Merely the Seen

‘Although, Venerable Sir, I am old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, come to the last stage, let The Perfectly Enlightened One teach me The Teachings in brief, let the Fortunate One teach me The Teachings in brief. Perhaps I may understand the meaning of The Perfectly Enlightened One’s statement, perhaps I may become an heir to The Perfectly Enlightened One’s statement.’

What do you think, Mālunkyaputta, do you have any craving, desire, or attachment for those forms recognizable by the eye that you have not seen and never saw before, that you do not see and would not think might be seen?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

Do you have any craving, desire, or attachment for those sounds recognizable by the ear... for those odors recognizable by the nose... for those flavors recognizable by the tongue ... for those physical objects recognizable by the body ... for those mental objects recognizable by the mind that you have not recognized and never recognized before, that you do not recognize and would not think might be recognized?

‘No, Venerable Sir.’

Here, Mālunkyaputta, regarding things seen, heard, sensed, and recognized by you: in the seen there will be merely the seen; in the heard there will be merely the heard; in the sensed there will be merely the sensed; in the recognized there will be merely the recognized.

When, Mālunkyaputta, regarding things seen, heard, sensed, and recognized by you, in the seen there will be merely the seen, in the heard there will be merely the heard, in the sensed there will be merely the sensed, in the recognized there will be merely the recognized, then, Mālunkyaputta, you will not be ‘by that’.

When, Mālunkyaputta, you are not ‘by that’, then you will not be ‘therein’. When, Mālunkyaputta, you are not ‘therein’, then you will be ‘neither here nor beyond nor in between-the-two’. This itself is the end of discontentedness.

‘I understand in detail, Venerable Sir, the meaning of what was stated by The Perfectly Enlightened One in brief:’

Having seen a form with mindfulness muddled,

Attending to the pleasing sign,

One experiences it with an obsessed mind

And remains tightly holding to it.

Many feelings flourish within, Originating from the visible form, Craving and annoyance as well By which one’s mind becomes disturbed. For one who accumulates discontentedness thus, Nibbāna (Enlightenment) is said to be far away.

(All of the following, same as above.)

Having heard a sound with mindfulness muddled…

Having smelt an odor with mindfulness muddled…

Having tasted a flavor with mindfulness muddled…

Having touched a physical object with mindfulness muddled…

Having recognized a mental object with mindfulness muddled…

For one who accumulates discontentedness thus Nibbāna (Enlightenment) is said to be far away.

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When, firmly mindful, one sees a form,

One is not inflamed by craving for forms;

One experiences it with an unaffected mind

And does not remain holding it tightly.

One fares mindfully in such a way

That even as one sees the form,

And while one undergoes a feeling,

Discontentedness is exhausted, not built up.

For one dismantling discontentedness thus, Nibbāna (Enlightenment) is said to be close by.

(All of the following, same as above.)

When, firmly mindful, one hears a sound,

One is not inflamed by craving for sounds…

When, firmly mindful, one smells an odor,

One is not inflamed by craving for odors…

When, firmly mindful, one tastes a flavor,

One is not inflamed by craving for flavors…

When, firmly mindful, one touches a physical object,

One is not inflamed by craving for physical objects…

When, firmly mindful, one recognizes a mental object,

One is not inflamed by craving for mental objects...

For one diminishing discontentedness thus, Nibbāna (Enlightenment) is said to be close by.

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‘It is in such a way, Venerable Sir, that I understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by The Perfectly Enlightened One in brief.’

Good. good, Mālunkyaputta! It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of what was stated by me in brief.

(The Buddha here repeats the prior verses in full.)

It is in such a way, Mālunkyaputta, that the meaning of what was stated by me in brief should be understood in detail.

Then the Venerable Mālunkyaputta ... departed ... dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, dedicated, and determined... And the Venerable Mālunkyaputta became one of the Arahants.

(Reference: SN 35.95)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he helps a Student to understand that a mind with craving/desire/attachment through The Six Sense Bases will be muddled or unclear, far away from Enlightenment.

A mind that has eliminated craving/desire/attachment through The Six Sense Bases will be unaffected no longer experiencing discontentedness and close to Enlightenment.