57(7)Themes
"Bhikkhus,there are these five themes that should often be reflected upon by a woman or a man,by a householder or one gone forth.
The first three themes echo 3:39,with which this sutta has much in common.
What five?
(1)A woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:'I am subject to old age;I am not exempt from old age.'
(2)A woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:'I am subject to illness;I am not exempt from illness.'
(3)A woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:'I am subject to death;I am not exempt from death.'
(4)A woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect[72]thus:'I must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable to me.'
Sabbehi me piyehi manapehi.I use "everyone and everything"to cover both persons and possessions.The Pali implies both;but in English we need two words to span both objects.
(5)A woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:I am the owner of my kamma,the heir of my kamma;I have kamma as my origin,kamma as my relative,kamma as my resort;
I will be the heir of whatever kamma,good or bad,that I do.'
(1)"For the sake of what benefit should a woman or a man,
a householder or one gone forth,often reflect thus:I am sub-
ject to old age;I am not exempt from old age'?
In their youth
beings are intoxicated with their youth,and when they are
intoxicated with their youth they engage in misconduct by
body,speech,and mind.
But when one often reflects upon
this theme,the intoxication with youth is either completely
abandoned or diminished.
It is for the sake of this benefit that
a woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should
often reflect thus:'I am subject to old age;I am not exempt
from old age.'
(2)"And for the sake of what benefit should a woman or a
man,a householder or one gone forth,often reflect thus:'I am
subject to illness;I am not exempt from illness'?
In a state of health beings are intoxicated with their health,and when they are intoxicated with their health they engage in misconduct by body,speech,and mind.
But when one often reflects upon this theme,the intoxication with health is either completely abandoned or diminished.
It is for the sake of this benefit that a woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:'I am subject to illness;I am not exempt from illness.'
(3)"And for the sake of what benefit should a woman or a
man,a householder or one gone forth,often reflect thus:'I am
subject to death;I am not exempt from death'?
During their
lives beings are intoxicated with life,and when they are intoxi-
cated with life they engage in misconduct by body,speech,[73]
and mind.
But when one often reflects upon this theme,the
intoxication with life is either completely abandoned or dimin-
ished.
It is for the sake of this benefit that a woman ora man,a
householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:I am
subject to death;I am not exempt from death.
(4)"And for the sake of what benefit should a woman or a
man,a householder or one gone forth,often reflect thus:I must
be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear
and agreeable to me'?
Beings have desire and lust in regard to
those people and things that are dear and agreeable,and excited
by this lust,they engage in misconduct by body,speech,and
mind.
But when one often reflects upon this theme,the desire
and lust in regard to everyone and everything dear and agree-
able is either completely abandoned or diminished.
It is for the
sake of this benefit that a woman or a man,a householder or
one gone forth,should often reflect thus:'I must be parted and
separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable
to me.'
(5)"And for the sake of what benefit should a woman or a
man,a householder or one gone forth,often reflect thus:I am
the owner of my kamma,the heir of my kamma;I have kamma
as my origin,kamma as my relative,kamma as my resort;I will
be the heir of whatever kamma,good or bad,that I do'?
People
engage in misconduct by body,speech,and mind.
But when
one often reflects upon this theme,such misconduct is either
completely abandoned or diminished.
It is for the sake of this
benefit that a woman or a man,a householder or one gone forth,should often reflect thus:'I am the owner of my kamma,the heir of my kamma;I have kamma as my origin,kamma asmy relative,kamma as my resort;I will be the heir of whatever kamma,good or bad,that I do.'
(1)"This noble disciple reflects thus:
[74]'I am not the only one who is subject to old age,not exempt from old age.All beings that come and go,that pass away and undergo rebirth,are subject to old age;none are exempt from old age.'
As he often reflects on this theme,the path is generated.
He pursues this path,develops it,and cultivates it.
As he does so,the fetters are entirely abandoned and the underlying tendencies are uprooted.
Mp:“The path is generated(mag80 sanjayati):the world-transcending path is generated.The fetters are entirely abandoned(samyojanani sabbaso pahiyanti):the ten fetters are entirely abandoned (see 10:13).The underlying tendencies are uprooted (anusayābyantihonti):the seven underlying tendencies are removed,cut off,terminated (see 7:11).Thus in the above five sections insight is discussed;in these five sections,the world-transcending path.”(2)"This noble disciple reflects thus:
'I am not the only one
who is subject to illness,not exempt from illness.All beings that
come and go,that pass away and undergo rebirth,are subject to illness;none are exempt from illness:'
As he often reflects on this theme,the path is generated.
He pursues this path,develops if,and cultivates it.
As he does so,the fetters are entirely abandoned and the underlying tendencies are uprooted.
(3)"This noble disciple reflects thus:
'I am not the only onewho is subject to death,not exempt from death.All beings thatcome and go,that pass away and undergo rebirth,are subjectto death;none are exempt from death.'
As he often reflects on this theme,the path is generated.
He pursues this path,develops it,and cultivates it.
As he does so,the fetters are entirely abandoned and the underlying tendencies are uprooted.
(4)"This noble disciple reflects thus:
'I am not the only one who must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable.All beings that come and go,that pass away and undergo rebirth,must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable.'
As he often reflects on this theme,the path is generated.
He pursues thispath,develops it,and cultivates it.
As he does so,the fetters
are entirely abandoned and the underlying tendencies are uprooted.
(5)"This noble disciple reflects thus:
'I am not the only one
who is the owner of one's kamma,the heir of one's kamma;who
has kamma as one's origin;kamma as one's relative,kamma
as one's resort;who will be the heir of whatever kamma,good
or bad,that one does.
All beings that come and go,that pass away and undergo rebirth,are owners of their kamma,heirs oftheir kamma;all have kamma as their origin,kamma as their relative,kamma as their resort;all will be heirs of whatever kamma,good or bad,that they do.'[75]
As he often reflects on this theme,the path is generated.
He pursues this path,develops it,and cultivates it.
As he does so,the fetters are entirely abandoned and the underlying tendencies are uprooted.
"Worldlings subject to illness,
These verses are also at 3:39.They seem to be a self-reproach spoken by the bodhisatta prior to his enlightenment and thus fit better there.The line below—"while I am dwelling thus"(mamaevam viharino)—-suggests that this is the bodhisatta speaking with reference to his struggle for enlightenment.In pādac I read with Ce yathadhamma tathasantā,as against Be and Ee yatha dhammātathā satta.(though they both concur with Ce in their reading of the earlier-sutta).old age,and death
are disgusted[by other people]who exist in accordance with their nature.
"If I were to become disgusted
with beings who have such a nature,
that would not be proper for me since I too have the same nature.
"While I was dwelling thus,
having known the state without acquisitions,
I overcame all intoxications—intoxication with health,with youth,and with life—
having seen security in renunciation.
Ce and Be read nekkhamme datthu khematam.Ee has nekkhammamdatthu khemato as its primary reading but mentions the Ce/Be variants in its notes.Mp (both Ce and Be)uses the Ce and Be reading as the lemma,which it glosses nibbane khemabhavamdisva,but it then cites the Ee reading as a variant,glossed nibbanamkhemato disva.Thus Ee has chosen the variant as the primary reading.
"Zeal then arose in meas I clearly saw nibbana.
Now I am incapable
of indulging in sensual pleasures.
Relying on the spiritual life;never will I turn back."