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What Makes a Genuine Renunciant?

MN 39, the Mahā-Assapura Sutta — set 3, Learning to Look at Your Own Mind

Reading time: about 19 min · 3,343 words

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Before you read

"You are called renunciants — so train in what actually makes someone one." From there the text works steadily upward: conscience and shame, purified conduct, sense restraint, moderation in eating and in sleep, then seclusion, the clearing of the five hindrances, the four mental themes, and the three knowledges.

The five similes for being rid of the hindrances are what people remember: a debt paid off, an illness recovered from, release from prison, freedom from slavery, and a desert crossed safely with your goods intact. Each one is relief rather than achievement.

The argument underneath is that the title is not the thing. What makes someone a renunciant is the training, not the robe.

Translation

The Setting

So I have heard.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Aṅgas, near the Aṅgan town named Assapura. There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus."

"Bhante," those bhikkhus replied.

The Buddha said this:

What Makes a True Recluse

"Bhikkhus, people recognize you as recluses. And when asked what you are, you claim to be recluses. Given this recognition and this claim, you should train like this: 'We will undertake and follow the qualities expected of a recluse and a brahmin. In this way our recognition will be accurate and our claim true. The services of those whose robes, alms-food, lodgings, medicines, and supplies for the sick we enjoy will be very fruitful and beneficial for them. And our going forth will not be without fruit — it will be fruitful and worthwhile.'

So you should train, bhikkhus.

And what qualities are expected of a recluse and a brahmin?

You should train like this: 'We will have conscience and concern.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern. That is enough — enough has been done; the recluse's goal has been reached; there is nothing more for us to do.' And you might settle for just that much.

I declare to you, bhikkhus, I announce to you: 'You who seek the recluse's goal — do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.'

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'Our bodily conduct will be pure — open, disclosed, neither inconsistent nor concealed. And on account of our pure bodily conduct we will neither praise ourselves nor look down on others.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily conduct is pure. That is enough …' And you might settle for just that much.

I declare to you, bhikkhus, I announce to you: 'You who seek the recluse's goal — do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.'

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'Our verbal conduct will be pure — open, disclosed, neither inconsistent nor concealed. And on account of our pure verbal conduct we will neither praise ourselves nor look down on others.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily conduct is pure; our verbal conduct is pure. That is enough …'

I declare to you: do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'Our mental conduct will be pure — open, disclosed, neither inconsistent nor concealed. And on account of our pure mental conduct we will neither praise ourselves nor look down on others.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is pure. That is enough …'

I declare to you: do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'Our livelihood will be pure — open, disclosed, neither inconsistent nor concealed. And on account of our pure livelihood we will neither praise ourselves nor look down on others.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is pure; our livelihood is pure. That is enough …'

I declare to you: do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'We will be guarded at the faculty doors. On seeing a sight with the eye, we will not grasp at the overall sign or at its details. Since living with the eye-faculty unguarded would let bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure overwhelm us, we will practice restraint, guard the eye-faculty, and reach restraint of the eye-faculty.

On hearing a sound with the ear …

On smelling a smell with the nose …

On tasting a flavor with the tongue …

On touching a contact with the body …

On knowing an idea with the mind, we will not grasp at the overall sign or at its details. Since living with the mind-faculty unguarded would let bad, unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure overwhelm us, we will practice restraint, guard the mind-faculty, and reach restraint of the mind-faculty.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is pure; our livelihood is pure; we are guarded at the faculty doors. That is enough …'

I declare to you: do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'We will know measure in eating. Reflecting wisely, we will take food — not for fun, not for indulgence, not for adornment, not for decoration, but only to sustain this body, to keep it going, to prevent harm, and to support the spiritual life. In this way we will put an end to the old felt experience and not give rise to a new one, and we will live in health, blamelessness, and ease.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is pure; our livelihood is pure; we are guarded at the faculty doors; we know measure in eating. That is enough …'

I declare to you: do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'We will be devoted to wakefulness. During the day, by walking and sitting, we will purify the heart from obstructing qualities. In the first watch of the night, by walking and sitting, we will purify the heart from obstructing qualities. In the middle watch of the night, we will lie down on the right side in the lion's posture, one foot on the other, with remembering and clear knowing, intending to get up. In the last watch of the night, getting up and walking and sitting, we will purify the heart from obstructing qualities.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is pure; our livelihood is pure; we are guarded at the faculty doors; we know measure in eating; we are devoted to wakefulness. That is enough …'

I declare to you: do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.

