sotapannawise, Sotāpanna way: The Sutra on a great full moon night

This Theravada Sutta is among a few of Buddha's preachings after which some monks in the audience became Arahats (or Arahants) after the developed deep understanding and experienced the truths.

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Mahā-Punnama-sutta

มหาปุณณมสูตร (๑๐๙)

The Sutra on a great full moon night

พระสูตรเรื่องคืนวันเพ็ญอันยิ่งใหญ่

Keywords: Visakha, Sāvatthī, Bupparam, upādāna, upādānakkhandha,

khanda, rupupādānakkhandha, vedanupādānakkhandha, saññupādānakkhandha, saṅkhārupādānakkhandha, viññāṇupādānakkhandha, rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra, viññāṇa, phassa, nāma-rūpa, sakkāyadiṭṭhi, attā, Ariya, Arahat, Ariyasāvaka, sappurisa, chanda, anusaya, anattatā, kamma, avijjā, dukkha, āsava, ñāṇa, wisdom, liberation, enlightenment, mind, mahābhūta, majjhima-nikāya

คำหลัก (Thai keywords) : นางวิสาขา สาวัตถี บุพพาราม อุปาทาน อุปาทานขันธ์ ขันธ์ รูปขันธ์ เวทนาขันธ์ สัญญาขันธ์ สังขารขันธ์ วิญญาณขันธ์ รูป เวทนา สัญญา สังขาร วิญญาณ ผัสสะ นามรูป สักกายทิฏฐิ อัตตา อริยะ อรหันต์ อริยสาวก สัปปุรุษ ฉันทะ อนุสัย อนัตตา กัมมะ (กรรม) อวิชชา ทุกข์ อาสวะ ญาณ ปัญญา ความหลุดพ้น การตรัสรู้ จิต มหาภูตรูป พระสูตร สุตตันตปิฎก มัชฌิมนิกาย อุปริปัณณาสก์ พระอานนท์ พระผู้มีพระภาค

Translated into English from Thai language Suttapiṭaka, vol. 6, by Burachai Sonthayanon, Ph.D.

document version: 1.0 August 28, 2013, B.E. 2556

จาก พระสุตตันตปิฎก ฉบับภาษาไทย เล่ม ๖ มัชฌิมนิกาย อุปริปัณณาสก์

แปลเป็นภาษาอังกฤษโดย บุรชัย สนธยานนท์ ร่างแปลที่ ๑

Notice: This is a first draft translation aiming to facilitate learning and understanding of practical Buddhism among international people. If you have comment or suggestion for improvement / corrections, please write to burachais@gmail.com

This documents contains information from 2 stages of translation (i.e. from Pali to Thai, then from Thai to English) and the second stage was a contextual translation at times, not always word by word, therefore, it is advisable that one should look at original Pali texts of the Buddhist Scripture (Tipitaka) for exact wording and possible alternative interpretation.

Numbers inside square brackets in front of many paragraphs indicated the paragraph numbers in the a respective volume of the Thai Sutta Tipitaka.

Explanations, translation of Pali terms, alternative terms, my interpretation and comments are given in parentheses. Paragraphs in this document are subdivided and indentation introduced at some places to make it easier to read and comprehend.

Translator's additional remarks: This is one of a few suttas where the ending mentioned that 60 monks reached Arahat after listening to this preaching from the Lord Buddha. So I take it as one of many comprehensive explanations of Buddha's teaching that could lead some like-minded people to the ultimate purpose of Buddhism.

mahapunamasutta (Sutra number 109)

[120] Thus I (Ananda) have heard:-

Once, while the Blessed One (Buddha) stayed at a 'castle' (pāsāda, built as a residence for the Buddha called Migāramātupāsāda) donated by the premier female supporter (upāsikā), Visakha Mikara-Mata (Viśākhā Migāramāta), at Eastern Monastery (Bupparam Vihara), in the eastern perimeter of Sāvatthī city (or Sravasti in Sanskrit). On a waxing full moon night, the 15^th night was an Uposatha day (set for monks to review their own adherence to 227 regulations), a monk stood up from his seat, wrapped (his body) with a lowered civara (dusty cloth) on one side below his (right) shoulder, he put together his hands (in front of his chest) to pay respect in the direction where the Blessed One was sitting and asked as followed, “My venerable Lord, may I beg a chance to ask you some minor questions. May you graciously open an opportunity to elucidate questions which I have?

The Blessed One said, “Well, Bhikku (monk). If that is so, sit down on your seat. Whatever questions you wish to ask, do ask.”

[121] At that time, the monk (then) sat down on his seat, asked the Buddha as such, “Venerable Lord, does the aggregate of clinging (upādānakkhandha, clinging to khanda), comprise of clinging to corporeality (rupupādānakkhandha), clinging to feeling (vedanupādānakkhandha), clinging to perception (saññupādānakkhandha), clinging to mental formation (saṅkhārupādānakkhandha), clinging to consciousness (viññāṇupādānakkhandha)? Are there only 5 components ?”

