Mahā Mālunkya Sutta: Longer discourse to Ven. Mālunkyaputta
By Dr. Ari Ubeysekara
Introduction
Lord Gautama Buddha who lived and preached in India during the 6th and 5th century BC, delivered a vast number of discourses during the ministry of forty five years from enlightenment to passing away at the age of eighty years. Those discourses have been divided into five collections.
- Collection of long discourses (dīgha nikāya)
- Collection of middle length discourses (majjhima nikāya)
- Collection of connected discourses (samyutta nikāya)
- Collection of numerical discourses (anguttara nikāya)
- Collection of minor discourses (khuddaka nikāya)
The collection of the middle length discourses (majjhima nikāya) contain 152 discourses delivered by the Buddha and the Buddha’s chief disciples. The 152 discourses are divided into three parts consisting of 50, 50 and 52 discourses respectively. Mahā Mālunkya sutta is the 64th discourse included in the middle part. (1)
Content of Mahā Mālunkya Sutta
Thus have I heard.
[All the discourses of the Buddha contained in the five collections were narrated by Venerable Arahant Ānanda from memory at the first Buddhist council that was held three months after the Buddha’s passing away. He was the chief attendant of the Buddha and was known as the “guardian of the Dhamma” due to his excellent skill in remembering the Buddha’s discourses. At the Buddhist council, each discourse was begun by him with the same phrase found at the beginning of this discourse too, “evaṁ me sutaṁ” meaning “Thus have I heard”.]
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatti in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapindika’s monastery.
[At the time that this discourse was delivered, the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatti. It was named Jetavana, as the land on which it was built was bought from a prince named Jeta. Sāvatti was a favourite residence of the Buddha and it is recorded that the Buddha spent twenty five rainy retreats at Sāvatti.]
There, the Buddha addressed the monks,
“Monks”,
“Yes, Venerable Sir”, the monks replied.
Then the Buddha said:
“Monks, do you remember the five lower fetters as taught by me?”
When this was said. Ven. Mālunkyaputta said to the Buddha: “ Venerable Sir, I remember the five lower fetters as taught by the Blessed One.”
“And how, Mālunkyaputta, do you remember the five lower fetters as taught by me?”
“Venerable Sir, I remember self-identity view is a lower fetter as taught by the Blessed One. I remember doubt is a lower fetter as taught by the Blessed One. I remember attachment to rites and rituals is a lower fetter as taught by the Blessed One. I remember sensual desire is a lower fetter as taught by the Blessed One. I remember ill-will is a lower fetter as taught by the Blessed One. That is how I remember the five lower fetters as taught by the Blessed One.”
[Fetters (samyojanā) are a group of mental defilements. They are the mental chains or shackles that keep sentient beings bound to the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and associated suffering. In the Dasa Samyojana sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya, the Buddha has classified the fetters into ten different types: Self-identity view (sakkāya ditthi), sceptical doubt (vicikiccā), attachment to rites and rituals (sīlabbata parāmāsa), sensual desire (kāma rāga), ill-will (patigha), desire to be born in fine material worlds (rūpa rāga), desire to be born in formless worlds (arūpa rāga), conceit (mana), restlessness (uddacca) and ignorance (avijjā). (2)
The first five of the ten fetters are known as lower fetters (orambhāgiya samyojanā) as they cause the sentient beings to be reborn in the sensuous world (kāma loka). The other five fetters are known as higher fetters (uddhambhāgiya samyodanā) as they cause the sentient beings to be reborn in the higher fine material worlds (rūpa loka) and formless immaterial world (arūpa loka).]
“And to whom, Mālunkyaputta, do you remember the five lower fetters as having been taught by me like that? Wouldn’t the wanderers of other sects fault you using the simile of the infant? For Mālunkyaputta, an infant lying on it’s back, does not have even the concept of identity, so how could the self-identity view arise in him? Yet the latent tendency to self-identity view lies within him. For Mālunkyaputta, an infant lying on it’s back, does not have even the concept of the Dhamma, so how could doubt about the Dhamma arise in him? Yet the latent tendency to doubt lies within him. For Mālunkyaputta, an infant lying on it’s back, does not have even the concept of precepts, so how could attachment to rites and rituals arise in him? Yet the latent tendency to attachment to rites and rituals lies within him. For Mālunkyaputta, an infant lying on it’s back, does not have even the concept of sensual pleasures, so how could sensual desire arise in him? Yet the latent tendency to sensual desire lies within him. For Mālunkyaputta, an infant lying on it’s back, does not have even the concept of sentient beings, so how could ill-will arise in him? Yet the latent tendency to ill-will lies within him. Wouldn’t the wanderers of other sects fault you, Mālunkyaputta, using the simile of the infant?”
