Itivuttaka (So It Was Said)

Therefore, dispelling desire and greed and ignorance, a mendicant arousing knowledge would abandon all bad destinies.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Those sentient beings are truly bereft, mendicants, who are bereft of noble wisdom. They live unhappily in this very life—with distress, anguish, and fever— and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a bad rebirth. Those sentient beings are not bereft who are not bereft of noble wisdom. In this very life they’re happy—free of distress, anguish, and fever— and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“See the world with its gods, bereft of wisdom, habituated to name and form, imagining this is truth.

Wisdom is best in the world, as it leads to penetration, through which one rightly understands the ending of rebirth and continued existence.

Gods and humans envy them, the Buddhas, ever mindful, of laughing wisdom, bearing their final body.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“These two bright things, mendicants, protect the world. What two? Conscience and prudence. If these two bright things did not protect the world, there would be no recognition of the status of mother, aunts, or wives and partners of tutors and respected people. The world would become dissolute, like goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and hounds and jackals. But because the two bright things protect the world, there is recognition of the status of mother, aunts, and wives and partners of tutors and respected people.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Those in whom conscience and prudence are never found at all, have lost their bright roots, and fare on in birth and death.

Those in whom conscience and prudence are always rightly established, thrive in the spiritual life; being at peace, they will not be reborn again.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“There is, mendicants, freedom from rebirth, freedom from what has been produced, made, and conditioned. If there were no freedom from rebirth, freedom from what has been produced, made, and conditioned, then you would find no escape here from rebirth, from what has been produced, made, and conditioned. But since there is freedom from rebirth, freedom from what has been produced, made, and conditioned, an escape is found from rebirth, from what has been produced, made, and conditioned.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“What’s reborn, produced, and arisen, made, conditioned, not lasting, wrapped in old age and death, frail, a nest of disease,

whose inception is the leash to food: that’s not fit to delight in. The escape from that is peaceful, beyond the scope of logic, everlasting,

where nothing is reborn or arisen, the sorrowless, stainless state, the cessation of all painful things, the blissful stilling of conditions.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“There are, mendicants, these two elements of extinguishment. What two? The element of extinguishment with residue, and the element of extinguishment with no residue.

And what is the element of extinguishment with residue? It’s when a mendicant is a perfected one, with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment. Their five sense faculties still remain. So long as their senses have not gone they continue to experience the agreeable and disagreeable, to feel pleasure and pain. The ending of greed, hate, and delusion in them is called the element of extinguishment with residue.

And what is the element of extinguishment with no residue? It’s when a mendicant is a perfected one, with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment. For them, everything that’s felt, being no longer relished, will become cool right here. This is called the element of extinguishment with no residue. These are the two elements of extinguishment.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“These two elements of extinguishment <j>have been revealed by the Clear-eyed One, <j>the unattached, the unaffected. One element pertains to this life— that with residue <j>though the leash to existence has ended; and that with no residue, <j>which pertains to what follows this life, where all states of existence cease.

Those who have fully understood <j>the unconditioned state— their minds freed, the leash to existence ended— attained to the heart of the Dhamma, <j>they delight in ending, the unaffected ones have given up <j>all states of existence.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Enjoy retreat, mendicants, love retreat. Be committed to inner serenity of the heart, don’t neglect absorption, be endowed with discernment, and frequent empty huts. A mendicant who enjoys retreat can expect one of two results: enlightenment in this very life, or if there’s residue left behind, non-return.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“With minds at peace, alert, mindful and meditative, they rightly discern the Dhamma, unconcerned for sensual pleasures.

Delighting in diligence, peaceful, seeing fear in negligence, such a one can’t decline, and has drawn near to extinguishment.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, live with training as benefit, with wisdom as overseer, with freedom as core, and with mindfulness as ruler. A mendicant who lives in this way can expect one of two results: enlightenment in this very life, or if there’s residue left behind, non-return.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“The training fulfilled, not liable to decline, overseen by wisdom, seer of rebirth’s end; that sage bears their final body; they have disposed of Māra, I declare, <j>and gone beyond old age.

Therefore be always enjoying absorption, <j>immersed in samādhi, energetic, seers of rebirth’s end. Having overcome Māra and his armies, mendicants, go beyond birth and death.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“A mendicant should meditate wakeful, mendicants, mindful and aware, joyful and clear, and at times discern the skillful qualities in that state. A mendicant who meditates in this way can expect one of two results: enlightenment in this very life, or if there’s residue left behind, non-return.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Listen up, wakeful ones! And those asleep, wake up! Wakefulness is better than sleep, the wakeful have nothing to fear.

