Nibbedhika Sutta
Wanderers, I will teach you an in-depth exploration,
an exploration of the Dhamma. [i]
Listen and attend carefully to what I will say.
“Yes, Bhante” the wanderers replied.
The Awakened One said this:[ii]
Summary #
Sensory longing,
the cause for its emergence,[iii]
its diversification, [iv]
its result,
its ending,
the path leading to its ending
should be understood.[v]
Felt experiences,[vi]
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
the path leading to their ending
should be understood.
Concepts,[vii]
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path leading to their ending
should be understood.
The currents,[viii]
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path leading to their ending
should be understood.
Actions,[ix]
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path leading to their ending
should be understood.
Trouble,[x]
the cause for its emergence,
its diversification,
its result,
its ending,
and the path leading to its ending
should be understood.
1. Sensory Longing #
As mentioned ealier,
sensory longing,
the cause for its emergence,
its different manifestations,
its result,
its ending,
and the path that leads to its ending,
are to be understood.
And what was meant by this statement?[xi]
Description #
Wanderers, there are these five textures of sensory desires:
(1) Forms perceived by the eye which are
Desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting. [xii]
(2) Sounds perceived by the ear which are
Desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
(3) Odors perceived by the nose which are
Desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
mingled with desire and exciting.
(4) Flavors perceived by the tongue which are
Desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
(5) Tangibles perceived by the body which are
Desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
But these are not sensory longing
these are called “objects of the senses”
in the Awakned Ones’ training. [xiii]
One’s avaricious intentions are called ‘sensory longing,’
Not the alluring objects of this world;[xiv]
One’s avaricious intentions is what is truly meant
by ‘sensory desire,’
Attractive objects remain the same,
However, the wise give up their own desire for them. [xv]
Cause #
What is the cause for the emergence of sensory longing?[xvi]
Contact is its generative cause.[xvii]
Typology #
What are the diversification of sensory longing?[xviii]
There is
longing for various forms,
longing for various sounds,
longing for various fragrances,
longing for various tastes,
longing for various physical sensations.[xix]
…[xx]
Outcome #
What is the outcome of sensory longing?[xxi]
Whatever sense of self one generates[xxii]
based upon a particular objet which one hankers for,
at any of the senses,
which is in accordance with their accumulated goodness
or lack thereof;
This is called the outcome of sensory longing.[xxiii]
Ending #
What is the ending of sensory longing?
With the ending of contact,
sensory longing comes to an end.
Path #
The eight-spoked path of the awakened ones is the practice the leads to the ending of sensory longing, which is:
Wise perspective,
wise intention,
wise speech,
wise actions,
wise livelihood,
wise practice,
wise awareness,
wise meditation.[xxiv]
Essence #
Whenever a wise student of the awakened ones knows
sensory longing,
the cause for its emergence,
its different manifestations,
its result,
its ending
and the path that leads to its ending,
they know the spiritual life which cuts through,
for the ending of sensory longing.
That is the reason why I said that
sensory longing… should be understood.
2. Felt Experiences #
As mentioned ealier,
felt experiences,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path that leads to their ending,
are to be understood.
And what was meant by this statement?
Description #
There are three qualities of felt experiences:
Pleasant experiences,
unpleasant experiences,
and neutral experiences.[xxv]
Cause #
What is the cause for the emergence of felt experiences?
Contact is their generative cause.
Typology #
What is the diversification of felt experiences?
There are physically pleasant experiences
there are spiritually pleasant experiences,[xxvi]
there are physically unpleasant experiences,
and there are spiritually unpleasant experiences.
There are physically neutral experiences,
and there are spiritually neutral experiences.
Outcome #
What is the result of actions based on felt experiences?
Whatever sense of self one generates [xxvii]
based upon a particular sensation one is experiencing,
which is in accordance with one’s accumulated goodness
or lack thereof;
Ending #
What is the ending of felt experiences?
With the ending of contact,
felt experiences comes to an end.
