MN64: Mahamalukyasutta

Mahamalukyasutta - translated by Bhikkhu Anīgha

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhikkhus!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. “Bhante,” they replied. Bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said this:

“dhāretha no tumhe, bhikkhave, mayā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti? “Bhikkhus, do you remember the five lower fetters taught by me?”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mālukyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: When he said this, Venerable Māluṅkyaputta said to him, “ahaṁ kho, bhante, dhāremi bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti. “Bhante, I remember them.”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, dhāresi mayā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti? “But how do you remember them?”

“Sakkāyadiṭṭhiṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ desitaṁ dhāremi; “I remember the lower fetters taught by the Buddha as follows: personality-view, vicikicchaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ desitaṁ dhāremi; doubt, sīlabbataparāmāsaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ desitaṁ dhāremi; grasping at virtue-and-duty, kāmacchandaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ desitaṁ dhāremi; sensual desire, byāpādaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ desitaṁ dhāremi. and ill will. Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, dhāremi bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanānī”ti. That’s how I remember the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha.”

“Kassa kho nāma tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, imāni evaṁ pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni desitāni dhāresi? “Who on earth do you remember being taught the five lower fetters in that way? Nanu, mālukyaputta, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā iminā taruṇūpamena upārambhena upārambhissanti? Wouldn’t the wanderers of other religions fault you using the simile of the infant? Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa sakkāyotipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati sakkāyadiṭṭhi? For a young tender infant lying prone lying prone doesn’t even have a concept of ‘personality’, so how could personality-view possibly arise in them? Anusetvevassa sakkāyadiṭṭhānusayo. Yet the underlying tendency to personality-view still underlies him. *This line is often rendered as “lies within him” or “lies latent within him”, but it’s clear from other instances that _anuseti_ refers to something that’s _present_ beneath the plane of conspicuous volition, not to something that’s for now absent but will begin to manifest later. In other words, whether it’s a baby or someone who claims to have “let go of all concepts” and fully abide in the present moment, personality-view (and all the others below) is _still occurring_ just not on as blatantly as for someone who also engages in crude actions and thoughts rooted in conceit and a sense of self. Absence of symptoms does not mean absence of the underlying illness. Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa dhammātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati dhammesu vicikicchā? A young tender infant lying prone lying prone doesn’t even have a concept of ‘teachings’, so how could doubt about teachings possibly arise in them? Anusetvevassa vicikicchānusayo. Yet the underlying tendency to doubt still underlies him. Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa sīlātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati sīlesu sīlabbataparāmāso? A young tender infant lying prone doesn’t even have a concept of ‘virtue’, so how could grasping at virtue-and-duty possibly arise in him? Anusetvevassa sīlabbataparāmāsānusayo. Yet the underlying tendency to grasping at virtue-and-duty still underlies him. Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa kāmātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati kāmesu kāmacchando? A young tender infant lying prone doesn’t even have a concept of ‘sensuality’, so how could sensual desire possible arise in him? Anusetvevassa kāmarāgānusayo. Yet the underlying tendency to sensual desire still underlies him. Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa sattātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati sattesu byāpādo? A young tender infant lying prone doesn’t even have a concept of ‘beings’, so how could ill will towards beings possibly arise in him? Anusetvevassa byāpādānusayo. Yet the underlying tendency to ill will still underlies him. Nanu, mālukyaputta, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā iminā taruṇūpamena upārambhena upārambhissantī”ti? Wouldn’t the wanderers of other religions fault you using the simile of the infant?”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “etassa, bhagavā, kālo, etassa, sugata, kālo “Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! yaṁ bhagavā pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti. May the Buddha teach the five lower fetters. The bhikkhus will listen and remember it.”

“Tena hānanda, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti. “Well then, Ānanda, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi. “Yes, Bhante” Ānanda replied. Bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said this:

“Idhānanda, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto “Ānanda, take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. sakkāyadiṭṭhipariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati sakkāyadiṭṭhiparetena; They live with a mind that’s prepossessed and overcome by personality-view, uppannāya ca sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. and they don’t understand as it is the escape from arisen personality-view. *This ongoing lack of understanding is the reason why the underlying tendency would be perpetually present, regardless of whether it’s symptoms are visible or not. [Liberation can only come from full understanding](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn2#mn2:3.1) of the root illness and the escape from it, whereas the absence of its symptoms can come about by accident or skillful suppression. Tassa sā sakkāyadiṭṭhi thāmagatā appaṭivinītā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ. That personality-view is entrenched in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.

Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena; They live with a mind that’s prepossessed and overcome by doubt, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. and they don’t understand as it is the escape from arisen doubt. Tassa sā vicikicchā thāmagatā appaṭivinītā orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ. That doubt is entrenched in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.

Sīlabbataparāmāsapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati sīlabbataparāmāsaparetena; They live with a mind that’s prepossessed and overcome by the grasping at virtue-and-duty, uppannassa ca sīlabbataparāmāsassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. and they don’t understand as it is the escape from arisen grasping at virtue-and-duty. Tassa so sīlabbataparāmāso thāmagato appaṭivinīto orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ. That grasping at virtue-and-duty is entrenched in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.

Kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena; They live with a mind that’s prepossessed and overcome by sensual desire, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. and they don’t understand as it is the escape from arisen sensual desire. Tassa so kāmarāgo thāmagato appaṭivinīto orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ. That sensual desire is entrenched in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.

Byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena; They live with a mind that’s prepossessed and overcome by ill will, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. and they don’t understand as it is the escape from arisen ill will. Tassa so byāpādo thāmagato appaṭivinīto orambhāgiyaṁ saṁyojanaṁ. That ill will is entrenched in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.

Sutavā ca kho, ānanda, ariyasāvako ariyānaṁ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto, sappurisānaṁ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na sakkāyadiṭṭhipariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na sakkāyadiṭṭhiparetena; But a learned noble disciple who has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones, who’s seen true persons, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons, lives with a mind that’s not prepossessed and overcome by personality-view. uppannāya ca sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. and they understand as it is the escape from arisen personality-view. Tassa sā sakkāyadiṭṭhi sānusayā pahīyati. That personality-view, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them. *See [AN 3.121](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=an3.121): having truly understood the escape from an arisen defilement makes it not a defilement anymore. This doesn’t mean one needs to keep “giving it up” each time it arises. It simply wouldn’t ever again arise _as defilement_ to begin with, and no action or response is required.

Na vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na vicikicchāparetena; They live with a mind that’s not prepossessed and overcome by doubt, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. and they understand as it is the escape from arisen doubt. Tassa sā vicikicchā sānusayā pahīyati. That doubt, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.

Na sīlabbataparāmāsapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na sīlabbataparāmāsaparetena; They live with a mind that’s not prepossessed and overcome by the grasping at virtue-and-duty, uppannassa ca sīlabbataparāmāsassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. and they understand as it is the escape from arisen grasping at virtue-and-duty. Tassa so sīlabbataparāmāso sānusayo pahīyati. That grasping at virtue-and-duty, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.

Na kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na kāmarāgaparetena; They live with a mind that’s not prepossessed and overcome by sensual desire, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. and they understand as it is the escape from arisen sensual desire. Tassa so kāmarāgo sānusayo pahīyati. That sensual desire, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.

Na byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na byāpādaparetena; They live with a mind that’s not prepossessed and overcome by ill will, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. and they understand as it is the escape from arisen ill will. Tassa so byāpādo sānusayo pahīyati. That ill will, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.

Yo, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ anāgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. There is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It’s not possible to know or see or give up the five lower fetters without relying on that path and that practice. Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato tacaṁ acchetvā phegguṁ acchetvā sāracchedo bhavissatīti—Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood. It’s not possible to cut out the heartwood without having cut through the bark and the softwood. netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati; evameva kho, ānanda, yo maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ anāgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. In the same way, there is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It’s not possible to know or see or give up the five lower fetters without relying on that path and that practice.

Yo ca kho, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ āgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. But it is possible to know and see and give up the five lower fetters by relying on that path and that practice.

Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato tacaṁ chetvā phegguṁ chetvā sāracchedo bhavissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood. It is possible to cut out the heartwood after having cut through the bark and the softwood. evameva kho, ānanda, yo maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya taṁ maggaṁ taṁ paṭipadaṁ āgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati. In the same way, there is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It is possible to know and see and give up the five lower fetters by relying on that path and that practice. Seyyathāpi, ānanda, gaṅgā nadī pūrā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā. Suppose the river Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Atha dubbalako puriso āgaccheyya: Then along comes a feeble person, who thinks: ‘ahaṁ imissā gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gacchissāmī’ti; ‘By swimming with my arms I’ll safely cross over to the far shore of the Ganges.’ so na sakkuṇeyya gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gantuṁ. But they’re not able to do so. Evameva kho, ānanda, yesaṁ kesañci sakkāyanirodhāya dhamme desiyamāne cittaṁ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati; In the same way, when the Dhamma is being taught for the cessation of personality-view, someone whose mind doesn’t leap at it, and isn’ṭ confident, settled, and liberated in it, seyyathāpi so dubbalako puriso evamete daṭṭhabbā. should be regarded as being like that feeble person. Seyyathāpi, ānanda, gaṅgā nadī pūrā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā. Suppose the river Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it. Atha balavā puriso āgaccheyya: Then along comes a strong person, who thinks: ‘ahaṁ imissā gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gacchissāmī’ti; ‘By swimming with my arms I’ll safely cross over to the far shore of the Ganges.’ so sakkuṇeyya gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṁ bāhāya sotaṁ chetvā sotthinā pāraṁ gantuṁ. And they are able to do so.

