Introduction
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Introduction to 3.8.14
Dutiyagelaññasuttaṃ - Allow the Time to Ripen (Kālaṃ āgameyya!)
“Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṃ āgameyya.
Ayaṃ vo amhākaṃ anusāsanī.”
“A Bhikkhu, Bhikkhus, should remain with awareness and constant thorough
understanding of impermanence and allow the time to ripen.
This is my teaching to you.”
With this well-known and essential declaration the Buddha summarizes his teaching when addressing a number of monks who dwelled in the ‘sick-yard’ in the neighborhood of the Saṅghārāma monastery that had been constructed on the southern banks of the lake Markaṭā (Markaṭāhratīre) outside of Vesāli.
It was here where the Buddha retreated occasionally for his midday rest in the kūṭāgārasālā—‘gabled room’— and where often visitors came to see him. Here the Buddha also delivered various discourses, among them both addresses to Saccaka1, the Cūḷasaccakasutta as well as the Mahāsaccakasutta. At times the Buddha retreated there for solitary meditation expressing his desire to see no one except for the Bhikkhu who brought him his food. It was also the location where he later announced his forthcoming passing away after the period of three months.
Attached to this monastery existed a sick ward which the Buddha visited and there he delivered two essential discourses, both summarised in the above quote. Both events, the Paṭhamagelaññasutta and the Dutiyagelaññasutta are found in the Saṃyuttanikāyo in the section on vedanā—Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ.
‘Dutiya’ means ‘second’ and the meaning of ‘gelañña’ is: ‘sickness, disease’. The Buddha had gone to the sick-ward as an example for the monks to get likewise motivated attending to those affected by any disease2 and he went there with the intention:
‘‘…ye tattha kammaṭṭhānasappāyā3, tesaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathessāmī’’ti ca cintetvā upasaṅkami.
“…He approached with the thought: “I will teach those, suitable (desirous) for meditation a proper meditation technique.”
The first sutta is called Paṭhamagelaññasutta—‘first sutta on sickness’. Here the Buddha once more emphasises the importance of sato4 and sampajāno5 as a starting point of meditation. He then proceeds further by pointing to the dependent arising of vedanā. Directly ensuing in the very same location is the Dutiyagelaññasutta—‘second sutta on sickness’— and the Buddha addresses the monks with the exact wording but only one essential difference between both texts in the central section. The Paṭhamagelaññasutta points to the dependence of all kinds of vedanā on the physical base:
So evaṃ pajānāti– ‘uppannā kho myāyaṃ sukhā (dukkhā, adukkhamasukhā) vedanā. Kiṃ paṭicca? Imameva kāyaṃ paṭicca. Ayaṃ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno. Aniccaṃ kho pana saṅkhataṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ kāyaṃ paṭicca uppannā sukhā (dukkhā, adukkhamasukhā) vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti! …
He properly understands: ‘Now a pleasant (unpleasant, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, neutral) sensation has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. How is it conditioned? It is dependent on this body. But truly this body is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this pleasant (unpleasant, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, neutral) sensation that has arisen, is dependent on this body which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen; how could such a pleasant sensation be permanent?’
The selected text, the Dutiyagelaññasutta then refers directly to contact —phassa as the base of vedanā:
So evaṃ pajānāti– ‘uppannā kho myāyaṃ sukhā (dukkhā, adukkhamasukhā) vedanā. Kiṃ paṭicca? Imameva phassaṃ paṭicca. Ayaṃ kho pana phasso anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno. Aniccaṃ kho pana saṅkhataṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ phassaṃ paṭicca uppannā sukhā (dukkhā, adukkhamasukhā) vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti!
He properly understands: ‘Now a pleasant (unpleasant, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, neutral) sensation has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. How is it conditioned? It is dependent on contact. But truly this contact is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this pleasant (unpleasant, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, neutral) sensation that has arisen, is dependent on contact which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen; how could such a pleasant sensation be permanent?’
Thus, having underscored the base of meditation through sato and sampajāno in both texts the Buddha then proceeded to stir the monks to the experience and realisation of impermanence and in the current text advances to highlight the central part of dependent arising of paṭiccasamuppāda:
… nāma-rūpa-paccayā saḷāyatanaṃ;
saḷāyatana-paccayā phasso;
phassa-paccayā vedanā;
vedanā-paccayā taṇhā;
taṇhā-paccayā upādānaṃ…
It is here where a meditator through quiet, dispassionate and neutral observation can find release from the continuous circle of reacting to all input through the sense-doors that produce contact. This otherwise would result in like or dislike perpetuating craving. Neutral observation with a calm and detached mind without reacting to any vedanā nurtures the state of ‘sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā’ and promotes a liberating effect - similar to two separated fire-sticks that could not produce any further heat:
… “Sukhavedaniyaṃ, bhikkhave, phassaṃ paṭicca uppajjati sukhā vedanā. Tasseva sukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā, yaṃ tajjaṃ6 vedayitaṃ sukhavedaniyaṃ phassaṃ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā, sā nirujjhati, sā vūpasammati.
