Is There a Method?Atthinukhopariyāyasutta

“Mendicants, is there a method—apart from faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation—that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment? That is:“Atthi nu kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākareyya: ‘I 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 pajānāmī”ti?

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

“Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” they replied.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“There is a method—apart from faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation—that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is:“atthi, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākareyya: ‘I 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 pajānāmī’ti.

And what is that method?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pariyāyo, yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya …pe… aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. When they have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; When they don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Since this is so, are these things understood by faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation?”Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā vā veditabbā”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Aren’t they understood by seeing them with wisdom?”“Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“This is a method—apart from faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation—that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is:“Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘I 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 pajānāmī’ti …pe….

Furthermore, a mendicant hears a sound … smells an odor … tastes a flavor … encounters a touch …Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ …pe… rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. knows an idea with their mind. When they have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; When they don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in them, they understand ‘I don’t have greed, hate, and delusion in me.’asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti. Since this is so, are these things understood by faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation?”Yaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu manasā dhammaṁ viññāya santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, atthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohaṁ, natthi me ajjhattaṁ rāgadosamohoti pajānāti; api nu me, bhikkhave, dhammā saddhāya vā veditabbā, ruciyā vā veditabbā, anussavena vā veditabbā, ākāraparivitakkena vā veditabbā, diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā vā veditabbā”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Aren’t they understood by seeing them with wisdom?”“Nanume, bhikkhave, dhammā paññāya disvā veditabbā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“This too is a method—apart from faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation—that a mendicant can rely on to declare their enlightenment. That is:“Ayampi kho, bhikkhave, pariyāyo yaṁ pariyāyaṁ āgamma bhikkhu aññatreva saddhāya, aññatra ruciyā, aññatra anussavā, aññatra ākāraparivitakkā, aññatra diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘I 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 pajānāmī’ti.