Hatthaka Sutta

Jata Sutta

The Tangle

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

At Savatthi. Then the Brahman Jata ("Tangle") Bharadvaja went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

A tangle within,

a tangle without,
people are entangled
 in a tangle.
Gotama, I ask you this:
 who can untangle this tangle?

[The Buddha:]

A man established in virtue,
 discerning,
developing discernment and mind,
a monk ardent, astute:
 he can untangle this tangle.

Those whose passion,

 aversion,
 and ignorance
 have faded away,
Arahants, their effluents ended:
 for them the tangle's untangled.

Where name-and-form,

 along with perception
 of impingement and form,
totally stop without trace:
 that’s where the tangle
 is cut.

When this was said, the Brahman Jata Bharadvaja said to the Blessed One, "Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama -- through many lines of reasoning -- made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the community of monks. Let me obtain the going forth in Master Gotama's presence, let me obtain admission."

Then the Brahman Jata Bharadvaja received the going forth and the admission in the Blessed One's presence. And not long after his admission -- dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute -- he in no long time reached and remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing and realizing it for himself in the here and now. He knew: "Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world." And so Ven. Bharadvaja became another one of the Arahants.

Jhana Sutta

Mental Absorption

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana... the second jhana... the third... the fourth... the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness. I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

"'I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said? There is the case where a monk, withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perceptions, fabrications, and consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, a void, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite -- the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.'

"Suppose that an archer or archer's apprentice were to practice on a straw man or mound of clay, so that after a while he would become able to shoot long distances, to fire accurate shots in rapid succession, and to pierce great masses. In the same way, there is the case where a monk... enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perceptions, fabrications, and consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, a void, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite -- the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.'

"Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the mental fermentations. Or, if not, then -- through passion and delight for this very property [of deathlessness] and from the total wasting away of the first of the five Fetters [self-identity views, grasping at precepts and practices, uncertainty, sensual passion, and resistance] -- he is due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world.

"'I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana.' Thus it was said, and in reference to this was it said.

[Similarly with the other levels of jhana up through the dimension of nothingness.]

"Thus, as far as the perception-attainments go, that is as far as gnosis-penetration goes. As for these two spheres -- the attainment of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception and the attainment of the cessation of feeling and perception -- I tell you that they are to be rightly explained by those monks who are meditator’s, skilled in attaining, skilled in attaining and emerging, who have attained and emerged in dependence on them."

Jiivaka Sutta

A Discourse To Jiivaka The Foster Son Of The Prince

I heard thus:

At one time the Blessed One lived in Rajagaha, in the mango orchard of Jiivaka, the foster son of the prince. Jiivaka the foster son of the prince approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said: ‘I have heard this, venerable sir, that living things are killed on account of the recluse Gotama, and he partakes that knowing, it was killed on account of him. Venerable sir, those who say, that living things are killed on account of the recluse Gotama, and he partakes that, knowing, it was killed on account of him, are they saying the rightful words of the Blessed One and not blaming the Teaching?’

‘Jiivaka, those who say, that living things are killed on account of the recluse Gotama, and he partakes that knowing, because it was killed on account of him. They are not my words, and they blame me falsely. Jiivaka, I say that on three instances meat should not be partaken, when seen, heard or when there is a doubt. I say, that on these three instances meat should not be partaken. I say, that meat could be partaken on three instances, when not seen, not heard and when there is no doubt about it.

Jiivaka, the Bhikkhu supported by a village or hamlet sits pervading one direction with thoughts of loving kindness, and also the second, third, fourth, above, below and across, in all circumstances, for all purposes, towards all. With that thought developed limitlessly and grown great without anger. Then a certain householder or the son of a householder approaches and invites him for the next day’s meal. If the Bhikkhu desires he accepts and at the end of that night, putting on robes and taking bowl and robes, approaches the house of that householder or the son of the householder and sits on the prepared seat. That householder or his son serves him with the nourishing food with his own hands. It does not occur to him, "This householder should offer me nourishing food in the future too." He partakes that morsel food, neither enslaved and swooned, nor guilty. Wisely reflecting the danger. Jiivaka, does this Bhikkhu think to trouble himself, another or both at that moment?’. ‘No, venerable sir, he does not.’ ‘Jiivaka, isn’t this Bhikkhu partaking this food without a blemish?’ ‘He is. Venerable sir I have heard, that Brahma abides, in loving kindness. I witness it in the Blessed One. The Blessed One abides in loving kindness.’ ‘Jiivaka, the Thus Gone One has dispelled that greed, hate and delusion, pulled it out with the roots, made palm stumps and made them not to grow again. If you say it, on account of that, I allow it. ’‘Venerable sir, I say it, on account of that.’ ‘Jiivaka, the Bhikkhu abides supported on a certain village or hamlet. He abides pervading one direction with thoughts of compassion….With thoughts of intrinsic joy…With equanimity and also the second, third, fourth, above, below and across, in all circumstances, for all purposes, towards all, equanimity grown great and developed limitlessly without anger. Then a certain householder or the son of a householder approaches him and invites him for the next day’s meal. If the Bhikkhu desires he accepts the invitation. At the end of that night, putting on robes and taking bowl and robes, he approaches the house of that householder or the son of the householder and sits on the prepared seat. That householder serves the Bhikkhu with the nourishing food with his own hands. It doesn’t occur to him, "this householder should offer me nourishing food in the future too". He partakes that morsel food, not enslaved, not swooned, and without a guilt, wisely reflecting the danger. Jiivaka, does this Bhikkhu think to trouble himself, another, or trouble both at that moment?’. ‘No, venerable sir, he does not.’ ‘Jiivaka, doesn’t this Bhikkhu partake this food without a blemish?’ ‘Venerable sir, he partakes food without a blemish. I have heard, that Brahma abides in equanimity. I witness it, in the Blessed One. The Blessed One, abides in equanimity.’ ‘Jiivaka, the Thus Gone One is not troubled, is detached, and not averse to greed, hate and delusion [1], pulled it out with the roots, made palm stumps and made not to grow again. If it is said on account of that, I allow it.’ ‘Venerable sir, I say it, on account of that.’

‘Jiivaka, who ever destroys living things on account of the Thus Gone One or the disciples of the Thus Gone One, accumulate much demerit on five instances: If he said, go bring that living thing of such name. In this first instance he accumulates much demerit. If that living thing is pulled along, tied, with pain at the throat, feeling displeased and unpleasant [2]. In this second instance he accumulates much demerit. If it was said, go kill that animal. In this third instance he accumulates much demerit. When killing if that animal feels displeased and unpleasant, in this fourth instance he accumulates, much demerit and when the Thus Gone One or a disciple of the Thus Gone tastes that un-suitable food. In this fifth instance he accumulates much demerit. Jiivaka, if anyone destroys the life of a living thing on account of the Thus Gone One or a disciple of the Thus Gone One, he accumulates much demerit on these five instances.’ When this was said Jiivaka the foster son of the prince said; ‘Wonderful venerable sir, the Bhikkhus partake suitable faultless food. Now I understand venerable sir. It is as though something overturned was reinstated. Something covered was made manifest. As though the path was told to someone who had lost his way. As though an oil lamp was lighted, for those who have sight to see forms. In various ways the Teaching is explained. Now I take refuge in the Blessed One, in the Teaching and the Community of Bhikkhus. May I be remembered as one who has taken refuge from today until life ends.