Introduction 3.8.10: Pātālasuttaṃ – How to Endure Negative Experiences and Realize Proper Comprehension of Dukkha?
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Introduction to 3.8.10 - Pātālasuttaṃ
How to Endure Negative Experiences and Realize Proper Comprehension of Dukkha?
Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā’ti, yadā paññāya passati;
atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.
‘Impermanent are all compounded things.’
When one perceives this with insight,
Then one turns away from suffering—this is the path of purification
‘‘Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā’’ti, yadā paññāya passati;
Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.
‘All compounded things are connected to suffering.’
When one perceives this with insight,
Then one turns away from suffering—this is the path of purification
‘‘Sabbe dhammā anattā’’ti, yadā paññāya passati;
Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.1
‘All states are no-self.’
When one perceives this with insight,
Then one turns away from suffering—this is the path of purification
According to the Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā these three essential, often quoted verses were uttered to three respective groups of 500 Bhikkhus each as an object of meditation. The commentary explains that it is the insight knowledge through Vipassana that enables one to realize the inherent nature of everlasting change—aniccā in all compounded things and based on this, to comprehend the universal nature of dukkha:
Tattha sabbe saṅkhārāti kāmabhavādīsu uppannā khandhā tattha tattheva nirujjhanato aniccāti yadā vipassanāpaññāya passati, atha imasmiṃ khandhapariharaṇadukkhe2 nibbindati,’ …
‘Impermanent are all compounded things’: When one realizes through the insight knowledge of Vipassana - that within the sphere dominated by pleasure all arisen factors of existence (aggregates of clinging) likewise disappear and are bound to change - then one gets disgusted with the dukkha that is maintained within these aggregates…
‘… nibbindanto dukkhaparijānanādivasena3 saccāni paṭivijjhati. Esa maggo visuddhiyāti visuddhatthāya vodānatthāya esa maggoti attho.’
‘… Disgusted with them one penetrates the truth based on the knowledge of dukkha, abandons the arising of it and realises the cessation by developing the Noble Path. ‘This is the path of purification’: The meaning is the Eightfold Noble Path that aims at purification, is for the sake of sanctification.’
In the current sutta, the ‘Pātālasutta’, the Buddha refers to the general reaction when one encounters unpleasant situations: ‘dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho’. ‘Pātāla’ means: proclivity, cliff, abyss – the term implies something hazardous where one needs to be on the alert, extremely watchful and vigilantly on guard. Thus the ‘Pātālasutta’ presents a simile where the Buddha designates unpleasant bodily sensations –‘sārīrikānaṃ dukkhānaṃ vedanānaṃ’– as such precarious an abyss: ‘yadidaṃ ‘pātālo’ti!
Here the Buddha describes how an ordinary worldling –‘assutavā’ – someone who has never heard of the Buddha’s teaching, ignorant of it and not a meditator – in general may react whenever encountering unpleasant situations and based on this is facing agonizing emotions, painful feeling and unpleasant sensations. Rather than accepting, enduring and observing such disagreeable situations he reacts with bewilderment. In this way such a worldling is not able to come out of the circle of misery, can not get rid of the connected underlying tendencies related to the respective sensations.
In comparison to that the Buddha points out the difference to someone who follows his teaching –‘sutavā’– and how he responds in analogous situations and endures these with wisdom, thus being enabled to remove the clutches of craving, aversion and ignorance.
‘Dukkha’ is one of those various essential Pāli-terms that can scarcely be translated properly4, let alone by means of only one corresponding term in English; especially as ‘dukkha’ is not only used as noun, but also as an adjective or adverbially. ‘Dukkha’ always refers to a state of unpleasantness, unhappiness, anguish, distress, misery or suffering - whether used as noun or correspondingly applied as adjective or adverb. Ideally ‘dukkha’ is left untranslated by pointing to the respective context of the original
Even though someone may achieve some soothing effect by the verbal approval of dukkha when encountering unwanted situations by use of indistinct and vague phrases like: ‘its all dukkha’ or ‘its all anicca’ this is not the application of the Buddha’s teaching. In his very first discourse the Buddha indicates a more arduous approach which demands a more thorough inner understanding, based on ones own experience. Here in his talk to the ‘pañcavaggiye bhikkhū’ – ‘the Group of Five’5 the Buddha emphasizes that all these Four Noble Truths6 need to be developed and realized in three ways each by making them twelve in all.7 He stresses that realizing these four truths each in these three ways is the only way all the links of the Eightfold Noble Path will get accomplished.
