Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate acirapakkante devadatte. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain, not long after Devadatta had left. Tatra kho bhagavā devadattaṁ ārabbha bhikkhū āmantesi: There the Buddha spoke to the bhikkhus in relation to Devadatta:
“Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: “Bhikkhus, take the case of a clansman who has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness, thinking, ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, ‘I’m swamped by birth, aging, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, displeasure, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. Hopefully I can find an end to this entire mass of suffering.’ So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. When he’s gone forth he generates gain, honor, and popularity. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, and his intention is fulfilled. *In this and all of the following instances in this discourse (as well as the next), it's not that the person would be in full awareness deciding they don't want to progress any further on the path. What's taking place here is an attitude of ”bad faith” or [“inauthenticity”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32K94HGsDHQ)—a deeply rooted, not entirely deliberate refusal to acknowledge the truth of one's situation, more specifically the fact that while one might be upholding the ideals, behavior, and even practices of one who is striving for liberation, internally one still chooses not do one's best in abandoning *all* forms of passion, aversion, and muddledness, and also not feeling a sense of compunction that would at least pull one of out that attitude eventually. See [MN 5](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn%205). So tena lābhasakkārasilokena attānukkaṁseti paraṁ vambheti: And he glorifies himself and puts others down because of that: ‘ahamasmi lābhasakkārasilokavā, ime panaññe bhikkhū appaññātā appesakkhā’ti. ‘I’m the one with gain, honor, and popularity. These other bhikkhus are obscure and insignificant.’ So tena lābhasakkārasilokena majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. And so he becomes indulgent and falls into carelessness on account of that gain, honor, and popularity. Being careless, he lives in suffering.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ atikkamma tacaṁ atikkamma papaṭikaṁ, sākhāpalāsaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkameyya ‘sāran’ti maññamāno. Suppose there was a man in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But, passing over the heartwood, sapwood, bark, and shoots, he’d cut off the branches and leaves and depart imagining they were heartwood. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso disvā evaṁ vadeyya: If a man with good eyesight saw him they’d say, ‘na vatāyaṁ bhavaṁ puriso aññāsi sāraṁ, na aññāsi phegguṁ, na aññāsi tacaṁ, na aññāsi papaṭikaṁ, na aññāsi sākhāpalāsaṁ. ‘This gentleman doesn’t know what heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, or branches and leaves are. Tathā hayaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ atikkamma tacaṁ atikkamma papaṭikaṁ, sākhāpalāsaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkanto “sāran”ti maññamāno. That’s why he passed them over, cut off the branches and leaves, and departed imagining they were heartwood. Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ nānubhavissatī’ti. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he won’t succeed.’ …
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti ‘ahamasmi lābhasakkārasilokavā, ime panaññe bhikkhū appaññātā appesakkhā’ti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sākhāpalāsaṁ aggahesi brahmacariyassa; This is called a bhikkhu who has grabbed the branches and leaves of the renunciate life tena ca vosānaṁ āpādi. and stopped short with that.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: Now take a clansman who has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness … ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. When he’s gone forth he generates gain, honor, and popularity. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s not pleased with that, and his intention is not fulfilled. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. He doesn’t exalt himself and put others down on account of that. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati. Nor does he becomes indulgent and fall into carelessness on account of that gain, honor, and popularity. Appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. Being heedful, he achieves accomplishment in virtue. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, and his intention is fulfilled. So tāya sīlasampadāya attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti: And he glorifies himself and puts others down on account of that: ‘ahamasmi sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo, ime panaññe bhikkhū dussīlā pāpadhammā’ti. ‘I’m the one who is virtuous, of good character. These other bhikkhus are unvirtuous, of bad character.’ So tāya sīlasampadāya majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. And so he becomes indulgent and falls into carelessness in regard to his accomplishment in virtue. Being careless, he lives in suffering.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ atikkamma tacaṁ, papaṭikaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkameyya ‘sāran’ti maññamāno. Suppose there was a man in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But, passing over the heartwood, sapwood, and bark, he’d cut off the shoots and depart imagining they were heartwood. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso disvā evaṁ vadeyya: If a man with good eyesight saw him they’d say, ‘na vatāyaṁ bhavaṁ puriso aññāsi sāraṁ, na aññāsi phegguṁ, na aññāsi tacaṁ, na aññāsi papaṭikaṁ, na aññāsi sākhāpalāsaṁ. ‘This gentleman doesn’t know what heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, or branches and leaves are. Tathā hayaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ atikkamma tacaṁ, papaṭikaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkanto “sāran”ti maññamāno; That’s why he passed them over, cut off the shoots, and departed imagining they were heartwood. yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ nānubhavissatī’ti. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he won’t succeed.’ …