When this was said, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Now is the time Blessed One, now is the time Well-gone One, to teach the five lower fetters. The monks will listen and remember it.”
“Then, listen Ānanda, pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, Venerable Sir.” Venerable Ānanda replied.
[Venerable Ānanda was a cousin of the Buddha and ordained as a monk in the second year following the Buddha’s enlightenment. He attained the first supra mundane stage of Stream Enterer (Sotāpanna) soon after his ordination, but did not attain enlightenment until after the passing away of the Buddha. Twenty years after his ordination, he was appointed as the chief attendant of the Buddha which he served until the Buddha’s passing away. He had a phenomenal memory to remember all the discourses delivered by the Buddha and was known as the Treasurer of the Dhamma.]
Then the Buddha said:
“Here, Ānanda, an uninstructed ordinary person who has no regard for the noble ones, and is not well versed or disciplined in their teaching; who has no regard for the people of integrity, is not well versed or disciplined in their teaching, remains with a mind obsessed and overcome by self-identity view, and he does not understand according to reality, the escape from the self-identity view that has arisen. For him, that self-identity view, reinforced and not eliminated, is a lower fetter.”
“He remains with a mind obsessed and overcome by doubt, and he does not understand according to reality, the escape from doubt that has arisen. For him, that doubt, reinforced and not eliminated, is a lower fetter.”
“He remains with a mind obsessed and overcome by attachment to rites and rituals, and he does not understand according to reality, the escape from attachment to rites and rituals that has arisen. For him, that attachment to rites and rituals, reinforced and not eliminated, is a lower fetter.”
“He remains with a mind obsessed and overcome by sensual desire, and he does not understand according to reality, the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. For him, that sensual desire, reinforced and not eliminated, is a lower fetter.”
“He remains with a mind obsessed and overcome by ill-will, and he does not understand according to reality, the escape from ill-will that has arisen. For him, that ill-will, reinforced and not eliminated, is a lower fetter.”
“But, Ānanda, a well instructed noble disciple who has regard for the noble ones, and is well versed and disciplined in their teaching; who has regard for the people of integrity, is well versed and disciplined in their teaching, does not remain with a mind obsessed and overcome by self-identity view, and he understands according to reality, the escape from the self-identity view that has arisen. For him, that self-identity view is abandoned along with it’s latent tendency.”
“He does not remain with a mind obsessed and overcome by doubt, and he understands according to reality, the escape from doubt that has arisen. For him, that doubt is abandoned along with it’s latent tendency.”
“He does not remain with a mind obsessed and overcome by attachment to rites and rituals, and he understands according to reality, the escape from attachment to rites and rituals that has arisen. For him, that attachment to rites and rituals is abandoned along with it’s latent tendency.”
“He does not remain with a mind obsessed and overcome by sensual desire, and he understands according to reality, the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. For him, that sensual desire is abandoned along with it’s latent tendency.”
“He does not remain with a mind obsessed and overcome by ill-will, and he understands according to reality, the escape from ill-will that has arisen. For him, that ill-will is abandoned along with it’s latent tendency.”
[The Buddha has described another group of mental defilements called latent tendencies (anusaya). They are called latent as they have the tendency to remain dormant in the mind, life after life, until they are completely eradicated by attaining the state of Nibbāna. They are like the sediments that lie quietly at the bottom of a container of water until the water is stirred when they will come up and make the water cloudy and dirty. In the Anusaya sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya, the Buddha has described seven such latent tendencies. Latent tendency of desire for sense pleasures (kāmarāganusaya), latent tendency of aversion (patighanusaya), latent tendency of conceit (mānanusaya), latent tendency of wrong view (ditthānusaya), latent tendency of doubt (vicikiccānusaya), latent tendency of desire for existence (bhava-ragānusaya) and latent tendency of ignorance (avijjānusaya).] (3)
“Ānanda, there is a path, a practice for abandoning the five lower fetters. It is impossible to know, to see, or to abandon the five lower fetters without relying on that path, that practice. Ananda, suppose there were a large tree standing with heartwood. It is impossible to cut out the heartwood without having to cut through the bark and the sapwood. In the same way, for one who has not followed the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters, it is impossible to know, to see, to abandon the five lower fetters.”