It is this Path that needs to be fully walked to comprehend the overall existing truth of the nature of change and impermanence—anicca. Only an experimental deeper level enables recognition, acknowledgment and realization that it is the equally general attachment and clinging by ways of craving and aversion to what is impermanent that generates the suffering—dukkha!
Here lies the rationality of the Buddha’s second discourse, the Anattalakkhaṇasuttaṃ8 to the ‘pañcavaggiye bhikkhū’ after which all were established in the fruit of Nibbana. He questions them in the following order in regard to the pañcupādānakkhandhā (as he addresses later different audiences at many occasions) to point to the nature of non-I; non-self; non-soul—anattā:
‘‘Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Aniccaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Dukkhaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ – ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’’’ti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Vedanā… saññā… saṅkhārā… viññāṇaṃ niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Aniccaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vā taṃ sukhaṃ vā’’ti? ‘‘Dukkhaṃ, bhante’’. ‘‘Yaṃ panāniccaṃ dukkhaṃ vipariṇāmadhammaṃ, kallaṃ nu taṃ samanupassituṃ – ‘etaṃ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’’’ti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, bhante’’.
“Now what do you think, Bhikkhus, is body permanent or impermanent?” — “Impermanent, Bhante.” “Now whatever is impermanent is it painful or pleasant?” — “It is painful, Bhante.” “Now can, whatever is impermanent and what is painful and therefore subject to change, be considered thus: “This is mine, this is I, this is my self?” — “No, Bhante.”
“Now what do you think, Bhikkhus, is sensation……; perception……; mental conditioned reaction……; consciousness permanent or impermanent?” — “Impermanent, Bhante.” “Now whatever is impermanent is it painful or pleasant?” — “It is painful, Bhante.” “Now can, whatever is impermanent and what is painful and therefore subject to change, be considered thus: “This is mine, this is I, this is my self?” — “No, Bhante.”
The following reply, from a layperson called Visākha, received after having approached the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā9 may present a supportive approach for a meditator to face dukkha properly by not falling in the trap of such a ‘pātāla’. At one time Visākha asked Dhammadinnā a wider range of questions in regard to vedanā:
‘‘Sukhā panāyye, vedanā kiṃsukhā kiṃdukkhā, dukkhā vedanā kiṃsukhā kiṃdukkhā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā kiṃsukhā kiṃdukkhā’’ti?
“What is pleasant and what is painful in regard to pleasant sensation? What is painful and what is pleasant in regard to painful sensation? And what is pleasant and what is painful in regard to neither painful nor pleasant, neutral sensation?”
Dhammadinnā replied:
“Friend Visākha, pleasant sensation is pleasant when it stays and painful when it changes. Painful sensation is painful when it remains and pleasant when it changes. Neither painful nor pleasant, neutral sensation is pleasant when there is knowledge and painful when there is no knowledge.”
Dhammadinnā further highlights the relation between the different kinds of sensations and the underlying, dormant tendencies13:
‘‘Sukhāya kho, āvuso visākha, vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti, dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti, adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetī’’ti.
“Friend Visākha, the underlying tendency to lust triggers pleasant sensation. The underlying tendency to aversion triggers painful sensation and the underlying tendency to ignorance triggers neither painful nor pleasant sensation.”
“Vuttaṃ kho panetaṃ, bhikkhu, mayā – ‘yaṃ kiñci vedayitaṃ, taṃ dukkhasmi’nti.”
“And indeed I have said, Bhikkhus, ‘whatever is being felt, that goes along with suffering’!”
