雜阿含經 31: 37 (31). Śroṇa (2)
The Connected Discourses (selected sūtras) 31
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37 (31). Śroṇa (2)
31.p1
Thus I have heard: The Buddha was staying at the Squirrels’ Bamboo Grove of Rājagṛha. Venerable Śāriputra was on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa at the time.
31.p2
There was then a prominent man’s son named Śroṇa who went for walks every day. When he reached Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, Śroṇa visited Venerable Śāriputra there, bowing at his feet and withdrawing to sit to one side.
31.p3
Śāriputra said, “Śroṇa, suppose ascetics or brahmins don’t truly know form, don’t truly know the formation of form, don’t truly know the cessation of form, and don’t truly know the path to the cessation of form. Śroṇa, you should know that these ascetics or brahmins aren’t capable of abandoning form. In this way, suppose ascetics or brahmins don’t truly know feeling … conception … volition … awareness, don’t truly know the formation of awareness, don’t truly know the cessation of awareness, and don’t truly know the path to the cessation of awareness. [Śroṇa, you should know that these ascetics or brahmins] aren’t capable of abandoning awareness.
31.p4
“Śroṇa, suppose ascetics or brahmins do truly know form, truly know the formation of form, truly know the cessation of form, and truly know the path to the cessation of form. Therefore, Śroṇa, you should know that these ascetics or brahmins are capable of abandoning form. In this way, Śroṇa, suppose ascetics or brahmins do truly know feeling … conception … volition … awareness, do truly know the formation of awareness, truly know the cessation of awareness, and truly know the path to the cessation of awareness. Śroṇa, you should know that these ascetics or brahmins are capable of abandoning awareness.
31.p5
“Śroṇa, what do you think? Is form permanent or impermanent?”
31.p6
He replied, “Impermanent.”
31.p7
Śāriputra asked, “If something is impermanent, is that painful?”
31.p8
He replied, “It’s painful.”
31.p9
Śāriputra asked, “If form is impermanent and painful, it’s subject to change. Would a noble disciple see form as self, different from self, or that either is present in the other?”
31.p10
He replied, “No.”
31.p11
“Śroṇa, in this way, is feeling … conception … volition … awareness permanent or impermanent?”
31.p12
He replied, “Impermanent.”
31.p13
He further asked, “If something is impermanent, is it painful?”
31.p14
He replied, “It’s painful.”
31.p15
Śāriputra asked, “If [awareness] is impermanent and painful, then it’s subject to change. Would a noble disciple see awareness as self, different from self, or that either is present in the other?”
31.p16
He replied, “No.”
31.p17
“Śroṇa, you should know that whatever forms there are, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, crude or fine, beautiful or ugly, or distant or near, all those forms are not self, not different from self, and neither is present in the other. This is called truly knowing them. Śroṇa, a noble disciple who becomes disillusioned about form, becomes free of desire for it, and is liberated from it is freed from birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, and trouble.
31.p18
“Thus, whatever feelings … conceptions … volitions … instances of awareness there are, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, crude or fine, beautiful or ugly, or distant or near, all those instances of awareness are not self, not different from self, and neither is present in the other. This is called truly knowing them. Śroṇa, a noble disciple who becomes disillusioned about awareness, becomes free of desire for it, and is liberated from it is freed from birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, and trouble.”
31.p19
When Śroṇa heard what Śāriputra taught, he rejoiced and celebrated. He then bowed and departed.
Linked texts (1)
- 雜阿含經 — Classical Chinese