Reading guide
A fuller opening courtesy
Where SN 22.122 has Mahākoṭṭhita simply "go to Venerable Sāriputta" and speak, this discourse adds that he "bowed, sat down to one side" before asking — a small addition of formal courtesy not present in the companion discourse.
A different first term, an identical formula
"What things should a learned mendicant rationally apply the mind to?" — sutavā ("learned") replacing SN 22.122's sīlavā ("ethical") as the starting practitioner, though the eleven-angled reflection Sāriputta gives in answer is identical in every particular.
This small variation in the starting term — ethical versus learned — suggests the reflection is not tied to any single specific virtue as its precondition; whichever quality names the starting point, the same reflection applies and the same progression follows.
Increasing compression toward the close
Where SN 22.122 spells out each of the five rounds in full, this discourse begins compressing from the third round onward — the once-returner and non-returner rounds are elided with ellipses rather than given complete restatement, a economy not used in the companion discourse.
This growing compression as the sequence advances mirrors a pattern seen elsewhere in this book: once a repeating structure has been established clearly, later repetitions of it are trusted to the reader's memory rather than spelled out afresh each time.
Closing Dhammakathikavagga's extended dialogue pair
With SN 22.122 and SN 22.123 both complete, the vagga turns to its final two discourses: SN 22.124 and SN 22.125, both addressed to Venerable Kappa, closing the vagga on a different kind of extended formula — the elevenfold scope already seen earlier in this book, now specifically applied to the elimination of "I-making" and "mine-making."
Key terms
The text
§1At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, sat down to one side, and said:
§2“Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a learned mendicant rationally apply the mind to?” “A learned mendicant should rationally apply the mind to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent … as not-self. What five? That is, the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. A learned mendicant should rationally apply the mind to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent … as not-self. It’s possible that a learned mendicant who rationally applies the mind to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of stream-entry.”
§3“But Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a mendicant stream-enterer rationally apply the mind to?” “A mendicant stream-enterer should also rationally apply the mind to these five grasping aggregates as impermanent … as not-self. It’s possible that a mendicant stream-enterer who rationally applies the mind to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of once-return.” … “It’s possible that a mendicant once-returner who rationally applies the mind to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of non-return.” … “It’s possible that a mendicant non-returner who rationally applies the mind to the five grasping aggregates will realize the fruit of perfection.”
§4“But Reverend Sāriputta, what things should a perfected one rationally apply the mind to?” “Reverend Koṭṭhita, a perfected one should rationally apply the mind to the five grasping aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as gloom, as an affliction, as alien, as breaking apart, as empty, as not-self. A perfected one has nothing more to do, and nothing that needs improvement. Still, these things, when developed and cultivated, lead to blissful meditation in this life, and also to mindfulness and situational awareness.”
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