MN · mn16
Mental Barrenness
0.1Majjhima Nikāya 16
The Middle Length Discourses 16
0.2Cetokhilasutta
Mental Barrenness
1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
Thus have I heard—
1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Bhagavā was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
1.3Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Bhagavā addressed the bhikkhus:
1.4“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Bhikkhus.”
1.5“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied to the Bhagavā.
1.6Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Bhagavā said this:
2.1“Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno pañca cetokhilā appahīnā, pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
“Any bhikkhu, bhikkhus, in whom the five mental barrennesses have not been abandoned and the five bondages of the mind have not been cut off — that he would attain growth, increase, and expansion in this dhamma and vinaya [dhammavinaye]: no such possibility exists.
3.1Katamāssa pañca cetokhilā appahīnā honti?
And what five mental barrennesses have not been abandoned in him?
3.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu doubts the Teacher, is uncertain, is not convinced, does not become confident.
3.3Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who doubts the Teacher, is uncertain, is not convinced, does not become confident — his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
3.4Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
When his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this first mental barrenness has not been abandoned in him.
4.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhamme kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu doubts the dhamma, is uncertain, is not convinced, does not become confident …
4.2evamassāyaṁ dutiyo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
in this way this second mental barrenness has not been abandoned in him.
5.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saṅghe kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu doubts the saṅgha, is uncertain, is not convinced, does not become confident …
5.2evamassāyaṁ tatiyo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
in this way this third mental barrenness has not been abandoned in him.
6.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhāya kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu doubts the training, is uncertain, is not convinced, does not become confident.
6.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhāya kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who doubts the training, is uncertain, is not convinced, does not become confident — his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
6.3Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
When his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fourth mental barrenness has not been abandoned in him.
7.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is angry with his companions in the holy life, displeased, with a wounded mind, become barren.
7.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu kupito hoti anattamano āhatacitto khilajāto, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who is angry with his companions in the holy life, displeased, with a wounded mind, become barren — his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
7.3Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetokhilo appahīno hoti.
When his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fifth mental barrenness has not been abandoned in him.
7.4Imāssa pañca cetokhilā appahīnā honti.
These are the five mental barrennesses that have not been abandoned in him.
8.1Katamāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā honti?
And what five bondages of the mind have not been cut off in him?
8.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme avītarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is not free of passion for sensual pleasures, with desire not gone, with affection not gone, with thirst not gone, with fever not gone, with taṇhā not gone.
8.3Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme avītarāgo hoti avigatacchando avigatapemo avigatapipāso avigatapariḷāho avigatataṇho, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who is not free of passion for sensual pleasures, with desire not gone, with affection not gone, with thirst not gone, with fever not gone, with taṇhā not gone — his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
8.4Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
When his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this first bondage of the mind has not been cut off in him.
9.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye avītarāgo hoti …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is not free of passion for the body …
9.2evamassāyaṁ dutiyo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
in this way this second bondage of the mind has not been cut off in him.
10.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpe avītarāgo hoti …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is not free of passion for rūpa …
10.2evamassāyaṁ tatiyo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
in this way this third bondage of the mind has not been cut off in him.
11.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having eaten as much as he wants, filling his belly, dwells devoted to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of stretching out, the pleasure of sleep.
11.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who, having eaten as much as he wants, filling his belly, dwells devoted to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of stretching out, the pleasure of sleep — his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
11.3Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
When his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fourth bondage of the mind has not been cut off in him.
12.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives the holy life aspiring to some class of devas: ‘By this virtue, or observance, or austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or one among the devas.’
12.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti, tassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who lives the holy life aspiring to some class of devas: ‘By this virtue, or observance, or austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or one among the devas’ — his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
12.3Yassa cittaṁ na namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetasovinibandho asamucchinno hoti.
When his mind does not incline to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fifth bondage of the mind has not been cut off in him.
12.4Imāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā honti.
These are the five bondages of the mind that have not been cut off in him.
13.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ime pañca cetokhilā appahīnā, ime pañca cetasovinibandhā asamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Any bhikkhu, bhikkhus, in whom these five mental barrennesses have not been abandoned and these five bondages of the mind have not been cut off — that he would attain growth, increase, and expansion in this dhamma and vinaya [dhammavinaye]: no such possibility exists.
14.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno pañca cetokhilā pahīnā, pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
Any bhikkhu, bhikkhus, in whom the five mental barrennesses have been abandoned and the five bondages of the mind have been thoroughly cut off — that he would attain growth, increase, and expansion in this dhamma and vinaya [dhammavinaye]: this is possible.
15.1Katamāssa pañca cetokhilā pahīnā honti?
And what five mental barrennesses have been abandoned in him?
15.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not doubt the Teacher, is not uncertain, is convinced, becomes confident.
15.3Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthari na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who does not doubt the Teacher, is not uncertain, is convinced, becomes confident — his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
15.4Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
When his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this first mental barrenness has been abandoned in him.
16.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhamme na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not doubt the dhamma, is not uncertain, is convinced, becomes confident …
16.2evamassāyaṁ dutiyo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
in this way this second mental barrenness has been abandoned in him.
17.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saṅghe na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not doubt the saṅgha, is not uncertain, is convinced, becomes confident …
17.2evamassāyaṁ tatiyo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
in this way this third mental barrenness has been abandoned in him.
18.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sikkhāya na kaṅkhati na vicikicchati adhimuccati sampasīdati …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not doubt the training, is not uncertain, is convinced, becomes confident …
18.2evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
in this way this fourth mental barrenness has been abandoned in him.
