MN 26. Ariyapariyesanasuttaṁ
The Discourse about the Noble Search

[2. The Two Searches]

Dvemā, bhikkhave, pariyesanā:
There are these two searches, monks:

ariyā ca pariyesanā, anariyā ca pariyesanā. RTE: anariyā ca pariyesanā ariyā ca pariyesanā, reversing the order to the order if which they are taken up in the text.
a noble search, and an ignoble search.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, anariyā pariyesanā?
And what, monks, is an ignoble search?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco,
Here, monks, someone,

attanā jātidhammo samāno, jātidhammañ-ñeva ChS: jātidhammaṁ yeva, and similar throughout. pariyesati,
being himself subject to birth, seeks out what is subject to birth,

attanā jarādhammo samāno, jarādhammañ-ñeva pariyesati,
being himself subject to old-age, seeks out what is subject to old-age,

attanā byādhidhammo samāno, byādhidhammañ-ñeva pariyesati,
being himself subject to sickness, seeks out what is subject to sickness,

attanā maraṇadhammo samāno, maraṇadhammañ-ñeva pariyesati,
being himself subject to death, seeks out what is subject to death,

attanā sokadhammo samāno, sokadhammañ-ñeva pariyesati,
being himself subject to grief, seeks out what is subject to grief,

attanā saṅkilesadhammo samāno, saṅkilesadhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to defilements, seeks out what is subject to defilements.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, jātidhammaṁ vadetha?
And what do you say, monks, is subject to birth?

Puttabhariyaṁ, bhikkhave, jātidhammaṁ,
Wife and children, monks, are subject to birth,

dāsidāsaṁ jātidhammaṁ,
female and male servants are subject to birth,

ajeḷakaṁ jātidhammaṁ,
goats and sheep are subject to birth,

kukkuṭasūkaraṁ jātidhammaṁ,
chickens and pigs are subject to birth,

hatthigavāssavaḷavaṁ jātidhammaṁ,
elephants, cows, horses and mares are subject to birth,

jātarūparajataṁ jātidhammaṁ,
gold and silver are subject to birth, Jāti here has the meaning of origination. In Pāḷi is carries both meanings.

jātidhammā hete, bhikkhave, upadhayo.
these, monks, are the bases of what is subject to birth.

Etthāyaṁ gathito RTE: gadhito, alternative spelling. mucchito ajjhāpanno, PTS: ajjhopanno, throughout, alternative form.
Herein, tied, infatuated, and indulging in this,

attanā jātidhammo samāno, jātidhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to birth, he seeks out what is subject to birth,

Kiñca, bhikkhave, jarādhammaṁ vadetha?
And what do you say, monks, is subject to old-age?

Puttabhariyaṁ, bhikkhave, jarādhammaṁ,
Wife and children, monks, are subject to old-age,

dāsidāsaṁ jarādhammaṁ,
female and male servants are subject to old-age,

ajeḷakaṁ jarādhammaṁ,
goats and sheep are subject to old-age,

kukkuṭasūkaraṁ jarādhammaṁ,
chickens and pigs are subject to old-age,

hatthigavāssavaḷavaṁ jarādhammaṁ,
elephants, cows, horses and mares are subject to old-age,

jātarūparajataṁ jarādhammaṁ,
gold and silver are subject to old-age, Jarā here has the meaning of decay. In Pāḷi is carries both meanings.

jarādhammā hete, bhikkhave, upadhayo.
these, monks, are the bases of what is subject to old-age.

Etthāyaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhāpanno,
Herein, tied, infatuated, and indulging in this,

attanā jarādhammo samāno, jarādhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to old-age, he seeks out what is subject to old-age,

Kiñca, bhikkhave, byādhidhammaṁ vadetha?
And what do you say, monks, is subject to sickness?

Puttabhariyaṁ, bhikkhave, byādhidhammaṁ,
Wife and children, monks, are subject to sickness,

dāsidāsaṁ byādhidhammaṁ,
female and male servants are subject to sickness,

ajeḷakaṁ byādhidhammaṁ,
goats and sheep are subject to sickness,

kukkuṭasūkaraṁ byādhidhammaṁ,
chickens and pigs are subject to sickness,

hatthigavāssavaḷavaṁ byādhidhammaṁ, RTE adds the line: jātarūparajataṁ byādhidhammaṁ; though it is hard to see how money gets sick exactly.
elephants, cows, horses and mares are subject to sickness,

byādhidhammā hete, bhikkhave, upadhayo.
these, monks, are the bases of what is subject to sickness.

Etthāyaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhāpanno,
Herein, tied, infatuated, and indulging in this,

attanā byādhidhammo samāno, byādhidhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to sickness, he seeks out what is subject to sickness,

Kiñca, bhikkhave, maraṇadhammaṁ vadetha?
And what do you say, monks, is subject to death?

