Sakka’s Questions 2.3.1-37

2.3.1

“Kathaṃ paṭipanno pana, mārisa, bhikkhu papañcasaññāsaṅkhānirodhasāruppagāminiṃ paṭipadaṃ paṭipanno hotī”ti?

“But how does a mendicant fittingly practice for the cessation of judgments driven by the proliferation of perceptions?”

2.3.3

“Somanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi—

“Lord of gods, there are two kinds of happiness, I say:

2.3.4

sevitabbampi, asevitabbampi.

that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.

2.3.5

Domanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi—

There are two kinds of sadness, I say:

2.3.6

sevitabbampi, asevitabbampi.

that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.

2.3.7

Upekkhampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi—

There are two kinds of equanimity, I say:

2.3.8

sevitabbampi, asevitabbampi.

that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.

2.3.9

Somanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ, kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ?

Why did I say that there are two kinds of happiness?

2.3.10

Tattha yaṃ jaññā somanassaṃ

Well, should you know of a happiness:

2.3.11

‘imaṃ kho me somanassaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṃ somanassaṃ na sevitabbaṃ.

‘When I cultivate this kind of happiness, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of happiness.

2.3.12

Tattha yaṃ jaññā somanassaṃ

Whereas, should you know of a happiness:

2.3.13

‘imaṃ kho me somanassaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṃ somanassaṃ sevitabbaṃ.

‘When I cultivate this kind of happiness, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of happiness.

2.3.14

Tattha yañce savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ, yañce avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ, ye avitakke avicāre, te paṇītatare.

And that which is free of placing the mind and keeping it connected is better than that which still involves placing the mind and keeping it connected.

2.3.15

Somanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti.

That’s why I said there are two kinds of happiness.

2.3.16

Iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

2.3.17

Domanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ, kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ?

Why did I say that there are two kinds of sadness?

2.3.18

Tattha yaṃ jaññā domanassaṃ

Well, should you know of a sadness:

2.3.19

‘imaṃ kho me domanassaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpaṃ domanassaṃ na sevitabbaṃ.

‘When I cultivate this kind of sadness, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of sadness.

2.3.20

Tattha yaṃ jaññā domanassaṃ

Whereas, should you know of a sadness:

2.3.21

‘imaṃ kho me domanassaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpaṃ domanassaṃ sevitabbaṃ.

‘When I cultivate this kind of sadness, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of sadness.

2.3.22

Tattha yañce savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ, yañce avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ, ye avitakke avicāre, te paṇītatare.

And that which is free of placing the mind and keeping it connected is better than that which still involves placing the mind and keeping it connected.

2.3.23

Domanassampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti

That’s why I said there are two kinds of sadness.

2.3.24

iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

2.3.25

Upekkhampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ, kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ?

Why did I say that there are two kinds of equanimity?

2.3.26

Tattha yaṃ jaññā upekkhaṃ

Well, should you know of an equanimity:

2.3.27

‘imaṃ kho me upekkhaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyantī’ti, evarūpā upekkhā na sevitabbā.

‘When I cultivate this kind of equanimity, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of equanimity.

2.3.28

Tattha yaṃ jaññā upekkhaṃ

Whereas, should you know of an equanimity:

2.3.29

‘imaṃ kho me upekkhaṃ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhantī’ti, evarūpā upekkhā sevitabbā.

‘When I cultivate this kind of equanimity, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of equanimity.

2.3.30

Tattha yañce savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ, yañce avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ, ye avitakke avicāre, te paṇītatare.

And that which is free of placing the mind and keeping it connected is better than that which still involves placing the mind and keeping it connected.

2.3.31

Upekkhampāhaṃ, devānaminda, duvidhena vadāmi sevitabbampi, asevitabbampīti

That’s why I said there are two kinds of equanimity.

2.3.32

iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

2.3.33

Evaṃ paṭipanno kho, devānaminda, bhikkhu papañcasaññāsaṅkhānirodhasāruppagāminiṃ paṭipadaṃ paṭipanno hotī”ti.

That’s how a mendicant fittingly practices for the cessation of judgments driven by the proliferation of perceptions.”

2.3.34

Itthaṃ bhagavā sakkassa devānamindassa pañhaṃ puṭṭho byākāsi.

Such was the Buddha’s answer to Sakka.

2.3.35

Attamano sakko devānamindo bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandi anumodi:

Delighted, Sakka approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, saying,

2.3.36

“evametaṃ, bhagavā, evametaṃ, sugata.

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

2.3.37

Tiṇṇā mettha kaṅkhā vigatā kathaṅkathā bhagavato pañhaveyyākaraṇaṃ sutvā”ti.

Hearing the Buddha’s answer, I’ve gone beyond doubt and got rid of indecision.”