Saṃyukta Āgama, Volume One (14)

Original text:如是我闻。一时。佛住舍卫国祇树给孤独园。尔时。世尊告诸比丘。我昔于色味有求有行。若于色味随顺觉。则于色味以智慧如实见。如是于受．想．行．识味有求有行。若于受．想．行．识味随顺觉。则于识味以智慧如实见。

诸比丘。我于色患有求有行。若于色患随顺觉。则于色患以智慧如实见。如是受．想．行．识患有求有行。若于识患随顺觉。则于识患以智慧如实见。

诸比丘。我于色离有求有行。若于色随顺觉。则于色离以智慧如实见。如是受．想．行．识离有求有行。若于受．想．行．识离随顺觉。则于受．想．行．识离以智慧如实见。

诸比丘。我于五受阴不如实知味是味．患是患．离是离者。我于诸天．若魔．若梵．沙门．婆罗门．天．人众中。不脱．不离．不出。永住颠倒。不能自证得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

诸比丘。我以如实知五受阴味是味．患是患．离是离。我于诸天人．若魔．若梵．沙门．婆罗门．天．人众中。以脱．以离．以出。永不住颠倒。能自证得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。时。诸比丘闻佛所说。欢喜奉行。

Explanation: The World-Honored One said to the bhikṣus: In the past, because I savored and relished the aggregate of form, because I delighted in the aggregate of form, I was always craving and seeking after it, always performing bodily, verbal, and mental actions for the sake of the aggregate of form, without being aware of it myself, and thus I suffered birth and death in vain. If one can give rise to a mind of awakening regarding one's own craving and delight in the aggregate of form, and then inwardly accord with that awakened mind, wisdom will arise and one will truly and realistically see the actual flavor of the aggregate of form, knowing that the aggregate of form is entirely suffering and not at all worth savoring; one will then be liberated from the bondage of the aggregate of form and attain liberation.

In the past, I also craved and sought after the flavors of the four aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and so I performed bodily, verbal, and mental actions for their sake; consequently I was bound by them and could not attain liberation. If one can give rise to a mind of awakening toward feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and accord with that awakening, wisdom will arise, and one will realistically know and see the flavors of these four aggregates, realizing that they are all suffering and all without self, and one will attain liberation.

The World-Honored One further said to the bhikṣus: In the past, I did not realistically know and see the various faults and sufferings of the aggregate of form; I was always craving and seeking after it, and performed bodily, verbal, and mental actions for the sake of the aggregate of form with its many faults, and by these actions I was bound and could not attain liberation. If one can awaken to the various faults of the aggregate of form, a mind of awakening will arise; according with one's awakened mind, wisdom will arise, and one will realistically know and see the various faults of the aggregate of form, knowing that the aggregate of form is entirely suffering and not worth craving; one will then be freed from the bondage of the aggregate of form and taste the flavor of liberation.

In the past, I also did not realistically know and see the various faults of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; I always gave rise to craving and desire for them, and performed the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of birth and death, and was bound by these karmic formations of birth and death, unable to attain liberation. If one can awaken to the various faults of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and accord with one's awakened mind, wisdom will arise, and one will realistically know and see their various faults, no longer craving them; one will then be liberated from the bondage of birth and death in these four aggregates and attain liberation.

The World-Honored One said to the bhikṣus: In the past, I did not realistically know and see that the aggregate of form is something that can be departed from and abandoned; therefore I craved and sought after it, performed the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of birth and death for the sake of the aggregate of form, and was bound by these karmic formations, unable to attain liberation. If one can awaken to the fact that one should depart from and abandon the aggregate of form, and inwardly accord with that awakening, wisdom will arise, and one will realistically know and see that one should depart from and abandon the aggregate of form; no longer craving it, one will be liberated from the aggregate of form, no longer bound by it, and attain liberation.

In the past, I did not know that one should depart from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness; I always craved and sought after them, performed the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of birth and death for their sake, and was bound by these karmic formations, unable to attain liberation. If one can awaken to the fact that one should depart from feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and inwardly accord with these awakenings, wisdom will arise, and one will realistically know and see that these four aggregates can be departed from and abandoned; no longer clinging to them, one will be liberated from them, liberated from the suffering of birth and death, no longer bound by them, and attain liberation.

The World-Honored One said: In the past, because I did not realistically know and see the flavor, the fault, and the departure with regard to the five grasped aggregates, I could not escape, could not depart, could not emerge from among the hosts of devas, humans, Māra, Brahmā, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas; I could not be liberated from the suffering of birth and death in the six realms, forever dwelling in delusion, unable to realize by myself anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.

Bhikṣus, later, because I awakened to the flavor, the fault, and the departure of the five grasped aggregates, I was able to escape, to depart, to emerge from among the hosts of devas, humans, Māra, Brahmā, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas; I forever ceased to dwell in delusion and realized anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi.

Match the Dharma against your own body and mind: realistically know your own mind's craving and desire, realistically know what your mind craves and desires; then engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the various faults and shortcomings of these cravings and desires, and give rise to the mind of liberation—then you will gradually depart from these cravings and desires. Realistic knowing and seeing is extremely difficult. Everyone indulges themselves, everyone is lenient with themselves, unwilling to go against their own greedy mind; therefore progress on the path is always meager, contemplative practice never quite reaches the mark, the mental activities cannot be transformed, and one gives rise to affliction and does not attain liberation.