Introduction
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Introduction to 3.8.15
Chachakkasuttaṃ - The Dependent Arising of Vedanā and its Crucial Importance on the Path of Deliverance
So vata, bhikkhave, sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayaṃ pahāya
dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayaṃ paṭivinodetvā
adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayaṃ samūhanitvā
avijjaṃ pahāya vijjaṃ uppādetvā
diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro bhavissatīti
hānametaṃ vijjati.
Indeed, Bhikkhus, one can here and now
make an end of suffering –
it is possible in this way:
by having abandoned the underlying
tendency to craving for pleasant sensation,
the underlying tendency to aversion
towards painful sensation,
by having uprooted the underlying
tendency to ignorance
in regard to
neither-painful-nor-pleasant, neutral sensation,
by having dispelled ignorance and having
given rise to true knowledge!
This encouraging assurance in the current lesson, the ‘Chachakkasutta’—the ‘six sets of six’— shall inspire the reader to explore with care this next to last lesson in the chapter on sammāsati. The chosen selection is presented due to the following reasons:
· It once more underscores the crucial importance of vedanā on the path to deliverance.
· It presents in greater detail the dependent arising of vedanā starting here from the base of the six sense fields through contact to sensations and the craving resulting thereof (… saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṃ, upādānapaccayā bhavo …).1
· It spotlights once more how the meditator can stop this process of multiplication by making use of vedanā to eliminate the three bases of aversion, craving and delusion (rāgānusayo, paṭighānusayo avijjānusayo).
· It further wraps up and summarizes specific topics and explanations of the Buddha that have been highlighted in previous lessons.2
· For the benefit of the reader the various substituting shortcuts ( ...pe… )3 from original master source of the CST4 Tipiṭaka Pāli4 have been removed and the text cited in full;
· Therefore, it presents a unique opportunity to refresh not only the vocabulary of various previous lessons but also to read or recite aloud.
The ‘six sets of six’ refer to a talk that the Buddha gave to his monks at Sāvatthi in the Jeta’s-grove in the park donated by Anāthapiṇḍika which he introduces thus:
… ‘‘dhammaṃ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi ādikalyāṇaṃ majjhekalyāṇaṃ pariyosānakalyāṇaṃ sātthaṃ sabyañjanaṃ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṃ parisuddhaṃ brahmacariyaṃ pakāsessāmi, yadidaṃ – cha chakkāni.”5
I will teach the Dhamma, Bhikkhus, that is beneficial from the very beginning, beneficial in the middle and beneficial all through to the very end, with correct wording full of meaning, complete in itself, utterly pure and displaying the holy life and that is the six sets of six.”
The ‘six sets of six’ refer to the six internal and the six external sense spheres which form the base for the arising of the respective six consciousnesses. The conjoining of these three – internal + external + consciousness – results in contact for each one which again causes different sensations to arise. The six different ‘classes’ of craving then ensue thereof.
So the Buddha emphasises:
‘‘Cha ajjhattikāni āyatanāni veditabbāni, cha bāhirāni āyatanāni veditabbāni, cha viññāṇakāyā veditabbā, cha phassakāyā veditabbā, cha vedanākāyā veditabbā, cha taṇhākāyā veditabbā.”
“The six internal bases should be understood. The six external bases should be understood. The six classes of consciousness should be understood. The six classes of contact should be understood. The six classes of sensation should be understood. The six classes of craving should be understood.”
In the Mahāsaḷāyatanikasuttaṃ6 the Buddha clearly emphasises that anyone who can – out of unawareness of Vipassana and the Path7 – not grasp the true nature of the respective sense organs, their objects, the resulting consciousness and the contact that arises out of the conjoining of the three, which results in respective sensations in general gets inflamed with desire for perpetual continuation of the very same process8. Because:
‘‘Tassa sārattassa saṃyuttassa sammūḷhassa9 assādānupassino viharato āyatiṃ pañcupādānakkhandhā upacayaṃ10 gacchanti. Taṇhā cassa ponobhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, sā cassa pavaḍḍhati.”
“When one remains inflamed by desire, bound, infatuated, anticipating enjoyment, then the five aggregates of clinging are heaping up for oneself in the future. One’s craving increases, which brings renewal of existence, is bound up with pleasure and lust and engulfs in delight now here now there.”