… “A pleasant sensation, Bhikkhus, arises in dependence on contact that is sensed as agreeable. With the cessation of that contact sensed as agreeable that pleasant sensation arising from that contact sensed as agreeable also comes to an end and abates.
Dukkhavedaniyaṃ, bhikkhave, phassaṃ paṭicca uppajjati dukkhā vedanā. Tasseva dukkhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā, yaṃ tajjaṃ vedayitaṃ dukkhavedaniyaṃ phassaṃ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā, sā nirujjhati, sā vūpasammati.
An unpleasant sensation, Bhikkhus, arises in dependence on contact that is sensed as disagreeable. With the cessation of that contact sensed as disagreeable that unpleasant sensation arising from that contact sensed as disagreeable also comes to an end and abates.
Adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṃ, bhikkhave, phassaṃ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā. Tasseva adukkhamasukhavedaniyassa phassassa nirodhā, yaṃ tajjaṃ vedayitaṃ adukkhamasukhavedaniyaṃ phassaṃ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhā vedanā, sā nirujjhati, sā vūpasammati.
A neither pleasant nor unpleasant sensation, Bhikkhus, arises in dependence on contact that is sensed as neutral. With the cessation of that contact sensed as neutral that neither pleasant nor unpleasant sensation arising from that contact sensed as neutral also comes to an end and abates.
It is just like, Bhikkhus, from the combination and rubbing of two fire-sticks together heat gets produced thereof and fire gets generated. When these sticks get separated and put down than the heat based on that diminishes and abates.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imā tisso vedanā phassajā phassamūlakā phassanidānā phassapaccayā. Tajjaṃ phassaṃ paṭicca tajjā vedanā uppajjanti. Tajjassa phassassa nirodhā tajjā vedanā nirujjhantī’’ti. 11
In the same way, Bhikkhus, these three kinds of vedanā are born from contact, they are entrenched in contact and in the same way, Bhikkhus, these three kinds of vedanā are born from contact, they are entrenched in contact and contact is their source and prerequisite. Based and dependent on this contact the respective vedanā arise. With the ceasing of the contact these respective vedanā also cease”.
1. In the Cūḷasaccakasutta, Saccaka announces that he will ‘crush’ the Buddha through arguments in a verbal confrontation. Saccaka holds the strong view that all the pañca khanda are ‘atta’ – but finally he has to admit that these are ‘anicca’-impermanent. This argument is referred to in the day four morning recitation of S.N. Goenka in his 10-day course, the Buddha Jayamaṅgala - Aṭṭhagāthā which celebrates as inspiration various qualities with which the Buddha won various ‘battles’:
“Saccaṃ vihāya matisaccaka vādaketuṃ - Having strayed from the truth, the wily Saccaka,
Vādābhiropitamanaṃ ati-andhabhūtaṃ - Intended to raise the banner of his false doctrine, being completely blinded.
Paññāpadīpajalito jitavā munindo - By the shining lamp of wisdom, the Lord of Sages conquered him,
Taṃ tejasā bhavatu te jayamaṅgalāni - By the power of such virtues, may victory and happiness be yours!”
2. ‘‘sadevake loke aggapuggalo tathāgatopi gilānupaṭṭhānaṃ gacchati, upaṭṭhātabbayuttakā nāma gilānāti bhikkhū saddahitvā okappetvā gilāne upaṭṭhātabbe maññissantī’’ti – He went as the foremost person in this world, as Tathāgata to attend on the sick so that the Bhikkhus, out of faith should also think that they will attend to the sick
3. kammaṭṭhānasappāyā: kammaṭṭhāna + sappāyā: subject of meditation + suitable
4. (Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti) – see also 3.8.2 Satisuttaṃ - Remaining Sato and Sampajāno
5. (Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti) – see likewise 3.8.2 Satisuttaṃ - Remaining Sato and Sampajāno
6. tajja: arising from, founded on that
7. kaṭṭha: firewood, stick
8. saṅghaṭṭanasamodhānā: saṅghaṭṭana + samodhāna: rubbing against, close contact + combination
9. usmā: heat
10. vinikkhepā: vi + nikkhepa: putting down, discarding
11. Phassamūlakasuttaṃ, Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ, Sagāthāvaggo, Saḷāyatanavaggo, Saḷāyatanasaṃyuttaṃ