And what more is there to do?

You should train like this: 'We will have remembering and clear knowing. We will act with clear knowing when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and looking aside; when bending and extending; when bearing the outer robe, bowl, and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when using the toilet; when walking, standing, sitting, lying down, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.'

But bhikkhus, you might think: 'We have conscience and concern; our bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is pure; our livelihood is pure; we are guarded at the faculty doors; we know measure in eating; we are devoted to wakefulness; we have remembering and clear knowing. That is enough — enough has been done; the recluse's goal has been reached; there is nothing more for us to do.' And you might settle for just that much.

I declare to you, bhikkhus, I announce to you: 'You who seek the recluse's goal — do not let the recluse's goal decline while there is still more to do.'

Settling Into Seclusion

And what more is there to do?

Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu frequents a secluded lodging — a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hillside, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw.

After returning from the alms-round following the meal, they sit down, cross their legs, set their body upright, and establish remembering before them.

Abandoning the Five Hindrances

Giving up covetousness for the world, they remain with a heart free of covetousness, and purify the heart of covetousness.

Giving up ill will and malice, they remain with a heart free of ill will, full of compassion toward all living beings, and purify the heart of ill will.

Giving up sloth and torpor, they remain with the heart free of sloth and torpor, with awareness of light, with remembering and clear knowing, and purify the heart of sloth and torpor.

Giving up restlessness and worry, they remain without agitation, the heart inwardly stilled, and purify the heart of restlessness and worry.

Giving up doubt, they have crossed over uncertainty. They do not waver over skillful qualities, and they purify the heart of doubt.

Five Similes for the Hindrances

Bhikkhus, suppose a man were to take out a loan and apply himself to work, and his work were to succeed. He would pay off his original debts and have enough left over to support a partner.

He would think: 'Before, I took out a loan and applied myself to work; my work succeeded. I paid off my original debts and have enough left over to support a partner.'

From that he would gain gladness and arrive at joy.

Bhikkhus, suppose a person were sick, in pain, gravely ill. Their food would not agree with them and their body would have no strength. After a time they would recover from that illness; their food would agree with them; their body would have strength.

They would think: 'Before, I was sick, in pain, gravely ill; my food did not agree with me and my body had no strength. Now I have recovered; my food agrees with me; my body has strength.'

From that they would gain gladness and arrive at joy.

Bhikkhus, suppose a person were imprisoned. After a time they were released from prison safely and without loss of property.

They would think: 'Before, I was imprisoned. Now I have been released safely and without loss of property.'

From that they would gain gladness and arrive at joy.

Bhikkhus, suppose a person were a slave — not their own master, bound to another, unable to go where they wish. After a time they were freed from that slavery, their own master, not bound to another, free to go where they wish.

They would think: 'Before, I was a slave — not my own master, bound to another, unable to go where I wished. Now I am freed — my own master, not bound to another, free to go where I wish.'

From that they would gain gladness and arrive at joy.

Bhikkhus, suppose a person with wealth and property were to travel along a desert road. After a time they crossed the desert safely and without loss of property.

They would think: 'Before, I had wealth and property and traveled along a desert road. Now I have crossed the desert safely and without loss of property.'

From that they would gain gladness and arrive at joy.

In the same way, bhikkhus, as long as a bhikkhu sees these five hindrances as not given up within themselves, they regard them as a debt, an illness, a prison, slavery, and a desert road.

But when a bhikkhu sees these five hindrances as given up within themselves, they regard this as freedom from debt, good health, release from prison, freedom, and safe ground.

The Four Mental Themes

Giving up these five hindrances — corruptions of the heart that weaken discernment — secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first mental theme: with thinking and pondering, with rejoicing and satisfaction born of seclusion.

They drench, saturate, fill, and spread this very body with rejoicing and satisfaction born of seclusion, so that no part of the whole body goes undrenched with rejoicing and satisfaction born of seclusion.

Bhikkhus, suppose a skilled bathhouse attendant or their apprentice were to scatter bath powder into a bronze basin and knead it with water little by little until the powder ball was thoroughly saturated with moisture — inside and out, soaked through — yet nothing dripped off.

In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, saturates, fills, and spreads this very body with rejoicing and satisfaction born of seclusion, so that no part of the whole body goes undrenched with rejoicing and satisfaction born of seclusion.

Furthermore, bhikkhus, with the stilling of thinking and pondering, with internal clarity, the heart single, without thinking and pondering, a bhikkhu enters and remains in the second mental theme: with rejoicing and satisfaction born of unification.

They drench, saturate, fill, and spread this very body with rejoicing and satisfaction born of unification, so that no part of the whole body goes undrenched with rejoicing and satisfaction born of unification.

Bhikkhus, suppose there were a lake with spring water welling up inside it, with no inlet from the east, west, north, or south, and the sky giving no rainfall from time to time. A cool stream of water would well up from within that lake and drench, saturate, fill, and spread throughout the lake, so that no part of the whole lake went undrenched with cool water.

In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, saturates, fills, and spreads this very body with rejoicing and satisfaction born of unification, so that no part of the whole body goes undrenched with rejoicing and satisfaction born of unification.

Furthermore, bhikkhus, with the fading of rejoicing, a bhikkhu remains in dynamic balance, with remembering and clear knowing, and experiences with the body the satisfaction of which the noble ones say: 'Someone with dynamic balance and remembering lives in satisfaction.' They enter and remain in the third mental theme.

They drench, saturate, fill, and spread this very body with satisfaction free of rejoicing, so that no part of the whole body goes undrenched with satisfaction free of rejoicing.

Bhikkhus, suppose in a pond of blue lotuses, or pink or white lotuses, some lotuses were born and grew in the water, rose no higher than the water, and were nourished while submerged. From tip to root they would be drenched, saturated, filled, and permeated with cool water, so that no part of any lotus went undrenched with cool water.

In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, saturates, fills, and spreads this very body with satisfaction free of rejoicing, so that no part of the whole body goes undrenched with satisfaction free of rejoicing.

Furthermore, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the earlier disappearance of gladness and sadness, a bhikkhu enters and remains in the fourth mental theme: neither painful nor pleasant, with pure dynamic balance and remembering.

They sit suffusing this very body with a pure, bright heart, so that no part of the whole body goes unsuffused with a pure, bright heart.

Bhikkhus, suppose a person were to sit wrapped from head to foot in white cloth, so that no part of the whole body went unwrapped in white cloth.

In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu sits suffusing this very body with a pure, bright heart, so that no part of the whole body goes unsuffused with a pure, bright heart.

Three Higher Knowledges

With the heart so concentrated, purified, bright, without blemish, free from corruption, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable, they direct it toward the knowledge of remembering past lives.

They remember many kinds of past lives in their various modes and details.

Bhikkhus, suppose a person were to leave their home village, go to another village, and from that village go to yet another village — and then return to their home village. They would think: 'I left my home village and went to that village. There I stood like this, sat like that, spoke like this, kept silent like that. From that village I went to yet another village. There too I stood like this, sat like that, spoke like this, kept silent like that. And from that village I returned to my home village.'

In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu remembers many kinds of past lives in their various modes and details.

With the heart so concentrated, purified, bright, without blemish, free from corruption, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable, they direct it toward the knowledge of the death and rebirth of beings.

With the divine eye — purified, beyond the human range — they see beings passing away and being reborn, lower and higher, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and they understand how beings pass on according to their actions.

Bhikkhus, suppose there were two houses with doors, and a person with good eyes standing between them could see people entering and leaving a house, walking back and forth.

In the same way, with the divine eye — purified, beyond the human range — a bhikkhu sees beings passing away and being reborn, lower and higher, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and understands how beings pass on according to their actions.

With the heart so concentrated, purified, bright, without blemish, free from corruption, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable, they direct it toward the knowledge of the destruction of outflows.

They truly understand: 'This is dissatisfaction.' They truly understand: 'This is the arising of dissatisfaction.' They truly understand: 'This is the cessation of dissatisfaction.' They truly understand: 'This is the path leading to the cessation of dissatisfaction.'

