74. Discourse on Approaching (SA74)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

At that time the Blessed One said to the monks: “There are five aggregates of clinging. What are the five? They are the bodily form aggregate of clinging … the feeling … the perception … the formations … the consciousness aggregate of clinging.

“A foolish unlearned worldling 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 the escape from bodily form.

“Because of not understanding it as it really is, he delights in bodily form, commends it, is tied to it with attachment, and established on it. Bound by the bondage of bodily form, he is bound by a bondage within, without understanding its origin, without understanding its crossing over, without understanding the escape from it.

“This is called a foolish unlearned worldling who thereby is in bondage to birth and thereby is in bondage to death. Thereby he is in bondage to going from this world to the next world. There, also, he is thereby again in bondage to birth and thereby in bondage to death. This is called a foolish unlearned worldling who follows Māra’s power, who has gone into Māra’s net, who follows Māra’s manifestations, who has been bound by Māra’s bondage and who is being pulled along by Māra. For feeling … perception … formations … consciousness it is also in this way.

“A learned noble disciple 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 the escape from bodily form.

“Because of understanding it as it really is, he does not have joyful lust for bodily form, does not commend it, is not tied to it with attachment and established on it. Not being bound by the bondage of bodily form, he is not bound by a bondage within, he understands its origin, understands its crossing over, and understands the escape from it.

“This is called a learned noble disciple who does not follow the bondage to birth and does not follow the bondage to death. He does not follow the bondage to going from this world to the next world and does not follow Māra’s power, has not entered into Māra’s hand, does not follow Māra’s activities, has not been bound by Māra; he is liberated from Māra’s bondage and free from being pulled along by Māra. For feeling … perception … formations … consciousness it is also in this way.”

When the Buddha had spoken this discourse, the monks, hearing what the Buddha had said, were delighted and received it respectfully.

Translated by Bhikkhu Anālayo. Originally published in ‘On the Five Aggregates (3)—A Translation of Saṁyukta-āgama Discourses 59 to 87’. Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies, vol. 13, pp. 1–65 (2013). New Taipei City: Dharma Drum Buddhist College.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.