{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn75/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn75","id":"suttacentral_mn75","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn75/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kamm\u0101sadamma, on a grass mat in the fire chamber of a brahmin of the Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja clan. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kamm\u0101sadamma for alms. He wandered for alms in Kamm\u0101sadamma. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to a certain forest grove for the day\u2019s meditation. Having plunged deep into it, he sat at the root of a certain tree to meditate. Then as the wanderer M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya was going for a walk he approached that fire chamber. He saw the grass mat spread out there and asked the brahmin of the Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja clan, \u201cWorthy Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, who has this grass mat been spread out for? It looks like an ascetic\u2019s bed.\u201d \u201cThere is the ascetic Gotama, a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family. He has this good reputation: \u2018That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.\u2019 This bed has been spread for that worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cWell, it\u2019s a sad sight, worthy Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, a very sad sight indeed, to see a bed for the worthy Gotama, that baby-killer!\u201d \u201cBe careful what you say, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, be careful what you say. Many astute aristocrats, brahmins, householders, and ascetics are devoted to the worthy Gotama. They\u2019ve been guided by him in the noble system, the skillful teaching.\u201d \u201cEven if I was to see the worthy Gotama face to face, worthy Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, I would say to his face: \u2018The ascetic Gotama is a baby-killer.\u2019 Why is that? For so it came to me while sleeping.\u201d \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019ll tell the ascetic Gotama about this.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t worry, worthy Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja. You may tell him exactly what I\u2019ve said.\u201d With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha heard this discussion between the brahmin of the Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja clan and the wanderer M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya. Coming out of retreat, he went to the brahmin\u2019s fire chamber and sat on the grass mat. Then the brahmin of the Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja clan went to 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, \u201cBh\u0101radv\u0101ja, did you have a discussion with the wanderer M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya about this grass mat?\u201d When he said this, the brahmin, shocked and awestruck, said to the Buddha, \u201cI wanted to mention this very thing to the worthy Gotama, but you brought it up before I had a chance.\u201d But this conversation between the Buddha and the brahmin was left unfinished. Then as the wanderer M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya was going for a walk he approached that fire chamber. He went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and the Buddha said to him: \u201cM\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, the eye likes sights, it loves them and enjoys them. That\u2019s been tamed, guarded, protected and restrained by the Realized One, and he teaches Dhamma for its restraint. Is that what you were referring to when you called me a baby-killer?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what I was referring to. Why is that? For so it came to me while sleeping.\u201d \u201cThe ear likes sounds \u2026 The nose likes smells \u2026 The tongue likes tastes \u2026 The body likes touches \u2026 The mind likes ideas, it loves them and enjoys them. That\u2019s been tamed, guarded, protected and restrained by the Realized One, and he teaches Dhamma for its restraint. Is that what you were referring to when you called me a baby-killer?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what I was referring to. Why is that? For so it came to me while sleeping.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Take someone who used to amuse themselves with sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Some time later\u2014having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sights, and having given up craving and dispelled passion for sights\u2014they would live rid of thirst, their mind settled internally. What would you have to say to them, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya?\u201d \u201cNothing, worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Take someone who used to amuse themselves with sounds known by the ear \u2026 smells known by the nose \u2026 tastes known by the tongue \u2026 touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Some time later\u2014having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of touches, and having given up craving and dispelled passion for touches\u2014they would live rid of thirst, their mind settled internally. What would you have to say to them, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya?\u201d \u201cNothing, worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cWell, when I was still a layperson I used to amuse myself, supplied and provided with sights known by the eye \u2026 sounds known by the ear \u2026 smells known by the nose \u2026 tastes known by the tongue \u2026 touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. I had three stilt longhouses\u2014 one for the rainy season, one for the winter, and one for the summer. I stayed in a stilt longhouse without coming downstairs for the four months of the rainy season, where I was entertained by musicians\u2014none of them men. Some time later\u2014having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sensual pleasures, and having given up craving and dispelled passion for sensual pleasures\u2014I live rid of thirst, my mind settled internally. I see other sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. I don\u2019t envy them, nor do I hope to enjoy that. Why is that? Because there is a satisfaction that is apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, which even equals heavenly pleasure. Enjoying that satisfaction, I don\u2019t envy what is inferior, nor do I hope to enjoy it. Suppose there was a householder or a householder\u2019s child who was rich, affluent, and wealthy. And they would amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. That is, sights known by the eye \u2026 sounds \u2026 smells \u2026 tastes \u2026 touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Having practiced good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, when their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019d be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm, in the company of the gods of the thirty-three. There they\u2019d amuse themselves in the Garden of Delight, escorted by a band of nymphs, supplied and provided with the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation. Then they\u2019d see a householder or a householder\u2019s child amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. What do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Would that god\u2014amusing themselves in the Garden of Delight, escorted by a band of nymphs, supplied and provided with the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation\u2014envy that householder or householder\u2019s child their five kinds of human sensual stimulation, or return to human sensual pleasures?