mn.37 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery in the palace of Migāra's mother. Then Sakka, the lord of devas, approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he stood at a respectful distance. As he was standing at a respectful distance, Sakka, the lord of devas, spoke thus to the Lord: “Briefly, Lord, to what extent does a monk come to be freed by the destruction of craving, completely fulfilled, completely secure from the bonds, a complete Brahma-farer, complete as to his culmination, best of devas and men?”

“As to this, lord of devas, a monk comes to hear: ‘It is not fitting that there should be inclination towards any (psycho-physical) conditions.’ If, lord of devas, a monk comes to hear this, that ‘It is not fitting that there should be inclination towards any (psycho-physical) conditions,’ he knows all the conditions thoroughly; by knowing all the conditions thoroughly he knows all the conditions accurately; by knowing all the conditions accurately, whatever feeling he feels, pleasant or painful or neither painful nor pleasant, he abides viewing impermanence, he abides viewing dispassion, he abides viewing stopping, he abides viewing renunciation in regard to those feelings. When he is abiding viewing impermanence, when he is abiding viewing dispassion, when he is abiding viewing stopping, when he is abiding viewing renunciation in regard to these feelings, he grasps after nothing in the world; not grasping he is not troubled; being untroubled he himself is individually attained to nibbāna, and he comprehends: ‘Destroyed is birth, brought to a close is the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or such’. Briefly, it is to this extent, lord of devas, that a monk comes to be freed by the destruction of craving, completely fulfilled, completely secure from the bonds, a complete Brahma-farer, complete as to his culmination, best of devas and men.” Then Sakka, the lord of devas, having rejoiced in what the Lord had said, having given thanks, having greeted the Lord, vanished then and there keeping his right side towards him.

Now at that time the venerable Moggallāna the Great was sitting down near the Lord. Then it occurred to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: “Now, did that yakkha, when he thanked the Lord for his words, grasp them or not? Suppose that I should find out whether that yakkha, when he thanked the Lord for his words, grasped them or not?” Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great, as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or might bend back his out-stretched arm, vanishing from the palace of Migāra's mother in the Eastern Monastery, appeared among the devas of the Thirty-Three.

Now at that time Sakka, the lord of devas, equipped and provided with five hundred deva-like musical instruments, was amusing himself in the One Lotus pleasure grove. Sakka, the lord of devas, saw the venerable Moggallāna the Great coming in the distance; seeing him, having had those five hundred deva-like musical instruments stopped, he approached the venerable Moggallāna the Great; having approached, he spoke thus to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: “Come, my good Moggallāna, you are welcome, my good Moggallāna; at last, my good Moggallāna, you take this occasion for coming here; sit down, my good Moggallāna, this seat is appointed.” The venerable Moggallāna the Great sat down on the appointed seat. Sakka, the lord of devas, having taken a low seat, sat down at a respectful distance.

The venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to Sakka, the lord of devas, as he was sitting down at a respectful distance: “In regard to the talk that the Lord spoke in brief to you, Kosiya, on freedom by the destruction of craving, it were good even for me to hear portions of this talk.” “I, my good Moggallāna, am very busy, there is much to be done by me; both on my own account there are things to be done, and there are also (still more) things to be done for the devas of the Thirty-Three. Further, my good Moggallāna, it was properly heard, properly learnt, properly attended to, properly reflected upon, so that it cannot vanish quickly.

Once upon a time, my good Moggallāna, a battle was in full swing between devas and demons. In that battle, my good Moggallāna, the devas conquered, the demons were defeated. So I, my good Moggallāna, having won that battle and being victorious in the, battle, when I came back from there built a palace named Vejayanta (Victory). Now, my good Moggallāna, there are a hundred towers to the Vejayanta Palace, in each tower there are seven gabled houses, in each gabled house there are seven nymphs, and for each nymph there are seven attendants. Would you, my good Moggallāna, like to see the delights of the Vejayanta Palace?” The venerable Moggallāna the Great consented by becoming silent.

Then Sakka, the lord of devas, and the great rajah Vessavaṇa, having put the venerable Moggallāna the Great in front of them approached Vejayanta Palace. The female attendants of Sakka, the lord of devas, saw the venerable Moggallāna the Great coming in the distance; on seeing him, shrinking and shy, each entered her own inner room. As a daughter-in-law shrinks and is shy on seeing her father-in-law, even so did the female attendants of Sakka, the lord of devas, on seeing the venerable Moggallāna the Great, shrinking and shy, each enter her own inner room.

Then Sakka, the lord of devas, and Vessavaṇa, the great rajah, made the venerable Moggallāna the Great follow them into the Vejayanta Palace and roam about in it, and (they said): “My dear Moggallāna, see this delight of the Vejayanta Palace, and, dear Moggallāna, see that delight of the Vejayanta Palace.” “This shines forth as a deed of merit formerly done by the venerable Kosiya, and people seeing anything delightful speak thus: ‘Indeed it shines forth from the devas of the Thirty-Three, that is to say it shines forth as a deed of merit formerly done by the venerable Kosiya.’”