Beings relish what they crave for in their ignorance - the deeper effect of this and its consequences are pointed out by the Buddha:
“Tassa kāyikāpi darathā11 pavaḍḍhanti, cetasikāpi darathā pavaḍḍhanti; kāyikāpi santāpā12 pavaḍḍhanti, cetasikāpi santāpā pavaḍḍhanti; kāyikāpi pariḷāhā13 pavaḍḍhanti, cetasikāpi pariḷāhā pavaḍḍhanti. So kāyadukkhampi cetodukkhampi paṭisaṃvedeti.”
“One’s physical troubles increase, one’s mental anxiety increases, one’s physical torments increase, one’s mental grief increases, one’s bodily consumption increases and one’s mental distress increases. One experiences bodily and mental suffering.”
In the opposite case, for someone, who on the base of Vipassana and knowledge of the Path,14 realises the respective internal and external sense organs, consciousness, contact and sensations as they really are and remains uninflamed by desire, not bound or infatuated, does not anticipate enjoyment then the five aggregates of clinging are not heaping up for oneself in the future and one’s physical and mental suffering gets reduced. Such a person enjoys happiness in both aspects.15 It has been highlighted in the Indriyabhāvanāsutta16 that it is ‘upekkhā’ -‘equanimity’- which enables a meditator to do work in such a way:
Tañca kho saṅkhataṃ oḷārikaṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ. Etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ – upekkhā’ti.
That indeed is compounded, gross and arisen from a cause. There is what is peaceful and excellent – that is equanimity!’
In accordance with the above advice: “cha taṇhākāyā veditabbā” in the current Chachakkasutta the Buddha develops for each of the sense fields the following analyses:
‘‘… Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṃ, tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā;
sotañca paṭicca sadde ca uppajjati sotaviññāṇaṃ tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā;
ghānañca paṭicca gandhe ca uppajjati ghānaviññāṇaṃ tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā;
jivhañca paṭicca rase ca uppajjati jivhāviññāṇaṃ tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā;
kāyañca paṭicca phoṭṭhabbe ca uppajjati kāyaviññāṇaṃ tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā;
manañca paṭicca dhamme ca uppajjati manoviññāṇaṃ, tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā.”
“… Dependent on the eye and objects, eye-consciousness arises; the combination of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is sensation; with sensation as condition there is craving.
Dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises the combination of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is sensation; with sensation as condition there is craving.
Dependent on the nose and fragrances, nose-consciousness arises, the combination of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is sensation; with sensation as condition there is craving.
Dependent on the tongue and flavours, tongue-consciousness arises, the combination of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is sensation; with sensation as condition there is craving.
Dependent on the body and tangibles, body-consciousness arises, the combination of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is sensation; with sensation as condition there is craving.
Dependent on the mind and mind-objects, mind-consciousness arises the combination of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is sensation; with sensation as condition there is craving.
The Buddha then highlights how from each of the sense doors an illusion of ‘I’, ‘Self’ or a ‘personality’ gets developed but by simple analyses and observation of its change can get refuted:
‘‘Cakkhu (rūpā, cakkhuviññāṇaṃ, cakkhusamphasso, vedanā, taṇhā) attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati.
Cakkhussa (rūpānaṃ, cakkhuviññāṇassa, cakkhusamphassassa, vedanāya, taṇhāya) uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti17 cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘cakkhu attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti cakkhu anattā.”18
“If anyone says, ‘The eye (object, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, sensation, craving) is self,’ that is not plausible.
The arising and disappearance of the eye (object, eye-consciousness, eye-contact, sensation, craving) are discriminated, and since arising and disappearance of the eye are discriminated, it would follow: ‘My self arises and disappears.’ That is why it is not plausible for anyone to say: ‘The eye is self.’ Because the eye is not self!”