\u201d \u201cNo, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because heavenly sensual pleasures are better than human sensual pleasures.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, when I was still a layperson I used to amuse myself with sights \u2026 sounds \u2026 smells \u2026 tastes \u2026 touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Some time later\u2014having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sensual pleasures, and having given up craving and dispelled passion for sensual pleasures\u2014I live rid of thirst, my mind settled internally. I see other sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. I don\u2019t envy them, nor do I hope to enjoy that. Why is that? Because there is a satisfaction that is apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, which even equals heavenly pleasure. Enjoying that satisfaction, I don\u2019t envy what is inferior, nor do I hope to enjoy it. Suppose there was a person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, they\u2019d cauterize their body over a pit of glowing coals. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them. The surgeon would make medicine for them, and by using that they\u2019d be cured of leprosy. They\u2019d be healthy, happy, autonomous, master of themselves, able to go where they wanted. Then they\u2019d see another person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs, being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, cauterizing their body over a pit of glowing coals. What do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Would that person envy that other person affected by leprosy for their pit of glowing coals or for taking medicine?\u201d \u201cNo, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because you need to take medicine only when there\u2019s a disease. When there\u2019s no disease, there\u2019s no need for medicine.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, when I was still a layperson I used to amuse myself with sights \u2026 sounds \u2026 smells \u2026 tastes \u2026 touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Some time later\u2014having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sensual pleasures, and having given up craving and dispelled passion for sensual pleasures\u2014I live rid of thirst, my mind settled internally. I see other sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. I don\u2019t envy them, nor do I hope to enjoy that. Why is that? Because there is a satisfaction that is apart from sensual pleasures and unskillful qualities, which even equals heavenly pleasure. Enjoying that satisfaction, I don\u2019t envy what is inferior, nor do I hope to enjoy it. Suppose there was a person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, they\u2019d cauterize their body over a pit of glowing coals. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them. The surgeon would make medicine for them, and by using that they\u2019d be cured of leprosy. They\u2019d be healthy, happy, autonomous, master of themselves, able to go where they wanted. Two strong men would grab them by the arms and drag them toward the pit of glowing coals. What do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Wouldn\u2019t that person writhe and struggle to and fro?\u201d \u201cYes, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because that fire is really painful to touch, fiercely burning and scorching.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Is it only now that the fire is really painful to touch, fiercely burning and scorching, or was it painful previously as well?\u201d \u201cThat fire is painful now and it was also painful previously. That person was affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, their sense faculties were impaired. So even though the fire was actually painful to touch, they had a distorted perception that it was pleasant.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, sensual pleasures of the past, future, and present are painful to touch, fiercely burning and scorching. These sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures\u2014being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures\u2014have impaired sense faculties. So even though sensual pleasures are actually painful to touch, they have a distorted perception that they are pleasant. Suppose there was a person affected by leprosy, with sores and blisters on their limbs. Being devoured by worms, scratching with their nails at the opening of their wounds, they\u2019re cauterizing their body over a pit of glowing coals. The more they scratch their wounds and cauterize their body, the more their wounds become foul, stinking, and infected. But still, they derive a degree of pleasure and gratification from the itchiness of their wounds. In the same way, I see other sentient beings who are not free from sensual pleasures being consumed by craving for sensual pleasures, burning with passion for sensual pleasures, indulging in sensual pleasures. The more they indulge in sensual pleasures, the more their craving for sensual pleasures grows, and the more they burn with passion for sensual pleasures. But still, they derive a degree of pleasure and gratification from the five kinds of sensual stimulation. What do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Have you seen or heard of a king or a royal minister of the past, future, or present, amusing themselves supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, who\u2014without giving up craving for sensual pleasures and dispelling passion for sensual pleasures\u2014lives rid of thirst, their mind settled internally?\u201d \u201cNo, worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cGood, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya. Neither have I. On the contrary, all the ascetics or brahmins of the past, future, or present who live rid of thirst, their minds settled internally, do so after truly understanding the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of sensual pleasures, and after giving up craving and dispelling passion for sensual pleasures.\u201d Then on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: \u201cHealth is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness. Of paths, the ultimate is eightfold\u2014 it\u2019s safe, and leads to freedom from death.\u201d When he said this, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya said to him, \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, worthy Gotama, it\u2019s amazing! How well said this was by the worthy Gotama! \u2018Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.\u2019 I\u2019ve also heard that wanderers of the past, the tutors of tutors, said: \u2018Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.\u2019 And it agrees, worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cBut M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, when you heard that wanderers of the past said this, what is that health? And what is that extinguishment?