Root of All Things - Midapariyaya Sutta

MN. The Majjhima Nikaya (MN), also called The Middle-Length Discourses, is a collection of Buddha discourses in the Sutta Pitaka (Second Basket) of the Pali Canon. There are streaks of humour in them here and there.

The ancient words of wisdom that follow, have been simplified and perhaps clarified somewhat too. The trend is from perceiving-and-conceiving from gross levels to subtler and subtler levels, straight to Nirvana, which may also be poorly conceived, says Buddha helpingly.

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An untaught worldling, having perceived earth rather well, conceives earth also, and he takes to conceiving earth to be 'mine,' he delights in 'earth'. That's how the mind works up identifications. It happens because of a lack of deep understanding, a lack of sense. (verse 3, mod.)

Having perceived the gods of Streaming Radiance as the gods of Streaming Radiance, he conceives the gods of Streaming Radiance, the gods of Streaming Radiance to be 'mine,' he delights in the gods of Streaming Radiance. He has not fully understood. (11)

From the gods of Refulgent Glory he conceives the gods of Refulgent Glory to be 'mine,' he delights in the gods of Refulgent Glory. For he has not fully understood. (12)

He delights in the gods of Great Fruit because he has not fully understood. (13)

He conceives the Overlord to be 'mine,' he delights in the Overlord. He has not fully understood. (14)

He conceives a base of infinite space, he conceives the base of infinite space to be 'mine,' He has not fully understood it. (15)

He perceives the base of infinite consciousness, he delights in the base of infinite consciousness. He has not fully understood. (16)

He conceives the base of nothingness; he has not fully understood it all. (17)

He perceives the seen as the seen, and he delights in the seen because he has not fully understood it. (19)

He conceives the heard to be 'mine,' he delights in the heard. Why? Because he has not fully understood it all. (20)

He conceives what is sensed, he even delights in the sensed, not having fully understood it. (21)

He perceives unity and diversity and conceives unity and diversity to be 'mine,' he delights in unity and likewise in diversity. Why? He has not fully understood it all. (23, 24)

He perceives all as all, he conceives himself to be in all, he conceives all to be 'mine,' he delights in all. He has not fully understood it all. (25)

He perceives Nibbana and conceives Nibbana to be 'mine,' he delights in Nibbana. For he has not fully understood all. (26)

On the path to supreme security from bondage, one rises to directly know all these things, even Nibbana, but try not to think they are "mine", and not delight in them. Why, because there is the higher need to fully understand. (27-50)

An arhat has done what had to be done and is completely liberated through final knowledge, he directly knows earth as earth, water as water and Nirvana as Nirvana, for he has fully understood. An arhat is completely liberated through final knowledge. (51-99)

Who is liberated does not hate. He is free from delusion. (99-146)

The Tathagata too, accomplished and fully enlightened, directly knows. He has fully understood. (147]

NOTE. The term Tathagata ("The Thus-come" etc.) can mean both one who has thus gone and one who has thus come. Gone (dived) from earthly realm and come to (arived at) Essential Truth, realized Truth. Tathagatha may be used as a synonym for arhat (arahant), and stands for a superior state.

By comparison, in monistic Vedanta, and in the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.1), the Ultimate is described as Satyam, of the nature of truth, the only One that exists, eternally comprising all truth. (Wikipedia, "Brahman")

The Tathagata has fully understood and is fully enlightened. He has awakened to supreme full enlightenment. (171)

The Tathagata has understood all about giving up and relinquishing cravings. (172-194. mod)