Then it occurred to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: “This yakkha lives much too indolently. Suppose that I were to agitate this yakkha?” Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great worked such a working of psychic power that with his big toe he made Vejayanta Palace tremble, shake and quake. Then the minds of Sakka, the lord of devas, and of the great rajah Vessavaṇa and of the devas of the Thirty-Three were full of wonder and marvel, and they said: “Indeed, the great psychic power, the great majesty of the recluse is wonderful, it is indeed marvellous, inasmuch as with his big toe he makes this deva-like abode tremble, shake and quake.”

Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great, knowing that Sakka, the lord of devas, was agitated and astounded, spoke thus to Sakka, the lord of devas: “In regard to the talk that the Lord spoke in brief to you, Kosiya, on freedom by the destruction of craving, it were good even for me to hear portions of that talk.” “As to that I, my good Moggallāna, approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, I stood at a respectful distance. As I was standing at a respectful distance, my good Moggallāna, I spoke thus to the Lord: ‘Briefly, Lord, to what extent does a monk come to be freed by the destruction of craving, completely fulfilled, completely secure from the bonds, a complete Brahma-farer, complete as to his culmination, best of devas and men?

When this had been said, my good Moggallāna, the Lord spoke thus to me; ‘It is not fitting that there should be inclination towards any (psycho-physical) conditions.’ If, lord of devas, a monk comes to hear this, that ‘It is not fitting that there should be inclination towards any (psycho-physical) conditions,’ he knows all the conditions thoroughly; by knowing all the conditions thoroughly he knows all the conditions accurately; by knowing all the conditions accurately, whatever feeling he feels, pleasant or painful or neither painful nor pleasant, he abides viewing impermanence, he abides viewing dispassion, he abides viewing stopping, he abides viewing renunciation in regard to those feelings. When he is abiding viewing impermanence, when he is abiding viewing dispassion, when he is abiding viewing stopping, when he is abiding viewing renunciation in regard to these feelings, he grasps after nothing in the world; not grasping he is not troubled; being untroubled he himself is individually attained to nibbāna, and he comprehends: ‘Destroyed is birth, brought to a close is the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or such’. Briefly, it is to this extent, lord of devas, that a monk comes to be freed by the destruction of craving, completely fulfilled, completely secure from the bonds, a complete Brahma-farer, complete as to his culmination, best of devas and men.’ Thus, my good Moggallāna, did the Lord speak to me briefly on freedom by the destruction of craving.” Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great, having rejoiced in what Sakka, the lord of devas, had said, having given thanks, as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or might bend back his outstretched arm, vanishing even so from among the devas of the Thirty-Three, did he become manifest in the palace of Migāra's mother in the Eastern Monastery.

Then soon after the venerable Moggallāna the Great had departed, the female attendants of Sakka, the lord of devas, spake thus to Sakka, the lord of devas: “Good sir, is not this lord your teacher? “Good ladies, this lord is not my teacher, he is a fellow Brahma-farer of mine, the venerable Moggallāna the Great.” “It is a gain for you, good sir, that this fellow Brahma-farer of yours is of such great psychic potency, of such great majesty; certainly this lord is your teacher.”

Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, the venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to the Lord: “Lord, does the Lord know that just now he spoke in brief on freedom by the destruction of craving to a very powerful yakkha?” “I know, Moggallāna, that Sakka, the lord of devas, approached me here; having approached, having greeted me, he stood at a respectful distance. As he was standing at a respectful distance, Sakka, the lord of devas, spoke thus to me, Moggallāna: ‘Briefly, Lord, to what extent does a monk come to be freed by the destruction of craving, completely fulfilled, completely secure from the bonds, a complete Brahma-farer, complete as to his culmination, best of devas and men?

When this had been said, I, Moggallāna, spoke thus to Sakka, the lord of devas: ‘As to this, lord of devas, a monk comes to hear: ‘It is not fitting that there should be inclination towards any (psycho-physical) conditions,’ he knows all the conditions thoroughly; by knowing all the conditions thoroughly he knows all the conditions accurately; by knowing all the conditions accurately, whatever feeling he feels, pleasant or painful or neither painful nor pleasant, he abides viewing impermanence, he abides viewing dispassion, he abides viewing stopping, he abides viewing renunciation in regard to those feelings. When he is abiding viewing impermanence, when he is abiding viewing dispassion, when he is abiding viewing stopping, when he is abiding viewing renunciation in regard to these feelings, he grasps after nothing in the world; not grasping he is not troubled; being untroubled he himself is individually attained to nibbāna, and he comprehends: ‘Destroyed is birth, brought to a close is the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or such’. Briefly, it is to this extent, lord of devas, that a monk comes to be freed by the destruction of craving, completely fulfilled, completely secure from the bonds, a complete Brahma-farer, complete as to his culmination, best of devas and men.’ I, Moggallāna, know that I spoke in brief thus on freedom by the destruction of craving to Sakka, the lord of devas.”

Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, the venerable Moggallāna the Great rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Lesser Discourse on the Destruction of Craving: The Seventh

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in the Eastern Park, in the Palace of Migāra‘s Mother. Then Sakka, the Lord of the Devas¹, approached the Blessed One and stood to one side. While he was standing to one side, Sakka said to the Blessed One, “Bhante, briefly, in what way is a monk one who is liberated by the complete elimination of craving, who has attained the final goal, the final security from entrapment, the final fulfillment of the Holy Life, the final conclusion – the one who is best of devas and humans?”

“Here, Lord of the Devas, a monk has heard, ‘All phenomena are not worth settling on.’ And, Lord of the Devas, when a monk has heard, ‘All phenomena are not worth settling on,’ he comprehends all phenomena. After comprehending all phenomena, he fully understands all phenomena. After fully understanding all phenomena, then whatever feeling he feels – pleasant, painful, or neutral² – he abides perceiving impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment in regard to those feelings. One who abides perceiving impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment in regard to those feelings does not cling to anything in the world. One who does not cling does not become agitated. One who does not become agitated personally attains final Nibbāna, and knows: ‘Birth has been eliminated. The Holy Life has been lived. What was to be done has been done. There will be no further existence here.’ Lord of the Devas, briefly, it is in this way that a monk is one who is liberated by the complete elimination of craving, who has attained the final goal, the final security from entrapment, the final fulfillment of the Holy Life, the final conclusion – the one who is best of devas and humans.”

Then Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, after delighting and rejoicing in the Blessed One‘s speech, paid respects to the Blessed One, and, having done what was appropriate, he immediately disappeared.

Now on this occasion Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna was seated not far from the Blessed One. Then it occurred to Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna, “Did that spirit³ really break through⁴ to the meaning of the Blessed One‘s speech that he rejoiced in, or did he not? Perhaps I should find out about that spirit – whether or not he broke through to the meaning of the Blessed One‘s speech that he rejoiced in.” Then, just as a strong man might contract his extended arm or extend his contracted arm, Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna disappeared from the Palace of Migāra‘s Mother in the Eastern Park, and manifested amidst the Tāvatiṁsa devas. Now on that occasion Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, was amusing himself in the Ekapuṇḍarīka⁵ Garden, supplied with five hundred heavenly musical instruments. Sakka saw Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna coming from afar. After dismissing the five hundred heavenly musical instruments, he approached Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna and said to him, “Come, Sir⁶ Moggallāna! Welcome, Sir Moggallāna! Sir Moggallāna, it has a been a long time since you last came here. Sit, Sir Moggallāna; that is the designated seat.” Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna sat on the designated seat. Sakka took a certain low seat and sat to one side. When Sakka was seated to one side, Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna said to him, “Kosiya⁷, how did the Blessed One briefly state liberation by complete elimination of craving? It would be good if we shared that conversation as well.”

“Sir Moggallāna, we have many duties and much to do – our own business as well as the business of the Tāvatiṁsa devas. Sir Moggallāna, even that which was listened to well, understood⁸ well, paid attention to well, and remembered well quickly disappears from us. Sir Moggallāna, in the past there was a battle between the devas and the asuras⁹. Sir Moggallāna, in that battle the devas won and the asuras were defeated. Sir Moggallāna, after winning that battle and returning from it as a victor in battle, I had the Vejayanta¹⁰ Palace constructed. Sir Moggallāna, Vejayanta Palace has a hundred towers. Each tower has seven pinnacles. Each pinnacle has seven nymphs. Each nymph has seven maidservants. Sir Moggallāna, do you wish to see the delightful Vejayanta palace?” Venerable Moggallāna silently agreed.