Consequently the next two paragraphs then point to:
· the ‘sakkāyasamudayagāminī paṭipadā’: the way that leads to the origin of the illusion of identity, where each of the sense doors is considered as ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’ (“‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti”)19
· the need to develop proper knowledge of the ‘sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’: – “cakkhuṃ ‘netaṃ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati”…
The Chachakkasuttaṃ concludes with two final paragraphs as quoted in this lesson. They once more emphasise how someone (ariyasāvako) on the path to deliverance needs to proceed when experiencing all kinds of different sensations and to evade the usual trap in which a worldling (puthujjano) falls in similar situations. It is how one turns into a Noble One, with developed faculties20:
Sace ākaṅkhati – ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayampmppi abhinivajjetvā21 upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If one wishes: ‘May I, by dispelling both the repulsive and the un-repulsive, dwell with equanimity, fully aware and with constant thorough understanding of impermanence on the level of sensations!’ one abides with equanimity, fully and with constant thorough understanding of impermanence on the level of sensations.
The Brahmajālasutta, the inaugural sutta of the whole Tipiṭaka and the very first discourse from the Dīghanikāya describes the prevailing sixty-two philosophical views —‘miccha diṭṭhi’— prevailing during the time of the Buddha. After having explained the special feature of each of these and having refuted them the Tathāgata summarizes that after he had understood and known all those respective views including having grasped things much further than that, he had no attachment whatsoever to this knowledge. Based on that very complete detachment he achieved perfect peace for himself by realizing vedanā in their entirety.22
‘‘Vedanānaṃ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca
assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṃ viditvā anupādāvimutto,23 bhikkhave, tathāgato.”24
“By having realized sensations in their true nature,
their arising, their passing away, the tendency to relish them, their inherent danger
and the escape from them, the Tathāgata got liberated without further remainder.”
May every meditator keep envisioning this message of the Tathāgata, gain inspiration and resilience thereof and retain buoyancy by the resonance of the words:
“ṭhānametaṃ vijjati!” – “it is possible!”
“ṭhānametaṃ vijjati!” – “it is possible!”
“ṭhānametaṃ vijjati!” – “it is possible!”
1. Exactly these are the essential links of the crucial respective present moments that offer the meditator the unique opportunity to stop the multiplication of craving through remote, unattached observation and non-reaction.
2. For example see the ‘difference between a puthujjano and an ariyasāvako’: 3.8.11 Sallasuttaṃ’;
details on Sense Spheres see: 3.8.13 ‘Dhammānupassanā āyatanapabbaṃ’;
the interconnection of contact and dependent arising of vedanā 3.8.14 ‘Dutiyagelaññasuttaṃ - Allow the Time to Ripen - Kālaṃ āgameyya!’.
3. ‘peyyāla’: repetition, sign of abridgement, indication to show a passage has been omitted
5. About the explanation of those terms: ādikalyāṇaṃ majjhekalyāṇaṃ pariyosānakalyāṇaṃ sātthaṃ sabyañjanaṃ, see lesson 1.1.1 ‘Bahujanahitasuttaṃ - For the Benefit of Many’ and 1.2.5 ‘Brahmajālasuttavaṇṇanā - So rare’ and the respective introduction
6. Saḷāyatanavaggo, Uparipaṇṇāsapāḷi, Majjhimanikāye
7. Mahāsaḷāyatanikasuttavaṇṇanā: Ajānanti sahavipassanena maggena ajānanto.
8. Cakkhuṃ, bhikkhave, ajānaṃ apassaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, rūpe ajānaṃ apassaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, cakkhuviññāṇaṃ ajānaṃ apassaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, cakkhusamphassaṃ ajānaṃ apassaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, yamidaṃ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṃ sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā adukkhamasukhaṃ vā tampi ajānaṃ apassaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, cakkhusmiṃ sārajjati, rūpesu sārajjati, cakkhuviññāṇe sārajjati, cakkhusamphasse sārajjati, yamidaṃ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṃ sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā adukkhamasukhaṃ vā tasmimpi sārajjati.
9. sammūḷha: pp of sammūyhati: to be bewildered, infatuated
10. upacaya: accumulation, heaping up
11. darathā: sorrow, anxiety
12. santāpā: torment, grief, torture
13. pariḷāhā: fever, distress, consumption
14. Mahāsaḷāyatanikasuttavaṇṇanā: Ayañca maggavuṭṭhānassa paccayabhūtā balavavipassanā, sāpi manodvārikeneva hoti.— Emerging from the path supportive to development and firm Vipassana one remains guarding the mind doors.
15. ‘‘Cakkhuñca kho, bhikkhave, jānaṃ passaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, rūpe jānaṃ passaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, cakkhuviññāṇaṃ jānaṃ passaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, cakkhusamphassaṃ jānaṃ passaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, yamidaṃ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṃ sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā adukkhamasukhaṃ vā tampi jānaṃ passaṃ yathābhūtaṃ, cakkhusmiṃ na sārajjati, rūpesu na sārajjati, cakkhuviññāṇe na sārajjati, cakkhusamphasse na sārajjati, yamidaṃ cakkhusamphassapaccayā uppajjati vedayitaṃ sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā adukkhamasukhaṃ vā tasmimpi na sārajjati.
Tassa asārattassa asaṃyuttassa asammūḷhassa ādīnavānupassino viharato āyatiṃ pañcupādānakkhandhā apacayaṃ gacchanti. Taṇhā cassa ponobbhavikā nandīrāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, sā cassa pahīyati. Tassa kāyikāpi darathā pahīyanti, cetasikāpi darathā pahīyanti; kāyikāpi santāpā pahīyanti, cetasikāpi santāpā pahīyanti; kāyikāpi pariḷāhā pahīyantntti, cetasikāpi pariḷāhā pahīyanti. So kāyasukhampi cetosukhampi paṭisaṃvedeti.”
17. veti: disappear, wane
18. The Buddha then naturally describes the remaining five sets as well:
‘‘Sotaṃ attā’ti yo vadeyya…pe… ‘ghānaṃ attā’ti yo vadeyya… ‘jivhā attā’ti yo vadeyya… ‘kāyo attā’ti yo vadeyya… ‘mano attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati. Manassa uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘mano attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti mano anattā.
‘‘‘Dhammā attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati. Dhammānaṃ uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘dhammā attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti mano anattā, dhammā anattā.
‘‘‘Manoviññāṇaṃ attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati. Manoviññāṇassa uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘manoviññāṇaṃ attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti mano anattā, dhammā anattā, manoviññāṇaṃ anattā.
‘‘‘Manosamphasso attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati. Manosamphassassa uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘manosamphasso attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti mano anattā, dhammā anattā, manoviññāṇaṃ anattā, manosamphasso anattā.
‘‘‘Vedanā attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati. Vedanāya uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘vedanā attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti mano anattā, dhammā anattā, manoviññāṇaṃ anattā, manosamphasso anattā, vedanā anattā.
‘‘‘Taṇhā attā’ti yo vadeyya taṃ na upapajjati. Taṇhāya uppādopi vayopi paññāyati. Yassa kho pana uppādopi vayopi paññāyati, ‘attā me uppajjati ca veti cā’ti iccassa evamāgataṃ hoti. Tasmā taṃ na upapajjati – ‘taṇhā attā’ti yo vadeyya. Iti mano anattā, dhammā anattā, manoviññāṇaṃ anattā, manosamphasso anattā, vedanā anattā, taṇhā anattā.
19. … cakkhuṃ ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati; rūpe ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati; cakkhuviññāṇaṃ ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati; cakkhusamphassaṃ ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati; vedanaṃ ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati; taṇhaṃ ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati; sotaṃ ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassati…pe…
20. Evaṃ kho, ānanda, ariyo hoti bhāvitindriyo. Indriyabhāvanāsuttaṃ
21. abhinivajjetvā: abhi + ni + vajjeti (ger.): avoid, dispell, get rid of
22. See also lesson 3.8.8: Paṭhamaākāsasuttaṃ & Agārasuttaṃ – Realizing vedanā results in Going Beyond: Saṅkhyaṃ nopeti vedagū. … “Tato so vedanā sabbā, parijānāti paṇḍito.
So vedanā pariññāya, diṭṭhe dhamme anāsavo;
Kāyassa bhedā dhammaṭṭho, saṅkhyaṃ nopeti vedagū’’ti.
23. anupādāvimutto: an + upādā + vimutto: without + grasping + liberation
upādāna: fuel for rebirth, substratum of becoming
24. Brahmajālasuttaṃ, Sīlakkhandhavaggapāḷi, Dīghanikāyo