The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [388]
13. “So too, student, the brahmin Pokkharasāti is blind and visionless. That he could know or see or realise a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones—this is impossible. What do you think, student? What is better for those well-to-do brahmins of Kosala such as the brahmin Cankī, the brahmin Tārukkha, the brahmin Pokkharasāti, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi, or your father, the brahmin Todeyya—that the statements they make accord with worldly convention or flaunt worldly convention?”—“That they accord with worldly convention, Master Gotama.”
“What is better for them, that the statements they make be thoughtful or thoughtless?”—“Thoughtful, Master Gotama.”—“What is better for them, that they make their statements after reflecting or without reflecting?”—“After reflecting, Master Gotama.”—“What is better for them, that the statements they make be beneficial or unbeneficial?”—“Beneficial, Master Gotama.”
14. “What do you think, student? If that is so, did the statement made by the brahmin Pokkharasāti accord with worldly convention or flaunt worldly convention?”—“It flaunted worldly convention, Master Gotama.”—“Was the statement made thoughtful or thoughtless?”—“Thoughtless, Master Gotama.”—“Was the statement made after reflecting or without reflecting?”—“Without reflecting, Master Gotama.”—“Was the statement made beneficial or unbeneficial?”—“Unbeneficial, Master Gotama.” [203]
15. “Now there are these five hindrances, student. What are the five? The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, and the hindrance of doubt. These are the five hindrances. The brahmin Pokkharasāti is obstructed, hindered, blocked, and enveloped by these five hindrances. That he could know or see or realise a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones—this is impossible.
16. “Now there are these five cords of sensual pleasure, student. What are the five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. Sounds cognizable by the ear…Odours cognizable by the nose…Flavours cognizable by the tongue…Tangibles cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. These are the five cords of sensual pleasure. The brahmin Pokkharasāti is tied to these five cords of sensual pleasure, infatuated with them and utterly committed to them; he enjoys them without seeing the danger in them or understanding the escape from them. That he could know or see or realise a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones—this is impossible.
17. “What do you think, student? Which of these two fires would have a [better] flame, colour, and radiance—a fire that might burn in dependence on fuel, such as grass and wood, or a fire that might burn independent of fuel, such as grass and wood?”
“If it were possible, Master Gotama, for a fire to burn independent of fuel such as grass and wood, that fire would have a [better] flame, colour, and radiance.”
“It is impossible, student, it cannot happen that a fire could burn independent of fuel such as grass or wood except through [the exercise of] supernormal power. Like the fire that burns dependent on fuel such as grass and wood, I say, is the rapture [204] that is dependent on the five cords of sensual pleasure. Like the fire that burns independent of fuel such as grass and wood, I say, is the rapture that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states. And what, student, is the rapture that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states? Here, 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