Majjhima Nikaya 1

Source: Nanamoli, Bhikkhu; Bodhi, Bhikkhu. The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (The Teachings of the Buddha). Purchase the book. 

1 Mūlapariyāya Sutta-The Root of All Things

[1] 1. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in Ukkaṭṭhā in the Subhaga Grove at the root of a royal sāla tree. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.” — “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

2. “Bhikkhus, I shall teach you a discourse on the root of all things. Listen and attend closely to what I shall say.” — “Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

(THE ORDINARY PERSON)

3. “Here, bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, perceives earth as earth. Having perceived earth as earth, he conceives [himself as] earth, he conceives [himself] in earth, he conceives [himself apart] from earth, he conceives earth to be ‘mine,’ he delights in earth. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

4. “He perceives water as water. Having perceived water as water, he conceives [himself as] water, he conceives [himself] in water, he conceives [himself apart] from water, he conceives water to be ‘mine,’ he delights in water. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

5. “He perceives fire as fire...

6. “He perceives air as air...

7. “He perceives beings as beings...

8. “He perceives gods as gods...

9. “He perceives Pajāpati as Pajāpati...

10. “He perceives Brahmā as Brahmā...

11. “He perceives the gods of Streaming Radiance as the gods of Streaming Radiance...

12. “He perceives the gods of Refulgent Glory as the gods of Refulgent Glory...

13. “He perceives the gods of Great Fruit as the gods of Great Fruit...

14. “He perceives the Overlord as the Overlord...

15. “He perceives the base of infinite space as the base of infinite space...

16. “He perceives the base of infinite consciousness as the base of infinite consciousness...

17. “He perceives the base of nothingness as the base of nothingness...

18. “He perceives the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception...

19. “He perceives the seen as the seen...

20. “He perceives the heard as the heard...

21. “He perceives the sensed as the sensed...

22. “He perceives the cognized as the cognized...

23. “He perceives unity as unity...

24. “He perceives diversity as diversity...

25. “He perceives all as all...

26. “He perceives Nibbāna as Nibbāna. Having perceived Nibbāna as Nibbāna, he conceives [himself as] Nibbāna, he conceives [himself] in Nibbāna, he conceives [himself apart] from Nibbāna, he conceives Nibbāna to be ‘mine,’ he delights in Nibbāna. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

(THE DISCIPLE IN HIGHER TRAINING)

27. “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is in higher training, whose mind has not yet reached the goal, and who is still aspiring to the supreme security from bondage, directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he should not conceive [himself as] earth, he should not conceive [himself] in earth, he should not conceive [himself apart] from earth, he should not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he should not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he must fully understand it, I say.

28–49. “He directly knows water as water... He directly knows all as all...

50. “He directly knows Nibbāna as Nibbāna. Having directly known Nibbāna as Nibbāna, he should not conceive [himself as] Nibbāna, he should not conceive [himself] in Nibbāna, he should not conceive [himself apart] from Nibbāna, he should not conceive Nibbāna to be ‘mine,’ he should not delight in Nibbāna. Why is that? Because he must fully understand it, I say.

(THE ARAHANT — I)

51. “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an arahant with taints destroyed... he too directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive [himself as] earth, he does not conceive [himself] in earth, he does not conceive [himself apart] from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he has fully understood it, I say.

52–74. “He too directly knows water as water... Nibbāna as Nibbāna... Why is that? Because he has fully understood it, I say.

(THE ARAHANT — II-IV)

75–146. [The text repeats the formula for the Arahant, stating he does not conceive because he is free from lust, free from hate, and free from delusion through their destruction.]

(THE TATHĀGATA — I)

147. “Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata, too, accomplished and fully enlightened, directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive [himself as] earth, he does not conceive [himself] in earth, he does not conceive [himself apart] from earth, he does not conceive earth to be ‘mine,’ he does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because the Tathāgata has fully understood it to the end, I say.

148–170. “He too directly knows water as water... Nibbāna as Nibbāna... Why is that? Because the Tathāgata has fully understood it to the end, I say.

(THE TATHĀGATA — II)

171. “Bhikkhus, the Tathāgata, too, accomplished and fully enlightened, directly knows earth as earth... Why is that? Because he has understood that delight is the root of suffering, and that with being [as condition] there is birth, and that for whatever has come to be there is ageing and death. Therefore, bhikkhus, through the complete destruction, fading away, cessation, giving up, and relinquishing of cravings, the Tathāgata has awakened to supreme full enlightenment, I say.”

172–194. “He too directly knows water as water... Nibbāna as Nibbāna... Why is that? Because he has understood that delight is the root of suffering... the Tathāgata has awakened to supreme full enlightenment, I say.”

That is what the Blessed One said. But those bhikkhus did not delight in the Blessed One’s words.