Path #
The eight-spoked path of the awakened ones is the practice the leads to the ending of felt experiences, which is:
Wise perspective,
wise intention,
wise speech,
wise actions,
wise livelihood,
wise practice,
wise awareness,
wise meditation.
Essence #
Whenever a wise student of the awakened ones knows
felt experiences,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path that leads to their ending,
they know the spiritual life which cuts through,
for the ending of felt experiences.[xxviii]
That is the reason why I said that
felt experiences… should be understood.
3. Concepts #
As mentioned ealier,
concepts,[xxix]
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path that leads to their ending,
are to be understood.
And what was meant by this statement?
Description #
There are these six ways of conceptualizing:
There are
concepts about form,
concepts about sound,
concepts about fragrances,
concepts about tastes,
concepts about tangibles,
concepts about ideas.[xxx]
Cause #
What is the cause for the emergence of concepts?
Contact is its generative cause.
Typology #
What is the diversification of concepts ?
There are
concepts based in all the various kinds of forms,[xxxi]
concepts based in all the various kinds of sounds,
concepts based in all the various kinds of fragrances,
concepts based in all the various kinds of tastes,
concepts based in all the various kinds of tangibles,
concepts based in all the various kinds of thoughts.
Outcome #
What is the outcome of conceptual thinking?
I say that, conceptual thinking results into
verbal expression.
Whatever one conceptualizes, just that also, they will talk about, saying:
“That is what I was thinking about.”[xxxii]
Ending #
What is the ending of concepts?
With the ending of contact,
concepts come to an end.
Path #
The eight-spoked path of the awakened ones is the practice the leads to the ending of concepts, which is:
Wise perspective,
wise intention,
wise speech,
wise actions,
wise livelihood,
wise practice,
wise awareness,
wise meditation.
Essence #
Whenever a wise student of the awakened ones knows
concepts,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their outcome,
their ending
and the path that leads to their ending,
they know the spiritual life which cuts through,
for the ending of concepts.
That is the reason why I said that
concepts… should be understood.
4. Currents #
As mentioned ealier,
the currents,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path that leads to their ending.
are to be understood.
And what was meant by this statement?
Description #
There are these three currents:
The current of the senses,
the current of beingness,
and the current of lacking discernment.[xxxiii]
Cause #
What is the cause for the emergence of the currents?
Lacking discernment is its generative cause.[xxxiv]
Typology #
What is the diversification of the currents?
There are
currents that lead to the unhappy planes;
currents that lead to the animal realm,
currents that lead to the plane of insatiable spirits,[xxxv]
currents that lead to the human plane,
and currents that lead to the divine spheres.[xxxvi]
Outcome #
What is the outcome of the currents?
Whatever sense of self one generates
based upon lack of discernment[xxxvii]
which is in accordance with one’s accumulated goodness
or lack thereof;
Ending #
What is the ending of the currents?
With the ending of unawareness,[xxxviii]
the currents comes to an end.
Path #
The eight-spoked path of the awakened ones is the practice the leads to the ending of the currents, which is:
Wise perspective,
wise intention,
wise speech,
wise actions,
wise livelihood,
wise practice,
wise awareness,
wise meditation.
Essence #
Whenever a wise student of the awakened ones knows
the currents,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending
and the path that leads to their ending,
they know the spiritual life which cuts through,
for the ending of the currents.
That is the reason why I said that
the currents… should be understood.
5. Actions #
As mentioned ealier,
actions,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending,
and the path that leads to their ending,
are to be understood.
And what was meant by this statement?
Description #
I say that, intention is action, wanderers.
Having intended, then, one takes action,
whether by way of body, speech or mind.[xxxix]
Cause #
What is the cause for the emergence of actions?
Contact is its generative cause.
Typology #
What is the diversfication of actions?
There are
actions that lead to the unhappy planes;
actions that lead to the animal realm,
actions that lead to the plane of insatiable spirits,[xl]
actions that lead to the human plane,
and actions that lead to the divine spheres.[xli]
Outcome #
What is the outcome of actions?
