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buddhavacana

Analysis of Realisations (`Saccavibhaṅgasutta`)

· 50 min read

This is an explanation of the four realisations and the eightfold path, supposedly presented by Sāriputta after being introduced by the Buddha.

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 ariyasaccāniFour Realisations
pañcupādānakkhandhāFive Collections
saḷāyatanaSix Senses

Introduction

Section titled “Introduction”

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

1046. “Bhikkhave, in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana in the Deer Park, the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma has been set in motion by the Tathāgata, the liberated one, the perfectly awakened one, which cannot be stopped by any wanderer or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world, that is to say: the declaration, teaching, proclamation, establishment, disclosure, analysis, and elucidation of the four realisations. What 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, at Isipatana in the Deer Park, the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma has been set in motion by the Tathāgata, the liberated one, the perfectly awakened one, which cannot be stopped by any wanderer or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world, that is to say: the declaration, teaching, proclamation, establishment, disclosure, analysis, and elucidation of these four realisations.

1047. Bhikkhave, associate with Sāriputta and Moggallāna; Bhikkhave, keep company with Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Wise bhikkhū are helpful to their spiritual companions. Just as, Bhikkhave, a mother who 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.” This the Bhagavā said. Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Sāriputta’s Discourse

Section titled “Sāriputta’s Discourse”

1048. There, not long after the Bhagavā had left, āyasmā Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhū: “Āvuso Bhikkhave!” “Āvuso,” those bhikkhū replied to āyasmā Sāriputta. Āyasmā Sāriputta said this:

1049. “Āvuso, in Bārāṇasī, at 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,
  • ageing,
  • death,
  • sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair;
  • not getting what one wants.

In short, the five collections of fuel are suffering.

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

  • birth,
  • generation,
  • descent,
  • production,
  • appearance of the collections, and
  • acquisition of the sense bases of the various beings in the various classes of beings.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘birth’.

1052. And what, Āvuso, is ageing? It is the

  • ageing,
  • decrepitude,
  • broken teeth,
  • grey hair,
  • wrinkled skin,
  • decline of life, and
  • decay of the faculties of the various beings in the various classes of beings.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘ageing’.

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 classes of beings.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘death’.

1054. And what, Āvuso, is sorrow? The

  • sorrow,
  • sorrowing,
  • state of sorrow,
  • inner sorrow,
  • severe inner sorrow,
  • 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,
  • act of crying out,
  • act of 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,
  • painful, unpleasant feeling born of physical contact.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘pain’.

1057. And what, Āvuso, is displeasure? The

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

This, Āvuso, is called ‘displeasure’.

1058. And what, Āvuso, is despair? The

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

This, Āvuso, is called ‘despair’.

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 ageing, Āvuso, …
  • For beings subject to illness, Āvuso, …
  • For beings subject to death, Āvuso, …
  • For beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair, Āvuso, this wish arises: ‘Oh, if only we were not subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair! May sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair 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 short? That is to say:

  • the collection of form as fuel,
  • the collection of feeling as fuel,
  • the collection of apperception as fuel,
  • the collection of mental constructions as fuel,
  • the collection of consciousness as fuel.

These, Āvuso, are called ‘the five collections of fuel that are suffering, in short’.

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

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

  • this craving which leads to renewed existence,
  • accompanied by delight and lust,
  • relishing now here, now there; that is to say,
  • 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 remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving,
  • the giving up,
  • the relinquishing of it,
  • freedom from it,
  • non-reliance on 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 very ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo (Eightfold Path), that is to say:

  • right view,
  • right resolve,
  • right speech,
  • right action,
  • right livelihood,
  • 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 resolve? The

  • intention of renunciation,
  • the intention of good,
  • the intention of not harming.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘right resolve’.

1066. And what, Āvuso, is right speech?

  • Abstinence from false speech,
  • abstinence from slanderous speech,
  • abstinence from harsh speech,
  • abstinence from gossip.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘right speech’.

1067. And what, Āvuso, is right action?

  • Abstinence from killing living beings,
  • abstinence from theft,
  • abstinence from sexual misconduct.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘right action’.

1068. And what, Āvuso, is right livelihood?

Here, Āvuso, a disciple of the liberated

  • gives up wrong livelihood and
  • prepares for a way of life with right livelihood.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘right livelihood’.

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

  • A bhikkhu, for the non-arising of unarisen evil and unwholesome characteristics, generates a desire, tries to make an effort, starts effort, strives on with the mind, and exerts himself.
  • He generates a desire for the giving up of the arisen evil and unwholesome characteristics, tries to make an effort, starts effort, strives on with the mind, and exerts himself.
  • For the arising of unarisen wholesome characteristics, he generates a desire, tries to make an effort, starts effort, strives on with the mind, and exerts himself.
  • He generates a desire for the persistence of, non-confusion of, increase of, maturity of, developing of, fulfilment of arisen wholesome characteristics, tries to make an effort, starts effort, strives on with the mind, and exerts himself.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘right effort’.

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

  • A bhikkhu stays aware, observing the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, with awareness, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world.
  • He stays aware, observing feelings in feelings…
  • the mind in the mind…
  • perceptual objects in perceptual objects, ardent, clearly comprehending, with awareness, having removed covetousness and displeasure in the world.

This, Āvuso, is called ‘right awareness’.

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

  • A bhikkhu, secluding himself from sensual pleasures, detaching from unwholesome characteristics, enters and remains in the first jhāna (mental disposition), accompanied by reflection and consideration, secluded from defilements, with felicity and satisfaction.
  • With the conclusion of reflection and consideration, he enters and remains in the second jhāna, accompanied by an inner calming of intention, focused, without reflection, without consideration, born from focus, with felicity and satisfaction.
  • With the detachment from felicity, he remains equanimous, aware and clearly comprehending, and experiences body comfort, as the liberated ones describe: ‘equanimous, aware, living at ease’ — he enters and remains in the third jhāna.
  • With the giving up of the pleasant and the unpleasant, and with the previous disappearance of mental pleasure and displeasure, he enters and remains in the fourth jhāna, in a neutral state, and possessing purification of awareness by equanimity.

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, at Isipatana in the Deer Park, the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma has been set in motion by the Tathāgata, the liberated one, the perfectly awakened one, which cannot be stopped by any wanderer or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world, that is to say: the declaration, teaching, proclamation, establishment, disclosure, analysis, and elucidation of these four realisations.”

1073. This āyasmā Sāriputta said.

Those bhikkhū, delighted, rejoiced in āyasmā Sāriputta’s words.

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

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