{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn35.243/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn35.243","id":"suttacentral_sn35.243","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn35.243/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Now at that time a new town hall had recently been constructed for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu. It had not yet been occupied by an ascetic or brahmin or any human at all. Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, \u201cSir, a new town hall has recently been constructed for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu. It has not yet been occupied by an ascetic or brahmin or any human at all. May the Buddha be the first to use it, and only then will the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu use it. That would be for the lasting welfare and happiness of the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu.\u201d The Buddha consented with silence. Knowing that the Buddha had consented, the Sakyans rose from their seats, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. Then they went to the new town hall, where they spread carpets all over, prepared seats, set up a water jar, and placed an oil lamp. Then they went back to the Buddha and told him of their preparations, saying, \u201cPlease, sir, come at your convenience.\u201d Then the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the new town hall together with the Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants. Having washed his feet, he entered the town hall and sat against the central column facing east. The Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants also washed their feet, entered the town hall, and sat against the west wall facing east, with the Buddha right in front of them. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu also washed their feet, entered the town hall, and sat against the east wall facing west, with the Buddha right in front of them. The Buddha spent much of the night educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the Sakyans with a Dhamma talk. Then he sent them off, saying, \u201cThe night is getting late, Gotamas. Please go at your convenience.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d replied the Sakyans. They got up from their seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving. Then, not long after the Sakyans had left, the Buddha addressed Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na, \u201cMoggall\u0101na, the Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants is rid of dullness and drowsiness. Give them some Dhamma talk as you feel inspired. My back is sore, I\u2019ll stretch it.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na replied. And then the Buddha spread out his outer robe folded in four and laid down in the lion\u2019s posture\u2014on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other\u2014mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. There Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na addressed the mendicants: \u201cReverends, mendicants!\u201d \u201cReverend,\u201d they replied. Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na said this: \u201cI will teach you the explanation of the festering and the not festering. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, reverend,\u201d they replied. Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na said this: \u201cAnd how is someone festering? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it\u2019s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it\u2019s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted. And they don\u2019t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. They hear a sound \u2026 smell an odor \u2026 taste a flavor \u2026 feel a touch \u2026 know an idea with their mind. If it\u2019s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it\u2019s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted. And they don\u2019t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. This is called a mendicant who is festering when it comes to sights known by the eye, sounds \u2026 smells \u2026 tastes \u2026 touches \u2026 ideas known by the mind. When a mendicant lives like this, if M\u0101ra comes at them through the eye he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. If M\u0101ra comes at them through the ear \u2026 nose \u2026 tongue \u2026 body \u2026 mind he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. Suppose there was a house made of reeds or straw that was dried up, withered, and decrepit. If a person came to it with a burning grass torch from the east, west, north, south, below, above, or from anywhere, the fire would find a vulnerability, it would get an opportunity. In the same way, when a mendicant lives like this, if M\u0101ra comes at them through the eye he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. If M\u0101ra comes at them through the ear \u2026 nose \u2026 tongue \u2026 body \u2026 mind he finds a vulnerability and gets an opportunity. When a mendicant lives like this, they\u2019re mastered by sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas, they don\u2019t master these things. This is called a mendicant who has been mastered by sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. They\u2019re mastered, not a master. Bad, unskillful qualities have mastered them, which are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, and resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That\u2019s how someone is festering. And how is someone not festering? Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it\u2019s pleasant they don\u2019t hold on to it, and if it\u2019s unpleasant they don\u2019t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. They hear a sound \u2026 smell an odor \u2026 taste a flavor \u2026 feel a touch \u2026 know an idea with their mind. If it\u2019s pleasant they don\u2019t hold on to it, and if it\u2019s unpleasant they don\u2019t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart. And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder. This is called a mendicant who is not festering when it comes to sights known by the eye, sounds \u2026 smells \u2026 tastes \u2026 touches \u2026 ideas known by the mind. When a mendicant lives like this, if M\u0101ra comes at them through the eye he doesn\u2019t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. If M\u0101ra comes at them through the ear \u2026 nose \u2026 tongue \u2026 body \u2026 mind he doesn\u2019t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. Suppose there was a bungalow or hall made of thick clay with its plaster still wet. If a person came to it with a burning grass torch from the east, west, north, south, below, above, or from anywhere, the fire wouldn\u2019t find a vulnerability, it would get no opportunity. In the same way, when a mendicant lives like this, if M\u0101ra comes at them through the eye he doesn\u2019t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. If M\u0101ra comes at them through the ear \u2026 nose \u2026 tongue \u2026 body \u2026 mind he doesn\u2019t find a vulnerability or get an opportunity. When a mendicant lives like this, they master sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas, they\u2019re not mastered by these things. This is called a mendicant who has mastered sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and ideas. They\u2019re a master, not mastered. Bad, unskillful qualities have been mastered by them, which are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, and resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. That\u2019s how someone is not festering.\u201d Then the Buddha got up and said to Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na: \u201cGood, good, Moggall\u0101na! It\u2019s good that you\u2019ve taught this explanation of the festering and the not festering.\u201d That is what Venerable Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na said, and the Teacher concurred. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what Mah\u0101moggall\u0101na said.","title":"The Explanation on the Festering","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1317}