Cūḷa-Vetalla Sutta
(The Short Vetalla Discourse — On the Self-Group, sutta [505])
[505] — Setting & opening
Thus I have heard: — At one time the Blessed One was staying in Veluvana (Veluvana — “Bamboo Grove,” a monastery given to the Buddha) which is a feeding-place for squirrels (a place frequented by squirrels), near the city of Rājagaha (Rājagaha — Rajagriha).
On that occasion the lay-devotee Visākhā (Visākhā — a foremost female lay follower) went to the residence of the nun Dhammaṭinnā (Dhammaṭinnā — a senior bhikkhunī), paid respects, and sat to one side.
[506] — The question about “one’s own body” (sakkāya)
Visākhā the householder asked the nun Dhammaṭinnā about the four noble truths (cattāri ariyasaccāni — the four ariya-truths). She said: “Reverend mother (vā), the Blessed One said: ‘sakkāya, sakkāya’ — ‘one’s own body (or ‘the own-group’) — one’s own body’ — in what sense did He say ‘one’s own body (sakkāya)’?”
Nun Dhammaṭinnā replied: “Visākhā, householder of age, those aggregates (the clinging groups) which are objects of clinging (upādāna-khandhā — the five clinging aggregates: khandha = aggregate; upādāna = clinging) — the heap of form (rūpa) that is adhered to, the heap of feeling (vedanā) that is adhered to, the heap of perception (saññā) that is adhered to, the heap of mental formations (saṅkhāra) that is adhered to, the heap of consciousness (viññāṇa) that is adhered to — these five groups of clinging (upādāna-khandhā) — the Blessed One declared: ‘That is “one’s own body” (sakkāya).’”
Visākhā rejoiced and approved Dhammaṭinnā’s words, saying, “Excellent, venerable mother.” Then Visākhā asked further: “Venerable mother, the Blessed One also spoke of sakkāya-samudaya (sakkāya-samudaya — ‘the arising of the self-group’). What is the sakkāya-samudaya — the phenomena that arise together with the ‘own-group’ (sakkāya)?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Craving (taṇhā — thirst/craving; desire clinging) that is accompanied by obsession and delight (rāgādhipati — led by passion/pleasure), that takes delight only in that single realm — that craving has three modes: sense-desire craving (kāma-taṇhā), becoming-craving (bhava-taṇhā), and non-existence craving (vibhava-taṇhā). Those three, the Blessed One said, are ‘phenomena that arise together with the sakkāya (sakkāya-samudaya).’”
Visākhā asked: “And the Blessed One said ‘sakkāya-nirodha’ (sakkāya-nirodha — cessation of the self-group). What is that — the ending of the sakkāya?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “The ending (nirodha) is the relinquishment (cāga), the giving up (patinissagga), the letting go (virāga), the release (vossagga), the freedom from clinging — that disentanglement and dispassion. That, the Blessed One declared, is sakkāya-nirodha.”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, the Blessed One said there is a path of practice (magga — path) leading beings to sakkāya-nirodha. What practice-path did He mean?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, it is the Noble Eightfold Path (ariya-magga aṭṭhaṅgika — the eightfold noble way): right view (sammā-diṭṭhi — correct understanding), right intention (sammā-saṅkappa — right resolve), right speech (sammā-vācā), right action (sammā-kammanta), right livelihood (sammā-ājīva), right effort (sammā-vāyāma), right mindfulness (sammā-sati), and right concentration (sammā-samādhi). The Blessed One said: this path is the practice that brings beings to sakkāya-nirodha.”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, the clinging is that (i.e., upādāna of the five aggregates) — is it precisely those five clinging-aggregates, or some other clinging derived therefrom?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, the clinging is indeed those — the five clinging aggregates are just that; and other clinging springing from the five is also included. The delight-born clinging (rāga-upādāna) arising from delight in the five aggregates — that very sensual craving (kāmarāga) is one of the five kinds of clinging (pañcupa-ādāna-khandhā).”
[507] — How sakkāya-view (self-view) arises and how it ceases
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how does the view ‘this is my body’ (sakkāya-diṭṭhi — sakkāya-view) come about? How is sakkāya-view present?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, an unawakened person (puthujjana — the ordinary person), one who has not yet heard the Dhamma (asaṅkhata?) in the world, who has not seen the noble ones (ariyā), who is not wise in the Dhamma of the noble ones, who has not been trained in noble Dhamma, and who has not met good companions (sattapurisa) — such a person perceives form (rūpa) as ‘mine’ (identifying it as self), perceives ‘I have form,’ perceives ‘form in me,’ perceives ‘I in form’ — likewise with feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), formations (saṅkhāra), and consciousness (viññāṇa). That is how sakkāya-diṭṭhi arises.”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how does sakkāya-diṭṭhi cease?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, an ariya-sāvaka (a noble disciple who has heard and practiced), one who has met the noble ones and is wise in their Dhamma, trained therein, who has met good companions skilful in the Dhamma — such a person does not perceive form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness as self, nor as ‘I have that,’ nor as ‘that in me,’ nor as ‘I in that.’ In that way sakkāya-diṭṭhi is absent.”
[508] — On the Noble Eightfold Path and its bearings
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how are the eight factors of the path elements (ariya-magga aṭṭhaṅgika) — are they conditioned aggregates or not?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, the Noble Eightfold Path is a conditioned combination (saṅkhata-paccayā — it arises dependent upon conditions).”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, when the Blessed One taught, did He treat the three aggregates (khandha tatiya — the three groups here likely meaning rūpa, vedanā, and the mental aggregate) as being supported by the Eightfold Path, or did He compress the Eightfold Path into the three aggregates?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, the Blessed One does not mean that the three aggregates are ‘handled by’ the path as if one set were subordinated to another; rather, the Eightfold Path is treated distinctly and the Blessed One attends to the three aggregates distinctly. For example: right speech (sammā-vācā), right action (sammā-kammanta), and right livelihood (sammā-ājīva) are supported by the ethical group (sīla — morality). Right effort (sammā-vāyāma), right mindfulness (sammā-sati), right concentration (sammā-samādhi) are supported by the mental-training group (samādhi — concentration). Right view (sammā-diṭṭhi) and right resolve/intention (sammā-saṅkappa) are supported by the wisdom group (paññā — wisdom).”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, what is concentration (samādhi)? What are its signs (nimitta) and its supports (parikkhārā)? How is concentration cultivated?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, ‘concentration’ is the quality where the mind is one-pointed on a single object (ekaggata). The four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna-cattāri) are the signs (nimitta) of concentration. The four right efforts (sammappadhāna-cattāri) are the supports (parikkhārā) of concentration. Repeated enjoyment of those wholesome states, developing them, increasing them — that is the cultivation of concentration (samādhi-bhāvanā).”
[509] — What are “saṅkhāras” (fabrications/conditioned activities)?
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how many kinds of saṅkhāra are there?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, there are three sorts of saṅkhāra: bodily fabrications (kāya-saṅkhāra), verbal fabrications (vacī-saṅkhāra), and mental fabrications (citta-saṅkhāra).”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how is bodily fabrication constituted? How are verbal and mental fabrications?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, in-and-out breathing (inhalation and exhalation; ānāpāna) functions as bodily fabrication (kāya-saṅkhāra). Initial and sustained thought (vitakka and vicāra) function as verbal fabrication (vacī-saṅkhāra). Perception (saññā) and feeling (vedanā) function as mental fabrication (citta-saṅkhāra).”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, why is in-and-out breathing bodily fabrication? Why are vitakka and vicāra verbal fabrications? Why are saññā and vedanā mental fabrications?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, the nature of in-and-out breathing is a bodily process connected with the body; therefore it is bodily fabrication. A person reflects and then utters speech — therefore vitakka and vicāra (applied and sustained thought) are verbal fabrication. Both perception and feeling are ways the mind remembers and knows and experiences objects — they belong to mind (citta) — thus saññā and vedanā are mental fabrications.”
[510] — On entering and emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling (saññā-vedayita-nirodha)
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how does one enter the cessation of perception and feeling (saññā-vedayita-nirodha)?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, when a bhikkhu enters that cessation, he does not formulate, ‘I will enter,’ or ‘I am entering,’ or ‘I have entered,’ in a way that sets up clinging; rather, that sort of volitional inner mind which would ‘lead in’ to a state is not produced — the mind itself which leads into that state has been let arise earlier (meaning: there is no self-referential act of will-clinging).”
Visākhā: “When a bhikkhu is abiding in saññā-vedayita-nirodha, which group of saṅkhāras ceases first — bodily, verbal, or mental fabrications?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “When one enters the cessation of perception and feeling, verbal fabrication (vacī-saṅkhāra) ceases first; thereafter bodily fabrication (kāya-saṅkhāra); and later mental fabrication (citta-saṅkhāra).”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how is emerging from that cessation?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, when a bhikkhu emerges from that cessation, he does not say, ‘I will emerge,’ or ‘I am emerging,’ or ‘I have emerged’ — that volitional self-reference is absent; rather, the mind that brings about emergence is of the same character as the mind that originally entered it (i.e., there is no self-asserting narrativizing).”
Visākhā: “When one emerges from the saññā-vedayita-nirodha, which saṅkhāra arises first — bodily, verbal, or mental?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “On emergence, mental fabrication (citta-saṅkhāra) arises first, then bodily fabrication (kāya-saṅkhāra), and then verbal fabrication (vacī-saṅkhāra).”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, what kinds of contact (phassa) befall a bhikkhu who has emerged from that cessation?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Three kinds of contact: contact that is felt as ‘empty’ or void (suññato phassa), contact that is felt without signs (animittato phassa), and contact that is felt as ‘difficult to locate/place’ (asahajato phassa) — these three contact qualities are experienced by one who emerges from that cessation.”
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, after emergence where does the mind incline — to what does it turn?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, the mind of one who emerges inclines toward seclusion (viveka) — it turns to seclusion, it leans toward seclusion.”
[511] — On the three kinds of feeling (vedanā) and latent tendencies (anusaya)
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, how many kinds of experiencing are there?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, there are three experiences: pleasant feeling (sukha-vedanā), painful feeling (dukkha-vedanā), and neither-pleasant-nor-painful (upekkhā/ adukkhamasukha-vedanā).”
Visākhā: “What is pleasant feeling? What is painful feeling? What is the neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Pleasant feeling is the agreeable experience that can occur in the body or mind; painful feeling is the disagreeable experience in body or mind; neither-pleasant-nor-painful is that which is neither agreeable nor disagreeable, in body or mind.”
Visākhā: “How can pleasant feeling become enduringly pleasant or turn into pain? How do the others change?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Pleasant feeling remains pleasant so long as it subsists; it becomes painful when it changes (impermanence). Painful feeling remains painful while it subsists; it may become pleasant when it changes. The neutral (neither) feeling is pleasant when apprehended with right knowledge (yoniso-pajānata), and painful when apprehended with wrong knowledge.”
Visākhā: “Which latent tendency (anusaya) lies latent in pleasant feeling, which in painful, and which in neither?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Lust or sensual clinging-tendency (kāmarāga-anusaya) lies latent with pleasant feeling; aversion-tendency (paṭigha-anusaya) lies latent with painful feeling; ignorance-tendency (avijjā-anusaya) lies latent with neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.”
Visākhā: “Do these latent tendencies invariably remain in all instances of each kind of feeling?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “No. Not every instance of pleasant feeling involves kāmarāga-anusaya, nor does every painful feeling involve paṭigha-anusaya, nor every neutral feeling involve avijjā-anusaya.”
Visākhā: “By what means are those tendencies abandoned?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Kāmarāga-anusaya is to be abandoned by the experience of pleasant feeling cultivated in right ways; paṭigha-anusaya by the experience of painful feeling properly considered; avijjā-anusaya by the experience of neither-pleasant-nor-painful properly known. But not universally so — let me explain practically.”
Dhammaṭinnā continues: “A bhikkhu who has withdrawn from sensuality and unwholesome states and has attained first jhāna (the first absorption) — which features applied and sustained thought, rapture, and pleasure born of seclusion from the hindrances — such a one has abandoned lust by that attainment. The latent lust-tendency will not lie dormant there. Further, a bhikkhu who reflects, ‘When will I attain the base (āyatana) that the noble ones have attained?’ — and when he fixes his affection on the unsurpassed liberations (vimokkha) as a factor, remorse (somanassa, domanassa?) and agitation may arise. But through that upward striving toward the unsurpassed liberation (anuttara-vimokkha), he abandons aversion; paṭigha-anusaya will not sleep in that striving. Again, by abandoning pleasure and pain (somanassa and domanassa) and their ceasing, one attains the fourth jhāna — neither-pleasure-nor-pain (upekkhā) — with purified mindfulness through equanimity; through that fourth jhāna one abandons ignorance (avijjā) — avijjā-anusaya will not lie latent there.”
[512] — Characteristics & correlations
Visākhā: “Venerable mother, what is the correlate (adhipati?) of pleasant feeling?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, the correlate of pleasant feeling is craving/attachment (rāga).”
Visākhā: “What is the correlate of painful feeling?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Aversion/hatred (dosa/paṭigha) is the correlate of painful feeling.”
Visākhā: “What is the correlate of neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Ignorance (avijjā) is the correlate of the neither feeling.”
Visākhā: “And what is the correlate of ignorance (avijjā)?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “The very lack of clear knowing (avijjā = not seeing things clearly) is its correlate.”
Visākhā: “And what is the correlate of knowledge (vijjā)?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “The freeing from defilements (kilesa-vimuccati) is the correlate of knowledge (vijjā).”
Visākhā: “And what correlates with release (vimutti)?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Nibbāna (nibbāna) is the correlate of release.”
Visākhā: “And what correlates with Nibbāna itself?”
Dhammaṭinnā: “Visākhā, you have overreached the question; you cannot seize the full circumference of all questions. The practice of holy living (brahma-cariya) probes and reaches Nibbāna; Nibbāna is the final consummation. If you wish, go and ask the Blessed One himself, and commit to memory whatever the Blessed One declares as a confirmation.”
[513] — Closing: Visākhā reports to the Buddha
Then Visākhā the householder delighted in Dhammaṭinnā’s words, rose, paid respects, circumambulated the nun, and went to the Blessed One’s presence. Having saluted, she sat to one side and reported every question she had asked and every answer Dhammaṭinnā had given — from beginning to end — requesting the Blessed One’s confirmatory statement. The Blessed One said: “Visākhā, nun Dhammaṭinnā is a wise woman of great intelligence. What she has said is correct; and were you to ask me the same questions, I the Tathāgata would reply exactly as she has replied. That is the text — remember it firmly.” Having spoken thus, the Blessed One’s words delighted Visākhā exceedingly.
Thus ends the Cūḷa-Vetalla Sutta (sutta 4 of this set).
Compact Pāli glossary (intensive — every key term with short explanation)
- Veluvana — Veluvana (Bamboo Grove), a principal monastery near Rājagaha.
- Rājagaha — Rajagriha (Rājagaha): the capital city of the Magadha kingdom.
- Visākhā — Visākhā: foremost lay female devotee.
- Dhammaṭinnā — Dhammaṭinnā: senior bhikkhunī (nun) who instructs Visākhā.
- sakkāya (sakkāya / sakkāya-diṭṭhi) — “own-group” or “one’s own body/self” (sakkāya-diṭṭhi = the view that the five aggregates constitute a self). Explanation: literally “group-or-mass (kāya) regarded as one’s own (sakkā-)”; in context denotes identification of the five aggregates as “me / mine / I.”
- upādāna-khandhā (upādāna-khandhā) — the five aggregates as objects of clinging (upādāna = clinging; khandha = aggregate): form (rūpa), feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), mental formations (saṅkhāra), consciousness (viññāṇa).
- taṇhā (taṇhā) — craving / thirst; the fuel that sustains becoming.
- kāma-taṇhā — sensual-desire craving (craving for sense-pleasures).
- bhava-taṇhā — craving for becoming (desire for continued existence).
- vibhava-taṇhā — craving for non-becoming / annihilation.
- sakkāya-samudaya — arising of the sakkāya (i.e., the conditioned emergence of self-view together with craving).
- sakkāya-nirodha — cessation (nirodha) of the sakkāya (the letting-go of the self-view; dispassion and release with regard to the “own-group”).
- ariya-magga aṭṭhaṅgika — Noble Eightfold Path (the eight factors of the path).
- sīla — virtue/morality; ethical training (supports right speech, action, livelihood).
- samādhi — concentration/mental cohesion (supports the meditative factors: effort, mindfulness, concentration).
- paññā — wisdom/insight (supports right view and intention).
- ekaggatā — one-pointedness (quality of samādhi).
- satipaṭṭhāna-cattāri — the four foundations of mindfulness (as signs/nimitta of concentration).
- sammappadhāna-cattāri — the four right efforts (supports/parikkhārā for concentration).
- saṅkhāra (kāya-vacī-citta saṅkhāra) — conditioned fabrications/formations (threefold): bodily (kāya-saṅkhāra; e.g., breathing), verbal (vacī-saṅkhāra; e.g., thought to speech), mental (citta-saṅkhāra; e.g., perception & feeling).
- saññā-vedayita-nirodha (saññā-vedayita-nirodha) — the cessation (nirodha) of perception and feeling (a meditative attainment / temporary cessation).
- phassa — contact (sense-contact): here three nuanced kinds on emergence (suññato, animitta, asahajato — empty, signless, hard to place).
- viveka — seclusion / quietude (where the mind inclines after emergence).
- vedanā — feeling / affect (three kinds: pleasant (sukha), painful (dukkha), neither (adukkha-asukha / upekkhā tone)).
- anusaya (anusaya: kāmarāga, paṭigha, avijjā) — latent tendencies (sleeping springs): lust (kāmarāga-anusaya), aversion (paṭigha-anusaya), ignorance (avijjā-anusaya).
- jhāna — meditative absorptions (first jhāna, etc.).
- anuttara-vimokkha — unsurpassed liberation (the highest freedom).
- vijjā — knowledge (penetrative understanding).
- vimutti — release; liberation.
- nibbāna — Nibbāna / Nirvāṇa: the final unbinding.