Saṁyutta Nikāya
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35: Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
Paññāsaka Dutiya
5. Saḷa Vagga

35: Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense The 'Second Fifty' Suttas
5. The Chapter of the Six

Sutta 96

Devadaha Suttaṁ

Falling back1

 

[76] [45]

I will teach you, brethren, of one whose nature is to fall back, and of one whose nature is not to fall back: also the six2 stations of the conqueror.

And how, brethren, is one of a nature to fall back?

Herein, brethren, at sight of an object, evil, unprofitable states arise in a brother, memories and plans,3 akin to the fetters that bind.

If a brother welcomes that object, rejects it not, puts it not away, wipes it not out, does not make it go to utter destruction, thus should a brother understand of it:
'In profitable states I fall back.
This was called by the Exalted One "falling back."'

Then again, brethren, on tasting a savour with the tongue ... on cognizing a mind-state with the mind, evil unprofitable states arise in a brother, memories and hopes akin to the fetters that bind.

If a brother welcomes that state, rejects it not, puts it not away, wipes it not out, does not make it go to utter destruction, thus should he understand [46] of it:
'I am falling back in profitable states.
This was called by the Exalted One "falling back."'

Such, brethren, is one whose nature is to fall back.

 

 

And how, brethren, is one of a nature not to fall back?

Herein, brethren, at sight of an object, evil, unprofitable states arise in a brother, memories and hopes akin to the fetters that bind.

If a brother welcomes not that object, rejects it, puts it away, wipes it out, makes it go to utter destruction, thus should he understand of it:
'In profitable states I am not falling back.
This was called by the Exalted One
"not falling back."'

So also on tasting a savour with the tongue ... on cognizing a mind-state with the mind ... If a brother welcomes not that state, puts it away ... thus should he understand of it:
'I am not falling back in profitable states. ...'

And what, brethren, are the six stations of mastery?

Herein, brethren, on seeing an object with the eye evil unprofitable states do not arise in a brother, memories and hopes akin to the fetters that bind.

In such case, brethren, thus should a brother understand:
'Mastered is this sense-sphere. This was called "a station of mastery" by the Exalted One.'

And the same is to be said of the tongue and mind.

These, brethren, are called 'the six stations of mastery.'

 

1 Parihānaṁ. Cf. K.S. ii, 139.

2 Usually eight. Cf. infra, § 150.

3 Sara-sañkappa. Comy. 'Ettha sarantī ti sarā dhāvantī ti attho. Cf. infra, § 203.