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25 SUTTAS FROM MULAPANNASA

( BRIEF SUMMARIES )

(Majjhima Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka)

The Editorial Committee

Myanmar Pitaka Association, 1989


(i) Mulapariyaya Vagga

Sabbasava Sutta

        Asavas (defilements that befuddle the mind) are defined and seven ways of eradicating them are explained.

Dhammadayada Sutta

       The Buddha exhorts the bhikkhus to be his heirs with regard to the Teaching and not heirs with regard to material things like the four requisites for bhikkhus. The Venerable Sariputta explains that for the bhikkhus to be true heirs of the Buddha with regard to the dhamma they should practise solitary meditation and should practise the Middle Way to dispel greed, ill will and other defilements and to attain Insight and Enlightenment.

Bhayabherava Sutta

        How recluses practising solitary meditation in a secluded forest experience fear and dismay due to impure deeds, words and thoughts and to lack of mindfulness; how the Buddha-to-be had no fear or dismay, due to purity in deed, word and thought and to having mindfulness; how finally this led to his attainment of jhanas, psychic powers and Enlightenment.

Anangana Sutta.

        Discussion by the Venerable Sariputta (a) on awareness of having or not having mental taints such as anger and displeasure, and (b) on getting rid of demeritorious factors that spring from evil wishes.

Akankheyya Sutta

       How a bhikkhu can have wishes fulfilled by perfecting himself in morality, and in addition by training his mind in Concentration, by jhana meditation, and by practising insight- meditation in solitary seclusion. The emphasis is on being endowed with perfect morality.

Vattha Sutta.

        Comparison of a dirty cloth and a defiled mind. The causes of defilement of the mind and the way to cleanse the mind of these defilements are described.

Sallekha Sutta        Wrong views about atta and loka can be removed only by right understanding gained through vipassana insight leading to Sotapatti Magga. Jhanas cannot obliterate defilements, because jhanas are only states of abiding in present bliss. The Sutta then goes on to describe the five ways in which the forty four defilements mentioned therein can be obliterated.
Sammadithi Sutta        Right view is under standing what is demeritoriousness, what is meritoriousness and what are their respective causes; understanding nutriment, its cause and its cessation; understanding the Four Ariya Truths; understanding each of the twelve factors of the Theory of Cause and Effect; and understanding what are asavas, their cause and their cessation. In this Sutta right view is elaborately treated under sixteen different heads.

(ii) Sihanada Vagga:

Culasihanada Sutta

        Starting with the bold declaration that the four categories of ariyas exist only in the Teaching of the Buddha, the Sutta sets forth important points of doctrine, such as the way to get rid of all forms of Clinging, and ends with a short version of the Theory of Cause and Effect.

Cu1adukkhakkhandha Sutta

        (a) A layman, even though a sakadagami who has reached the second stage of Magga Insight, still is liable to be overpowered by greed, anger and bewilderment and still is not free of enjoyment of worldly pleasures till he attains jhanas and higher stages of Magga Insight. Sense-desire is the cause of the mass of dukkha in this life.

       (b) An account of the Buddha's meeting with the niganthas who were undergoing tormenting practices in the hope of destroying past kamma-actions and inhibiting fresh kamma-actions so as to bring about the extinction of dukkha.

       The implied connection between (a) and (b) is the necessity to avoid the two extremes of indulging in sense-pleasures and practising self- mortification.

Cetokhila Sutta

       Five obstructions in the mind and five bondages of the mind.
Madhupindika Sutta

        A short statement of doctrine by the Buddha, amplified by the Venerable Mahakaccana. The mental factors lengthening the round of rebirths, namely, craving, egotistic pride and wrong views, are brought about by the belief that the twelve sense-bases are "mine" or "I" or "my atta." The elimination of these factors bring peace and liberation.

Dvedhavitakka Sutta

       Classification of thoughts into two kinds, one category being sensual, destructive or harmful thoughts, and the other being thoughts of liberation, goodwill and compassion. The Buddha gives an account of how he dealt with both categories of thoughts before his Enlightenment, and also an account of his attaining of Enlightenment. So this Sutta is partially autobiographical, but it also serves as a set of guidelines to the yogis who are striving in meditation, showing them how to deal with such thoughts.

(iii) Opamma Vagga

Alagaddupama Sutta

        A bhikkhu, Arittha, is reproved for holding the wrong view that bhikkhus can indulge in sexual pleasure without this being detrimental to the achievement of jhana, magga and phala. Learning the Doctrine wrongly is like catching a snake by the tail. By another simile, the use of a raft for crossing an expanse of water and not for retaining it after the crossing, the Buddha points out that even good factors of desire for and attachment to jhana and vipassana should be abandoned at the proper time without clinging to them. Lastly, the Buddha points out how wrong views arise and how they should be done away with.

Rathavinita Sutta

       The Venerable Punna tells the Venerable Sariputta that the religious life is practised by him not for purity in morality, nor for purity of concentration of mind, nor for purity of view, nor for purity of knowledge in over coming doubt, nor for purity of knowledge of and insight into what is Magga and what is not Magga, nor for purity of insight into the orderly progress in vipassana practice, nor even for purity of Magga Knowledge and Insight, but for the purpose of realizing Nibbana. However, all these seven stages of purity are indispensable by reaching the goal of Nibbana.

Mahahatthipadopama Sutta

       A discourse, with a simile of the elephant footprint, by the Venerable Sariputta on the fact that all meritorious factors can be reckoned under the Four Ariya Truths. This main point tends to be obscured by the lengthy descriptions of how the four great primary elements that make up oneself or any other being and the five aggregates of mind-and-body subject to Clinging are to be contemplated in insight-meditation. The vipassana contemplation of the aggregates of mind-and-body makes evident the great Truth of dukkha; the vipassana contemplation of the craving that clings to mind-and-body makes evident the great Truth of the cause of dukkha; the vipassana contemplation which brings about the extinction of this craving makes evident the great Truth of the cessation of dukkha; when the insight gained through vipassana contemplation is strongly developed it makes evident the great Truth of the way leading to the cessation of dukkha. Thus the meritorious factors involved in vipassana contemplation are to be reckoned under the Four Ariya Truths.

Mahasaropama Sutta

        The Teaching of the Buddha should not be practised for gaining material benefits, honour and fame, which are like the leaves and branches of a tree; nor for just perfection in morality which is like the outer crust of a tree; nor for mere establishment of complete concentration which is like the bark of a tree; nor for attainment of supernormal psychic powers which are like the sap wood of a tree. These accomplishments do not make for achieving the real goal, the carrying out of the task of making an end of dukkha. This purpose can be fulfilled only by attainment of arahatship, the indestructible emancipation of the mind, which is like the heart-wood (i.e., the pith, the true essence) of a tree.

(iv) Mahayamaka Vagga

Mahagosinga Sutta.

        A discussion among six illustrious disciples of the Buddha as to what kind of bhikkhu can grace the delightful Gosinga Sal forest where they were. Each of the six illustrious disciples expressed his opinion, according to his natural bent of mind. The bhikkhu who can grace the forest is (a) one who has heard, remembers and recounts many expositions of the Teaching; (b) one who strives for tranquillity of mind, for jhana and for vipassana insight, being devoted to solitary meditation; (c) one who has achieved the psychic power of the divine-eye; (d) one who practises austerity and is endowed with energetic effort, with morality, with concentration, with wisdom, and who attains liberation; (e) one who discusses abhidhamma with another bhikkhu; and (f) one who has complete mastery over his mind, being able to enter upon any sustained jhana or phala at will. On the Buddha being told of these six different opinions, he said all these six answers were right and proper, since each reflected the natural bent of the giver of the answer. The Buddha himself said the bhikkhu who establishes mindfulness in meditation with the firm resolve to persist in it till he is free of defilements is a bhikkhu who can grace the Gosinga Sal forest.

Mahagopalaka Sutta.        The conditions under which the Teaching would grow and prosper or would decline and decay are explained. When a cowherd is equipped with eleven skills in managing and tending his cattle, the herd prospers. A bhikkhu should be skilled and accomplished in eleven factors, to make the Teaching prosper.
Culasaccaka Sutta

        A debate between the Buddha and Saccaka, a wandering ascetic, on the subject of atta, (Self, Soul, Ego). Saccaka maintained that each of the following was one's atta: corporeality, sensation, perception, volitions and consciousness; and acts of merit and demerit are based on one or the other of these. The Buddha pointed out that none of these khandha—aggregates was atta, each being subject to impermanence, pain and change, and not being amenable to one's control and wishes. Saccaka could not refute the Buddha.

Mahasaccaka Sutta

        Discourse on the right way of training the body (through insight-meditation) and training the mind (through Concentration) in accordance with the Buddha's Teaching. This discourse is mostly autobiographical, containing the Buddha's account of leaving the worldly life, his unsuccessful seeking, under famous teachers, for the right way to liberation, his unavailing austere ascetic practices, his attainment of the four jhanas and psychic powers, and finally his Enlightenment and attainment of arahatship.

Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta.

        Refuting the depraved view of a certain bhikkhu who said the Buddha taught that the same Consciousness migrates from existence to existence, the Buddha said he had always pointed out that Consciousness can arise only from a cause, as without a specific causal condition there can be no arising of Consciousness. In fact, the complex of mind-and-body (i.e., the mental and physical aggregates) arises from a cause and disappears in the absence of that cause. Then, to ensure the complete destruction of Craving, the Theory of Cause and Effect is thoroughly expounded and examined, applying it to the course of a person's present existence from the stage of conception in the womb to maturity, a person who is sunk in sensual pleasures, and thus sunk in the mass of dukkha. Lastly, there is a description of a person who, having heard the Teaching, leaves hearth and home, practises absolute morality, restrains the sense faculties, practises awareness and mindfulness, attains jhanas, gets rid of Craving and attains Enlightenment and thus making an end of the mass of dukkha.

(v) Culayamaka Vagga
Mahavedalla Sutta

        This is a discourse that promotes better understanding of doctrinal terms and concepts in Buddhism. It is in the form of questions and answers between two eminent arahats, dealing with understanding of the Four Ariya Truths, Consciousness, Sensation, Perception, the close association of these three phenomena, right view, jhana and many other deep concepts which are in the realm of abhidhamma.

Culavedalla Sutta.

        A layman, Visakha, asks questions which are answered by the bhikkhuni Dhammadinna (who had attained arahatship), on sakkaya (i.e., the five khandhas), its origin, its cessation, the way leading to its cessation. The wrong view about Sakkaya as bodily entity and many other deep concepts are dealt with here.

Mahadhammasamadana Sutta.

       Four ways of undertaking religious practices, outlining the effects in the future of each of these four ways.


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