The Eye, Etc.Cakkhusutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then Venerable Rāhula went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,Atha kho āyasmā rāhulo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā rāhulo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”“sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yamahaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.

“What do you think, Rāhula?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, Is the eye permanent or impermanent?”cakkhuṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Is the ear permanent or impermanent?”“Sotaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe….

“Is the nose permanent or impermanent?”“Ghānaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …

“Is the tongue permanent or impermanent?”“Jivhā niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Aniccā, bhante” …

“Is the body permanent or impermanent?”“Kāyo nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Anicco, bhante” …

“Is the mind permanent or impermanent?”“Mano nicco vā anicco vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Anicco, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ, kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mind.“Evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako cakkhusmimpi nibbindati …pe… sotasmimpi nibbindati … ghānasmimpi nibbindati … jivhāyapi nibbindati … kāyasmimpi nibbindati … manasmimpi nibbindati; Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.nibbindaṁ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati; vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.

(The ten discourses of this series should be told in full the same way.)(Etena peyyālena dasa suttantā kātabbā.)