Analysis of Realisations (`Saccavibhaṅgasutta`)

11M/4.11 Saccavibhaṅgasutta is an explanation of the four realisations and the eightfold path, supposedly presented by Sāriputta after being introduced by the Buddha. The discourse is structured like a Minto Pyramid, so Sāriputta could have had a great career as a management consultant.

This presentation is presented in English without using Pāḷi technical terms, because I wanted to give a natural rendition to the explanation. The technical terms for the realisations, collections and the eightfold path are presented in the following pages:

cattāri ariyasaccāni Four Realisations

pañcupādānakkhandhā Five Collections

saḷāyatana Six Senses

Introduction

1045. Thus heard by me. At one time, the Bhagavā was staying near Bārāṇasī, in Isipatana, at the Deer Park. There the Bhagavā addressed the bhikkhū: “Bhikkhavo!” “Bhadante,” they replied. The Bhagavā said this:

1046. “Bhikkhave, in Bārāṇasī, in Isipatana, in the Deer Park, through the arahant, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma has been set in motion that cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world. And what is that? It is the declaration, teaching, proclamation, establishment, disclosure, analysis, and elucidation of the four realisations. Which four?

dukkha ariyasacca (the realisation of suffering) …
dukkhasamudaya ariyasacca (the realisation of the origin of suffering) …
dukkhanirodha ariyasacca (the realisation of the cessation of suffering) …
dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasacca (the realisation of the path leading to the cessation of suffering) …

Bhikkhave, in Bārāṇasī, in Isipatana, in the Deer Park, through the arahant, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma has been set in motion that cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world, which is the declaration, teaching, proclamation, establishment, disclosure, analysis, and elucidation of these four realisations.

1047. Bhikkhave, associate with Sāriputta and Moggallāna; attend to Sāriputta and Moggallāna. These wise bhikkhus are helpful to their spiritual companions. Bhikkhave, just as a mother gives birth, so is Sāriputta; just as one who raises what is born, so is Moggallāna. Bhikkhave, Sāriputta trains in sotāpattiphalaṃ (the fruit of stream-entry); Moggallāna trains in the highest goal. Bhikkhave, Sāriputta is capable of declaring, teaching, proclaiming, establishing, disclosing, analysing, and elucidating the four realisations in detail.” That is what the Bhagavā said. Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Sariputta’s Discourse

1048. Then, not long after the Bhagavā had left, Āyasmā Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Āvuso bhikkhave” “Āvuso,” they replied to Āyasmā Sāriputta. Āyasmā Sāriputta said this:

1049. “Āvuso, in Bārāṇasī, in Isipatana, in the Deer Park, … [repeats the Buddha’s statements about the four realisations]

1050. And what, āvuso, is the realisation of suffering? Suffering is:

Birth,
old age,
death,
sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress;
association with what one dislikes;
separation from what one likes;
not getting what one wants.

In brief, the five collections of fuel are suffering.

1051. And what, āvuso, is birth? It is the

birth,
generation,
descent,
conception,
appearance of the collections, and
acquisition of the sense fields of the various beings in the various levels of beings.

This, āvuso, is called ‘birth’.

1052. And what, āvuso, is old age? It is the

old age,
decrepitude,
broken teeth,
gray hair,
wrinkled skin,
decline of life, and
decay of the faculties of the various beings in the various levels of beings.

This, āvuso, is called ‘old age’.

1053. And what, āvuso, is death? It is the

passing away,
falling away,
breaking up,
disappearance,
death,
demise,
completion of time,
breaking up of the collections,
casting off the body,
and cutting off the life faculty of the various beings from the various levels of beings.

This, āvuso, is called ‘death’.

1054. And what, āvuso, is sorrow? The

sorrow,
sorrowing,
state of sorrow,
inner sorrow,
inner suffering,
of one afflicted by some misfortune,
touched by some painful thing.

This, āvuso, is called ‘sorrow’.

1055. And what, āvuso, is lamentation? The

crying out,
lamenting,
state of crying out,
state of lamenting,
of one afflicted by some misfortune,
touched by some painful thing.

This, āvuso, is called ‘lamentation’.

1056. And what, āvuso, is pain? The

physical suffering,
physical unpleasantness,
physical painful feeling born of contact.

This, āvuso, is called ‘pain’.

1057. And what, āvuso, is sadness? The

mental suffering,
mental unpleasantness,
mental painful feeling born of contact.

This, āvuso, is called ‘sadness’.

1058. And what, āvuso, is distress? The

anguish,
despair,
state of anguish,
state of despair,
of one afflicted by some misfortune,
touched by some painful thing.