I say that the result of actions can come about in three ways:
In this present life,
in the next birth
or in a subsequent cycle.[xlii]
Ending #
What is the ending of actions?
With the ending of contact,
actions come to an end.
Path #
The eight-spoked path of the awakened ones is the practice the leads to the ending of actions, which is:
Wise perspective,
wise intention,
wise speech,
wise actions,
wise livelihood,
wise practice,
wise awareness,
wise meditation.
Essence #
Whenever a wise student of the awakened ones knows
actions,
the cause for their emergence,
their diversification,
their result,
their ending
and the path that leads to their ending,
they know the spiritual life which cuts through,
for the ending of actions.
That is the reason why I said that
actions… should be understood.
6. Trouble #
As mentioned ealier,
trouble,
the cause for its emergence,
its diversification,
its result,
its ending,
and the path that leads to its ending,
are to be understood.
And what was meant by this statement?
Description #
Taking birth is troublesome,
aging is troublesome,
disease is troublesome,
death is troublesome,
sorrow, sadness, pain,
depression and anxiety are troublesome,
to not obtain what one desires is troublesome,
in brief, the five building blocks of attachment are troublesome.[xliii]
Cause #
What is the cause for the emergence of trouble?
Wanting or discontent is its generative cause.[xliv]
Typology #
What are the different kinds of trouble?
There is trouble that is extreme,
There is trouble that is minute,
There is trouble that is slow to fade,
There is trouble that is quick to fade.[xlv]
Outcome #
What is the outcome of troublesome experiences?
A person becomes overwhelmed,
their mind consumed by pain,
become saddened, exhausted and anxious,
screams aloud, and becomes confused.
Or else, with a mind consumed
and overwhelmed by pain,
they set out on a quest outside, thinking:
‘Surely, there must be someone who knows
a way or two out of this trouble.[xlvi]
I say that trouble either results in confusion
or it results in a quest.[xlvii]
Ending #
What is the ending of the trouble?
With the ending of discontent,[xlviii]
trouble comes to an end.
Path #
The eight-spoked path of the awakened ones is the practice the leads to the ending of trouble, which is:
Wise perspective,
wise intention,
wise speech,
wise actions,
wise livelihood,
wise practice,
wise awareness,
wise meditation.
Essence #
Whenever a wise student of the awakened ones knows
trouble,
the cause for its emergence,
its different manifestations,
its result,
its ending
and the path that leads to its ending,
they know the spiritual life which cuts through,
for the ending of trouble.
That is the reason why I said that
actions… should be understood.
Wanderers, this is certainly an in-depth exploration,
a thorough exploration of the Dhamma.[xlix]
———————
[i] “Nibbedhikapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi. nibbedha masc. piercing understanding; penetrating insight; lit. penetration [nī + √vidh + *a]. nibbedhika adj. penetrating; piercing; incisive; discriminating; sharp [nī + √vidh + *a + ika] Alternative translations: An in-depth exploration; A discourse that cuts through; A teaching that cuts to the essence; An investigation that goes beneath the surface;
[ii] “Katamo ca so, bhikkhave, nibbedhikapariyāyo dhammapariyāyo? I am skipping this unnecessary repetition.
[iii] nidānasambhavo: the causative agent or factor, the generative cause, generative principle, catalyst, root cause, underlying cause. “La raison d’être”
[iv] vemattatā fem. (+abl) difference (between); distinction (between); diversity; spectrum; lit. not equal in measure [vi + √mā + *ta + tā]. The plurality, multitude, variety, diversity, range…
[v] Kāmā… veditabbā, kāmānaṁ nidānasambhavo veditabbo, kāmānaṁ vemattatā veditabbā, kāmānaṁ vipāko veditabbo, kāmanirodho veditabbo, kāmanirodhagāminī paṭipadā veditabbā.[v]
[vi] Vedanā
[vii] Saññā
[viii] Āsavā
[ix] Kammaṁ
[x] Dukkhaṁ
[xi] … kāmanirodhagāminī paṭipadā veditabbā’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
[xii] cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā…
[xiii] Api ca kho… nete kāmā kāmaguṇā nāmete ariyassa vinaye vuccanti. On a side-note, I am appreciating the use of the word vinaye in this sentence which is obviously not related to the “monastic rules” or “discipline”, but to a more relaxed, and general application, closer to training or “way of life” or teaching.
