{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn128/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn128","id":"suttacentral_mn128","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn128/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosamb\u012b in Ghosita\u2019s monastery. Now at that time the mendicants of Kosamb\u012b were fighting, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words. Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and told him what was happening, adding: \u201cPlease, sir go to those mendicants out of sympathy.\u201d The Buddha consented with silence. Then the Buddha went up to those mendicants and said, \u201cEnough, mendicants! Stop fighting, quarreling, and disputing.\u201d When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, \u201cWait, sir! Let the Buddha, the Lord of the Dhamma, remain passive, dwelling in blissful meditation in this life. We will be known for this fighting, quarreling, arguing, and disputing.\u201d For a second time \u2026 and a third time the Buddha said to those mendicants, \u201cEnough, mendicants! Stop fighting, quarreling, and disputing.\u201d For a third time, that mendicant said to the Buddha, \u201cWait, sir! Let the Buddha, the Lord of the Dhamma, remain passive, dwelling in blissful meditation in this life. We will be known for this fighting, quarreling, arguing, and disputing.\u201d Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosamb\u012b for alms. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he set his lodgings in order. Taking his bowl and robe, he recited these verses while standing right there: \u201cMany voices shout at once, yet no one thinks that they\u2019re the fool. Even as the Sa\u1e45gha splits, they think no better of the other. Dolts pretending to be astute, they talk, their words out of bounds. They blab at will, their mouths agape, and not one knows what leads them on. \u2018They abused me, they hit me! They beat me, they robbed me!\u2019 For those bearing such a grudge, hatred is never laid to rest. \u2018They abused me, they hit me! They beat me, they robbed me!\u2019 For those who bear no such grudge, hatred is laid to rest. For never is hatred laid to rest by hate, it\u2019s laid to rest by love: this is an ancient teaching. When others do not understand, let us, who do understand this, restrain ourselves in this regard; for that is how conflicts are laid to rest. Breakers of bones and takers of life, thieves of cattle, horses, wealth, those who plunder the nation: even they can come together, so why can\u2019t you? If you find an alert companion, an attentive friend to live happily together, then, overcoming all adversities, wander with them, joyful and mindful. If you find no alert companion, no attentive friend to live happily together, then, like a king who flees his conquered realm, wander alone like a tusker in the wilds. It\u2019s better to wander alone, there\u2019s no fellowship with fools. Wander alone and do no wrong, at ease like a tusker in the wilds.\u201d After speaking these verses while standing, the Buddha went to the village of the child salt-miners, where Venerable Bhagu was staying at the time. Bhagu saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, so he spread out a seat and placed water for washing the feet. The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out, and washed his feet. Bhagu bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, \u201cI hope you\u2019re keeping well, mendicant, I hope you\u2019re all right. And I hope you\u2019re having no trouble getting almsfood.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m keeping well, Blessed One, I\u2019m all right. And I\u2019m having no trouble getting almsfood.\u201d Then the Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired Bhagu with a Dhamma talk, after which he rose from his seat and set out for the Park of the East-Raftered Hall. Now at that time the venerables Anuruddha, Nandiya, and Kimbila were staying in the Park of the East-Raftered Hall. The park keeper saw the Buddha coming off in the distance and said to the Buddha, \u201cDon\u2019t come into this park, ascetic. There are three gentlemen staying here whose nature is to desire self-knowledge. Do not disturb them.\u201d Anuruddha heard the park keeper conversing with the Buddha, and said to him, \u201cDon\u2019t keep the Buddha out, good park keeper! Our Teacher, the Blessed One, has arrived.\u201d Then Anuruddha went to Nandiya and Kimbila, and said to them, \u201cCome forth, venerables, come forth! Our Teacher, the Blessed One, has arrived!\u201d Then Anuruddha, Nandiya, and Kimbila came out to greet the Buddha. One received his bowl and robe, one spread out a seat, and one set out water for washing his feet. The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out, and washed his feet. Those venerables bowed and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to Anuruddha, \u201cI hope you\u2019re keeping well, Anuruddha and friends, I hope you\u2019re all right. And I hope you\u2019re having no trouble getting almsfood.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re keeping well, Blessed One, we\u2019re getting by. And we have no trouble getting almsfood.\u201d \u201cI hope you\u2019re living in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes?\u201d \u201cIndeed, sir, we live in harmony as you say.\u201d \u201cBut how do you live this way?\u201d \u201cIn this case, sir, I think: \u2018I\u2019m fortunate, so very fortunate, to live together with spiritual companions such as these.\u2019 I consistently treat these venerables with kindness by way of body, speech, and mind, both in public and in private. I think: \u2018Why don\u2019t I set aside my own ideas and just go along with these venerables\u2019 ideas?\u2019 And that\u2019s what I do. Though we\u2019re different in body, sir, we\u2019re one in mind, it seems to me.\u201d And the venerables Nandiya and Kimbila spoke likewise, and they added: \u201cThat\u2019s how we live in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes.\u201d \u201cGood, good, Anuruddha and friends! But I hope you\u2019re living diligently, keen, and resolute?\u201d \u201cIndeed, sir, we live diligently.\u201d \u201cBut how do you live this way?\u201d \u201cIn this case, sir, whoever returns first from almsround prepares the seats, and puts out the drinking water and the rubbish bin. If there\u2019s remainder, whoever returns last eats it if they like. Otherwise they throw it out where there is little that grows, or drop it into water that has no living creatures. Then they put away the seats, drinking water, and rubbish bin, and sweep the refectory. If someone sees that the pot of water for washing, drinking, or the toilet is empty they set it up. If he can\u2019t do it, he summons another with a wave of the hand, and they set it up by lending each other a hand to lift. But we don\u2019t break into speech for that reason. And every five days we sit together for the whole night and discuss the teachings. That\u2019s how we live diligently, keen, and resolute.