“Ānanda, there is a path, a practice for abandoning the five lower fetters. It is possible to know, to see, or to abandon the five lower fetters by relying on that path, that practice. Ananda, suppose there were a large tree standing with heartwood. It is possible to cut out the heartwood after having to cut through the bark and the sapwood. In the same way, for one who has followed the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters, it is possible to know, to see, to abandon the five lower fetters.”
“Suppose, Ānanda, the River Ganges were full of water to the brim so that even a crow could drink out of it, and then a weak man were to come thinking: ‘Using my arms, I will swim from this side of the River Ganges to the other side safely’. But, he would not be able to swim from this side of the River Ganges to the other side safely. In the same way, when someone is taught the cessation of self-identity view, if he does not take to it, has no faith in it, is not steady, is not liberated, he should be seen just like that weak man.”
“Suppose, Ānanda, the River Ganges were full of water to the brim so that even a crow could drink out of it, and then a strong man were to come thinking: ‘Using my arms, I will swim from this side of the River Ganges to the other side safely’. But, he would be able to swim from this side of the River Ganges to the other side safely. In the same way, when someone is taught the cessation of self-identity view, if he takes to it, has faith in it, is steady, is liberated, he should be seen just like that strong man.”
“And what, Ānanda, is the path, the practice for abandoning the five lower fetters?”
“Here, Ānanda, a monk secluded from attachments, by giving up unskilful qualities, and complete settling of bodily discomfort, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskilful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, accompanied by initial application and sustained application, rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
“And further, Ānanda, the monk, with the stilling of initial application and sustained application, by attaining inner stillness and oneness of the mind, enters and remains in the second absorption, free from initial application and sustained application, accompanied by rapture and pleasure born of concentration. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
“And further, Ānanda, the monk, with the fading away of rapture, remains equanimous, mindful and fully aware, and experiencing happiness with the body, he enters and remains in the third absorption, which the noble ones declare: ‘Happily he remains in equanimity and mindfulness’. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
“And further, Ānanda, the monk, with the abandoning of joy and pain, and with the earlier loss of pleasure and displeasure, he enters and remains in the fourth absorption, that is neither painful nor pleasant, and with mindfulness fully purified by equanimity. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
“And further, Ānanda, the monk, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form, not attending on perceptions of multiplicity, and with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, contemplating infinite space, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
“And further, Ānanda, the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of infinite space, contemplating infinite consciousness, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
“And further, Ānanda, the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of infinite consciousness, contemplating there is nothing, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. Whatever phenomena that are there connected with form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, he contemplates them as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime; that is the stilling of all activities; the letting go of all attachments; the ending of craving; dispassion; extinguishment.’ Abiding in that, he attains the destruction of mental influxes. If he does not attain the destruction of the mental influxes because of this Dhamma passion and Dhamma delight, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters, they are reborn spontaneously. There, they attain extinguishment and are not subject to returning from that world. This, Ānanda, is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters.”
[When a meditator meditates by focusing the attention of the mind on a single meditation object, the mind becomes concentrated and as the concentration deepens, certain deep mental absorptions can arise. For them to arise, first the five mental hindrances need to be supressed. The five hindrances are: sensual desire (kāmacchanda), ill-will (vyāpāda), sloth and torpor (thīna middha), restlessness and remorse (uddacca kukkucca) and sceptical doubt (vicikiccā). As the mental hindrances are gradually supressed, five positive mental factors (jhana anga), develop indicating the development of deep mental absorptions. The five positive mental factors are: Initial application (vitakka), sustained application (vicāra), rapture (pīti), mental bliss (sukha) and one-pointedness with equanimity (ekaggatā with upekkhā). (4)
There are eight deep mental absorptions (jhana) that a meditator can attain through the development of concentration of the mind. The first four absorptions are fine material absorptions (rūpāvacara jhāna) while the remaining four absorptions are immaterial or formless absorptions (arūpāvacara jhāna). The four fine material absorptions are simply known as the first, second, third and the fourth jhana. The four immaterial absorptions are known as: Dimension of infinite space (ākāsānañcāyatana), dimension of infinite consciousness (viññānañcāyatana), dimension of nothingness (ākiñcannāyatana) and the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasaññā-nāsaññāyatana).]