[xiv] citra 1.1 nt. beautiful thing; delightful thing; something wonderful; (comm) various sense objects [√cit + ra] Pāḷi: citraṃ; Root √cit･1 a (mark); Construction √cit + ra; Commentary (SNa) citrānī’ti ārammaṇacittāni. Sanskrit: citra [cit]; Sanskrit Root √cit 1, 2, 3 (perceive, know, appear). citra 1.2 adj. varied; different; diverse [√cit + ra]. citra 1.3 adj. variegated in colour; rainbow [√cit + ra]
[xv] Saṅkapparāgo purisassa kāmo, Nete kāmā yāni citrāni loke; Saṅkapparāgo purisassa kāmo, Tiṭṭhanti citrāni tatheva loke; Athettha dhīrā vinayanti chandanti. Saṅkappa-rāgo: Avid intentions, acquisitive thoughts, desirous, covetous, avid, eager, yearnful, greedy, avaricious,
[xvi] Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kāmānaṁ nidānasambhavo?
[xvii] Phasso, bhikkhave, kāmānaṁ nidānasambhavo.
[xviii] Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kāmānaṁ vemattatā? The term vemattatā here means: difference (between); distinction (between); diversity; spectrum, etc.. Although, each of those six elements which are being expounded in this sutta (sensory longing, felt experience, conceptual thinking, etc…) are already described as having “different kinds” in the description. Upon reading alternative translations, I find it slightly confusing as the differents kinds of felt experiences given in the description and the “diversity” of felt experiences given afterwards in the “vemattatā” section are different and seem to be pointing to a slightly different nuance to help the bhikkhus understand more about each element. I am leaning towards “diversification” as it seems as though the Buddha is trying to convey that this is how these elements become manifold. Although the difference is not exactly clear and the difference between the different kinds of elements, and their diversity seems slightly redundant. Other alternatives could be “the entire range or spectrum” variegation, manifoldness, array, variety or variations, differentiation, classification, etc…
[xix] Añño… kāmo rūpesu, añño kāmo saddesu, añño kāmo gandhesu, añño kāmo rasesu, añño kāmo phoṭṭhabbesu.
[xx] Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kāmānaṁ vemattatā. These statements are always repeated before and after, I will be omitting the post-explanation repetition as it creates unnecessary cognitive load.
[xxi] Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kāmānaṁ vipāko?
[xxii] Alternative: sense of beingness
[xxiii] Yaṁ kho… kāmayamāno tajjaṁ tajjaṁ attabhāvaṁ abhinibbatteti puññabhāgiyaṁ vā apuññabhāgiyaṁ vā kāmayamāna prp. (+acc) wanting; desiring; craving [√kam + *aya + māna]. DPD seems to take kāmayamāna as only the notion of desire, without being connected to “sensory desire” more specifically. However, in the following section on vedanā, the word vediyamāno is employed in the same context, which clearly denotes the addition of that particular craving’s quality, for instance,
[xxiv] Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo kāmanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, seyyathidaṁ—
[xxv] Tisso imā, vedanā— sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.
[xxvi] Atthi… sāmisā sukhā vedanā, atthi nirāmisā sukhā vedanā,
[xxvii] Yaṁ kho vediyamāno tajjaṁ tajjaṁ attabhāvaṁ abhinibbatteti
[xxviii] So imaṁ nibbedhikaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pajānāti vedanānirodhaṁ.