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati. Appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya sīlasampadāya attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti: ‘ahamasmi sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo, ime panaññe bhikkhū dussīlā pāpadhammā’ti. So tāya sīlasampadāya majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu papaṭikaṁ aggahesi brahmacariyassa; This is called a bhikkhu who has grabbed the shoots of the renunciate life tena ca vosānaṁ āpādi. and stopped short with that.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: Next, take a clansman who has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness … ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. When he’s gone forth he generates gain, honor, and popularity. … So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati. Appamatto samāno samādhisampadaṁ ārādheti. Being heedful, he achieves composure. So tāya samādhisampadāya attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, and his intention is fulfilled. So tāya samādhisampadāya attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti: And he glorifies himself and puts others down on account of that: ‘ahamasmi samāhito ekaggacitto, ime panaññe bhikkhū asamāhitā vibbhantacittā’ti. ‘I’m the one with composure and a collected mind. These other bhikkhus lack composure, they have straying minds.’ So tāya samādhisampadāya majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. And so he becomes indulgent and falls into carelessness in regard to that accomplishment in composure. Being careless, he lives in suffering.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ tacaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkameyya ‘sāran’ti maññamāno. Suppose there was a man in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But, passing over the heartwood and sapwood, he’d cut off the bark and depart imagining it was heartwood. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso disvā evaṁ vadeyya ‘na vatāyaṁ bhavaṁ puriso aññāsi sāraṁ, na aññāsi phegguṁ, na aññāsi tacaṁ, na aññāsi papaṭikaṁ, na aññāsi sākhāpalāsaṁ. If a man with good eyesight saw him they’d say: ‘This gentleman doesn’t know what heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, or branches and leaves are. Tathā hayaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ tacaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkanto “sāran”ti maññamāno. That’s why he passed them over, cut off the bark, and departed imagining it was heartwood. Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ nānubhavissatī’ti. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he won’t succeed.’ …
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno samādhisampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya samādhisampadāya attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti: ‘ahamasmi samāhito ekaggacitto, ime panaññe bhikkhū asamāhitā vibbhantacittā’ti. So tāya samādhisampadāya majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tacaṁ aggahesi brahmacariyassa; This is called a bhikkhu who has grabbed the bark of the renunciate life tena ca vosānaṁ āpādi. and stopped short with that.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: Next, take a clansman who has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness … ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. When he’s gone forth he generates gain, honor, and popularity. … So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati. Appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno samādhisampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya samādhisampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati appamatto samāno ñāṇadassanaṁ ārādheti. Being heedful, he achieves knowledge-and-vision. So tena ñāṇadassanena attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, and his intention is fulfilled. So tena ñāṇadassanena attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti: And he glorifies himself and puts others down on account of that, ‘ahamasmi jānaṁ passaṁ viharāmi. ‘I’m the one who lives knowing and seeing. Ime panaññe bhikkhū ajānaṁ apassaṁ viharantī’ti. These others bhikkhus live without knowing and seeing.’ So tena ñāṇadassanena majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. And so he becomes indulgent and falls into carelessness in regard to that knowledge-and-vision. Being careless, he lives in suffering.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ phegguṁ chetvā ādāya pakkameyya ‘sāran’ti maññamāno. Suppose there was a man in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But, passing over the heartwood, he’d cut out the sapwood and depart imagining it was heartwood. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso disvā evaṁ vadeyya: If a man with good eyesight saw him they’d say, ‘na vatāyaṁ bhavaṁ puriso aññāsi sāraṁ na aññāsi phegguṁ na aññāsi tacaṁ na aññāsi papaṭikaṁ na aññāsi sākhāpalāsaṁ. ‘This gentleman doesn’t know what heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, or branches and leaves are. Tathā hayaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ phegguṁ chetvā ādāya pakkanto “sāran”ti maññamāno. That’s why he passed them over, cut out the sapwood, and departed imagining it was heartwood. Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ nānubhavissatī’ti. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he won’t succeed.’ …
