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- SN 35

SN 35.75
PTS: S iv 47
CDB ii 1159
Gilana Sutta: Ill (2)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 2004

At Savatthi. Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, in such and such a dwelling a certain monk — newly ordained, not well known — is diseased, in pain, severely ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit the monk, out of sympathy for him."

Then the Blessed One, on hearing the word "newly ordained," on hearing the word "diseased," and realizing that the monk was not well known, went to him. The monk saw the Blessed One coming from afar and, on seeing him, stirred in his bed. Then the Blessed One said to him, "Enough, monk. Don't stir in your bed. There are these seats made ready. I will sit down there."

The Blessed One sat down on a seat made ready and said to the monk, "I hope you are getting better, monk. I hope you are comfortable. I hope that your pains are lessening and not increasing. I hope that there are signs of their lessening, and not of their increasing."

"I am not getting better, lord. I am not comfortable. My extreme pains are increasing, not lessening. There are signs of their increasing, and not of their lessening."

"Then I hope you have no anxiety, monk. I hope you have no anguish."

"Yes, lord, I do have not a small amount of anxiety, not a small amount of anguish."

"I hope you can't fault yourself with regard to your virtue."

"No, lord, I can't fault myself with regard to my virtue."

"Then what are you anxious about? What is your anguish?"

"I understand that the Blessed One has not taught the Dhamma with purity of virtue as its goal."

"If you understand that I have not taught the Dhamma with purity of virtue as its goal, then for what goal do you understand that I have taught the Dhamma?"

"I understand that the Blessed One has taught the Dhamma with total Unbinding through lack of clinging as its goal."

"Good, good, monk. It's good that you understand that I have taught the Dhamma with total Unbinding through lack of clinging as its goal, for I have taught the Dhamma with total Unbinding through lack of clinging as its goal.

"What do you think, monk: Is the eye constant or inconstant?

"Inconstant, lord."

"And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"

"Stressful, lord."

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

"No, lord."

"...Is the ear constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."...

"...Is the nose constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."...

"...Is the tongue constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."...

"...Is the body constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."...

"What do you think, monk: Is the intellect constant or inconstant?"

"Inconstant, lord."

"And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"

"Stressful, lord."

"And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?"

"No, lord."

"Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with the eye, disenchanted with the ear, disenchanted with the nose, disenchanted with the tongue, disenchanted with the body, disenchanted with the intellect. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'"

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monk delighted in the Blessed One's words. And while this explanation was being given, the mind of that monk, through no clinging,[1] was fully released from fermentations.

# Notes

1.
  Or: "not being sustained."

See also: SN 35.74.