{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn152/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn152","id":"suttacentral_mn152","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn152/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kaja\u1e45gal\u0101 in a bamboo grove. Then the student Uttara, a pupil of the brahmin P\u0101r\u0101sariya, approached the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, \u201cUttara, does P\u0101r\u0101sariya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?\u201d \u201cHe does, worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cBut how does he teach it?\u201d \u201cWorthy Gotama, it\u2019s when the eye sees no sight and the ear hears no sound. That\u2019s how P\u0101r\u0101sariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties.\u201d \u201cIn that case, Uttara, a blind person and a deaf person will have developed faculties according to what P\u0101r\u0101sariya says. For a blind person sees no sight with their eyes and a deaf person hears no sound with their ears.\u201d When he said this, Uttara sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say. Knowing this, the Buddha addressed Venerable \u0100nanda, \u201c\u0100nanda, the development of the faculties taught by P\u0101r\u0101sariya is quite different from the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One.\u201d \u201cNow is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One. Let the Buddha teach the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One. The mendicants will listen and remember it.\u201d \u201cWell then, \u0100nanda, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d \u0100nanda replied. The Buddha said this: \u201cAnd how, \u0100nanda, is there the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, in them arises what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable. They understand: \u2018What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That\u2019s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.\u2019 Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It\u2019s like how a person with clear eyes might open their eyes then shut them; or might shut their eyes then open them. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sights known by the eye. Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound with their ears, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: \u2018What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That\u2019s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.\u2019 Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It\u2019s like how a strong person can effortlessly snap their fingers. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sounds known by the ear. Furthermore, when a mendicant smells an odor with their nose, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: \u2018What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That\u2019s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.\u2019 Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It\u2019s like how a drop of water would roll off a gently sloping lotus leaf, and would not stay there. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding smells known by the nose. Furthermore, when a mendicant tastes a flavor with their tongue, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: \u2018What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That\u2019s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.\u2019 Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It\u2019s like how a strong person who\u2019s formed a glob of spit on the tip of their tongue could easily spit it out. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding tastes known by the tongue. Furthermore, when a mendicant encounters a touch with their body, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: \u2018What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That\u2019s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.\u2019 Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It\u2019s like how a strong person can extend or contract their arm. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding touches known by the body. Furthermore, when a mendicant knows a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: \u2018What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That\u2019s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.\u2019 Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It\u2019s like how a strong person could let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. The drops would be slow to fall, but they\u2019d quickly dry up and evaporate. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding ideas known by the mind. That\u2019s how there is the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One. And how are they a practicing trainee? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They are horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that. When they hear a sound with their ears \u2026 When they smell an odor with their nose \u2026 When they taste a flavor with their tongue \u2026 When they feel a touch with their body \u2026 When they know a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They are horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that. That\u2019s how they are a practicing trainee. And how are they a noble one with developed faculties? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. When they hear a sound with their ear \u2026 When they smell an odor with their nose \u2026 When they taste a flavor with their tongue \u2026 When they feel a touch with their body \u2026 When they know a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. If they wish: \u2018May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,\u2019 that\u2019s what they do. That\u2019s how they are a noble one with developed faculties. So, \u0100nanda, I have taught the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One, I have taught the practicing trainee, and I have taught the noble one with developed faculties. Out of sympathy, I\u2019ve done what a teacher should do who wants what\u2019s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, \u0100nanda! Don\u2019t be negligent! Don\u2019t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable \u0100nanda approved what the Buddha said. The Middle Discourses are complete.","title":"The Development of the Faculties","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1651}