“Venerable Sir, if this is the path, the practice, for abandoning the five lower fetters, then how is it that some monks here are liberated in mind while others are liberated by wisdom?”
“In that case, Ānanda, I say it is the difference in their faculties.”
This is what the Buddha said.
Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda delighted in the words of the Buddha.
In the Mahā Mālunkya sutta, the Buddha has described a method of eradicating the five lower fetters (orambhāgiya samyojana): Self-identity view (sakkāya ditthi), sceptical doubt (vicikiccā), attachment to rites and rituals (sīlabbata parāmāsa), sensual desire (kāma rāga) and ill-will (patigha). The Buddha has begun by showing the link between the fetters and the latent tendencies (anusaya) and then has described a path and practice for abandoning the five lower fetters stating that without practising that path, it is impossible to know, to see, or to abandon the five lower fetters.
The path that the Buddha has described involves the initial development of concentration of the mind (samādhi) up to the level of deep mental absorptions (jhāna). Out of the eight deep mental absorptions, the Buddha has mentioned the first seven absorptions in this discourse. Once the mind is concentrated to the level of deep mental absorptions, then the meditator is advised to contemplate on the five aggregates of clinging reflecting on their negative characteristics such as impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta).
The five aggregates of clinging (panchaupādānkkhanda) are: Form (rūpa), feeling (vedanā), perception (sannā), mental formations (sankhāra) and consciousness (viññāna). According to the Buddha’s teaching, these five aggregates together constitute the Psycho-physical complex or mind and matter (nāma-rūpa) described as a being or personality. They arise due to physical and mental antecedent conditions only to cease instantly and are in a constant state of flux with no stable or permanent entity. As such, they can be described as five dynamic processes rather than five static elements or factors. They constantly arise and cease, so they are impermanent (anicca), and because they are impermanent they are suffering (dukkha) and lack any stable entity or self (anatta). It is by identifying with one or more of these five aggregates as “mine”, “me” or “myself”, that unenlightened beings develop the self-identity view (sakkāya ditthi). (5)
Through the reflection of the negative characteristics of the five aggregates of clinging and then contemplating on the positive and sublime qualities of deathlessness (Nibbāna), the meditator is able to eradicate the mental defilements and attain enlightenment in this life itself. If for some reason, the meditator is unable to eradicate all the mental defilements and attain Nibbana in this life itself, then by eradicating the five lower fetters, the meditator will attain the third supra mundane stage of Non-Returner (Anāgāmi). A Non-Returner is bound to be reborn in one of the five Brahma worlds known as the Pure Abodes (suddhāvāsa) and attain Nibbana there without returning this world.
Finally, Venerable Ānanda has asked the Buddha, why some monks attain liberation of mind while others are liberated by wisdom and the Buddha has stated that the difference is due to the difference in their faculties. The liberation of the mind (ceto vimutti) is attained by those who develop concentration of the mind predominantly, while liberation by wisdom (paññā vimutti) is attained by those who develop wisdom predominantly. The Buddha has described five spiritual faculties (pancha indriya), which are five skilful mental factors that develop during one’s spiritual journey towards liberation. They are: Faith (saddhā), effort (viriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). Those who attain liberation of the mind have developed the faculty of concentration predominantly while those who attain liberation by wisdom have developed the faculty of wisdom predominantly.
References
- Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Mahā Mālunkya sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.
- Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Dasa Samyojana sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikāya, Wisdom Publications.
- Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Anusaya sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikāya, Wisdom Publications.
- Henepola Gunaratana Mahathera 1995, The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhism, Wheel Publication No: 351-353, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
- Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Khandha sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikāya, Wisdom Publications.
End.
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