Ud 1.10: Bahiya Sutta

"Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress." [1]

"Herein, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: 'In the seen will be merely what is seen; in the heard will be merely what is heard; in the sensed will be merely what is sensed; in the cognized will be merely what is cognized.' In this way you should train yourself, Bahiya.

"When, Bahiya, for you in the seen is merely what is seen... in the cognized is merely what is cognized, then, Bahiya, you will not be 'with that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'with that,' then, Bahiya, you will not be 'in that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'in that,' then, Bahiya, you will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. Just this is the end of suffering." [2]

Tasmātiha te Bāhiya, evam sikkhitabbam:

"ditthe ditthamattam bhavissati,
sute sutamattam bhavissati,
mute mutamattam bhavissati,
vinnāte vinnātamattam bhavissati"-ti.

Evam hi te Bāhiya, sikkhitabbam.

Yato kho te Bāhiya,
ditthe ditthamattam bhavissati,
sute sutamattam bhavissati,
mute mutamattam bhavissati,
vinnāte vinnātamattam bhavissati,

tato tvam Bāhiya na tena, yato tvam Bāhiya na tena, tato tvam Bāhiya na tattha, yato tvam Bāhiya na tattha, tato tvam Bāhiya nevidha, na huram, na ubhayam-antare, esevanto dukkhassā"-ti. [3, 4]

"Ettha ca te Malukyaputta dittha suta muta vinnatesu dhammesu ditthe ditthamattam bhavissati; sute sutamattam bhavissati. mute mutamattam bhavissati; vinnate vinnatamattam bhavissati."

"Malukyaputta! As dhammas are seen, heard, thought or known, just let them be as they are seen, heard, thought or known at the moment. When you see, you just see it; when you hear, you just hear it; when you think, you just think it; and when you know, you just know it."

...

"Yato kho te Malukyaputta ditthasutamuta vinnatabbesu dhammesu ditthe ditthamattam bhavissati, sute sutamattam bhavissati, mute mutamattam bhavissati, vinnate vinnatamattam bhavissati; tato tvam Malukyaputta na tena."

"Malukyaputta! If, when you see, you just see it, when you hear, you just hear it, when you think, you just think it, and when you know you just know it, then you will arrive at the understanding that the objects of sense that you perceive have nothing to do with you."

This means that you can in no way get involved with the sense-objects whenever you perceive them. ...

"Yato tvam Malukyaputta na tena, Tato tvam Malukyaputta na tattha."

"Malukyaputta! When you have nothing to do with the sense-objects that you perceive, you will get no foothold on them."

...

"Yato tvam Malukyaputta na tattha, tato tvam Malukyaputta neviaha, na huram, na ubhayamantarena, esevanto dukkhassa."

"Malukyaputta! When you lose your foothold on the objects of sense, your //namarupa// (aggregates of mind and matter) will neither be here in this world, nor there in the other world. And this being not anywhere in both worlds means the end of suffering."

When ego-entity has no standing //namarupa// ceases to exist in all possible worlds either in this or the other world; and this cessation means the end of suffering. It becomes apparent when the yogi's mind gets inclined to Nibbana through the realization of the Noble Path. When an Arahat enters Nibbana no vestiges of //namarupa// remain. As soon as death consciousness occurs at the time of //parinibbana//, he achieves //anupadisesa nibbana//, all strata of existence not remaining. Regarding this the Commentaries say that when a yogi loses his foothold on //rupa//, he is neither here in the six organs of the senses, nor there in the six sense-doors nor anywhere in the six types of consciousness.

...

A SUMMARY OF THE SUTTA

The following is a summary of what Buddha taught Malukyaputta with regard to meditation.

1. When you note with mindfulness what you see, or hear, or think, or know, you remain just conscious of your seeing, hearing, thinking and knowing, and nothing more.

2. If thus, you just see or hear or think or know what you are seeing, hearing, thinking or knowing you shall not get yourself involved in those phenomena.

3. Since you have nothing whatever to do with them, you shall have no foothold on the sense-objects that you perceive.

4. As you have no foothold on them, you are neither here nor there, nor anywhere, and the very fact that you exist nowhere means that you have realized Nibbana where all sufferings end. [1]