They truly understand: 'These are the outflows.' They truly understand: 'This is the arising of outflows.' They truly understand: 'This is the cessation of outflows.' They truly understand: 'This is the path leading to the cessation of outflows.'

Knowing and seeing in this way, the heart is released from the outflow of sensual desire, released from the outflow of becoming, released from the outflow of ignorance.

When it is released, there is the knowledge: 'It is released.' They discern: 'Birth is worn away, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.'

Bhikkhus, suppose in a mountain glen there were a lake, clear, limpid, and undisturbed. A person with good eyes standing on the bank would see oysters and shells, pebbles and gravel, and schools of fish moving about or keeping still.

They would think: 'This lake is clear, limpid, and undisturbed. There are the oysters and shells, pebbles and gravel, and schools of fish moving about or keeping still.'

In the same way, a bhikkhu truly understands: 'This is dissatisfaction … this is the path leading to the cessation of dissatisfaction.' They truly understand: 'These are the outflows … there is no more of this state of being.'

Seven Titles Explained

Bhikkhus, this bhikkhu is called a recluse, a brahmin, a bathed one, a knowledge-master, one cleansed, a noble one, a perfected one.

And how is a bhikkhu a recluse, bhikkhus? Their bad, unskillful qualities — corrupting, leading to further becoming, accompanied by trouble, resulting in painful fruit, causing future birth, ageing, and death — have been calmed. That is how a bhikkhu is a recluse.

And how is a bhikkhu a brahmin? Those same bad, unskillful qualities have been expelled. That is how a bhikkhu is a brahmin.

And how is a bhikkhu a bathed one? Those same bad, unskillful qualities have been bathed away. That is how a bhikkhu is a bathed one.

And how is a bhikkhu a knowledge-master? Those same bad, unskillful qualities have been fully known. That is how a bhikkhu is a knowledge-master.

And how is a bhikkhu one cleansed? Those same bad, unskillful qualities have been scoured off. That is how a bhikkhu is one cleansed.

And how is a bhikkhu a noble one? Those same bad, unskillful qualities are kept far away. That is how a bhikkhu is a noble one.

And how is a bhikkhu a perfected one? Those same bad, unskillful qualities — corrupting, leading to further becoming, accompanied by trouble, resulting in painful fruit, causing future birth, ageing, and death — are kept impeccably far away. That is how a bhikkhu is a perfected one."

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, those bhikkhus approved of the Buddha's words.

The Greater Discourse at Assapura is finished.