[xxix] Saññā: Usually translated as perception, but more often, it seems to be used with a more active connotation, more like conceptualization, or the ability to fabricate concepts (papañcasaññāsaṅkha). It remains one of the hardest words to translate into proper English as it seems to have two meanings which are quite different in nature, from passive perception to active conception. Exploring other alternative translations as: Conceptual thinking, conceptual faculty, ideation, mental representation, meaning-making, cognitive mapping, mental modeling. sañña adj. (+loc) perceiving; having perception; regarding (as) [saṃ + √ñā + ā + a]. saññā 1 fem. perception; conception; recognition; third of the five aggregates [saṃ + √ñā + ā]. saññā 2 fem. name; label; concept; idea; notion; impression; representation; symbol [saṃ + √ñā + ā]
[xxx] Chayimā saññā: rūpasaññā, saddasaññā, gandhasaññā, rasasaññā, phoṭṭhabbasaññā, dhammasaññā.
[xxxi] Aññā, bhikkhave, saññā rūpesu…
[xxxii] Vohāravepakkaṁ, bhikkhave, saññaṁ vadāmi. Yathā yathā naṁ sañjānāti tathā tathā voharati, evaṁ saññī ahosinti.
[xxxiii] Tayome, bhikkhave, āsavā— kāmāsavo, bhavāsavo, avijjāsavo.
[xxxiv] Avijjā, bhikkhave, āsavānaṁ nidānasambhavo.
[xxxv] Looking for an alternative rendering to “the plane of hungry ghosts” which would convey the meaning of pettivisaya in a more educated and contemporary manner. Realm of restless craving or beings, plane of departed spirits, beings enslaved by desire.
[xxxvi] A strong emphasis is placed on the lower realms, I believe, since the currents are most often unwholesome, although, some currents still lead upwards to the deva realms, as they can also be somewhat purified and wholesome, although, still tied in lack of understanding and a sense of beingness. Atthi āsavā nirayagamanīyā, atthi āsavā tiracchānayonigamanīyā, atthi āsavā pettivisayagamanīyā, atthi āsavā manussalokagamanīyā, atthi āsavā devalokagamanīyā.
[xxxvii] Yaṁ kho avijjāgato tajjaṁ tajjaṁ attabhāvaṁ abhinibbatteti
[xxxviii] avijjā: unawareness, inexperience, unfamiliarity, obliviousness, witlessness, lack of knowledge
[xxxix] Cetanāhaṁ, bhikkhave, kammaṁ vadāmi. Cetayitvā kammaṁ karoti— kāyena vācāya manasā.
[xl] Looking for an alternative rendering to “the plane of hungry ghosts” which would convey the meaning of pettivisaya in a more educated and contemporary manner. Realm of restless craving or beings, plane of departed spirits, beings enslaved by desire.
[xli] A strong emphasis is placed on the lower realms, I believe, since the currents are most often unwholesome, although, some currents still lead upwards to the deva realms, as they can also be somewhat purified and wholesome, although, still tied in lack of understanding and a sense of beingness.
[xlii] Tividhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, kammānaṁ vipākaṁ vadāmi: diṭṭheva dhamme, upapajje vā, apare vā pariyāye.
[xliii] Jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, sokaparideva-dukkha-domanassupāyāsāpi dukkhā, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ, saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.
[xliv] Taṇhā, bhikkhave, dukkhassa nidānasambhavo.
[xlv] Atthi dukkhaṁ adhimattaṁ, atthi parittaṁ, atthi dandhavirāgi, atthi khippavirāgi.
[xlvi] ekacco yena ] dukkhena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto socati kilamati paridevati,
urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati, yena vā pana dukkhena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto bahiddhā pariyeṭṭhiṁ āpajjati: ‘ko ekapadaṁ dvipadaṁ jānāti imassa dukkhassa nirodhāyā’ti?
[xlvii] Sammohavepakkaṁ vāhaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ vadāmi pariyeṭṭhivepakkaṁ vā.
[xlviii] avijjā: unawareness, inexperience, unfamiliarity, obliviousness, witlessness, lack of knowledge
[xlix] Ayaṁ kho so, bhikkhave, nibbedhikapariyāyo dhammapariyāyo”ti.
