The Great Quest for Enlightenment, Pt. 2

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Maha-Saccaka Sutra: "The Longer Discourse to Saccaka" (MN 36) based on Ven. Thanissaro translation, Wisdom Quarterly SEE PART 1

How did the prince become the Buddha?

The Buddha continued: (Part 1) "I thought, 'Suppose I were to practice going altogether without food.' Then devas came to me and said, 'Dear sir, please do not practice going altogether without food. If you go altogether without food, we will infuse subtle (deva-) nourishment through your pores, and you will survive on that.'

"I thought, 'If I were to claim to be completely fasting while these devas were infusing subtle nourishment through my pores, I would be lying.' So I dismissed them, saying, 'Enough.'

"I thought, 'Suppose I were to take only a little food at a time, only a handful of bean (dhal) soup, lentil soup, vetch soup, or pea soup.' So I took only a little food at a time, only a handful of bean soup, lentil soup, vetch soup, or pea soup. My body became extremely emaciated. From eating so little, my limbs became like the jointed segments of vine stems or bamboo stems...

"'My backside became like a camel's hoof... My spine stood out like a string of beads... My ribs jutted out like the jutting rafters of an old, run down barn... The gleam of my eyes appeared to be sunk deep in their sockets like the gleam of water deep in a well... My scalp shriveled and withered like a green bitter gourd, shriveled and withered in the heat and the wind... The skin of my belly became so stuck to my spine that when I touched my belly, I grabbed hold of my spine. And when I touched my spine, I grabbed hold of the skin of my belly...

"'If I urinated or defecated, I fell over on my face right there... From my eating so little, if I tried to ease my body by rubbing my limbs, the hair — shriveled at the root — fell from my body as I rubbed from eating so little.

"People seeing me would say, 'The wandering ascetic Gautama is black.' Others would say, 'He isn't black, he's brown.' Others would say, 'He is neither black nor brown, he's golden skinned.' So much had the clear, bright color of my skin deteriorated from eating so little.

"I thought, 'Whatever Brahmins or wandering ascetics in the past have felt painful, racking, piercing feelings due to their striving, this is the utmost. None have been greater than this. Whatever Brahmins or wandering ascetics in the future will feel painful, racking, piercing feelings due to striving, this is the utmost. None will be greater than this.

"'Whatever Brahmins or wandering ascetics in the present are feeling painful, racking, piercing feelings due to striving, this is the utmost. None is greater than this. But with this racking practice of austerities I have not attained any superior human state, any distinction in knowledge or vision worthy of the noble [enlightened] ones. Could there be another path to enlightenment?'

"I thought, 'I recall once, when my father the Scythian (Shakyian) was busy, and I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose apple tree [after which this world is named Jambu-dvipa], then — secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful states — I entered and remained in the first absorption (jhana) characterized by rapture [supersensual bliss] and pleasure born of [mental] seclusion [withdrawal of the senses], accompanied by applied and sustained attention.

Wandering and wandering

"'Could this be the path to enlightenment?' Then following that memory came the realization, 'This is the path to enlightenment.'

"I thought, 'So why am I afraid of pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful states [such as lust, anger, delusion]?'

"I thought, 'I am no longer afraid of pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful states. But that pleasure is not easy to achieve with a body so extremely emaciated. Suppose I were to take solid food, like rice and porridge.'

"I took solid food, rice and porridge. Now five ascetics had been attending on me thinking, 'If the wandering ascetic Gautama achieves some higher state, he will tell us.'

"But when they saw me taking solid food — rice and porridge — they were disgusted and left me thinking, 'He is living luxuriously. He has abandoned his exertion and is backsliding into luxurious living.'

"When I had taken solid food and regained my strength then — secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful states, I entered and remained in the first absorption characterized by rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by applied and sustained attention. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain there.

"With the stilling of applied and sustained attention, I entered and remained in the second absorption characterized by rapture and pleasure born of concentration, unification (coherence) of mind, free of applied and sustained attention — internal assurance.

"But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain there. With the fading of rapture I remained equanimous, mindful, and alert, with pleasure experienced by the body. I entered and remained in the third absorption, of which the noble ones say, 'One has a pleasant abiding who is equanimous and mindful.'

"But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain there. With the abandoning of pleasure and pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — I entered and remained in the fourth absorption characterized by purity of equanimity and mindfulness, beyond pleasure and pain. But the pleasant [neutral] feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain there.

"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, freed of defilements, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives -- that is, one birth, two...five, 10...500, 100, 1,000, 100,000, many aeons of world contraction, many aeons of world expansion, many aeons of world contraction and expansion:

"'There I had such a name, belonged to such a family (extended clan), had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I reappeared there. There, too, I had such a name, belonged to such a family, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I reappeared here.' Thus I remembered my manifold past lives in general and in detail.

Light arose, knowledge arose!

"This was the knowledge attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; light arose; darkness was dispelled — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, and resolute. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain there.

"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, freed of defilements, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings.

"I saw — by means of the divine eye [third eye], purified and surpassing the human — beings passing away and reappearing, and I understood how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their karma: 'These beings — 

• who engaged in unskillful conduct of body, speech, and mind
• who reviled the noble ones
• held wrong views, and
• undertook actions (karma) under the influence of wrong views

"'— with the breakup of the body, after death, have reappeared on the plane of deprivation, the unfortunate destination, the lower realms, even in hell. But these other beings —

• who engaged in skillful conduct of body, speech, and mind
• who did not revile the noble ones
• who held right views and undertook actions (karma) under the influence of right views

"'— with the breakup of the body, after death, have reappeared in the fortunate destinations, even in heavenly worlds.'

"Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — I saw beings passing away and reappearing, and I understood how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their karma.

"This was the second knowledge attained in the second watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was dispelled; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, and resolute. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain there.

The mental defilements 

Stuck in mud and defiled, we called it fun.

"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, freed of defilements, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the ending of mental defilements (avasas).

"I understood as it actually is that,

1. 'This is suffering (disappointment, dukkha)…
2. This is its origin...
3. This is its cessation...
4. This is the way (the path) leading to its cessation...

"These are defilements... This is their origin... This is their cessation... This is the way leading to their cessation.' My heart, knowing thus, seeing thus, was released from the defilement of [craving for, obsession with, addiction to] sensuality, released from the defilement of becoming, released from the defilement of ignorance.

"With this release came the knowledge, 'Released!' Discerned was this knowledge: 'Rebirth is ended, the supreme life fulfilled has been lived out, and the task is done, and therefore there is nothing more for this world.'

"This was the third knowledge attained in the third watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; light arose; darkness was dispelled — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, and resolute. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade mind or remain there.

"I recall having taught the Dharma to an assembly of many hundreds, and yet each one of them assumed, 'The wandering ascetic Gautama is teaching the Dharma just to me [as if it were an attack or criticism],' but it should not be seen this way.

"The Tathagata [the "One Arrived at Things Just the Way They Are"] rightly teaches them the Dharma simply for the purpose of imparting wisdom [so that the liberating knowledge and vision of hearers may arise].

"At the end of that very talk, mind was inwardly steadied, settled, concentrated, and unified on the same object of concentration as before, on which was almost constantly dwelled."

Saccaka said (with some sarcasm): "That is quite believable for Master Gautama, as would be the case for one who is worthy and rightly self-enlightened. But does the Master Gautama recall sleeping during the day?"

"Aggivessana, in the last month of the hot season, returning from alms round, after the midday meal, setting out outer robe folded in four, lying down on the right side, and falling asleep while mindful and clearly comprehending."

Saccaka added: "There are some Brahmins and wandering ascetics, Master Gautama, who would call that dwelling in delusion."

"It is not to that extent that one is deluded or undeluded, Aggivessana. As to how one is deluded or undeluded, listen and pay close attention to this."

"As you say, Master Gautama," Saccaka replied, "as you say."

The Blessed One explained: "In whomever the effluents that defile, that lead to renewed becoming, that give rise to trouble, that ripen in suffering (dukkha, disappointment), and lead to future rebirth, aging, and death are unabandoned, that person I call deluded. For it is from not abandoning the defilements that one is deluded.

"In whomever the effluents that defile, that lead to renewed becoming, that give rise to trouble, that ripen in suffering, and lead to future rebirth, aging, and death are abandoned, that person I call undeluded. For it is from abandoning the defilements that one is undeluded.

Palmyra tree stumps will not grow again.

"In the Tathagata, Aggivessana, the effluents that defile, that lead to renewed becoming, that give rise to trouble, that ripen in suffering, and lead to future rebirth, aging, and death have been abandoned, their roots destroyed, made like a palmyra tree stump [that cannot resprout once cut down], deprived of the conditions of becoming, not destined for future reappearance.

"Just as a palmyra cut off at the crown is incapable of further growth, in the same way in the Tathagata the effluents that defile, that lead to renewed becoming, that give rise to trouble, that ripen in suffering, and lead to future rebirth, aging, and death have been abandoned, their roots destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of further becoming, not destined for future reappearance."

Reaction

The Buddha's golden skin brightened.

When this was said, Saccaka the Nigantha (Jain) declared: "It is amazing, Master Gautama! It is astounding that when Master Gautama is addressed rudely — again and again and is assailed by presumptuous courses of speech — the color of his skin brightens, the color of his face clears, as would be the case with one who is worthy and rightly awakened to the utmost.

"I recall engaging Purana Kassapa in debate. He, when engaged in debate by me, spoke evasively and led the discussion astray, displayed irritation, aversion, and upset.

"But when Master Gautama is addressed rudely again and again, is assailed by presumptuous courses of speech, the color of his skin brightens, the color of his face clears, as would be the case with one who is worthy and rightly fully enlightened.

Bhikkhu Bodhi smiles in LA (WQ)

"I recall engaging Makkhali Gosala... Ajita Kesakambala... Pakudha Kaccayana... Sañjaya Velatthaputta... Nigantha Nattaputta [Mahavira, the founder of Jainism] [called the Six False Teachers in the sutras and commentaries] in debate.

"[They], when engaged in debate by me, spoke evasively and led the discussion astray, displayed irritation, aversion, and upset.

"But when Master Gautama is addressed rudely again and again, is assailed by presumptuous courses of speech, the color of his skin brightens, the color of his face clears, as would be the case with one who is worthy and rightly fully enlightened.

"And now, Master Gautama, I will go. Many are my duties, many my responsibilities."

"Then, Aggivessana, do what you think it is now time to do [as you see fit]."

So Saccaka the Nigantha, delighting in and approving of the Blessed One's words, got up from his seat and departed [Note 4].

• 4. The sutras do not record what happened to Saccaka after this conversation. The Commentary, however, states that he was reborn many years later in Sri Lanka, where he became an arhat.