MN 5 Study Guide

The Nature of "Blemishes"

In the context of this Sutta, a "blemish" is defined as the spheres of evil unwholesome wishes. These are typically manifested as anger and bitterness when a specific selfish desire is not met. Common examples include:

• Wishing for offenses to remain unknown to the community.

• Wishing to be admonished in private rather than in public.

• Wishing for preferential treatment in alms, seating, or teaching opportunities.

• Wishing for superior requisites (robes, food, medicine) over others.

The Role of Internal Purity vs. External Practice

The text emphasizes that external ascetic practices—such as being a forest dweller or wearing refuse-rag robes—do not earn the respect of the holy community if internal "spheres of evil unwholesome wishes" remain unabandoned. Conversely, those who live in villages and accept household robes are highly respected if they have abandoned these internal blemishes.

II. Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2–3 sentences based on the text.

1. What is the primary factor that makes a person with a blemish "superior" to another person with a blemish?

2. According to the simile of the bronze dish, what happens to a person who has a blemish but does not recognize it?

3. Why is a person without a blemish who lacks self-awareness still considered "inferior"?

4. How does Sāriputta define the word "blemish"?

5. What is the specific emotional reaction that identifies the presence of an unwholesome wish or blemish?

6. Provide an example from the text of a blemish related to the teaching of the Dhamma.

7. According to the text, why might a bhikkhu who practices extreme asceticism (like wearing rough robes) still be disrespected by his peers?

8. Describe the simile used to illustrate how a bhikkhu with unabandoned blemishes is perceived by others, regardless of his external purity.

9. In the cartwright simile told by Mahā Moggallāna, what does the "planing" of the felloe represent?

10. How do "clansmen who have gone forth out of faith" respond to Sāriputta’s teachings?

III. Quiz Answer Key

1. Question 1 Answer: A person with a blemish is considered superior if they understand "as it actually is" that they have a blemish. This awareness allows them to arouse zeal and make the necessary effort to abandon the defilement.

2. Question 2 Answer: Like a dirty bronze dish put away in a dusty corner and never cleaned, such a person will become more defiled over time. They will fail to instigate the energy needed to change and will die with a mind corrupted by lust, hate, and delusion.

3. Question 3 Answer: They are inferior because their lack of self-awareness leads them to give attention to the "sign of the beautiful." This lack of vigilance allows lust to infect the mind, eventually leading to a defiled death despite their initial lack of blemishes.

4. Question 4 Answer: Sāriputta explains that "blemish" is a technical term for the "spheres of evil unwholesome wishes." These are internal desires for status, secrecy regarding faults, and preferential treatment.

5. Question 5 Answer: The identifying reaction is anger and bitterness. When a bhikkhu's unwholesome wish—such as wanting to be the one to give the blessing after a meal—is thwarted by someone else receiving the honor, the resulting resentment is the blemish.

6. Question 6 Answer: A bhikkhu might wish that the Teacher would ask him questions to explain the Dhamma instead of asking someone else. If the Teacher chooses another bhikkhu, and the first bhikkhu feels bitter or angry, that is a blemish.

7. Question 7 Answer: Respect is based on internal purity rather than external lifestyle. If the spheres of evil unwholesome wishes are seen to be unabandoned, the community will not honor the bhikkhu, even if he lives in a remote forest or wears refuse-rag robes.

8. Question 8 Answer: Such a person is compared to a clean-looking bronze dish that contains the carcass of a snake, dog, or human. Once the lid is lifted and the "carcass" (the unwholesome wishes) is revealed, others feel only loathing, repugnance, and disgust.

9. Question 9 Answer: The planing represents the removal of bends, twists, and faults from the mind. Moggallāna suggests that Sāriputta’s discourse "planes out" the faults of those who are fraudulent or vain, just as the cartwright planes the wood to reach the heartwood.

10. Question 10 Answer: These individuals "drink in and eat" the discourse by word and thought. They are compared to a person fond of adornment receiving a beautiful garland of flowers and placing it joyfully upon their head.

IV. Essay Questions

Instructions: Use the provided text to develop detailed responses to the following prompts.

1. The Necessity of Self-Reflection: Analyze the Sutta’s argument that self-awareness is more critical for spiritual development than the current presence or absence of a blemish.

2. The Definition of Evil Wishes: Discuss the various types of unwholesome wishes listed by Sāriputta. How do these wishes center on the ego and social standing within the Sangha?

3. Metaphors of Transformation: Compare and contrast the similes of the bronze dish and the cartwright's felloe. How do these images illustrate the process of spiritual maintenance and the removal of faults?

4. Authenticity vs. Appearance: Evaluate the text's stance on external religious practice (asceticism) versus internal mental state. What does this suggest about the community’s standard for "the holy life"?

5. The Interaction of Sāriputta and Moggallāna: Explore the relationship between these two figures as presented in the conclusion of the text. How does their mutual rejoicing reinforce the message of the Sutta?

V. Glossary of Key Terms

• Ājīvaka: A member of a particular ascetic sect; in this text, Paṇḍuputta is the son of a former cartwright and an Ājīvaka.

• Bhikkhu: A Buddhist monk; the primary audience for Sāriputta’s discourse.

• Blemish (Anangana): A term for the "spheres of evil unwholesome wishes," specifically the anger and bitterness arising from selfish desires for status or secrecy.

• Dhamma: The teachings or truth; the subject of the discourse being shared by Sāriputta.

• Driveller: A person who speaks nonsense or lacks mental clarity; contrasted with those who possess wisdom.

• Felloe: The outer rim of a wheel; used in the cartwright simile to represent the mind being planed of its faults.

• Heartwood: The dense, inner part of a tree trunk; metaphorically represents a mind that has been planed of bends, twists, and faults.

• Requisites: The basic necessities for a bhikkhu, including robes, almsfood, resting places, and medicinal supplies.

• Sangha: The community of bhikkhus; the social context in which many "blemishes" regarding status and recognition manifest.

• Sign of the Beautiful: An object of attention that can provoke lust if the mind is not guarded by self-awareness.

• Zeal: Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective; specifically the drive required to abandon internal blemishes.