In the Rahogatasuttaṃ14 the Buddha addresses the monks and presents a deeper, more detailed explanation of what in general he means when he speaks about ‘dukkhasmi’nti’. After having referred to the three kinds of sensations that a meditator is experiencing, the Buddha summarizes and elaborates:
… “Taṃ kho panetaṃ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhārānaṃyeva aniccataṃ sandhāya15 bhāsitaṃ – ‘yaṃ kiñci vedayitaṃ taṃ dukkhasmi’nti.
“And here I have indeed said, Bhikkhus, ‘whatever is being felt, that goes along with suffering’ in connection to the impermanence of all compounded formations”
“Taṃ kho panetaṃ, bhikkhu, mayā saṅkhārānaṃyeva khayadhammataṃ…pe… vayadhammataṃ…pe… virāgadhammataṃ …pe… nirodhadhammataṃ…pe… vipariṇāmadhammataṃ sandhāya bhāsitaṃ – ‘yaṃ kiñci vedayitaṃ taṃ dukkhasmi’nti.”16
And it has been indeed said by me: ‘whatever is being felt, that goes along with suffering’ in connection to the destruction of all compounded formations; it has been said by me in connection to the disappearance of all compounded formations, it has been said by me in connection to the fact that all compounded formations are subject to fading away; it has also been said in connection to the fact that all compounded formations are bound to cessation and I have also said, Bhikkhus, ‘whatever is being felt, that goes along with suffering’ in connection to the fact that all compounded formations are subject to change.
Truly: ‘yaṃ kiñci vedayitaṃ taṃ dukkhasmi’nti!
1. Maggavaggo, Khuddakanikāye, Dhammapadapāḷi
2. khandhapariharaṇadukkhe: khandha + pariharaṇa + dukkhe: aggregates + keeping up, maintaining + dukkha
3. dukkhaparijānanādivasena: dukkha + parijānana + adivasena: dukkha + knowledge + on account of;
ādi stands for: dukkhaparijānanaṃ samudayapajahanaṃ nirodhasacchikaraṇaṃ ariyamaggaṃ
4. Saṅkhārā – is another core term difficult to be translated, used here in the opening verse. For a more detailed explanation see introduction to 3.2.7 Bījavaggo - Neem and Sugarcane
5. See 3.2.3 Dhammacakkappavattanasuttaṃ-2 - The Four Noble Truths Have to Be Fully Realized
6. ‘‘Idaṃ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ – jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṃ, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi vippayogo dukkho, yampicchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ – saṃkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā.
Idaṃ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhasamudayaṃ ariyasaccaṃ – yāyaṃ taṇhā ponobbhavikā nandirāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṃ – kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā.
Idaṃ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodhaṃ ariyasaccaṃ – yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo.
Idaṃ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā ariyasaccaṃ – ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṃ – sammādiṭṭhi…pe… sammāsamādhi.”
7. … imesu catūsu ariyasaccesu evaṃ tiparivaṭṭaṃ dvādasākāraṃ yathābhūtaṃ ñāṇadassanaṃ suvisuddhaṃ ahosi
8. For full sutta and vocabulary see: 3.2.9 Anattalakkhaṇasuttaṃ - Understanding Non I
9. Cūḷavedallasuttaṃ, Cūḷayamakavaggo, Mūlapaṇṇāsapāḷi, Majjhimanikāyo
10. ṭhitisukhā: ṭhiti + sukhā: stability, duration + happiness
11. ñāṇasukhā: ñāṇa + sukhā: knowledge + happiness
12. aññāṇadukkhā: an +ñāṇa + dukkhā: not +knowledge + misery
13. see also the previous sutta: 3.8.9 Pahānasuttaṃ – Forsaking rāga, paṭighā and avijjā
14. Rahogatasuttaṃ, Rahogatavaggo, Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ, Saḷāyatanavaggo, Saḷāyatanasaṃyuttaṃ,
see also Introduction to 3.8.8 Paṭhamaākāsasuttaṃ & Agārasuttaṃ – Realizing vedanā and Going Beyond: Saṅkhyaṃ nopeti vedagū
15. sandhāya: (ger. of sandhahati): in connection, with reference to
16. Rahogatasuttaṃ, Rahogatavaggo, Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ, Saḷāyatanavaggo, Saḷāyatanasaṃyuttaṃ
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Pāli lesson (with audio) 3.8.10
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