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Linked Discourses · SN 14.31

  • Linked Discourses 14.31Saṁyutta Nikāya 14.31
  • 4. Chapter Four4. Catutthavagga

Before AwakeningPubbesambodhasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought:“Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘What’s the gratification, the drawback, and the escape when it comes to the earth element …‘ko nu kho pathavīdhātuyā assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇaṁ; the water element …ko āpodhātuyā assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇaṁ; the fire element …ko tejodhātuyā assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇaṁ; and the air element?’ko vāyodhātuyā assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇan’ti?

Then it occurred to me:Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi: ‘The pleasure and happiness that arise from the earth element: this is its gratification.‘yaṁ kho pathavīdhātuṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, ayaṁ pathavīdhātuyā assādo; That the earth element is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.yaṁ pathavīdhātu aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, ayaṁ pathavīdhātuyā ādīnavo; Removing and giving up desire and greed for the earth element: this is its escape.yo pathavīdhātuyā chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ, idaṁ pathavīdhātuyā nissaraṇaṁ. The pleasure and happiness that arise from the water element …Yaṁ āpodhātuṁ paṭicca …pe… The pleasure and happiness that arise from the fire element …yaṁ tejodhātuṁ paṭicca …pe… The pleasure and happiness that arise from the air element: this is its gratification.yaṁ vāyodhātuṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, ayaṁ vāyodhātuyā assādo; That the air element is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its drawback.yaṁ vāyodhātu aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, ayaṁ vāyodhātuyā ādīnavo; Removing and giving up desire and greed for the air element: this is its escape.’yo vāyodhātuyā chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ, idaṁ vāyodhātuyā nissaraṇaṁ’.

As long as I didn’t truly understand these four elements’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.Yāvakīvañcāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ dhātūnaṁ evaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ na abbhaññāsiṁ, neva tāvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.

But when I did truly understand these four elements’ gratification, drawback, and escape in this way for what they are, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.Yato ca khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ dhātūnaṁ evaṁ assādañca assādato ādīnavañca ādīnavato nissaraṇañca nissaraṇato yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, athāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.

Knowledge and vision arose in me:Ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi: ‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”‘akuppā me vimutti, ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo’”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. SN 14.32 In Search of Gratification 0.74near 0.1Linked Discourses 14.32 4. Chapter Four In Search of Gratification At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I went in search of the earth element’s gratification, and I found it. I’ve seen clearly with wisdom the full extent of gratifi…
  2. AN 8.64 At Gayā Head 0.68near 4.1and that these deities have a lifespan of such a length; and whether or not I have previously lived together with those deities? Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’ So after some time … I found…
  3. SN 35.13 Before My Awakening (Interior) 0.68near 0.1Linked Discourses 35.13 2. Pairs Before My Awakening (Interior) At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: ‘What’s the gratification, the drawback, and th…
  4. AN 7.50 Sex 0.68near 4.1But when I saw that these seven sexual yokes—every one of them—had been given up in me, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and b…
  5. AN 3.103 Before Awakening 0.66near 0.1Numbered Discourses 3.103 11. Awakening Before Awakening “Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: ‘What’s the gratification in the world? What’s the drawback? What’s…
  6. SN 56.11 Rolling Forth the Wheel of Dhamma 0.64near 4.1But when my true knowledge and vision about these four noble truths was fully purified in these three rounds and twelve aspects, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities…
  7. SN 22.26 Gratification 0.62near 0.1Linked Discourses 22.26 3. The Burden Gratification At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: ‘What’s the gratification, the drawback, and the escape whe…
  8. AN 9.41 With the Householder Tapussa 0.60near 4.1And so, after some time, I saw the drawbacks of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception and cultivated that, and I realized the benefits of the cessation of perception and feeling and developed that. Then…