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno samādhisampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya samādhisampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno ñāṇadassanaṁ ārādheti. So tena ñāṇadassanena attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena ñāṇadassanena attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti: ‘ahamasmi jānaṁ passaṁ viharāmi, ime panaññe bhikkhū ajānaṁ apassaṁ viharantī’ti. So tena ñāṇadassanena majjati pamajjati pamādaṁ āpajjati, pamatto samāno dukkhaṁ viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu phegguṁ aggahesi brahmacariyassa; This is a bhikkhu who has grabbed the sapwood of the renunciate life *“Knowledge-and-vision” (_ñāṇadassana_) in this context cannot be referring to noble understanding. The discourse, as indicated in the beginning, was given in relation to Devadatta, who managed to achieve even supernatural powers while remaining an ordinary person, and DN 1 describes how some ascetics could recollect their past lives. A stream-enterer or higher does have the criterion to discern what true freedom from suffering (“the heartwood”) is like, and therefore they could not mistakenly settle for something that falls short of it. They would at best be procrastinating the work they know they have left, for up to 7 lives at most. See also the next comment. tena ca vosānaṁ āpādi. and stopped short with that.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: Next, take a clansman who has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness, thinking, ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, ‘I’m swamped by birth, aging, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, displeasure, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. Hopefully I can find an end to this entire mass of suffering.’ So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. When he’s gone forth he generates gain, honor, and popularity. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti, na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s not pleased with that, and his intention is not fulfilled. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. He doesn’t exalt himself and put others down on account of that. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. Nor does he becomes indulgent and fall into carelessness on account of that gain, honor, and popularity. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, but his intention is not fulfilled. So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. He doesn’t exalt himself and put others down on account of that. So tāya sīlasampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno samādhisampadaṁ ārādheti. Nor does he become indulgent and fall into carelessness in regard to that accomplishment in virtue. Being heedful, he achieves composure. So tāya samādhisampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, but his intention is not fulfilled. So tāya samādhisampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. He doesn’t exalt himself and put others down on account of that. So tāya samādhisampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno ñāṇadassanaṁ ārādheti. Nor does he become indulgent and fall into carelessness in regard to that accomplishment in composure. Being heedful, they achieve knowledge-and-vision. So tena ñāṇadassanena attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. He’s pleased with that, but his intention is not fulfilled. So tena ñāṇadassanena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. He doesn’t exalt himself and put others down on account of that. So tena ñāṇadassanena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno asamayavimokkhaṁ ārādheti. Nor does he become indulgent and fall into carelessness in regard to that knowledge-and-vision. Being heedful, he achieves irreversible liberation. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu tāya asamayavimuttiyā parihāyetha. And it’s impossible for that bhikkhu to fall away from that irreversible liberation. *_asamayavimutti_, lit. “liberation not (of one) occasion”. If the knowledge-and-vision described above referred to the Noble Truths, meaning it lead to _sotāpatti_ or higher, it would also be irreversible.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato sāraññeva chetvā ādāya pakkameyya ‘sāran’ti jānamāno. Suppose there was a man in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. He’d cut out just the heartwood and depart knowing it was heartwood. Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso disvā evaṁ vadeyya: If a man with good eyesight saw him they’d say, ‘aññāsi vatāyaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāraṁ, aññāsi phegguṁ, aññāsi tacaṁ, aññāsi papaṭikaṁ, aññāsi sākhāpalāsaṁ. ‘This gentleman knows what heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, and branches and leaves are. Tathā hayaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato sāraññeva chetvā ādāya pakkanto “sāran”ti jānamāno. That’s why he cut out just the heartwood and departed knowing it was heartwood. Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ anubhavissatī’ti. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he will succeed.’
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti: In the same way, take a certain person who goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, thinking: … ‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto, appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti. So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti, na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya sīlasampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno samādhisampadaṁ ārādheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tāya samādhisampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tāya samādhisampadāya na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno ñāṇadassanaṁ ārādheti. So tena ñāṇadassanena attamano hoti, no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo. So tena ñāṇadassanena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti. So tena ñāṇadassanena na majjati nappamajjati na pamādaṁ āpajjati, appamatto samāno asamayavimokkhaṁ ārādheti. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso yaṁ so bhikkhu tāya asamayavimuttiyā parihāyetha. It’s impossible for that bhikkhu to fall away from that irreversible liberation.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, nayidaṁ brahmacariyaṁ lābhasakkārasilokānisaṁsaṁ, na sīlasampadānisaṁsaṁ, na samādhisampadānisaṁsaṁ, na ñāṇadassanānisaṁsaṁ. And so, bhikkhus, this renunciate life is not led for the sake of gain, honor, and popularity, or for accomplishment in virtue, or for accomplishment in composure, or for knowledge-and-vision. Yā ca kho ayaṁ, bhikkhave, akuppā cetovimutti—Rather, the goal, heartwood, and final end of the renunciate life is the unshakable liberation of the mind.” etadatthamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ, etaṁ sāraṁ etaṁ pariyosānan”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā. That is what the Buddha said. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. Pleased, the bhikkhus delighted in what the Buddha said.
Mahāsāropamasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ navamaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn29