Saṁyutta Nikāya
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35: Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
Paññāsaka Tatiya
5. Navapurāṇa Vagga

IV. Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
35: Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense The 'Third Fifty' Suttas

5. The Chapter on 'New and Old'

Sutta 145

Kamma Suttaṁ

Action¹

 

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[132] [85]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren."

"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One thus spoke:

"I will teach you, Brethren, action
both new and old,
the ceasing of action
and the way leading to the ceasing of action.

Do ye listen to it.

Apply your minds and I will speak.

And what, Brethren, is action that is old?

The eye, Brethren, is to be viewed as action that is old,²
brought about
and intentionally done,³
as a base for feeling.⁴

■

The ear, Brethren, is to be viewed as action that is old,
brought about
and intentionally done,
as a base for feeling.

■

The nose, Brethren, is to be viewed as action that is old,
brought about
and intentionally done,
as a base for feeling.

■

The tongue, Brethren, is to be viewed as action that is old,
brought about
and intentionally done,
as a base for feeling.

■

The body, Brethren, is to be viewed as action that is old,
brought about
and intentionally done,
as a base for feeling.

■

The mind, Brethren, is to be viewed as action that is old,
brought about
and intentionally done,
as a base for feeling.

And what is action that is new?

The action one performs now, Brethren,
by body,
speech
and mind, -
that is called
'action that is new.'

And what, Brethren, is
the ceasing of action?

That ceasing of action by body,
speech
and mind,
by which one contacts freedom, -
that is called
'the ceasing of action.'

And what, Brethren, is
the way leading to the ceasing of action?

It is this Ariyan Eightfold Path, to wit:

Right View,
Right Intention,
Right Speech,
Right Doing,
Right Living,
Right Effort,
Right Mindfulness,
Right Concentration.

This, Brethren, is called
'the way leading to the ceasing of action.'

Thus, Brethren, have I taught you
action that is old
and action that is new.

I have taught you
the ceasing of action
and the way leading to the ceasing of action.

Whatever, Brethren, should be done by a teacher
out of compassion,
for the profit of his disciples,
that have I done,
taking pity on you.

Here are the roots of trees, brethren.

Here are lonely places to dwell in.

Be not remiss, brethren.

Be not regretful hereafter.

This is our instruction to you.⁵

 

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¹ Kamma.

² Comy. 'Eye in itself is not old, but it has come about by former actions.'

³ Abhisañcetayitaṅ ( = cetanāya pakappitaṅ Comy.)

⁴ Vedanīyaṅ ( = vedanāya catthu. Comy.)

⁵ = M. 1, 16, iii, 302.