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Tidipa

Titthāyatanasutta (The Discourse on the Domains of Belief)

· 63 min read

15A3/2.2.1, the first discourse of the Aṅguttara Nikāya's Mahāvagga of the Threes: the Bhagavā refutes the three domains of belief that make everything a person experiences the result of past deeds, of a supreme god's creation or of no cause at all, and sets against them the Dhamma no wise wanderer or brahmin can refute, from the six components to the four realisations.

Original text: 15A3/2.2.1 Titthāyatanasutta 418–435 in the World Tipitaka Edition

Summary

Section titled “Summary”

The Bhagavā names three domains of belief that collapse into inaction when the wise press them: that all a person experiences is by reason of what was done in the past, by reason of a supreme god’s creation, or without reason or cause. Each makes its holders killers and liars by the same reason and leaves no desire or effort to do what should be done. Against them he sets his own Dhamma, which no wise wanderer or brahmin can refute: the six components, the six sense bases of contact, the eighteen mental explorations and the four realisations.

Diagram

Section titled “Diagram”
flowchart TB
    subgraph T["three domains of belief"]
        direction TB
        P["all is by reason of past deeds"]
        I["all is by reason of a supreme god's creation"]
        N["all is without reason or cause"]
    end
    T --> R["then the ten unwholesome courses too have that reason"]
    R --> X["no desire or effort for what should be done"]
    X --> F["no legitimate claim to be a wanderer"]
    F --> D["the Dhamma taught by me, which the wise cannot refute"]
    D --> D1["six components"]
    D --> D2["six sense bases of contact"]
    D --> D3["eighteen mental explorations"]
    D --> D4["four realisations"]
    D4 --> S["dukkha, its source, its end, the path"]

Text

Section titled “Text”

(62.)

418. “Bhikkhave, there are these three domains of belief which, being cross-questioned, interrogated and admonished by the wise, and followed even further, settle into inaction. What are these three? There are, Bhikkhave, some religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view: ‘Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is by reason of what was done in the past.’ There are, Bhikkhave, some religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view: ‘Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is by reason of a supreme god’s creation.’ There are, Bhikkhave, some religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view: ‘Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is without reason or cause.’

419. In that regard, Bhikkhave, those religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view: ‘Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is by reason of what was done in the past’ — I approach them and say thus: ‘Is it really true, Āyasmanto, that you speak thus and hold this view: “Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is by reason of what was done in the past”?’ And they, asked thus by me, agree: ‘Yes.’ To them I say thus: ‘In that case the āyasmants will be killers of living beings by reason of what was done in the past, takers of what is not given by reason of what was done in the past, not living the optimal life by reason of what was done in the past, liars by reason of what was done in the past, speakers of divisive speech by reason of what was done in the past, speakers of harsh speech by reason of what was done in the past, gossips by reason of what was done in the past, covetous by reason of what was done in the past, malicious in mind by reason of what was done in the past, holding wrong view by reason of what was done in the past.’

420. But for those who take what was done in the past as essential, Bhikkhave, there is no desire or effort: ‘this should be done, or this should not be done.’ So, since what should and should not be done is not found as true and real, for those who dwell forgetful and unguarded there is personally no legitimate claim of being a wanderer. This, Bhikkhave, is my first legitimate refutation of those religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view. (1)

421. In that regard, Bhikkhave, those religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view: ‘Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is by reason of a supreme god’s creation’ — I approach them and say thus: ‘Is it really true, Āyasmanto, that you speak thus and hold this view: Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is by reason of a supreme god’s creation?’ And they, asked thus by me, agree: ‘Yes.’ To them I say thus: ‘In that case the āyasmants will be killers of living beings by reason of a supreme god’s creation, takers of what is not given by reason of a supreme god’s creation, not living the optimal life by reason of a supreme god’s creation, liars by reason of a supreme god’s creation, speakers of divisive speech by reason of a supreme god’s creation, speakers of harsh speech by reason of a supreme god’s creation, gossips by reason of a supreme god’s creation, covetous by reason of a supreme god’s creation, malicious in mind by reason of a supreme god’s creation, holding wrong view by reason of a supreme god’s creation.’

