abides in the sphere of nothingness. This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.
 
"Then again the meditator, with the complete transcending of the sphere of nothingness, enters and abides in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This meditator is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

Change of lineage

"Then again the meditator, with the complete transcending of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, enters and abides in the cessation of perception and sensation. And having seen [that] with insight-wisdom, the taints [asavas, kilesas, samyojanas] are completely ended. This meditator is said to have blinded Mara.

"Trackless, one has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One. Having crossed over [having gone beyond], this [noble] person is liberated in the world. Carefree this person walks, carefree stands, carefree sits, carefree lies down [the four postures]. Why is that? It is because one has [gone, gone] gone beyond the Mara's range."
 
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the meditators delighted in the Blessed One's words.



Translator's Introduction

Some scholars have suggested that -- of the many autobiographical accounts of the Buddha's enlightenment found in the Pali language canon -- this is the earliest.

From that position, they have further suggested that because this account does not mention the Four Noble Truths, either in connection with the enlightenment or with the Buddha's instructions to his first disciples, the Four Noble Truths formulation must have been a later doctrine.

 

There is little reason to accept this opinion. To begin with, this sutra or discourse does not recount the Buddha's period of severe austerities prior to his great enlightenment, nor does it tell of how the group of five wandering ascetics attended to him during that period and later left him when he abandoned his austerities. Yet, toward the end of the sutra the Buddha alludes to these two incidents in a way indicating that he assumes them to be familiar to his listeners. So, if anything, the accounts that do explicitly relate those events -- such as the one in MN 36 -- would seem to be earlier.

 

Second, the lack of reference to the core Four Noble Truths does not indicate that they were not actually involved in the enlightenment or the focus of the first discourse given to the five disciples.

As is always the case in the Buddha's autobiographical accounts in the Pali canon, this account is designed to convey a lesson. The lesson is clearly articulated toward the beginning of the sutra: There's a difference between a noble quest, a search for enlightenment, and an ignoble one.

The account then illustrates the Buddha's own noble quest and his 45 year long teaching career after enlightenment in the terms introduced by the lesson: the search for the "unborn, unaging, unsick, undying/deathless, sorrowless, undefiled, unexcelled peace from the yoke: nirvana."

In particular, all of the events mentioned in this account revolve around the issue of the deathless (a synonym for nirvana): the discovery of the deathless, the teaching of the deathless, and the Buddha's success in helping others realize the deathless.

Had the lesson of the sutra concerned the Four Noble Truths (the teachings of the Buddha in capsule form), they would probably have been mentioned in this account. So there is little reason to regard this sutra as any kind of "proof" that the Four Noble Truths came later.

 

This sutra offers many excellent lessons in the Dharma, in addition to mentioning a few incidents in the Buddha's life that are found nowhere else in the "Basket or Collection of Discourses" (Sutta Pitaka).