19.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu na kupito hoti na anattamano anāhatacitto akhilajāto.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is not angry with his companions in the holy life, not displeased, with an unwounded mind, not become barren.
19.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabrahmacārīsu na kupito hoti na anattamano anāhatacitto akhilajāto, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who is not angry with his companions in the holy life, not displeased, with an unwounded mind, not become barren — his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
19.3Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetokhilo pahīno hoti.
When his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fifth mental barrenness has been abandoned in him.
19.4Imāssa pañca cetokhilā pahīnā honti.
These are the five mental barrennesses that have been abandoned in him.
20.1Katamāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā honti?
And what five bondages of the mind have been thoroughly cut off in him?
20.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme vītarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is free of passion for sensual pleasures, with desire gone, with affection gone, with thirst gone, with fever gone, with taṇhā gone.
20.3Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāme vītarāgo hoti vigatacchando vigatapemo vigatapipāso vigatapariḷāho vigatataṇho, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who is free of passion for sensual pleasures, with desire gone, with affection gone, with thirst gone, with fever gone, with taṇhā gone — his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
20.4Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ paṭhamo cetasovinibandho susamucchinno hoti.
When his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this first bondage of the mind has been thoroughly cut off in him.
21.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye vītarāgo hoti …pe…
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is free of passion for the body …
22.1rūpe vītarāgo hoti …pe…
He is free of passion for rūpa …
23.1na yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati.
He does not, having eaten as much as he wants, filling his belly, dwell devoted to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of stretching out, the pleasure of sleep.
23.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na yāvadatthaṁ udarāvadehakaṁ bhuñjitvā seyyasukhaṁ passasukhaṁ middhasukhaṁ anuyutto viharati, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who does not, having eaten as much as he wants, filling his belly, dwell devoted to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of stretching out, the pleasure of sleep — his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
23.3Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ catuttho cetasovinibandho susamucchinno hoti.
When his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fourth bondage of the mind has been thoroughly cut off in him.
24.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not live the holy life aspiring to some class of devas: ‘By this virtue, or observance, or austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or one among the devas.’
24.2Yo so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati: ‘imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vā’ti, tassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, who does not live the holy life aspiring to some class of devas: ‘By this virtue, or observance, or austerity, or holy life, I will become a deva or one among the devas’ — his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving.
24.3Yassa cittaṁ namati ātappāya anuyogāya sātaccāya padhānāya, evamassāyaṁ pañcamo cetasovinibandho susamucchinno hoti.
When his mind inclines to ardency, application, continuity, and striving, in this way this fifth bondage of the mind has been thoroughly cut off in him.
24.4Imāssa pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā honti.
These are the five bondages of the mind that have been thoroughly cut off in him.
25.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ime pañca cetokhilā pahīnā, ime pañca cetasovinibandhā susamucchinnā, so vatimasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
Any bhikkhu, bhikkhus, in whom these five mental barrennesses have been abandoned and these five bondages of the mind have been thoroughly cut off — that he would attain growth, increase, and expansion in this dhamma and vinaya [dhammavinaye]: this is possible.
26.1So chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,
He develops the basis for power endowed with samādhi through desire and accompanied by striving-saṅkhāras [chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ],
26.2vīriyasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,
he develops the basis for power endowed with samādhi through energy and accompanied by striving-saṅkhāras [vīriyasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ],
26.3cittasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,
he develops the basis for power endowed with samādhi through mind [citta] and accompanied by striving-saṅkhāras [cittasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ],
26.4vīmaṁsāsamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti, ussoḷhīyeva pañcamī.
he develops the basis for power endowed with samādhi through inquiry and accompanied by striving-saṅkhāras [vīmaṁsāsamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ]; intense effort is the fifth.
27.1Sa kho so, bhikkhave, evaṁ ussoḷhipannarasaṅgasamannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo abhinibbidāya, bhabbo sambodhāya, bhabbo anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, thus endowed with these fifteen factors together with intense effort, is capable of disenchantment, capable of full awakening, capable of attaining the unsurpassed security from bondage.
27.2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā.
Just as, bhikkhus, a hen might have eight or ten or twelve eggs.
27.3Tānassu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni sammā pariseditāni sammā paribhāvitāni.
And those eggs had been properly sat on by that hen, properly warmed, properly incubated.
27.4Kiñcāpi tassā kukkuṭiyā na evaṁ icchā uppajjeyya:
Even if that hen should not have such a wish:
27.5‘aho vatime kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyyun’ti.
‘Oh, if only these chicks might safely break out, splitting the shell with the tip of their claws or with their beaks!’
27.6Atha kho bhabbāva te kukkuṭapotakā pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjituṁ.
Still, those chicks are capable of safely breaking out, splitting the shell with the tip of their claws or with their beaks.
27.7Evameva kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ ussoḷhipannarasaṅgasamannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo abhinibbidāya, bhabbo sambodhāya, bhabbo anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāyā”ti.
So too, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu, thus endowed with these fifteen factors together with intense effort, is capable of disenchantment, capable of full awakening, capable of attaining the unsurpassed security from bondage.”
27.8Idamavoca bhagavā.
This is what the Bhagavā said.
27.9Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Satisfied, those bhikkhus delighted in the Bhagavā’s words.
27.10Cetokhilasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.
Mental Barrenness, the sixth, is finished.