Tipitaka » Sutta
Pitaka » Samyutta Nikaya » Context
of this sutta
- Samyutta Nikaya XXII.122
- Silavant Sutta
- Virtuous
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
On one occasion Ven. Sariputta & Ven. Maha
Kotthita were staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
Then Ven. Maha Kotthita, emerging from seclusion in the late afternoon, went to Ven.
Sariputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of
friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said
to Ven. Sariputta, "Sariputta my friend, which things should a virtuous monk attend
to in an appropriate way?"
"A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the
five aggregates of clinging as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow,
painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Which five? Form as
an aggregate of clinging, feeling...perception...fabrications...consciousness as an
aggregate of clinging. A virtuous monk should attend in an appropriate way to these five
aggregates of clinging as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful,
an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a
virtuous monk, attending in an appropriate way to these five aggregates of clinging as
inconstant...not-self, would realize the fruit of stream-entry."
"Then which things should a monk who has attained stream-entry attend to in an
appropriate way?"
"A monk who has attained stream-entry should attend in an appropriate way to these
five aggregates of clinging as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow,
painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible
that a monk who has attained stream-entry, attending in an appropriate way to these five
aggregates of clinging as inconstant...not-self, would realize the fruit of
once-returning."
"Then which things should a monk who has attained once-returning attend to in an
appropriate way?"
"A monk who has attained once-returning should attend in an appropriate way to
these five aggregates of clinging as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow,
painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible
that a monk who has attained once-returning, attending in an appropriate way to these five
aggregates of clinging as inconstant...not-self, would realize the fruit of
non-returning."
"Then which things should a monk who has attained non-returning attend to in an
appropriate way?"
"A monk who has attained non-returning should attend in an appropriate way to
these five aggregates of clinging as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow,
painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible
that a monk who has attained non-returning, attending in an appropriate way to these five
aggregates of clinging as inconstant...not-self, would realize the fruit of
arahantship."
"Then which things should an arahant attend to in an appropriate way?"
"An arahant should attend in an appropriate way to these five aggregates of
clinging as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction,
alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Although, for an arahant, there is nothing
further to do, and nothing to add to what has been done, still these things -- when
developed & pursued -- lead both to a pleasant abiding in the here-&-now and to
mindfulness & alertness."