10(10)Mahānāma
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Park.
Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to him,sat down to one side,
and said to the Blessed One:
"Bhante,how does a noble disciple who has arrived at the fruit and understood the teaching often dwell?"
Ariyasavako agataphalo vinfiatasasano. Mp says that Mahanama is asking about the stream-enterer's vital support (sotapannassa nissayaviharam)."Mahānāma,a noble disciple [285]who has arrived at the
fruit and understood the teaching often dwells in this way:
The six recollections to follow are commented on in detail in Vism chap. 7.(1)"Here,Mahānāma,anobledisciple recollects the Tathāgata
thus:'The Blessed One is an arahant,perfectly enlightened,
accomplished in true knowledge and conduct,fortunate,
knower of the world,unsurpassed trainer of persons to be
tamed,teacher of devas and humans,the Enlightened One,the
Blessed One.'
When a noble disciple recollects the Tathagata,
on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or
delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based
on the Tathāgata.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains
inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,Visamagataya pajaya samappatto. Mp: "Among beings who have become unbalanced (visamagatesu) through lust, hatred, and delusion, he has attained peace and calmness (samam upasamam patto hutva)." From this, it is obvious that Mp takes Pali sama to be equivalent to Skt sama, peace. But since the text establishes a contrast between visama, the. imbalance (or unrighteousness) in which ordinary people live, and the sama that the noble disciple has attained, it is more likely that Pali sama corresponds to Skt sama. Two Chinese parallels support this supposition. SA2 156, at TII 432c15-16,has·怨家及己親族。於此二人。無怨憎想。心常平等("Whether his enemies or his relatives,toward thesetwo types ofpeople he has no thought of hostility but his.mind is balanced").The other,T1537.8 at TXXVI 492c13-15,has 於不平等諸有情類。得住平等。於有惱害諸有情類。住無惱害("Amid unbalanced sentient beings, he obtains balance; among afflicted sentient beings he dwells without affliction"). Though contradicting the interpreta tion of sama offered by Mp, this confirms the evident meaning of the sutta.
who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,Dhammasotam samapanno. Mp: "He has entered the stream of the Dhamma consisting in insight." Since the Pali expression can easily be contracted to sotapanna, I do not see why Mp inter prets dhammasota as insight (vipassana) rather than the noble path (ariyamagga). In SN 55:5, at V 347,24-25, *sota* is used as a metaphor . for the noble eightfold path. he develops recollection of the Buddha.
(2)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects the
Dhamma thus:
'The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed
One,directly visible,immediate,inviting one to come and see,
applicable,to be personally experienced by the wise.'
When anoble disciple recollects the Dhamma,on that occasion his mind
is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion
his mind is simply straight,based on the Dhamma:
A noble
disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with
the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with
a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in
body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes
concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted
amid an afflicted population.[286]As one who has entered
the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of the
Dhamma.
(3)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects the Sangha thus:
'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing the good way,practicing the straight way,practicing the true way,practicing the proper way;that is,the four pairs of persons,the eight types of individuals—this Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.'
When a noble disciple recollects the Sangha,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on the Sangha.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of the Sangha.
(4)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects his own virtuous behavior as unbroken,flawless;unblemished,unblotched,freeing,praised by the wise,ungrasped,leading to concentration.
When a noble disciple recollects his virtuous behavior,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on virtuous behavior.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
Whenhe is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes franquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
[287]This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of virtuous behavior.
(5)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects his own generosity thus:
'It is truly my good fortune and gain
that in a population obsessed by the stain of miserliness,I dwell at home with a mind devoid of the stain of miserliness,freely generous,open handed,delighting in relinquishment,devoted to charity,delighting in giving and sharing.'
When a noble disciple recollects his generosity,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on generosity.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of generosity.
(6)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects the deities thus:
'There are devas[ruled by]the four great kings,Tavatimsa
devas,Yāma devas,Tusita devas,devas who delight in creation,devas who control what is created by others,devas of Brahma's company,and devas still higher than these.
The first six are the deities of the six sense-sphere heavens. The devas of Brahma's company (brahmalmyika deva) are the deities of the brahma world. The "devas still higher than these" are the higher devas in the form and formless realms.There exists in me too such faith as those deities possessed because of which,when they passed away here,they were reborn there;
there exists in me too such virtuous behavior...
such learning...
such generosity...
such wisdom as those deities possessed because of which,when they passed away here,they were reborn there.'
When [288]a noble disciple recollects the faith,virtuous behavior,learning,generosity,and wisdom in himself and in those deities,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on the deities.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of the deities.
"Mahānāma,a noble disciple who has arrived at the fruit and understood the teaching often dwells in just this way."