Evameva kho, ānanda, yesaṁ kesañci sakkāyanirodhāya dhamme desiyamāne cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati; In the same way, when the Dhamma is being taught for the cessation of personality-view, someone whose mind leaps at it, and is confident, settled, and liberated in it, seyyathāpi so balavā puriso evamete daṭṭhabbā. should be regarded as being like that strong person.

Katamo cānanda, maggo, katamā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya? And what, Ānanda, is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters? Idhānanda, bhikkhu upadhivivekā akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānā sabbaso kāyaduṭṭhullānaṁ paṭippassaddhiyā vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. It’s when a bhikkhu—due to the disjoining from appropriation, the giving up of detrimental qualities, and the complete calming of bodily discomforts—quite disjoined from sensuality, disjoined from detrimental phenomena, with thinking and with pondering, with joy and comfort born of separation, abides having entered upon the first jhāna. *There is sometimes a belief that one can be “attached” or “addicted” to jhāna. But the very first jhāna is reached precisely by putting aside all such attitudes. If there is attachment or addiction, one is not in fact disjoined from sensuality and detrimental phenomena even temporarily. As stated in [MN 44](https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn44#mn44:28.3-mn44:28.4), the underlying tendency to passion for pleasant feeling does not underlie the first jhāna already, let alone the next ones. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. He regards whatever is there that’s included in form, feeling, perception, activities, and consciousness as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. *In the same vein, it’s not that this supposed to counteract a sense of “attachment” to the jhāna that would otherwise be there. It’s that simply not seeing those phenomena in this way, lofty as they are, entails a degree of ignorance. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: and directs it to the Deathless element: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the appeasement of all activities, the letting go of all appropriation, the ending of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; When he’s steady in that, he reaches destruction of the influxes. no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti, tattha parinibbāyī, anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. If he doesn’t reach the destruction of the influxes, then due to that passion and delight in the Dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he reappears spontaneously. He is extinguished there, and is not liable to return from that world. Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya. This is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe… ‘Furthermore, with the appeasement of thinking and pondering … abides having entered upon the second jhāna.’ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… third jhāna … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. fourth jhāna. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ … He regards whatever is there that’s included in form, feeling, perception, activities, and consciousness … pe… He turns his mind away from those phenomena … anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. If he doesn’t attain the destruction of the influxes … and is not liable to return from that world. Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Furthermore, a bhikkhu, having fully surmounted perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of resistance, not attending to perceptions of multiplicity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, abides having entered upon the extent of infinite space. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ … He regards whatever is there that’s included in feeling, perception, activities, and consciousness … pe… He turns his mind away from those things … anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. If he doesn’t attain the destruction of the influxes … and is not liable to return from that world. Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Furthermore, a bhikkhu, having fully surmounted the extent of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, abides having entered upon the extent of infinite consciousness. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ … He regards whatever is there that’s included in feeling, perception, activities, and consciousness … pe… He turns his mind away from those things … anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. If he doesn’t attain the destruction of the influxes … and is not liable to return from that world. Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Furthermore, a bhikkhu, having fully surmounted the extent of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, abides having entered upon the extent of nothingness. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ … He regards whatever is there that’s included in feeling, perception, activities, and consciousness … pe… He turns his mind away from those things … anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. If he doesn’t attain the destruction of the influxes … and is not liable to return from that world. Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāyā”ti. This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.”

“Eso ce, bhante, maggo esā paṭipadā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ pahānāya, atha kiñcarahi idhekacce bhikkhū cetovimuttino ekacce bhikkhū paññāvimuttino”ti? “Bhante, if this is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters, how come some bhikkhus here are liberated by mind while others are liberated by understanding?”

“Ettha kho panesāhaṁ, ānanda, indriyavemattataṁ vadāmī”ti. “In that case, I say it is the multiplicity of their faculties.”

Idamavoca bhagavā. That is what the Buddha said. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti. Pleased, Venerable Ānanda delighted in what the Buddha said.

Mahāmālukyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn64