258. Third Discourse on Ignorance (SA258)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. At that time the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were on Mount Vulture Peak.

Then, in the afternoon Mahākoṭṭhita rose from meditation and approached Sāriputta. Having exchanged polite greetings and expressed their mutual delight, Mahākoṭṭhita withdrew to sit at one side and then said to Sāriputta: “I would like to ask a question. Friend, would you have free time to show me the answer?”

Sāriputta said: “Friend, you can just ask, on knowing it I shall reply.”

Then Mahākoṭṭhita said to Sāriputta: “Regarding ignorance: How is someone ignorant? Who has this ignorance?”

Sāriputta said: “Not understanding is ignorance.”

Mahākoṭṭhita asked again: “Not understanding what?”

Sāriputta said: “That is, he does not understand as it really is bodily form … the arising of bodily form … the cessation of bodily form … the gratification of bodily form … the danger in bodily form … and he does not understand as it really is the escape from bodily form. He does not understand as it really is feeling … perception … formations … consciousness … the arising of consciousness … the cessation of consciousness … the gratification of consciousness … the danger in consciousness … and the escape from consciousness.

“Mahākoṭṭhita, not understanding these five aggregates of clinging as they really are, not seeing them as they really are, not comprehending them, being dull and stupid in this respect—this is called ignorance. One who fulfils this condition is called ignorant.”

Mahākoṭṭhita asked again: “Regarding one who is knowledgeable: What is knowledge? Who has this knowledge?”

Sāriputta said: “One who understands is knowledgeable.”

Mahākoṭṭhita asked again: “What does he understand?”

Sāriputta said: “He understands as it really is bodily form … the arising of bodily form … the cessation of bodily form … the gratification of bodily form … the danger in bodily form … and he understands as it really is the escape from bodily form. He understands as it really is feeling … perception … formations … consciousness … the arising of consciousness … the cessation of consciousness … the gratification of consciousness … the danger in consciousness … and he understand as it really is the escape from consciousness.

“Mahākoṭṭhita, understanding these five aggregates of clinging as they really are, seeing them as they really are, understanding them, realizing them, having wisdom in regard to them, comprehending them—this is called being knowledgeable. One who fulfils this condition is called knowledgeable.”

Then the two worthy ones delighted in hearing what each other had said and left.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in ‘On the Five Aggregates (2)—A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 256 to 272’. Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, vol. 12, pp. 1–69 (2013). New Taipei City: Dharma Drum Buddhist College.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.