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sn.22.122 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Virtuous One

On one occasion Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were living at Vārāṇasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. Then in the evening Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita emerged from retreat, approached Venerable Sāriputta, and said to him, “Venerable Sāriputta, what phenomena are to be paid wise attention to by a virtuous monk?”

“Venerable Koṭṭhita, a virtuous monk is to wisely pay attention to the five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty1, and impersonal2. What are the five? The physical form component of attachment, the feeling component of attachment, the recognition component of attachment, the thought component of attachment, and the consciousness component of attachment. Venerable Koṭṭhita, a virtuous monk is to wisely pay attention to these five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal. Venerable, it is possible that a virtuous monk who wisely pays attention to these five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal can realize the fruit of stream-entry.”

“But, Venerable Sāriputta, what phenomena are to be paid wise attention to by a monk who is a stream-enterer?”

“Venerable Koṭṭhita, a monk who is a stream-enterer is also to wisely pay attention to the five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal… Venerable, it is possible that a monk who is a stream-enterer that wisely pays attention to these five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal can realize the fruit of once-return.”

“But, Venerable Sāriputta, what phenomena are to be paid wise attention to by a monk who is a once-returner?”

“Venerable Koṭṭhita, a monk who is a once-returner is also to wisely pay attention to the five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal… Venerable, it is possible that a monk who is a once-returner that wisely pays attention to these five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal can realize the fruit of non-return.”

“But, Venerable Sāriputta, what phenomena are to be paid wise attention to by a monk who is a non-returner?”

“Venerable Koṭṭhita, a monk who is a non-returner is also to wisely pay attention to the five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal… Venerable, it is possible that a monk who is a non-returner that wisely pays attention to these five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal can realize the fruit of Arahant.”

“But, Venerable Sāriputta, what phenomena are to be paid wise attention to by a monk who is an Arahant?”

“Venerable Koṭṭhita, a monk who is an Arahant is also to wisely pay attention to the five components of attachment as impermanent, unsatisfactory, disease, cancer, stabbing, misfortune, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and impersonal. Venerable, it is not there is anything more for an Arahant to do or to accumulate; however, when these are developed and cultivated, they are conducive to a pleasant life here and now, and to mindfulness and clear awareness.”

- Translator: Suddhāso Bhikkhu

- Editor: Aminah Borg-Luck

An Ethical Mendicant

At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana.
Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and said:
“Reverend Sāriputta, what things should an ethical mendicant properly attend to?”
“Reverend Koṭṭhita, an ethical mendicant should properly attend to the five grasping aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.
What five?
That is, the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
An ethical mendicant should properly attend to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.
It’s possible that an ethical mendicant who properly attends to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of stream-entry.”
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a mendicant stream-enterer properly attend to?”
“A mendicant stream-enterer should also properly attend to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent … as not-self.
It’s possible that a mendicant stream-enterer who properly attends to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of once-return.”
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a mendicant once-returner properly attend to?”
“A mendicant once-returner should also properly attend to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent … as not-self.
It’s possible that a mendicant once-returner who properly attends to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of non-return.”
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a mendicant non-returner properly attend to?”
“A mendicant non-returner should also properly attend to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent … as not-self.
It’s possible that a mendicant non-returner who properly attends to the five grasping aggregates will realize perfection.”
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a perfected one properly attend to?”
“Reverend Koṭṭhita, a perfected one should also properly attend to the five grasping aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.
A perfected one has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement.
Still, these things, when developed and cultivated, lead to blissful meditation in the present life, and also to mindfulness and situational awareness.”