VāsijaṭopamaSutta
In Sāvatti.
“I say it is by being aware and discerning
that there comes to be the stilling of the mind,
not by being careless and undiscerning.
By being aware and discerning of what?”
(1) This is matter,
arising,
and passing away;[i]
(2) This is experience,
arising,
and passing away;
(3) This is perception,
arising,
and passing away;
(4) These are activities,
arising,
and passing away;
(5) This is consciousness,
arising,
and passing away.
It is by being aware and discerning in such a way
that there comes to be the stilling of the mind.[ii]
Not Developed in Mind
Wanderers, for one who is not devoted to meditation
and mental development [iii]
even though one may wish:
“Oh, may my mind be liberated from distractions
through letting go!”[iv]
One’s mind is still not liberated from distractions through letting go.
For what reason?
‘Because they are not developed in mind´ [v]
Not developed in what?
Not developed in
the four resting places of awareness
the four wise endeavors
the four roads to mental power
the five spiritual qualities
the five spiritual strengths
the seven supports of awakening
the eighth-spoked path of the awakened.
Analogy of the Hen
Suppose, there was a hen,
with eight, ten or twelve eggs.
She would not be properly brood her eggs,
incubate them,
care for them
and foster their growth.
Even if the wish came up for that hen:
”Oh, may my chicks break through their eggshells
with their claws and beaks
And hatch out safely and healthy!”
Her chicks would still not break through their eggshells.
For what reason?
Because, that hen
did not properly brood her eight, ten or twelve eggs,
she did not incubate them,
and she did not care and foster their growth.
In just the same way,
For one who is not fully devoted to meditation
and mental development,
even though one may wish:
“Oh, may my mind be liberated from distractions through letting go!”
Their minds are still not liberated from distractions through letting go.
For what reason?
Because they are not developed in mind’.
Not developed in what?
Not developed in
the four resting places of awareness
the four wise endeavors
the four roads to mental power
in the five spiritual qualities
the five spiritual strengths
the seven supports of awakening
the eighth-spoked path of the awakened.
Developed in Mind
Wanderers,
for one who is fully devoted to meditation
and mental development,
even though one would not even wish:
“Oh, may my mind be liberated from distractions
through letting go!”
Their minds become liberated from distractions through letting go.
For what reason?
Because they are developed in mind´
Developed in what?
Developed in
the four resting places of awareness
the four wise endeavors
the four roads to mental power
the five spiritual qualities
the five spiritual strengths
the seven supports of awakening
the eighth-spoked path of the awakened.
Analogy of the Hen
Suppose, there was a hen,
with eight, ten or twelve eggs.
She would properly brood her eggs,
incubate them,
care for them
and foster their growth.
Even if the wish did not occur to that hen:
“Oh, may my chicks break through their eggshells
with their claws and beaks
and hatch out safely and healthy!”
Her chicks would still break through their eggshells.
For what reason?
Because that hen
properly brooded her eggs,
incubate them,
cared for them
and fostered their growth.
In just the same way, wanderers,
for one who is fully devoted to meditation,
even though they would not wish:
“Oh, may my mind be liberated from distractions
through letting go!”
Their minds would still become liberated from distractions through letting go.
For what reason?
Because they are developed in mind´
Developed in what?
Developed in
the four resting places of awareness
the four wise endeavors
the four roads to mental power
the five spiritual qualities
the five spiritual strengths
the seven supports of awakening
the eighth-spoked path of the awakened.
Analogy of the Carpenter
Just as a carpenter or his apprentice,
would look at the handle of their chisels
and see the grooves made by their fingers and thumb.
They would not think:
“Today, this much was worn away,
This much yesterday,
And this much earlier.”
They would only know that it is visibly getting worn away.[vi]
In just the same way,
for one who is fully devoted to meditation
and mental development,
one does not think:
“Today, this many distractions have been worn away[vii]
This many yesterday
And this many before.”
One only knows that they are wearing away,
as they are being worn.
Analogy of the Ship
Just as a ship, navigating the ocean in the monsoon,
would become worn by the rain,
along with its sails, riggings and mast.
Then, during winter, it would be hoisted onto dry land
and its mast and rigging would be further damaged
by the wind and sun.
Then, when the rainy season would come again,
and the clouds would pour down torrential rains,
in no long time, it would give out,[viii]
being rotten and decayed.
In just the same way,
for one who is fully devoted to mental development,
in no long time,
their bondages give out,[ix]
after becoming worn and decayed.
[i] ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo;
[ii] jānato evaṁ passato āsavānaṁ khayo hoti.
[iii] Bhāvanānuyogaṁ ananuyuttassa
[iv] ‘aho vata me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucceyyā’ti, I translate anupādāya here as letting go instead of the more classical “non-clinging”.
[v] ‘Abhāvitattā’ tissa vacanīyaṁ.
[vi] Atha khvassa khīṇe khīṇantveva ñāṇaṁ hoti.
[vii] ‘ettakaṁ vata me ajja āsavānaṁ khīṇaṁ…: Very interesting use of the word khīna here, which is the famous and highly repetitive term that has come to be translated as “Destruction”. In this context, it is clearly taking a much softer meaning, simply as the wearing away of the chisels’ handle, its becoming used up. Which could also very well be used for the term khīnāsavā. The wearing away of the mental distractions.
[viii] paṭippassambhanti: Interesting choice of word for “the rigging to give out or collapse” as this word is usually used to say “eased, calmed, allayed, tranquilized… relaxed.”
[ix] appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti pūtikāni bhavantī”ti.