This, āvuso, is called ‘distress’.

1059. And what, āvuso, is not getting what one wants, that is also suffering?

For beings subject to birth, āvuso, this wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not subject to birth! May birth not come to us!’ But this cannot be attained by wishing. This is also ‘not getting what one wants, that is also suffering’.
For beings subject to old age, āvuso, …
For beings subject to sickness, āvuso, …
For beings subject to death, āvuso, …
For beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress, āvuso, this wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress! May sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress not come to us!’ But this cannot be attained by wishing. This is also ‘not getting what one wants, that is also suffering’.

1060. And what, āvuso, are the five collections of fuel that are suffering, in brief? Namely,

the collection of form as fuel,
the collection of feeling as fuel
the collection of apperception as fuel
the collection of mental construction as fuel formations
the collection of consciousness as fuel.

These, āvuso, are called ‘the five collections of fuel that are suffering, in brief’.

This, āvuso, is called ‘the realisation of suffering’.

1061. And what, āvuso, is the realisation of the origin of suffering? It is

this craving that leads to renewed existence,
accompanied by delight and lust,
seeking delight here and there; namely,
craving for sensual pleasures,
craving for existence,
craving for non-existence.

This, āvuso, is called ‘the realisation of the origin of suffering’.

1062. And what, āvuso, is the realisation of the cessation of suffering? It is the

complete fading away and cessation of that very craving,
giving it up,
relinquishing it,
being liberated from it,
detaching from it.

This, āvuso, is called ‘the realisation of the cessation of suffering’.

1063. And what, āvuso, is the realisation of the path leading to the cessation of suffering? It is this noble eightfold path; namely,

right view,
right intention,
right speech,
right action,
right way of living,
right effort,
right awareness,
right focus.

1064. And what, āvuso, is right view? It is

knowledge of suffering,
knowledge of the origin of suffering,
knowledge of the cessation of suffering,
knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right view’.

1065. And what, āvuso, is right intention? The

intention of renunciation,
the intention of goodwill,
the intention of harmlessness.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right intention’.

1066. And what, āvuso, is right speech?

Abstinence from false speech,
abstinence from divisive speech,
abstinence from harsh speech,
abstinence from idle chatter.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right speech’.

1067. And what, āvuso, is right action?

Abstinence from killing living beings,
abstinence from taking what is not given,
abstinence from sexual misconduct.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right action’.

1068. And what, āvuso, is right way of living?

Here, āvuso, a noble disciple

gives up wrong way of living and
maintains his life with right way of living.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right way of living’.

1069. And what, āvuso, is right effort? Here, āvuso,

A bhikkhu generates desire, endeavours, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives for the non-arising of unarisen evil unskillful qualities.
He generates desire, endeavours, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives for the abandoning of arisen evil unskillful qualities.
He generates desire, endeavours, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives for the arising of unarisen skillful qualities.
He generates desire, endeavours, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives for the maintenance, non-decay, increase, plenitude, development, and perfection of arisen skillful qualities.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right effort’.

1070. And what, āvuso, is right awareness? Here, āvuso,

A bhikkhu remains focused on the body as a body, ardent, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure concerning the world.
He remains focused on feelings as feelings…
on mind as mind…
on mental constructions as mental constructions, ardent, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure concerning

the world. This, āvuso, is called ‘right awareness’.

1071. And what, āvuso, is right focus? Here, āvuso,

A bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by reflection, with consideration, born from seclusion, filled with joy and pleasure.
Reflecting and considering, calmed down, with the subsiding of reflection and consideration, personally confident, having a purposeful mind, he enters and remains in the second jhāna, single minded, without reflection, without consideration, born from composure, filled with joy and pleasure.
Dispassionate from joy etc., he remains equanimous, aware, thoughtful and clearly comprehending; and he personally experiences comfort with the body, of which the noble ones declare — ‘Equanimous, attentive, at ease’ — he enters and remains in the third jhāna.
With the letting go of previous pleasure or pain, subsiding of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, possessing purification of awareness by equanimity that is neither pleasant nor unpleasant, he enters and remains in the fourth jhāna.

This, āvuso, is called ‘right focus’.

This, āvuso, is called ‘the realisation of the path leading to the cessation of suffering’.

1072. Āvuso, in Bārāṇasī, in Isipatana, in the Deer Park, … [repeats the Buddha’s statements about the four realisations]

1073. That is what Āyasmā Sāriputta said.

The bhikkhus were pleased and happy with what Āyasmā Sāriputta said.

1074. The Discourse on the Analysis of the Truths, the eleventh, is finished.