\u201d \u201cGood, good, Anuruddha and friends! But as you live diligently like this, have you achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable meditation?\u201d \u201cWell, sir, while meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, we perceive both light and vision of forms. But before long the light and the vision of forms vanish. We haven\u2019t worked out the basis of that.\u201d \u201cWell, you should work out the basis of that. Before my awakening\u2014when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening\u2014I too perceived light and vision of forms. But before long my light and vision of forms vanished. It occurred to me: \u2018What\u2019s the cause, what\u2019s the reason why my light and vision of forms vanish?\u2019 It occurred to me: \u2018Doubt arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. I\u2019ll make sure that doubt will not arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light and vision of forms. But before long my light and vision of forms vanished. It occurred to me: \u2018What\u2019s the cause, what\u2019s the reason why my light and vision of forms vanish?\u2019 It occurred to me: \u2018Loss of focus arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Dullness and drowsiness arose in me \u2026 I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Terror arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. Suppose a person was traveling along a road, and killers were to spring out at them from both sides. They\u2019d feel terrified because of that. In the same way, terror arose in me \u2026 I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Elation arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. Suppose a person was looking for the entrance to a treasure trove. And all at once they\u2019d come across five entrances! They\u2019d feel excited because of that. In the same way, elation arose in me \u2026 I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Discomfort arose in me \u2026 I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation nor discomfort will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Excessive energy arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. Suppose a person was to grip a quail too tightly in their hands\u2014it would die right there. I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation nor discomfort nor excessive energy will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Overly lax energy arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. Suppose a person was to grip a quail too loosely\u2014it would fly out of their hands. I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation nor discomfort nor excessive energy nor overly lax energy will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Longing arose in me \u2026 I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation nor discomfort nor excessive energy nor overly lax energy nor longing will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating \u2026 \u2018Perceptions of diversity arose in me \u2026 I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation nor discomfort nor excessive energy nor overly lax energy nor longing nor perception of diversity will arise in me again.\u2019 While meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light and vision of forms. But before long my light and vision of forms vanished. It occurred to me: \u2018What\u2019s the cause, what\u2019s the reason why my light and vision of forms vanish?\u2019 It occurred to me: \u2018Excessive concentration on forms arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away. When immersion falls away, the light and vision of forms vanish. I\u2019ll make sure that neither doubt nor loss of focus nor dullness and drowsiness nor terror nor elation nor discomfort nor excessive energy nor overly lax energy nor longing nor perception of diversity nor excessive concentration on forms will arise in me again.\u2019 When I understood that doubt is a corruption of the mind, I gave it up. When I understood that loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, elation, discomfort, excessive energy, overly lax energy, longing, perception of diversity, and excessive concentration on forms are corruptions of the mind, I gave them up. While meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light but did not see forms, or I saw forms, but did not see light. And this went on for a whole night, a whole day, even a whole night and day. I thought: \u2018What is the cause, what is the reason for this?\u2019 It occurred to me: \u2018When I don\u2019t focus on the basis of the forms, but focus on the basis of the light, then I perceive light and do not see forms. But when I don\u2019t focus on the basis of the light, but focus on the basis of the forms, then I see forms and do not perceive light. And this goes on for a whole night, a whole day, even a whole night and day.\u2019 While meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived limited light and saw limited forms, or I perceived limitless light and saw limitless forms. And this went on for a whole night, a whole day, even a whole night and day. I thought: \u2018What is the cause, what is the reason for this?\u2019 It occurred to me: \u2018When my immersion is limited, then my vision is limited, and with limited vision I perceive limited light and see limited forms. But when my immersion is limitless, then my vision is limitless, and with limitless vision I perceive limitless light and see limitless forms. And this goes on for a whole night, a whole day, even a whole night and day.\u2019 After understanding that doubt, loss of focus, dullness and drowsiness, terror, excitement, discomfort, excessive energy, overly lax energy, longing, perception of diversity, and excessive concentration on forms are corruptions of the mind, I had given them up. I thought: \u2018I\u2019ve given up my mental corruptions. Now let me develop immersion in three ways.\u2019 I developed immersion while placing the mind and keeping it connected; without placing the mind, merely keeping it connected; without placing the mind or keeping it connected; with rapture; without rapture; with pleasure; with equanimity. When I had developed immersion in these ways, the knowledge and vision arose in me: \u2018My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there\u2019ll be no more future lives.\u2019\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Anuruddha approved what the Buddha said.","title":"Corruptions","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":2405}