Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

Deliberating about things seen, deliberating about things heard, deliberating about things smelt, tasted, tangible, about things in memory recalled — these are the things in this world that are dear, that are pleasant. Here may Craving be put away, here does it cease.

This, bhikkhus, is what is called the Aryan Truth concerning the cessation of 111.

21. And what, bhikkhus, is the Aryan Truth concerning the Way that leads to the Cessation of 111 ?

This is that Aryan Eightfold Path, to wit, right view, right aspiration, right speech, right doing, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right rapture.

And what, bhikkhus, is right view ? [312]

Knowledge, bhikkhus, about 111, knowledge about the coming to be of 111, knowledge about the cessation of 111, knowledge about the Way that leads to the cessation of 111. This is what is called right view.

And what, bhikkhus, is right aspiration ?

The aspiration towards renunciation1, the aspiration

1 Nekkhamma. Burnouf (' Lotus,' 334) derives this word from nis + karma; Oldenberg ('Vinaya Texts,' I, 104) from nis + kama, and Childers {sub voce) from nis + kramya. These three derivations would give the meaning respectively as having no Karma, being devoid of lust, and going forth from home. Darami/ipola explains it here as meaning either the second or the third. No doubt

344 xxn- MAHA SATIPA7TJ7ANA SUTTANTA. D. ii. 312.

towards benevolence, the aspiration towards kindness. This is what is called right aspiration.

And what, bhikkhus, is right speech ?

Abstaining from lying, slander, abuse and idle talk.
This is what is called right speech.

And what, bhikkhus, is right doing ?

Abstaining from taking life, from taking what is not given, from carnal indulgence. This is what is called right doing.

And what, bhikkhus, is right livelihood ?

Herein, O bhikkhus, the Aryan disciple having put away wrong livelihood, supports himself by right livelihood.

And what, bhikkhus, is right effort

?

Herein, O bhikkhus, a brother makes effort in bringing forth will that evil and bad states that have not arisen within him may not arise, to that end he stirs up energy, he grips and forces his mind. That he may put away evil and bad states that have arisen within him he puts forth will, he makes effort, he stirs up energy, he grips and forces his mind. That good states which have not arisen may arise he puts forth will, he makes effort, he stirs up energy, he grips and forces his mind. That good states which have arisen may persist, may not grow blurred, may multiply, grow abundant, develop and come to perfection, he puts forth will, he makes effort, he stirs up energy, he grips and forces his mind. This is what is called right effort. And what, bhikkhus, is right mindfulness ? [313] Herein, O bhikkhus, a brother, as to the body, continues so to look upon the body, that he remains ardent,

Oldenberg is right as to the derivation. But Darami/ipola is also right if we take his note as exegetical, not philological. The fact is that the derivation had been, from very early times, forgotten or confused ; and the connotation of the word was renunciation generally, with special reference to these two kinds. It never had anything to do with Karma.

The three aspirations of our paragraph here recur at Sazwyutta II, 152, and on p. 151 nekkhamma is replaced by kama. See also It. no. 72, and M. I, 114.

p. 345

self-possessed and mindful, having overcome both the hankering and the dejection common in the world. And in the same way as to feelings, thoughts and ideas, he so looks upon each, that he remains ardent, self-possessed and mindful, having overcome the hankering and the dejection that is common in the world. This is what is called right mindfulness.

And what, bhikkhus, is right rapture ?