Words used in this translation (43)
becoming
This project's rendering of "bhava" -- the settling of experience into a way of being that feels like somebody being something. Often translated "existence."
Bhante
A respectful way of addressing a senior monastic, roughly "venerable sir." Left untranslated because English has no natural equivalent.
bhikkhu
A Buddhist monk -- someone who has left household life to practise full time. Left untranslated because "monk" carries centuries of unrelated European associations.
bhikkhus
Buddhist monks -- those who have left household life to practise full time. The Buddha's usual way of addressing the assembly, roughly "friends" in force.
birth
This project's rendering of "jāti": birth, coming into being. In the dependent-arising sequence, ageing and dying depend on it. In MN 141 the word appears once in its everyday sense instead, in a simile about a mother.
body
The physical body, as distinct from speech and the mental side of experience.
born of seclusion
Coming from having stepped away from busyness and distraction, rather than from anything acquired.
brahmin
Originally a member of ancient India's hereditary priestly class. These texts sometimes reuse the title for an ideal practitioner who has completed the path. Context shows whether caste or conduct is the point.
cessation
The ending of dissatisfaction and its causes: what practice is finally for. Elsewhere on this site the same idea appears as "quenching". Both render the same Pali word, "nirodha", in different sentences.
clarity
This project's rendering of "amoha," literally "non-delusion" -- seeing without the confusion and distortion that drive harmful action.
clear knowing
Knowing plainly what you are doing while you are doing it.
conduct
This project's rendering of "sīla", often translated "morality" or "virtue". It means how a person actually behaves. The rest of the practice grows from it; it is not a set of rules to obey.
conscience
This project's rendering of "hiri" -- the inward ethical sense that recoils from an action because it would violate one's integrity. It does not mean guilt or toxic shame.
contact
This project's rendering of "phassa" -- the meeting of a sense, its object, and the knowing of it. A technical link in the dependent-arising sequence, not physical touch specifically.
crossed over
Having completed the crossing rather than merely moving toward the other side. This preserves the river image used for completion of the path.
dissatisfaction
This translation's rendering of "dukkha," the Buddhist term for the unsatisfying, unstable quality of ordinary experience. Often translated "suffering," but that can sound more dramatic than the everyday sense of things not quite being right.
doubt
Uncertainty and indecision, especially about the practice and the teaching. As one of the five hindrances, it keeps the mind wavering instead of committing.
dynamic balance
This project's rendering of "upekkhā" (often translated "equanimity") -- a steadiness that stays engaged rather than checking out, distinct from indifference.
fading
The fading away of attraction and investment in experience, as passion cools.
felt experience
This project's rendering of "vedanā", often translated "feeling". It is the immediate pleasant, painful, or mixed tone of an experience, before any story we build on top of it.
five hindrances
The five things that reliably hinder the mind and pull it off task: sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and doubt.
gladness
This project's rendering of "muditā", often translated "sympathetic joy". It means being truly glad at someone else's good fortune. You cultivate it as a practice; you do not assume it comes naturally.
going forth
Leaving household life to live as a monastic.
heart
This project's rendering of "citta": the feeling side of mind. It takes on moods, wants, leans, and reacts. Practice can gladden, steady, train, and release it. Some call it the "heart-mind" or "feeling mind". Here "heart" does not mean only emotion, or the physical organ.
ignorance
This project's rendering of "avijjā" -- not general stupidity, but specifically not seeing how dissatisfaction works and how it ends. The first link in the dependent-arising sequence.
ill will
Hostility toward others or situations: pushing things away and wishing them harm. As one of the five hindrances, it pulls the mind off track.
knowing
This project's rendering of "viññāṇa" (often translated "consciousness") -- bare awareness of an object through one of the senses or the mind.
knowing and seeing
Knowing something and seeing it for yourself. Kept as two words because these texts treat them as two related things rather than one.
mental theme
This project's rendering of "jhāna" -- a single theme the mind rests on and holds steadily. Described in a sequence of four, each calmer than the last. Most translations leave the word in Pāli.
outflow
This project's rendering of "āsava" -- a deep-running habit that keeps seeping out and driving behaviour. Often translated "taint" or "defilement."
outflows
This project's rendering of "āsavā" -- deep-running habits that keep seeping out and driving behaviour, classically sensuality, becoming, and ignorance. Often translated "taints" or "defilements."
recluses
This project's rendering of "samaṇa": people who left ordinary working life to practise full time. They belonged to any of the traditions of the period, not only this one.
recognition
This project's rendering of "saññā" (often translated "perception") -- the mind's act of identifying and labeling what it encounters.
rejoicing
This project's rendering of "pīti" (often translated "rapture") -- the bright, uplifted gladness that shows up when practice is going well.
remembering
This project's rendering of "sati". It means actively keeping what matters in mind and coming back to it when you lose it. It is not bare attention to whatever happens to be present.
restlessness and worry
When agitation and nagging worry or regret pull you off track. One of the five hindrances.
seclusion
This project's rendering of "viveka" -- being apart from the usual pull of the senses and from unwholesome states. Physical solitude is one form of it, not the whole of it.
sensual desire
When wanting something pleasant pulls you off track. One of the five hindrances.
sensual pleasures
Enjoyable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches, when you chase and consume them as sources of satisfaction.
sloth and torpor
When sluggishness, heaviness, and sinking energy pull you off track. One of the five hindrances.
spiritual life
The Buddhist path of practice as a whole -- not just a set of beliefs, but a whole way of living.
unification
Short for unification of mind (samādhi) inside a longer phrase, such as "born of unification" or "the faculty of unification."
world
A word whose scope shifts with the teaching. It can mean the lived world we build through the senses and the mind, or the wider physical cosmos. The surrounding passage shows which sense it has.
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