sn.35.63 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Migajala (1)

At Savatthi. Then the Venerable Migajala approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Venerable sir, it is said, ‘a lone dweller, a lone dweller.’ In what way, venerable sir, is one a lone dweller, and in what way is one dwelling with a partner?”

“There are, Migajala, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them, welcomes them, and remains holding to them, delight arises. When there is delight, there is infatuation. When there is infatuation, there is bondage. Bound by the fetter of delight, Migajala, a bhikkhu is called one dwelling with a partner.

“There are, Migajala, sounds cognizable by the ear … odours cognizable by the nose … tastes cognizable by the tongue … tactile objects cognizable by the body … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu seeks delight in them … he is called one dwelling with a partner.

“Migajala, even though a bhikkhu who dwells thus resorts to forests and groves, to remote lodgings where there are few sounds and little noise, desolate, hidden from people, appropriate for seclusion, he is still called one dwelling with a partner. For what reason? Because craving is his partner, and he has not abandoned it; therefore he is called one dwelling with a partner.

“There are, Migajala, forms cognizable by the eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain holding to them, delight ceases. When there is no delight, there is no infatuation. When there is no infatuation, there is no bondage. Released from the fetter of delight, Migajala, a bhikkhu is called a lone dweller.

“There are, Migajala, sounds cognizable by the ear … odours cognizable by the nose … tastes cognizable by the tongue … tactile objects cognizable by the body … mental phenomena cognizable by the mind that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, sensually enticing, tantalizing. If a bhikkhu does not seek delight in them … he is called a lone dweller.

“Migajala, even though a bhikkhu who dwells thus lives in the vicinity of a village, associating with bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, with male and female lay followers, with kings and royal ministers, with sectarian teachers and their disciples, he is still called a lone dweller. For what reason? Because craving is his partner, and he has abandoned it; therefore he is called a lone dweller.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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With Migajāla (1st)

At Sāvatthī.
Then Venerable Migajāla went up to the Buddha …
and said to him:
“Sir, they speak of one who lives alone.
How is one who lives alone defined? And how is living with a partner defined?”
“Migajāla, there are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,
this gives rise to relishing.
When there’s relishing there’s lust.
When there’s lust there is a fetter.
A mendicant who is fettered by relishing is said to live with a partner.
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
There are thoughts known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,
this gives rise to relishing.
When there’s relishing there’s lust.
When there’s lust there is a fetter.
A mendicant who is fettered by relishing is said to live with a partner.
A mendicant who lives like this is said to live with a partner, even if they frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest that are quiet and still, far from the madding crowd, remote from human settlements, and fit for retreat.

Why is that?
For craving is their partner, and they haven’t given it up.
That’s why they’re said to live with a partner.
There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them,
relishing ceases.
When there’s no relishing there’s no lust.
When there’s no lust there’s no fetter.
A mendicant who is not fettered by relishing is said to live alone.
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
There are thoughts known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them,
relishing ceases.
When there’s no relishing there’s no lust.
When there’s no lust there’s no fetter.
A mendicant who is not fettered by relishing is said to live alone.
A mendicant who lives like this is said to live alone, even if they live within a village crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their ministers, and teachers of other paths and their disciples.

Why is that?
For craving is their partner, and they have given it up.
That’s why they’re said to live alone.”