Then Sakka and the Great King Vessavaṇa¹¹ approached Vejayanta Palace, with Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna in front of them. Sakka‘s maidservants saw Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna coming from afar; after seeing him, they were filled with a sense of conscience¹² and entered their own rooms. Just as a daughter-in-law is filled with a sense of conscience after seeing her father-in-law, in the same way, after Sakka‘s maidservants saw Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna, they were filled with a sense of conscience and entered their own rooms. Then Sakka and the Great King Vessavaṇa had Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna walk through and investigate the Vejayanta Palace, saying “See, Sir Moggallāna, this is the delightful Vejayanta Palace! See, Sir Moggallāna, this is the delightful Vejayanta Palace!” “This glorifies Sir Kosiya as one who has previously done meritorious deeds. Even when humans see something delightful they say, ‘Oh, this is as glorious as the Tāvatiṁsa devas!’ This glorifies Sir Kosiya as one who has previously done meritorious deeds.” Then it occurred to Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna, “This spirit lives with too much negligence. Perhaps I should instill a sense of urgency¹³ in this spirit.” Then Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna performed a psychic feat, such that he made the Vejayanta Palace quiver, tremble, and shake, using his toe. Then Sakka, the Great King Vessavaṇa, and the Tāvatiṁsa devas were filled with wonder and amazement: “The contemplative‘s power and majesty are so wonderful and amazing, since he can make a celestial structure quiver, tremble, and shake, using his toe!” Then, when Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna knew that Sakka had a sense of urgency, with his hair standing on end, he said to Sakka, “Kosiya, how did the Blessed One briefly state liberation by complete elimination of craving? It would be good if we shared that conversation as well.”

“Sir Moggallāna, here I approached the Blessed One; after approaching and paying respects to the Blessed One, I stood to one side. Sir Moggallāna, while I was standing to one side I said to the Blessed One, ‘Bhante, briefly, in what way is a monk one who is liberated by the complete elimination of craving, who has attained the final goal, the final security from entrapment, the final fulfillment of the Holy Life, the final conclusion – the one who is best of devas and humans?’ When this was said, Sir Moggallāna, the Blessed One said to me, ‘Here, Lord of the Devas, a monk has heard, “All phenomena are not worth settling on.” And, Lord of the Devas, when a monk has heard, “All phenomena are not worth settling on,” he comprehends all phenomena. After comprehending all phenomena, he fully understands all phenomena. After fully understanding all phenomena, then whatever feeling he feels – pleasant, painful, or neutral – he abides perceiving impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment in regard to those feelings. One who abides perceiving impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment in regard to those feelings does not cling to anything in the world. One who does not cling does not become agitated. One who does not become agitated personally attains final Nibbāna, and knows: “Birth has been eliminated. The Holy Life has been lived. What was to be done has been done. There will be no further existence here.” Lord of the Devas, briefly, it is in this way that a monk is one who is liberated by the complete elimination of craving, who has attained the final goal, the final security from entrapment, the final fulfillment of the Holy Life, the final conclusion – the one who is best of devas and humans.’ Sir Moggallāna, it was in this way that the Blessed One briefly stated to me liberation by complete elimination of craving.”

Then Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna delighted and rejoiced in Sakka‘s statement, and, just as a strong man might contract his extended arm or extend his contracted arm, Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna disappeared from amidst the Tāvatiṁsa devas and manifested in the Palace of Migāra‘s Mother in the Eastern Park. Then, not long after Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna‘s departure, Sakka‘s maidservants said to him, “Sir, is that your teacher – the Blessed One?” “Lady, that is not my teacher, the Blessed One. That is Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna, my co-practitioner.” “Sir, it is a gain for you that your co-practitioner has such power and majesty! Oh, how your teacher, the Blessed One, must be!”

Then Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna approached the Blessed One; after approaching and paying respects to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. When he was seated to one side, Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna said to the Blessed One, “Bhante, does the Blessed One recall having briefly stated liberation by complete elimination of craving to a certain famous spirit of great power?” “Moggallāna, I recall that Sakka, the Lord of the Devas, approached me here; after approaching and paying respects he stood to one side. Moggallāna, while he was standing to one side, Sakka said to me, ‘Bhante, briefly, in what way is a monk one who is liberated by the complete elimination of craving, who has attained the final goal, the final security from entrapment, the final fulfillment of the Holy Life, the final conclusion – the one who is best of devas and humans?’ When this was said, Moggallāna, I said this to Sakka: ‘Here, Lord of the Devas, a monk has heard, “All phenomena are not worth settling on.” And, Lord of the Devas, when a monk has heard, “All phenomena are not worth settling on,” he comprehends all phenomena. After comprehending all phenomena, he fully understands all phenomena. After fully understanding all phenomena, then whatever feeling he feels – pleasant, painful, or neutral – he abides perceiving impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment in regard to those feelings. One who abides perceiving impermanence, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment in regard to those feelings does not cling to anything in the world. One who does not cling does not become agitated. One who does not become agitated personally attains final Nibbāna, and knows: “Birth has been eliminated. The Holy Life has been lived. What was to be done has been done. There will be no further existence here.” Lord of the Devas, briefly, it is in this way that a monk is one who is liberated by the complete elimination of craving, who has attained the final goal, the final security from entrapment, the final fulfillment of the Holy Life, the final conclusion – the one who is best of devas and humans.’ Moggallāna, it is in this way that I recall having briefly stated liberation by complete elimination of craving to Sakka, the Lord of the Devas.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, Venerable Mahā-Moggallāna delighted in the Blessed One‘s speech.