Those who are wakeful, mindful and aware, immersed in samādhi, joyful and clear, rightly investigating the Dhamma in good time, at one, would banish the darkness.

That’s why you should apply yourself to wakefulness. A keen and alert mendicant, possessing absorption, having cut the fetter of birth and old age, would experience supreme awakening <j>in this very life.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, these two are bound for a place of loss, bound for hell, if they don’t give up this fault. What two? Someone who is unchaste, but claims to be chaste; and someone who makes a groundless accusation of unchastity against a person whose chastity is pure. These are the two who are bound for a place of loss, bound for hell, if they don’t give up this fault.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“A liar goes to hell, as does one who denies what they did. Both are equal in the hereafter, those men of base deeds.

Many who wear a scrap of ocher cloth are unrestrained and wicked. Being wicked, they are reborn in hell due to their bad deeds.

It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained to eat an iron ball, scorching, like a burning flame, than to eat the nation’s alms.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Overcome by two misconceptions, mendicants, some gods and humans get stuck, some overreach, while those with vision see.

And how do some get stuck? Gods and humans like clinging, they love it and enjoy it. When the Dhamma is being taught to them for the cessation of existence, their minds do not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided. That is how some get stuck.

And how do some overreach? Some, becoming horrified, repelled, and disgusted with existence, delight in nonexistence: ‘When this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death: that is peaceful, that is sublime, that is how it is.’ That is how some overreach.

And how do those with vision see? It’s when a mendicant sees what has come to be as having come to be. Seeing this, they are practicing for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding what has come to be. That is how those with vision see.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Those who see what has come to be <j>as having come to be, and see the transcendence of what has come to be, are freed in accord with the truth, with the ending of craving for continued existence.

They completely understand what has come to be, rid of craving for rebirth in this or that state. When what has come to be ceases to be, a mendicant does not come back to future lives.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three unskillful roots. What three? Greed, hate, and delusion. These are the three unskillful roots.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“When greed, hate, and delusion, have arisen inside oneself, they harm a person of wicked heart, as a bamboo is destroyed by its own fruit.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three elements. What three? The realm of luminous form, the formless realm, and cessation. These are the three elements.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Comprehending the realm of luminous form, not stuck in the formless, those who are released in cessation, they are conquerors of death.

Having directly experienced <j>the element free of death, free of attachments; having realized relinquishment of attachments, the undefiled fully awakened Buddha teaches the sorrowless, stainless state.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling. These are the three feelings.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Stilled, aware, a mindful disciple of the Buddha understands feelings, the cause of feelings,

where they cease, and the path that leads to their ending. With the ending of feelings, a mendicant is hungerless, quenched.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling. Pleasant feeling should be seen as suffering. Painful feeling should be seen as a dart. Neutral feeling should be seen as impermanent. When a mendicant has seen these three feelings in this way, they’re called a noble mendicant who sees rightly, has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“A mendicant who sees pleasure as pain, and suffering as a dart, and that peaceful, neutral feeling as impermanent

sees rightly. And when freed in regards to that, that peaceful sage, with perfect insight, has truly slipped their yokes.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Stilled, aware, a mindful disciple of the Buddha understands searches, the cause of searches,

where they cease, and the path that leads to their ending. With the ending of searches, a mendicant is hungerless, quenched.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three searches. What three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path. These are the three searches.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“The search for sensual pleasures, <j>for continued existence, and the search for a spiritual path; the holding tight to the thought, ‘this is the truth’, and the mass of grounds for views—

for one detached from all lusts, freed by the ending of craving, that searching has been relinquished, and those grounds for views eradicated. With the ending of searches, a mendicant is free of hope and indecision.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three defilements. What three? The defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. These are the three defilements.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Stilled, aware, a mindful disciple of the Buddha understands defilements, the cause of defilements,

where they cease, and the path that leads to their ending. With the ending of defilements, a mendicant is hungerless, quenched.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three defilements. What three? The defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. These are the three defilements.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“One who has ended the defilement of sensuality, whose ignorance has faded away, and whose desire to be reborn is finished— liberated, free of attachments, they bear their final body, having vanquished Māra with his legions.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three cravings. What three? Craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence. These are the three cravings.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Bound by craving, minds full of desire for rebirth in this or that state, yoked by Māra’s yoke, these people find no sanctuary from the yoke. Sentient beings continue to transmigrate, with ongoing birth and death.

Those who have given up craving, rid of craving for rebirth in this or that state, they in this world have truly crossed over, having reached the ending of defilements.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.