\u201d When he said this, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya stroked his own limbs with his hands, saying: \u201cThis is that health, worthy Gotama, this is that extinguishment! For I am now healthy and happy, and have no afflictions.\u201d \u201cM\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, suppose a person was blind from birth. They couldn\u2019t see sights that are dark or bright, or blue, yellow, red, or magenta. They couldn\u2019t see even and uneven ground, or the stars, or the moon and sun. They might hear a sighted person saying: \u2018White cloth is really nice, it\u2019s attractive, stainless, and clean.\u2019 They\u2019d go in search of white cloth. But someone would cheat them with a dirty, soiled garment, saying: \u2018My man, here is a white cloth for you, it\u2019s attractive, stainless, and clean.\u2019 They\u2019d take it and put it on, expressing their gladness: \u2018White cloth is really nice, it\u2019s attractive, stainless, and clean.\u2019 What do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Did that person blind from birth do this knowing and seeing, or out of faith in the sighted person?\u201d \u201cThey did so not knowing or seeing, but out of faith in the sighted person.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, the wanderers of other religions are blind and sightless. Not knowing health and not seeing extinguishment, they still recite this verse: \u2018Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness.\u2019 For this verse was recited by the perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas of the past: \u2018Health is the ultimate blessing; extinguishment, the ultimate happiness. Of paths, the ultimate is eightfold\u2014 it\u2019s safe, and leads to freedom from death.\u2019 These days it has gradually become a verse used by ordinary people. But M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, this body is a disease, a boil, a dart, a gloom, an affliction. Yet you say of this body: \u2018This is that health, this is that extinguishment!\u2019 M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, you don\u2019t have the noble vision by which you might know health and see extinguishment.\u201d \u201cI am quite confident that the worthy Gotama is capable of teaching me so that I can know health and see extinguishment.\u201d \u201cM\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, suppose a person was blind from birth. They couldn\u2019t see sights that are dark or bright, or blue, yellow, red, or magenta. They couldn\u2019t see even and uneven ground, or the stars, or the moon and sun. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them. The surgeon would make medicine for them, but when they used it their eyes were not cured and they still could not see clearly. What do you think, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya? Wouldn\u2019t that doctor just get weary and frustrated?\u201d \u201cYes, worthy Gotama.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, suppose I were to teach you the Dhamma, saying: \u2018This is that health, this is that extinguishment.\u2019 But you might not know health or see extinguishment, which would be wearying and troublesome for me.\u201d \u201cI am quite confident that the worthy Gotama is capable of teaching me so that I can know health and see extinguishment.\u201d \u201cM\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, suppose a person was blind from birth. They couldn\u2019t see sights that are dark or bright, or blue, yellow, red, or magenta. They couldn\u2019t see even and uneven ground, or the stars, or the moon and sun. They might hear a sighted person saying: \u2018White cloth is really nice, it\u2019s attractive, stainless, and clean.\u2019 They\u2019d go in search of white cloth. But someone would cheat them with a dirty, soiled garment, saying: \u2018My man, here is a white cloth for you, it\u2019s attractive, stainless, and clean.\u2019 They\u2019d take it and put it on. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them. The surgeon would make medicine for them: emetics, purgatives, ointment, counter-ointment, or nasal treatment. And when they used it their eyes would be cured so that they could see clearly. As soon as their eyes were cured they\u2019d lose all desire for that dirty, soiled garment. Then they would consider that person to be no friend, but an enemy, and might even think of murdering them: \u2018For such a long time I\u2019ve been cheated, tricked, and deceived by that person with this dirty, soiled garment when he said, \u201cMy man, here is a white cloth for you, it\u2019s attractive, stainless, and clean.\u201d\u2019 In the same way, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, suppose I were to teach you the Dhamma, saying: \u2018This is that health, this is that extinguishment.\u2019 You might know health and see extinguishment. And as soon as your vision arises you might give up desire for the five grasping aggregates. And you might even think: \u2018For such a long time I\u2019ve been cheated, tricked, and deceived by this mind. For what I have been grasping is only form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. My grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be. That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.\u2019\u201d \u201cI am quite confident that the worthy Gotama is capable of teaching me so that I can rise from this seat cured of blindness.\u201d \u201cWell then, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, you should associate with true persons. When you associate with true persons, you will hear the true teaching. When you hear the true teaching, you\u2019ll practice in line with the teaching. When you practice in line with the teaching, you\u2019ll know and see for yourself: \u2018These are diseases, boils, and darts. And here is where diseases, boils, and darts cease without remainder.\u2019 When my grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases. When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease. That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.\u201d When he said this, M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya said to him, \u201cExcellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what\u2019s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama\u2019s presence?\u201d \u201cM\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, if someone formerly ordained in another sect wishes to take the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training, they must spend four months on probation. When four months have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, they\u2019ll give the going forth, the ordination into monkhood. However, I recognize individual differences in this matter.\u201d \u201cSir, if four months probation are required in such a case, I\u2019ll spend four years on probation. When four years have passed, if the mendicants are satisfied, let them give me the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.\u201d And the wanderer M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha\u2019s presence. Not long after his ordination, Venerable M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: \u201cRebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.\u201d And Venerable M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya became one of the perfected.","title":"With M\u0101ga\u1e47\u1e0diya","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":3574}