Puttabhariyaṁ, bhikkhave, maraṇadhammaṁ,
Wife and children, monks, are subject to death,

dāsidāsaṁ maraṇadhammaṁ,
female and male servants are subject to death,

ajeḷakaṁ maraṇadhammaṁ,
goats and sheep are subject to death,

kukkuṭasūkaraṁ maraṇadhammaṁ,
chickens and pigs are subject to death,

hatthigavāssavaḷavaṁ maraṇadhammaṁ, RTE adds the line: jātarūparajataṁ maraṇadhammaṁ.
elephants, cows, horses and mares are subject to death,

maraṇadhammā hete, bhikkhave, upadhayo.
these, monks, are the bases of what is subject to death.

Etthāyaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhāpanno,
Herein, tied, infatuated, and indulging in this,

attanā maraṇadhammo samāno, maraṇadhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to death, he seeks out what is subject to death,

Kiñca, bhikkhave, sokadhammaṁ vadetha?
And what do you say, monks, is subject to grief?

Puttabhariyaṁ, bhikkhave, sokadhammaṁ,
Wife and children, monks, are subject to grief,

dāsidāsaṁ sokadhammaṁ,
female and male servants are subject to grief,

ajeḷakaṁ sokadhammaṁ,
goats and sheep are subject to grief,

kukkuṭasūkaraṁ sokadhammaṁ,
chickens and pigs are subject to grief,

hatthigavāssavaḷavaṁ sokadhammaṁ, RTE adds the line: jātarūparajataṁ sokadhammaṁ.
elephants, cows, horses and mares are subject to grief,

sokadhammā hete, bhikkhave, upadhayo.
these, monks, are the bases of what is subject to grief.

Etthāyaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhāpanno,
Herein, tied, infatuated, and indulging in this,

attanā sokadhammo samāno, sokadhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to grief, he seeks out what is subject to grief,

Kiñca, bhikkhave, saṅkilesadhammaṁ vadetha?
And what do you say, monks, is subject to defilements?

Puttabhariyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṅkilesadhammaṁ,
Wife and children, monks, are subject to defilements,

dāsidāsaṁ saṅkilesadhammaṁ,
female and male servants are subject to defilements,

ajeḷakaṁ saṅkilesadhammaṁ,
goats and sheep are subject to defilements,

kukkuṭasūkaraṁ saṅkilesadhammaṁ,
chickens and pigs are subject to defilements,

hatthigavāssavaḷavaṁ saṅkilesadhammaṁ,
elephants, cows, horses and mares are subject to defilements,

jātarūparajataṁ saṅkilesadhammaṁ,
gold and silver are subject to defilements,

saṅkilesadhammā hete, bhikkhave, upadhayo.
these, monks, are the bases of what is subject to defilements.

Etthāyaṁ gathito mucchito ajjhāpanno,
Herein, tied, infatuated, and indulging in this,

attanā saṅkilesadhammo samāno, saṅkilesadhammañ-ñeva pariyesati.
being himself subject to defilements, he seeks out what is subject to defilements.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, anariyā pariyesanā.
This, monks, is an ignoble search.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ariyā pariyesanā?
And what, monks, is a noble search?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco,
Here, monks, someone,

attanā jātidhammo samāno, jātidhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā,
being himself subject to birth, after understanding the danger in being subject to birth,

ajātaṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ Nibbānaṁ pariyesati,
seeks out the birthless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

attanā jarādhammo samāno, jarādhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā,
being himself subject to old-age, after understanding the danger in being subject to old-age,

ajaraṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ Nibbānaṁ pariyesati,
seeks out the ageless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

attanā byādhidhammo samāno, byādhidhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā,
being himself subject to disease, after understanding the danger in being subject to disease,

abyādhiṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ Nibbānaṁ pariyesati,
seeks out the sickless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

attanā maraṇadhammo samāno, maraṇadhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā,
being himself subject to death, after understanding the danger in being subject to death,

amataṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ Nibbānaṁ pariyesati,
seeks out the deathless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

attanā sokadhammo samāno, sokadhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā,
being himself subject to grief, after understanding the danger in being subject to grief,

asokaṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ Nibbānaṁ pariyesati,
seeks out the griefless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

attanā saṅkilesadhammo samāno, saṅkilesadhamme ādīnavaṁ viditvā,
being himself subject to defilements, after understanding the danger in being subject to defilements,

asaṅkiliṭṭhaṁ anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ Nibbānaṁ pariyesati.
seeks out the undefiled, supreme, secure Nibbāna.

Ayaṁ, RTE: Ayam-pi. bhikkhave, ariyā pariyesanā.
This, monks, is a noble search.

last updated: June 2014