422. But for those who take a supreme god’s creation as essential, Bhikkhave, there is no desire or effort: ‘this should be done, or this should not be done.’ So, since what should and should not be done is not found as true and real, for those who dwell forgetful and unguarded there is personally no legitimate claim of being a wanderer. This, Bhikkhave, is my second legitimate refutation of those religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view. (2)

423. In that regard, Bhikkhave, those religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view: ‘Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is without reason or cause’ — I approach them and say thus: ‘Is it really true, Āyasmanto, that you speak thus and hold this view: Whatever this individual experiences, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant, all that is without reason or cause?’ And they, asked thus by me, agree: ‘Yes.’ To them I say thus: ‘In that case the āyasmants will be killers of living beings without reason or cause … and so on … holding wrong view without reason or cause.’”

424. But for those who take the absence of reason and cause as essential, Bhikkhave, there is no desire or effort: ‘this should be done, or this should not be done.’ So, since what should and should not be done is not found as true and real, for those who dwell forgetful and unguarded there is personally no legitimate claim of being a wanderer. This, Bhikkhave, is my third legitimate refutation of those religious practitioners who speak thus and hold this view. (3)

425. These, Bhikkhave, are the three domains of belief which, being cross-questioned, interrogated and admonished by the wise, and followed even further, settle into inaction.

426. But this Dhamma, Bhikkhave, taught by me, is irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins. And what, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me that is irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins? ‘These are the six components’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins. ‘These are the six sense bases of contact’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins. ‘These are the eighteen mental explorations’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins. ‘These are the four realisations’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.

427. “‘These are the six components’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” This is what was said. And in reference to what was this said? There are these six components, Bhikkhave: the earth component, the water component, the fire component, the wind component, the space component, and the consciousness component. “‘These are the six components’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” Thus, that which was said, it was said in reference to this.

428. “‘These are the six sense bases of contact’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” This is what was said. And in reference to what was this said? There are these six sense bases of contact, Bhikkhave: the eye is a sense base of contact, the ear is a sense base of contact, the nose is a sense base of contact, the tongue is a sense base of contact, the body is a sense base of contact, the mind is a sense base of contact. “‘These are the six sense bases of contact’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” Thus, that which was said, it was said in reference to this.

429. “‘These are the eighteen mental explorations’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” This is what was said. And in reference to what was this said? When one sees a form with the eye, one explores a form that serves as a basis for mental pleasure, one explores a form that serves as a basis for displeasure, one explores a form that serves as a basis for equanimity; when one hears a sound with the ear… when one smells an odour with the nose… when one tastes a taste with the tongue… when one touches a tangible with the body… when one cognises a mind-object with the mind, one explores a mind-object that serves as a basis for mental pleasure, one explores a mind-object that serves as a basis for displeasure, one explores a mind-object that serves as a basis for equanimity. “‘These are the eighteen mental explorations’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” Thus, that which was said, it was said in reference to this.

430. “‘These are the four realisations’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” This is what was said. And in reference to what was this said? Dependent on the six components, Bhikkhave, there is conception; when there is conception, nāmarūpa (phenomenal objects) [arise]; with nāmarūpa as cause, saḷāyatana (the six sense bases) [arise]; with saḷāyatana as cause, phassa (contact) [arises]; with phassa as cause, vedanā (feeling) [arises]. And for one who feels, Bhikkhave, I declare: ‘This is dukkha’, I declare: ‘This is the source of dukkha’, I declare: ‘This is the end of dukkha’, I declare: ‘This is the path of progress leading to the end of dukkha’.

431. And what, Bhikkhave, is the realisation of dukkha (suffering)? Birth, too, is dukkha, ageing, too, is dukkha, death, too, is dukkha, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair, too, are dukkha, association with the disliked is dukkha, separation from the loved is dukkha, not getting what one desires, too, is dukkha. In short, the five collections of fuel are suffering. This, Bhikkhave, is called the realisation of dukkha.