Buddha said, “Well, Bhikkhu, (you are right) upādānakkhandha has only 5 components, i.e. clinging to corporeality (rupupādānakkhandha), clinging to sensational feeling (vedanupādānakkhandha), clinging to perception (saññupādānakkhandha), clinging to mental formation (saṅkhārupādānakkhandha), clinging to consciousness (viññāṇupādānakkhandha).”

The monk was pleased with the Buddha's reply words, he said “That (I) was right, my Lord.” Then he asked a further question to the Buddha, “Venerable Lord, what serves as basis for the aggregate of clinging (upādānakkhandha)?”

The Buddha said, “Well, Bhikkhu. The 5 (components of) upādānakkhandha (each) has desire (will / zeal, chanda) as the basis.

The Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, is upādāna and the 5 upādānakkhandha same or different (entity)?

The Buddha said, “Well, Bhikkhu. The upādāna (clinging, holding) and the 5 upādānakkhandha (aggregate of clinging) are neither the same nor different. Look, Bhikkhu, satisfactory craving in the 5 upādānakkhandha are the holding (i.e. upādāna) (part) of upādānakkhandha.”

[122] The Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, are there differences among satisfactory craving of the 5 (components of) upādānakkhandha?”

The Buddha replied, “There are (differences). Well, Bhikkhu, some people in this World have these wishes, 'I wish that in the future I will have this desirable physical appearance, (I wish) this (kind of) feeling, (I wish) this (kind of) perception, (I wish) this (kind of) mental formations, (I wish) this (kind of) consciousness. These are examples of differences among satisfactory cravings of the 5 upādānakkhandha.

[123] The Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, in how many ways that the various components of the aggregate (khanda) can be called khanda?

The Buddha explained, “Well, Bhikkhu. Any physical image, either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, this is rūpa-khanda.

Any feeling (or) sensation (happy, unhappy, neutral), either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, this is vedanā-khanda.

Any perception (recognition of sensed objects), either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, this is saññā-khanda.

Any mental formations, either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, this is saṅkhāra-khanda.

Any consciousness (from any of the 6 channels, i.e. eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind), either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, this is viññāṇa-khanda.

Well, Bhikhhu, various khandas can be called khanda because of these (circumstances).

[124] The Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, what is the cause or the factor which give rise to the so called rūpa-khanda? What is the cause or the factor which give rise to the so called vedanā-khanda? What is the cause or the factor which give rise to the so called saññā-khanda? What is the cause or the factor which give rise to the so called saṅkhāra-khanda? What is the cause or the factor which give rise to the so called viññāṇa-khanda?

The Buddha explained, “Well, Bhikkhu, the 4 Mahābhūta elements (the 4 primary elements*, see explanatory note below) is the cause for the conventional naming of rūpa-khanda (physical component, corporeality aggregate).

Translator's Note: * the 4 primary elements are:- paṭhavīdhātu (earth element/physical matter), āpodhātu (flowing/cohesion/bonding, water element), vāyodhātu (motion, tension, pressure, air element), tejodhātu (fire element, heat, energy).

Contact (phassa) is the cause for the conventional naming of vedanā-khanda (sensational feeling aggregate).

Contact (phassa) is the cause for the conventional naming of saññā-khanda (perception aggregate).

Contact (phassa) is the cause for the conventional naming of saṅkhāra-khanda (mental formation aggregate).

(Both) mental and physical factors (nāma-rūpa) are the cause for the conventional naming of viññāṇa-khanda (consciousness aggregate).

[125] The Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, how could one dismiss the misconception of self (self-illusion, sakkāyadiṭṭhi)?”

The Buddha explained, “Well, Bhikkhu, people with thick (mental) defilements who have not heard of this (non-self truth), who have not seen (and listened to teaching of) the Noble Ones (Ariya, i.e. Arahat), who are unwise in dhamma of the Ariya, who have not been trained in the dhamma of Ariya, who have not seen (and listened to) worthy men (sappurisa), who are unwise in dhamma of worthy men, who have not been trained in the dhamma of worthy men, would

see rūpa (physical body) (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

see attā as having rūpa,

see rūpa in attā,

see vedanā (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

see attā as having vedanā,

see vedanā in attā,

see saññā (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

see attā as having saññā,

see saññā in attā,

see saṅkhāra (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

see attā as having saṅkhāra,

see saṅkhāra in attā,

see viññāṇa (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

see attā as having viññāṇa,

see viññāṇa in attā.

Well, Bhikkhu, in these cases sakkāyadiṭṭhi (self-illusion) can then arise.”

[126] Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, how would sakkāyadiṭṭhi not arise?”

Buddha said, “Well, Bhikku, Ariyasāvaka (developed followers) who has listened well in this vinaya (doctrine, religion), who have seen the Ariyas, wise in dhamma of Ariya, well-trained in dhamma of Ariya, have seen wise men, wise in dhamma of wise men, well-trained in dhamm of wise men, would

not see rūpa (physical body) (and mistake it) as selfness (attā),

not see attā as having rūpa,

not see rūpa in attā,

not see vedanā (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

not see attā as having vedanā,

not see vedanā in attā,

not see saññā (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

not see attā as having saññā,

not see saññā in attā,

not see saṅkhāra (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

not see attā as having saṅkhāra,

not see saṅkhāra in attā,

not see viññāṇa (and mistake) it as selfness (attā),

not see attā as having viññāṇa,

not see viññāṇa in attā.

