1. “Thus I heard. At one time the Blessed One was living at Benares in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There he addressed the bhikkhus of the Group of Five thus:
‘Bhikkhus, there are these two extremes that ought not to be cultivated by one who has gone forth. What two? There is devotion to pursuit of sensual desires, which is low, coarse, vulgar, ignoble and harmful; and there is devotion to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble and harmful. The middle way discovered by the Perfect One avoids both these extremes; it creates an eye, creates knowledge, and leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to nibbana. And what is that middle way? It is this noble Eightfold Path, that is to say: right view, right thought, right speaking, right acting, right living, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the middle way discovered by the Perfect One, which creates an eye, creates knowledge, and leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to nibbana.
‘There is this noble actuality of suffering: birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, association with what is disliked is suffering, dissociation from what is liked is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering—in short, the five aggregates [as objects] of clinging are suffering.
‘There is this noble actuality of the origin of suffering: it is craving, which produces renewed being, is accompanied by delight and greed, delighting in this and that; in other words, craving for sensual desires, craving for being, craving for non-being.
‘There is this noble actuality of the cessation of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the denying, relinquishing, leaving, rejecting of it.
‘There is this noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: it is this noble eightfold path, that is to say: right view, right thought, right speaking, right acting, right living, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
‘There is this noble actuality of suffering: such was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of suffering must be fully understood: such was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of suffering has been fully understood: such was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before.
‘There is this noble actuality of the origin of suffering: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of the origin of suffering must be abandoned: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of the origin of suffering has been abandoned: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before.
‘There is this noble actuality of the cessation of suffering: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of the cessation of suffering must be realized: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of the cessation of suffering has been realized: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose in me about ideas not heard before.
‘There is this noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering must be developed: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed: such was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before.
‘As long as my correct knowledge and seeing in these twelve aspects—in these three phases in regard to these four noble actualities—was not quite purified, so long did I not claim to have discovered the full enlightenment that is supreme in the world with its deities, its Māras and its Brahmā Gods, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmans, its princes and men. But as soon as my correct knowledge and seeing in these twelve aspects—in these three phases in regard to each of these four noble actualities—was quite purified, then I claimed to have discovered the full enlightenment that is supreme in the world with its deities, its Māras and its Brahmā Gods, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmans, its princes and men.
‘The knowledge and seeing arose in me: My will's deliverance is unassailable; this is the last birth; there is now no renewal of being’.
‘So the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus of the Group of Five were glad, and they rejoiced at the Blessed One's words.
‘Now while this discourse was being delivered, the spotless, stainless Eye of the True Idea arose in the venerable Koṇḍañña thus: “All that is subject to arising is subject to cessation”.
‘And when the Wheel of the True Idea had been set rolling by the Blessed One, the earth deities cried out: “At Benares, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, a Perfect One, Accomplished and fully Enlightened, has set the matchless Wheel of the True Idea rolling, that cannot be stopped by ascetic or brahman or deity or Māra or Brahmā God or anyone in the world”. And hearing the earth deities' cry, the deities of the Cātumahārājika Heaven cried out: “At Benares, …” And hearing the Cātumahārājika deities' cry, the deities of Tāvatiṃsa … the deities of Tusita … the deities of Yāma … the deities of Nimmānarati … the deities of Paranimmitavasavatti … the deities of Brahmā's Retinue cried out: “At Benares, …” So the news went at that moment, at that minute, at that instant right up to the Brahmā World. And this ten-thousand-fold world principle shook and quaked and trembled while a great measureless light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared in the world. Then the Blessed One exclaimed: “Koṇḍañña knows, Koṇḍañña knows”!, and so that venerable one acquired the name Aññatar Koṇḍañña—Koṇḍañña who knows’,”.
2. “There is this noble actuality of suffering: such was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before”.
3. The eye that arose: in what sense? The knowledge that arose: in what sense? The understanding that arose: in what sense? The recognition that arose: in what sense? The light that arose: in what sense?
The eye that arose in the meaning of seeing. The knowledge that arose in the meaning of what-is-known. The understanding that arose in the meaning of act-of-understanding. The recognition that arose in the meaning of penetration. The light that arose in the meaning of illumination.
4. The eye is an idea, the knowledge is an idea, the understanding is an idea, the recognition is an idea, the light is an idea. These five ideas are the supporting object and the domain of the discrimination-of-ideas. Those that are its supporting object are its domain; those that are its domain are its supporting object. Hence it is said: Knowledge of ideas is the discrimination-of-ideas.
Meaning as seeing is a meaning, meaning as what-is-known is a meaning, meaning as act-of-understanding is a meaning, meaning as penetration is a meaning, meaning as illumination is a meaning. These five meanings are the supporting object and the domain of the discrimination-of-meaning. Those that are its supporting object are its domain; those that are its domain are its supporting object. Hence it is said: Knowledge of meanings is the discrimination-of-meaning.
There are enunciation of word-language in order to indicate the five sorts of ideas and enunciation of word-language in order to indicate the five sorts of meanings. These ten sorts of language are the supporting object and the domain of the discrimination-of-language. Those that are its supporting object are its domain; those that are its domain are its supporting object. Hence it is said: Knowledge of kinds of language is discrimination-of-language.