432. And what, Bhikkhave, is the realisation of the source of dukkha? With avijjā (ignorance) as cause, saṅkhārā (mental constructions) [arise]; with saṅkhārā as cause, viññāṇa (consciousness) [arises]; with viññāṇa as cause, nāmarūpa (phenomenal objects) [arise]; with nāmarūpa as cause, saḷāyatana (the six sense bases) [arise]; with saḷāyatana as cause, phassa (contact) [arises]; with phassa as cause, vedanā (feeling) [arises]; with vedanā as cause, taṇhā (craving) [arises]; with taṇhā as cause, upādāna (fuel) [arises]; with upādāna as cause, bhava (existence (constructed self)) [arises]; with bhava as cause, jāti (birth (of suffering)) [arises]; with jāti as cause, jarāmaraṇa (ageing and death), soka (sorrow), parideva (lamentation), dukkha (pain), domanassa (displeasure) and upāyāsa (despair) come into being. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of dukkha (suffering). This, Bhikkhave, is called the realisation of the source of dukkha.

433. And what, Bhikkhave, is the realisation of the end of dukkha? But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of avijjā (ignorance) comes the cessation of saṅkhārā (mental constructions); with the cessation of saṅkhārā comes the cessation of viññāṇa (consciousness); with the cessation of viññāṇa comes the cessation of nāmarūpa (phenomenal objects); with the cessation of nāmarūpa comes the cessation of saḷāyatana (the six sense bases); with the cessation of saḷāyatana comes the cessation of phassa (contact); with the cessation of phassa comes the cessation of vedanā (feeling); with the cessation of vedanā comes the cessation of taṇhā (craving); with the cessation of taṇhā comes the cessation of upādāna (fuel); with the cessation of upādāna comes the cessation of bhava (existence (constructed self)); with the cessation of bhava comes the cessation of jāti (birth (of suffering)); with the cessation of jāti, jarāmaraṇa (ageing and death), soka (sorrow), parideva (lamentation), dukkha (pain), domanassa (displeasure) and upāyāsa (despair) cease. Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. This, Bhikkhave, is called the realisation of the end of dukkha.

434. And what, Bhikkhave, is the realisation of the path of progress leading to the end of dukkha? It is this very ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo (Eightfold Path), that is to say: sammādiṭṭhi (right view), sammāsaṅkappa (right resolve), sammāvācā (right speech), sammākammanta (right action), sammāājīva (right livelihood), sammāvāyāma (right effort), sammāsati (right awareness), sammāsamādhi (right focus). This, Bhikkhave, is called the realisation of the path of progress leading to the end of dukkha. “‘These are the four realisations’, Bhikkhave, is the Dhamma taught by me, irrefutable, untarnished, blameless and not scorned by wise wanderers and brahmins.” Thus, that which was said, it was said in reference to this.”

435. The first [discourse of the chapter].

Commentary

Section titled “Commentary”
  • The three refutations share one form: the holders are asked whether they hold the view, agree, and are told that the ten unwholesome courses would then have the same cause, leaving nothing to be done or avoided (419–424).
  • Renderings by the DPD: titthāyatana “domain of belief”, hetu “reason” (pubbekatahetu “by reason of what was done in the past”, ahetuappaccayā “without reason or cause”, with the glossary’s paccaya “cause”), niggaha “refutation”, manopavicāra “mental exploration”, okkanti “conception”.
  • The four realisations are worded as on https://buddhavacana.github.io/sutta/arealisations/, the chain of 432–433 as on https://buddhavacana.github.io/sutta/deporig/, the eighteen explorations as in the Saṅgītisutta’s Sixes, /dighanikaya/sangitisutta/7-chakka/.
  • The edition prints “( )” in 431.2 where the first discourse has “illness, too, is dukkha”; the English leaves the gap unmarked.
  • The edition closes the Bhagavā’s speech at 423.3 and again at 434.5 and opens none at 424.1; the English follows its marks.

Parallels

Section titled “Parallels”

The Chinese parallel is MA 13 度經, the third discourse of the Madhyama Āgama’s 業相應品 (中阿含經 fascicle 3, CBETA T01, no. 26, pp. 435a–436a), read here in CBETA’s text. The two versions share the sequence: three grounds of belief, that all is caused by what was done in a former life (宿命造), by a supreme god’s creation (尊祐造) or without cause or condition (無因無緣, pp. 435a–b); the Bhagavā approaching the holders of each, asking whether they hold it, hearing “yes” (爾) and telling them that they would then be killers, thieves, adulterers and liars “up to wrong view” by that same cause (pp. 435b–c); the consequence that for one who holds it there is “no desire and no means” (都無欲、無方便) regarding what should and should not be done, so that he loses right awareness and right knowledge and “the wanderer’s teaching cannot be legitimately claimed” (pp. 435b–c); the Bhagavā’s own Dhamma that no one can refute, defile or restrain (pp. 435c); and the chain from the six components to feeling, ending in the four realisations and the eightfold path (pp. 435c–436a). The differences, checked in CBETA’s text:

  • The setting and the thesis. The Chinese opens at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove (舍衛國 … 勝林給孤獨園, p. 435a), where the Pāḷi has no setting. Its three “grounds of crossing” (度處) are “of different clans, names, lineages and teachings, which the wise accept well and hold firmly and teach to others, yet they gain nothing” (異姓、異名、異宗、異說，謂有慧者善受、極持而為他說，然不獲利, p. 435a); the Pāḷi’s “being cross-questioned, interrogated and admonished by the wise … settle into inaction” (418) is sharper. The Chinese views concern all that a person does (人所為一切, p. 435a); the Pāḷi all that a person experiences, “pleasant, painful or neither” (paṭisaṃvedeti, 418.3).
  • The ten courses. The Chinese names killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct and false speech and abbreviates “up to wrong view” (乃至邪見, p. 435b), each time adding the reason “because all is caused by what was done in a former life” (以其一切皆因宿命造故); the Pāḷi lists all ten (419.3) and abbreviates only the third refutation (423.3).
  • The refutation. The Chinese reasons that “for one who sees it as true, with regard to what is done and not done there is no desire and no means; not knowing as it really is what should be done and not done, he loses right awareness and lacks right knowledge, and cannot be taught; one who speaks thus as a wanderer’s teaching can be refuted by reason” (便失正念、無正智，則無可以教 … 乃可以理伏彼沙門、梵志, p. 435b); the Pāḷi has “forgetful and unguarded” (muṭṭhassatīnaṃ anārakkhānaṃ, 420.2) and counts the three as the Bhagavā’s “legitimate refutations” (sahadhammiko niggaho).
  • The Dhamma that cannot be refuted. The Chinese Bhagavā’s Dhamma, “known and realised by myself”, cannot be “subdued, defiled or restrained” by any wanderer, brahmin, god, Māra, Brahmā or anyone in the world (若沙門、梵志，若天、魔、梵及餘世間皆無能伏，皆無能穢，皆無能制, p. 435c); the Pāḷi names only wise wanderers and brahmins (426.1). The Chinese gives two topics, the six sense bases (六處法) and the six components (六界法, p. 435c), in that order; the Pāḷi gives four, the components first, then the sense bases of contact, the eighteen mental explorations and the four realisations (426.3–6), and the Chinese has nothing of the eighteen explorations (429).
  • The chain. The Chinese runs “through the combination of the six components there is birth in the mother’s womb; because of the six components there are the six sense bases; because of the six sense bases, contact; because of contact, feeling” (以六界合故，便生母胎，因六界便有六處，因六處便有更樂，因更樂便有覺, p. 435c), without the Pāḷi’s “phenomenal objects” (nāmarūpa, 430.5). The four realisations are then defined without the Pāḷi’s twelve-link origin and cessation (432–433): the origin is “this craving, which takes up renewed existence, accompanied by delight and desire, seeking existence here and there” (此愛受當來有，樂欲共俱，求彼彼有, pp. 435c–436a) and the end its complete abandoning, as in the first discourse; dukkha includes illness (病苦, p. 435c), which the Pāḷi’s “( )” omits (431.2), and the “five collections of fuel” close the list in both. The path is given as “the eightfold path of the liberated, right view up to right focus” (八支聖道，正見乃至正定, p. 436a).
  • The close. The Chinese ends with an exhortation absent in the Pāḷi: “Bhikkhu, you should know dukkha as it really is, abandon its origin, realise its end and cultivate the path … a bhikkhu who does so is called one who has ended all defilements, untied the fetters, and by right knowledge reaches the end of dukkha” (是謂比丘一切漏盡，諸結已解，能以正智而得苦際, p. 436a), and with the bhikkhū rejoicing in the Bhagavā’s words; the Pāḷi ends with the restated topic (434.4–5).

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