sn.35.151 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

A Student

“Mendicants, this spiritual life is lived without a resident student and without a teaching master.
A mendicant who lives with a resident student and a teaching master lives in suffering and discomfort.
A mendicant who lives without a resident student and a teaching master lives in happiness and comfort.
And how does a mendicant who lives with a resident student and a teaching master live in suffering and discomfort?
When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Those qualities reside within. Since they have bad unskillful qualities residing within,
they’re said to have a resident student.
Those qualities master them. Since they’re mastered by bad unskillful qualities,
they’re said to have a teaching master.
Furthermore, when a mendicant hears … smells … tastes … touches …



knows a thought with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Those qualities reside within. Since they have bad unskillful qualities residing within,
they’re said to have a resident student.
Those qualities master them. Since they’re mastered by bad unskillful qualities,
they’re said to have a teaching master.
That’s how a mendicant who lives with a resident student and a teaching master lives in suffering and discomfort.
And how does a mendicant who lives without a resident student and a teaching master live in happiness and comfort?
When a mendicant sees a sight with the eye, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Those qualities don’t reside within. Since they don’t have bad unskillful qualities residing within,
they’re said to not have a resident student.
Those qualities don’t master them. Since they’re not mastered by bad unskillful qualities,
they’re said to not have a teaching master.
Furthermore, when a mendicant hears … smells … tastes … touches …



knows a thought with the mind, bad, unskillful phenomena don’t arise: memories and thoughts prone to fetters.
Those qualities don’t reside within. Since they don’t have bad unskillful qualities residing within,
they’re said to not have a resident student.
Those qualities don’t master them. Since they’re not mastered by bad unskillful qualities,
they’re said to not have a teaching master.
That’s how a mendicant who lives without a resident student and a teaching master lives in happiness and comfort.
This spiritual life is lived without a resident student and without a teaching master.
A mendicant who lives with a resident student and a teaching master lives in suffering and discomfort.
A mendicant who lives without a resident student and a teaching master lives in happiness and comfort.”