Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
The supreme development of the faculties is not avoiding sense experience, but meeting whatever arises through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind — pleasant, unpleasant, or mixed — with the immediate, trained understanding that it is conditioned and impermanent, so that equanimity establishes itself as fast and effortlessly as a person with clear eyes opening and shutting them.
A teacher’s answer, and its refutation
The brahmin student Uttara, a pupil of the teacher Pārāsariya, comes to the Buddha and is asked directly whether his teacher instructs his disciples in “the development of the faculties.” He does, Uttara says — and describes it: “it’s when the eye sees no sight and the ear hears no sound.” The Buddha’s reply is immediate and, in its way, quietly devastating: “In that case, Uttara, a blind person and a deaf person will have developed faculties according to what Pārāsariya says. For a blind person sees no sight with the eye and a deaf person hears no sound with the ear.” Uttara has no answer. He “sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say” — one of the canon’s more quietly humane portraits of a young man watching his teacher’s whole method collapse in a single sentence.
Turning to Ānanda
Rather than press the point further, the Buddha turns to Ānanda and simply names what has just been shown: “the development of the faculties taught by Pārāsariya is quite different from the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One.” Ānanda, in the traditional formula requesting a teaching, asks the Buddha to explain what that supreme development actually is. What follows is addressed to Ānanda, not to Uttara, who has already left the scene — the corrective moment past, the discourse moves on to substance.
What actually happens: three states, one pattern
For each of the six senses in turn, the Buddha describes the same three-part event: on seeing a sight (or hearing a sound, and so on), “what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable” arises. This is presented as simply what happens — not a failure, not something a trainee could have prevented by more diligent avoidance. The entire teaching turns on what happens next.
The supreme development: seeing through what arose
A person who has supremely developed the faculties understands, the moment any of these three states arises: “That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.” And with that understanding, “the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized.” The famous image for the speed of this shift recurs for each sense in a different form — for the eye, “like how a person with clear eyes might open their eyes then shut them, or might shut their eyes then open them”; for the ear, a strong person snapping their fingers; for the nose, a drop of water rolling off a gently sloping lotus leaf; for the tongue, spitting out a gathered glob of spit; for the body, extending or bending an arm; for the mind, a few drops of water instantly evaporating on an iron cauldron that has been heated all day. Six different images, one single point: for someone who has developed this fully, the return to equanimity is not effortful. It is simply how experience now moves.
Three levels, not one
Having described the supreme development itself, the Buddha carefully distinguishes it from two other conditions, so that no one mistakes an earlier stage for the finished one. A practicing trainee also has the agreeable, disagreeable, and mixed states arise — but is “horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that.” This is not condemned as failure; it is named plainly as the trainee’s stage, someone still actively working, for whom aversion to the arising itself is part of how the practice currently operates. A step further, a noble one with developed faculties has a wider and more supple range of options available at will: to perceive the unrepulsive in the repulsive, the repulsive in the unrepulsive, the unrepulsive in both, the repulsive in both, or simply to stay equanimous, mindful, and aware, “shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive” — a set of freely chosen perceptual skills, not a fixed reaction. Only beyond this lies the third and final condition described at the discourse’s opening: equanimity that is not achieved, chosen, or worked toward at all in the moment, but is simply the resting state, present without effort, the way it is for the Tathāgata himself.
| Level | Response to what arises |
|---|---|
| Practicing trainee | horrified, repelled, disgusted by the agreeable, disagreeable, or mixed state that has arisen |
| Noble one with developed faculties | can freely choose among several ways of perceiving the object, or rest in equanimity at will |
| The fully accomplished one | equanimity is simply the natural, already-present condition — nothing to achieve |
A closing exhortation, and a closing line
The discourse’s final words to Ānanda are brief and practical: “Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, Ānanda! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.” It is, in substance, the same instruction the Buddha is recorded giving throughout the canon — and here, at the very close of the Majjhima Nikāya, it doubles as something more: the last direct exhortation of the whole collection, addressed to the disciple who accompanied the Buddha most constantly, urging him not to let understanding stop at hearing the teaching. After it, the text itself simply notes: The Middle Discourses are complete.
Key terms
The text
A teacher’s answer, and its refutation
§1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kajaṅgalā in a bamboo grove.
§2Then the student Uttara, a pupil of the brahmin Pārāsariya, approached the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, “Uttara, does Pārāsariya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?” “He does, worthy Gotama.” “But how does he teach it?” “Worthy Gotama, it’s when the eye sees no sight and the ear hears no sound. That’s how Pārāsariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties.” “In that case, Uttara, a blind person and a deaf person will have developed faculties according to what Pārāsariya says. For a blind person sees no sight with the eye and a deaf person hears no sound with the ear.” When he said this, Uttara sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say.
Turning to Ānanda
§3Knowing this, the Buddha addressed Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, the development of the faculties taught by Pārāsariya is quite different from the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One.” “Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One. Let the Buddha teach the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One. The mendicants will listen and remember it.” “Well then, Ānanda, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. The Buddha said this:
The supreme development: seeing through what arose
§4“And how, Ānanda, is there the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, in them arises what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable. They understand: ‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a person with clear eyes might open their eyes then shut them; or might shut their eyes then open them. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sights known by the eye.
§5Furthermore, when a mendicant hears a sound with their ears, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: ‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a strong person can effortlessly snap their fingers. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sounds known by the ear.
§6Furthermore, when a mendicant smells an odor with their nose, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: ‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a drop of water would roll off a gently sloping lotus leaf, and would not stay there. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding smells known by the nose.
§7Furthermore, when a mendicant tastes a flavor with their tongue, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: ‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a strong person who’s formed a glob of spit on the tip of their tongue could easily spit it out. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding tastes known by the tongue.
§8Furthermore, when a mendicant encounters a touch with their body, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: ‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a strong person can extend or contract their arm. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding touches known by the body.
§9Furthermore, when a mendicant knows a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They understand: ‘What is agreeable, what is disagreeable, and what is both agreeable and disagreeable have arisen in me. That’s conditioned, crude, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a strong person could let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. The drops would be slow to fall, but they’d quickly dry up and evaporate. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which anything agreeable, disagreeable, and both agreeable and disagreeable that arose in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding ideas known by the mind. That’s how there is the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One.
Three levels, not one
§10And how are they a practicing trainee? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They are horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that. When they hear a sound with their ears… smell an odor with their nose… taste a flavor with their tongue… feel a touch with their body… know a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. They are horrified, repelled, and disgusted by that. That’s how they are a practicing trainee.
§11–16And how are they a noble one with developed faculties? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. When they hear a sound with their ear… smell an odor with their nose… taste a flavor with their tongue… feel a touch with their body… know a thought with their mind, the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the both agreeable and disagreeable arise in them. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. That’s how they are a noble one with developed faculties.
A closing exhortation
§17–18So, Ānanda, I have taught the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One, I have taught the practicing trainee, and I have taught the noble one with developed faculties. Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, Ānanda! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.
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