Maggasaccaṁ
The Truth of the Path
Katamañ-ca, bhikkhave, Dukkhanirodhagāminī Paṭipadā Ariyasaccaṁ?
Now what, monks, is the Noble Truth of the Practice Leading to the Cessation of Suffering?
Ayam-eva ariyo
It is this noble path with eight factors, as follows:
sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo,
right view, right thought,
sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammā-ājīvo,
right speech, right action, right livelihood
sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi. The eightfold Path, when fulfilled, becomes the tenfold Path, with the addition of
right endeavour, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi?
Now what, monks, is right view?
Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe ñāṇaṁ
That, monks, which is knowledge about suffering
dukkhasamudaye ñāṇaṁ
knowledge about the origination of suffering
dukkhanirodhe ñāṇaṁ
knowledge about the cessation of suffering
dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ.
knowledge about the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi. Mundane right-view is defined elsewhere (MN 41, 117, etc.) as:
This, monks, is called right view.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo?
Now what, monks, is right thought?
Nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo.
The thought of renunciation, the thought of good-will, the thought of non-violence.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo.
This, monks, is called right thought.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāvācā?
Now what, monks, is right speech?
Musāvādā veramaṇī
Refraining from false speech
pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī
refraining from malicious speech
pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī
refraining from rough speech
samphappalāpā veramaṇī. All four are normally included in the five virtuous practices (
refraining from frivolous talk.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvācā.
This, monks, is called right speech.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammākammanto?
Now what, monks, is right action?
Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī
Refraining from killing living creatures
adinnādānā veramaṇī
refraining from taking what has not been given
kāmesu
refraining from sexual misconduct.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammākammanto.
This, monks, is called right action.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammā-ājīvo?
Now what, monks, is right livelihood?
Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako micchā-ājīvaṁ pahāya, sammā-ājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti. Five types of wrong livelihood for merchants are explained in Vaṇijjāsuttaṁ (AN 5.177):
Here, monks, a noble disciple, having abandoned a wrong way of livelihood, makes his living by a right way of livelihood.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammā-ājīvo.
This, monks, is called right livelihood.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo?
Now what, monks, is right endeavour?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ
o Here, monks, a monk regarding bad and unwholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen
anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti, This section on the endeavours is a good example of the Pāḷi usage of negatives, which sounds so awkward in English, where we would normally say something simple here, like: he endeavours to prevent bad and unwholesome things from arising. In Pāḷi, though, there is a tendency to work with negative and positive forms of the same word (e.g.
generates desire for the non-arising,
vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati.
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort.
Uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ
Regarding bad and unwholesome thoughts that have already arisen
pahānāya chandaṁ janeti,
he generates desire for their abandonment,
vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati.
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort.
Anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti,
He generates desire for the arising of wholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen,
vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati.
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort.
Uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā, asammosāya, Normally
o Regarding wholesome thoughts that have arisen generates desire for their
endurance, persistence,
bhiyyobhāvāya, vepullāya, bhāvanāya, pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti,
multiplication, extension, development, and fulfilment,
vāyamati, viriyaṁ ārabhati, cittaṁ paggaṇhāti, padahati.
(in this regard) he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and makes an effort.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāvāyāmo.
This, monks, is called right endeavour.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāsati?
Now what, monks, is right mindfulness?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
Here, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body,
ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati,
He dwells contemplating (the nature of) feelings in feelings,
ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.
Citte cittānupassī viharati,
He dwells contemplating (the nature of) the mind in the mind,
ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.
Dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,
He dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things,
ātāpī, sampajāno, satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsati.
This, monks, is called right mindfulness.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhi?
Now what, monks, is right concentration?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi, vivicca akusalehi dhammehi,
Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unwholesome things,
savitakkaṁ, savicāraṁ, vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ,
having thinking, reflection, and the happiness and joy born of seclusion,
paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
dwells having attained the first absorption.
Vitakkavicārānaṁ
With the calming down of thinking and reflection,
ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ, cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ,
with internal clarity, and one-pointedness of mind,
avitakkaṁ, avicāraṁ, samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ, These are the sorts of pleasurable states of mind that counteract the attachment to sense-desires, and are always recommended in the discourses, as they lead on along the Path to liberation; it is an example of what was mentioned in the Vedanānupassanā as:
being without thinking, without reflection, having the happiness and joy born of concentration,
dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
he dwells having attained the second absorption.
Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati,
With the fading away of joy he dwells equanimous,
sato ca sampajāno, sukhañ-ca kāyena Always defined in the commentaries (e.g. MNiddA, Guhaṭṭhakasuttaniddesavaṇṇanā; VinA, Verañjakaṇḍavaṇṇanā, etc.) as being the
mindful, fully aware, experiencing happiness through the body,
yan-taṁ Ariyā ācikkhanti: “Upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī” ti,
about which the Noble Ones declare: “He dwells pleasantly, mindful, and equanimous,”
tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
he dwells having attained the third absorption.
Sukhassa ca pahānā, dukkhassa ca pahānā,
Having abandoned pleasure, abandoned pain,
pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā,
and with the previous passing away of mental happiness and sorrow,
adukkham-asukhaṁ, upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ, I take
without pain, without pleasure, and with complete purity of mindfulness owing to equanimity,
catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
he dwells having attained the fourth absorption.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhi.
This, monks, is called right concentration.
Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, Dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā Ariyasaccaṁ.
This, monks, is called the Noble Truth of the Practice Leading to the Cessation of Suffering.
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Iti ajjhattaṁ vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,
Thus he dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things in regard to himself,
bahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things in regard to others,
ajjhattabahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,
or he dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things in regard to himself and in regard to others,
samudayadhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination in things,
vayadhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of dissolution in things,
samudayavayadhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati,
or he dwells contemplating the nature of origination and dissolution in things,
“atthi dhammā” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness that “there are these (various) things” is established in him
yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya patissatimattāya,
just as far as (is necessary for) a full measure of knowledge and a full measure of mindfulness,
anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
and he dwells independent, and without being attached to anything in the world.
Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati,
In this way, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things,
Catusu Ariyasaccesu.
in the Four Noble Truths.
Catusaccapabbaṁ Niṭṭhitaṁ
The Section about the Four Truths is Finished
Dhammānupassanā Niṭṭhitā
Contemplation of (the Nature of) Things is Finished