There are [instances of] knowledge of the five sorts of ideas and [instances of] knowledge of the five sorts of meaning and [instances of] knowledge of the ten sorts of language. These twenty [instances of] knowledge are the supporting object and the domain of the discrimination-of-perspicuity. Those that are its supporting object are its domain; those that are its domain are its supporting object. Hence it is said: Knowledge of kinds of perspicuity is discrimination-of-perspicuity.
5. “This noble actuality of suffering is to be fully understood: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
6.–7. The eye that arose: in what sense? … [repeat § 3]
8. “This noble actuality of suffering has been fully understood: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
9.–10. The eye that arose: in what sense? … [repeat § 3]. … Hence it is said: Knowledge of kinds of perspicuity is discrimination-of-perspicuity.
11. In the case of the noble actuality of suffering there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
12. “There is this noble actuality of the origin of suffering: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
13. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
14. The eye is an idea, …
15. “This noble actuality of the origin of suffering is to be abandoned: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
16.–17. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
18. “This noble actuality of the origin of suffering has been abandoned: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
19.–20. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
21. In the case of the noble actuality of the origin of suffering there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
22. “There is this noble actuality of the cessation of suffering: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
23.–24. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
25. “This noble actuality of the cessation of suffering is to be realized: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
26.–27. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
28. “This noble actuality of the cessation of suffering has been realized: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
29.–30. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
31. In the case of the noble actuality of the cessation of suffering there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
32. “There is this noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
33.–34. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
35. “This noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering is to be developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
36.–37. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
38. “This noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
39.–40. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
41. In the case of the noble actuality of the way leading to the cessation of suffering there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
42. In the case of the four actualities together there are 60 ideas, 60 meanings, 120 [instances of] language, and 240 [instances of] knowledge.
43. “There is this contemplation of the body: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This contemplation of the body as a body is to be developed: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This contemplation of the body as a body has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before.
“There is this contemplation of feelings as feelings: such, …
“There is this contemplation of cognizance as cognizance: such, …
“There is this contemplation of ideas as ideas: such, … not heard before”.
44. “There is this contemplation of the body as a body: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
45. The eye arose: in what sense? … [as in § 3]
The eye that arose in the meaning of seeing … The light that arose in the meaning of illumination.
46. The eye is an idea, … [and so on as in § 4] … Hence it is said: Knowledge of kinds of perspicuity is discrimination-of-perspicuity.
47. “This contemplation of the body as a body is to be developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
48.–49. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
50. “This contemplation of the body as a body has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
51.–52. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
53. In the case of the contemplation of the body as a body there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
54. “There is this contemplation of feelings as feelings: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
55.–56. The eye that arose: in what sense?
57. “This contemplation of feelings as feelings is to be developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
58.–59. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
60. “This contemplation of feelings as feelings has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
61.–62. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
63. In the case of contemplation of feelings as feelings there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
64. “There is this contemplation of cognizance as cognizance: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
65.–66. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
67. “This contemplation of cognizance as cognizance is to be developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
68.–69. The eye that arose: in what sense?
70. “This contemplation of cognizance as cognizance has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
71.–72. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
73. In the case of contemplation of cognizance as cognizance there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
74. “There is this contemplation of ideas as ideas: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
75.–76. The eye that arose: in what sense?
77. “This contemplation of ideas as ideas is to be developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
78.–79. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
80. “This contemplation of ideas as ideas has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
81.–82. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
83. In the case of contemplation of ideas as ideas there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
84. In the case of the four foundations of mindfulness together there are 60 ideas, 60 meanings, 120 [instances of] language, and 240 [instances of] knowledge.
85. “There is this basis for success (road to power) that possesses both concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This basis for success that possesses concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour is to be developed: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before. This basis for success that possesses concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour has been developed: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in me about ideas not heard before.
“There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to energy and the volitional-formation to endeavour …
“There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to cognizance and the volitional-formation to endeavour: …
“There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to inquiry and the volitional-formation to endeavour …”.
86. “There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
87.–88. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
89. “This basis for success that possesses both concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour is to be developed: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
90.–91. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
92. “This basis for success that possesses both concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour has been developed: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
93.–94. The eye that arose: in what sense? …
95. In the case of the basis for success that possesses both concentration due to zeal and the volitional-formation to endeavour there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
96.–104. “There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to energy and the volitional-formation to endeavour: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
… [complete as above] …
105. In the case of the basis for success that possesses both concentration due to energy and the volitional-formation to endeavour there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
106.–114. “There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to cognizance and the volitional-formation to endeavour: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
… [complete as above] …
115. In the case of the basis for success that possesses both concentration due to cognizance and the volitional-formation to endeavour there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
116.–124. “There is this basis for success that possesses both concentration due to inquiry and the volitional-formation to endeavour: such was the eye that arose, … about ideas not heard before”.