Well, Bhikkhu, (having correct view) like these then sakkāyadiṭṭhi does not arise.

[127] Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, what are virtues, what are disadvantages, what is the way toward liberation of rūpa?

What are virtues, what are disadvantages, what is the way to liberation of vedanā?

What are virtues, what are disadvantages, what is the way to liberation of saññā?

What are virtues, what are disadvantages, what is the way to liberation of saṅkhāra?

What are virtues, what are disadvantages, what is the way to liberation of viññāṇa?”

Buddha said, “Well, Bhikku,

the manner in which (bodily) happiness and (mental) pleasure depends on the physical body, this is virtue of rūpa.

The manner in which the physical body is impermanent, sufferings, (always) has changes as norm, this is disadvantage of rūpa.

The manner in which zeal (chanda) is eliminated, leaving out chanda in rūpa, is the way toward liberation of rūpa.

The manner in which (bodily) happiness and (mental) pleasure depends on the sensational feeling, this is virtue of vedanā.

The manner in which a sensational feeling is impermanent, sufferings, (always) has changes as norm, this is disadvantage of vedanā.

The manner in which zeal (chanda) is eliminated, leaving out chanda in vedanā, is the way toward liberation of vedanā.

The manner in which (bodily) happiness and (mental) pleasure depends on percention, this is virtue of saññā.

The manner in which a perception is impermanent, sufferings, (always) has changes as norm, this is disadvantage of saññā.

The manner in which zeal (chanda) is eliminated, leaving out chanda in saññā, is the way toward liberation of saññā.

The manner in which (bodily) happiness and (mental) pleasure depends on the mental formations, this is virtue of saṅkhāra.

The manner in which mental formations are impermanent, sufferings, (always) has changes as norm, this is disadvantage of saṅkhāra.

The manner in which zeal (chanda) is eliminated, leaving out chanda in saṅkhāra, is the way toward liberation of saṅkhāra.

The manner in which (bodily) happiness and (mental) pleasure depends on consciousness, this is virtue of viññāṇa.

The manner in which consciousness is impermanent, sufferings, (always) has changes as norm, this is disadvantage of viññāṇa.

The manner in which zeal (chanda) is eliminated, leaving out chanda in viññāṇa, is the way toward liberation of viññāṇa.”

[128] Bhikkhu asked, “Venerable Lord, once we know that, how do (one) view so as latent tendencies (anusaya) disappear, i.e. arrogance of me, of mine, of this body having consciousness, and of all signifiers, either internally or externally.”

Buddha said, “Well, Bhikkhu, any person who

sees with the right wisdom, in accordance with the truths that any physical image (body), either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, all of those are not ours, not us (me), not our self (attā).

sees with the right wisdom, in accordance with the truths that any sensational feeling, either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, all of those are not ours, not us (me), not our self (attā).

sees with the right wisdom, in accordance with the truths that any perception, either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, all of those are not ours, not us (me), not our self (attā).

sees with the right wisdom, in accordance with the truths that any mental formations, either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, all of those are not ours, not us (me), not our self (attā).

sees with the right wisdom, in accordance with the truths that any consciousness, either of the past or of the future or of the present, either internally or externally, either rough or delicate, either bad or fine, either far or near, all of those are not ours, not us (me), not our self (attā).

Look, Bhikkhu, upon seeing like these then latent tendencies (anusaya) would not exist, i.e. arrogance of me, of mine, of this body having consciousness, and of all signifiers, either internally or externally.”

[129] At that moment, another monk had anxiety arisen in his mind and thought, “Darn, well, as it has been said so far (by the Buddha), it is concluded that physical body, sensational feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness, all are non-self (or soulless, anattatā). (If that is the case then) how would the action done by non-self can come back to the affect the self (i.e. how would kamma react).”

At that moment, the Blessed One knew in his mind of anxiety in a monk so he spoke (aloud) to all monks, “Behold monks, that a null person in this vinaya who does not know, still immersed in ignorance (avijjā), (his) mind is mainly filled with desires, carelessly mistook the teaching of the teacher with an anxiety that said, 'Darn, well, as it has been said so far, it is concluded that physical body, sensational feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness, all are non-self. Then how would the action done by non-self can come back to the affect the self.'

I would like to ask you all. Look, Bhikkhu, I have already instructed you in those dhamma. What do you think of these statements?”

Buddha asked, “Is rūpa permanent or impermanent?”

Monks replied (in unison), “Impermanent, my Lord”.

Buddha asked, “Anything which is impermanent, is it suffering (pain) or happiness?”

Monks replied, “Suffering (dukkha), my Lord”.

Buddha asked, “Anything which is impermanent, is suffering. always changing as norm, is it proper to view that it is ours, we (me), our self (attā)?”