The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [190]
27. “Lady, what should be abandoned in regard to pleasant feeling? What should be abandoned in regard to painful feeling? What should be abandoned in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling?”
“Friend Visākha, the underlying tendency to lust should be abandoned in regard to pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency to aversion should be abandoned in regard to painful feeling. The underlying tendency to ignorance should be abandoned in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.”
28. “Lady, does the underlying tendency to lust have to be abandoned in regard to all pleasant feeling? Does the underlying tendency to aversion have to be abandoned in regard to all painful feeling? Does the underlying tendency to ignorance have to be abandoned in regard to all neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling?” “Friend Visākha, the underlying tendency to lust does not have to be abandoned in regard to all pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency to aversion does not have to be abandoned in regard to all painful feeling. The underlying tendency to ignorance does not have to be abandoned in regard to all neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
“Here, friend Visākha, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. With that he abandons lust, and the underlying tendency to lust does not underlie that.474
“Here a bhikkhu considers thus: ‘When shall I enter upon and abide in that base that the noble ones now enter upon and abide in?’ In one who thus generates a longing for the supreme liberations, [304] grief arises with that longing as condition. With that he abandons aversion, and the underlying tendency to aversion does not underlie that.475
“Here, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. With that he abandons ignorance, and the underlying tendency to ignorance does not underlie that.”476
(COUNTERPARTS)
29. “Lady, what is the counterpart of pleasant feeling?”477
“Friend Visākha, painful feeling is the counterpart of pleasant feeling.”
“What is the counterpart of painful feeling?”
“Pleasant feeling is the counterpart of painful feeling.”
“What is the counterpart of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling?”
“Ignorance is the counterpart of neither-painful-nor pleasant feeling.”478
“What is the counterpart of ignorance?”
“True knowledge is the counterpart of ignorance.”
“What is the counterpart of true knowledge?”
“Deliverance is the counterpart of true knowledge.”
“What is the counterpart of deliverance?”
“Nibbāna is the counterpart of deliverance.”
“Lady, what is the counterpart of Nibbāna?”
“Friend Visākha, you have pushed this line of questioning too far; you were not able to grasp the limit to questions.479 For the holy life, friend Visākha, is grounded upon Nibbāna, culminates in Nibbāna, ends in Nibbāna. If you wish, friend Visākha, go to the Blessed One and ask him about the meaning of this. As the Blessed One explains it to you, so you should remember it.”
(CONCLUSION)
30. Then the lay follower Visākha, having delighted and rejoiced in the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā’s words, rose from his seat, and after paying homage to her, keeping her on his right, he went to the Blessed One. After paying homage to him, he sat down at one side and told the Blessed One his entire conversation with the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā. When he finished speaking, the Blessed One told him:
31. “The bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā is wise, Visākha, the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā has great wisdom. If you had asked me the meaning of this, I would have explained it to you [305] in the same way that the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā has explained it. Such is its meaning, and so you should remember it.”480
That is what the Blessed One said. The lay follower