… [complete as above] …
125. In the case of the basis for success that possesses both concentration due to inquiry and the volitional-formation to endeavour there are 15 ideas, 15 meanings, 30 [instances of] language, and 60 [instances of] knowledge.
126. In the case of the four bases for success together there are 60 ideas, 60 meanings, 120 [instances of] language, and 240 [instances of] knowledge.
127. “Arising, arising: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, the knowledge that arose, the understanding that arose, the recognition that arose, the light that arose, in the Bodhisatta Vipassin about ideas not heard before”.
“Cessation, cessation: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in the Bodhisatta Vipassin about ideas not heard before”.
128. In the Bodhisatta Vipassin's declaration there are 10 ideas, 10 meanings, 20 [instances of] language, and 40 [instances of] knowledge.
129.–130. “Arising, arising: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … in the Bodhisatta Sikhin …”.
131.–132. “ … in the Bodhisatta Vessabhū …”.
133.–134. “ … in the Bodhisatta Kakusandha …”.
135.–136. “ … in the Bodhisatta Koṇāgamana …”.
137.–138. “ … in the Bodhisatta Kassapa …”.
140. “Arising, arising: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … the light that arose in the Bodhisatta Gotama about ideas not heard before”.
“Cessation, cessation: such, bhikkhus, was the eye that arose, … the light that arose, in the Bodhisatta Gotama about ideas not heard before”.
141. In the Bodhisatta Gotama's declaration there are 10 ideas, 10 meanings, 20 [instances of] language, and 40 [instances of] knowledge.
142. In the seven Bodhisattas' declarations there are 70 ideas, seventy meanings, 140 [instances of] language, and 280 [instances of] knowledge.
143. It is in so far as direct knowledge's meaning of direct knowledge is known, seen, recognized, realized, and sounded by understanding, and in so far as there is no meaning of direct knowledge unsounded by understanding, that the eye arose, the knowledge arose, the understanding arose, the recognition arose, the light arose.
In the case of direct knowledge's meaning of direct knowledge there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
144. It is in so far as full understanding's meaning of full understanding is known, …
145. … abandoning's meaning of abandoning …
146. … development's meaning of development …
147. … realization's meaning of realization … the light arose.
In the case of realization's meaning of realization there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
148. In the case of direct knowledge's meaning of direct knowledge, full understanding's meaning of full understanding, abandoning's meaning of abandoning, development's meaning of development, and realization's meaning of realization, there are 125 ideas, 125 meanings, 250 [instances of] language, and 500 [instances of] knowledge.
149. It is in so far as the aggregates' meaning of aggregate is known, seen, recognized, … the light arose.
In the case of the aggregates' meaning of aggregate there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
150. It is in so far as the principles' meaning of principle is known, …
151. … the bases' meaning of base …
152. … instances of the formed's meaning of being formed …
153. … the unformed's meaning of being unformed … the light arose.
In the case of the unformed's meaning of being unformed there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
154. In the case of the aggregates' meaning of aggregate, the principles' meaning of principle, the bases' meaning of base, the formed's meaning of being formed, the unformed's meaning of being unformed, there are 125 ideas, 125 meanings, 250 [instances of] language, and 500 [instances of] knowledge.
155. It is in so far as suffering's meaning of suffering is known, seen, recognized, … the light arose.
In the case of suffering's meaning of suffering there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
156. … origin's meaning of origin …
157. … cessation's meaning of cessation …
158. … the path's meaning of path … the light arose.
In the case of the path's meaning of path there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
159. In the case of the four noble actualities there are 100 ideas, 100 meanings, 200 [instances of] language, and 400 [instances of] knowledge.
160. It is in so far as the discrimination-of-meaning's meaning of discrimination-of-meaning is known, seen, recognized … the light arose.
In the case of the discrimination-of-meaning's meaning of discrimination-of-meaning there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
161. … the discrimination-of-ideas' meaning of discrimination-of-ideas …
162. … the discrimination-of-language's meaning of discrimination of language …
163. … the discrimination-of-perspicuity's meaning of discrimination-of-perspicuity … the light arose.
In the case of the discrimination-of-perspicuity's meaning of discrimination-of-perspicuity there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
164. In the case of the four discriminations there are 100 ideas, 100 meanings, 200 [instances of] language, and 400 [instances of] knowledge.
165. It is in so far as the knowledge of penetration of others' faculties is known, seen, recognized, … the light arose.
In the case of knowledge of penetration of others' faculties there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
166. … knowledge of beings' biasses and underlying tendencies …
167. … knowledge of the Twin Metamorphosis …
168. … knowledge of the Great Compassion …
169. … Omniscient Knowledge …
170. It is in so far as Unobstructed Knowledge is known, seen, … the light arose.
In the case of Unobstructed Knowledge there are 25 ideas, 25 meanings, 50 [instances of] language, and 100 [instances of] knowledge.
171. In the case of the six Buddha Ideas there are 150 ideas, 150 meanings, 300 [instances of] language, and 600 [instances of] knowledge.
172. In the matter of the discriminations there are 850 ideas, 850 meanings, 1700 [instances of] language, and 3400 [instances of] knowledge.
End of Treatise on discriminations.