Exposition on the Corrupted

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha’s Park. Now on that occasion a new assembly hall had just been built for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu and it had not yet been inhabited by any ascetic or brahmin or by any human being at all. Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Venerable sir, a new council hall has just been built for the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu and it has not yet been inhabited by any ascetic or brahmin or by any human being at all. Venerable sir, let the Blessed One be the first to use it. When the Blessed One has used it first, then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu will use it afterwards. That will lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time.”

The Blessed One consented by silence. Then, when the Sakyans understood that the Blessed One had consented, they rose from their seats and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on their right, they went to the new assembly hall. They covered it thoroughly with mats, prepared seats, put out a large water jug, and hung up an oil lamp. Then they approached the Blessed One and informed him of this, adding: “Let the Blessed One come at his own convenience.”

Then the Blessed One dressed and, taking bowl and robe, went together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus to the new assembly hall. After washing his feet, he entered the hall and sat down against the central pillar facing east. The bhikkhus too, after washing their feet, entered the hall and sat down against the western wall facing east, with the Blessed One in front of them. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu too, after washing their feet, entered the hall and sat down against the eastern wall facing west, with the Blessed One in front of them.

The Blessed One then instructed, exhorted, inspired, and gladdened the Sakyans with a Dhamma talk through much of the night, after which he dismissed them, saying: “The night has passed, Gotamas. You may go at your own convenience.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” they replied. Then they rose from their seats and, after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on their right, they departed. Then, not long after the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu had left, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Mahamoggallana thus: “The Saṅgha of bhikkhus is free from sloth and torpor, Moggallana. Give a Dhamma talk to the bhikkhus. My back is aching, so I will stretch it.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” the Venerable Mahamoggallana replied.

Then the Blessed One prepared his outer robe folded in four and lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture, with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, after noting in his mind the idea of rising. Thereupon the Venerable Mahamoggallana addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Friends, bhikkhus!”

“Friend!” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Mahamoggallana said this:

“I will teach you, friends, an exposition on the corrupted and the uncorrupted. Listen to it and attend closely, I will speak.”

“Yes, friend,” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Mahamoggallana said this:

“How, friends, is one corrupted? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is intent upon a pleasing form and repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells without having set up mindfulness of the body, with a limited mind, and he does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.

“This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who is corrupted amidst forms cognizable by the eye, corrupted amidst sounds cognizable by the ear, corrupted amidst odours cognizable by the nose, corrupted amidst tastes cognizable by the tongue, corrupted amidst tactile objects cognizable by the body, corrupted amidst mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. When a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Mara approaches him through the eye, Mara gains access to him, Mara gets a hold on him. If Mara approaches him through the ear … through the mind, Mara gains access to him, Mara gets a hold on him.

“Suppose, friends, there is a shed made of reeds or of grass, dried up, desiccated, past its prime. If a man approaches it from the east with a blazing grass torch, or from the west, from the north, from the south, from below, or from above, whichever way he approaches it the fire gains access to it, the fire gets a hold on it. So too, friends, when a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Mara approaches him through the eye … through the mind, Mara gains access to him, Mara gets a hold on him.

“When a bhikkhu dwells thus, forms overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm forms. Sounds overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm sounds. Odours overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm odours. Tastes overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm tastes. Tactile objects overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm tactile objects. Mental phenomena overwhelm him; he does not overwhelm mental phenomena. This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who is overwhelmed by forms, overwhelmed by sounds, overwhelmed by odours, overwhelmed by tastes, overwhelmed by tactile objects, overwhelmed by mental phenomena—one who is overwhelmed and who does not overwhelm. Evil unwholesome states have overwhelmed him, states that defile, that lead to renewed existence, that bring trouble, that result in suffering, and that lead to future birth, aging, and death.

“It is in this way, friends, that one is corrupted.

“And how, friends, is one uncorrupted? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is not intent upon a pleasing form and not repelled by a displeasing form. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not intent upon a pleasing mental phenomenon and not repelled by a displeasing mental phenomenon. He dwells having set up mindfulness of the body, with a measureless mind, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.

“This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who is uncorrupted amidst forms cognizable by the eye, uncorrupted amidst sounds cognizable by the ear, uncorrupted amidst odours cognizable by the nose, uncorrupted amidst tastes cognizable by the tongue, uncorrupted amidst tactile objects cognizable by the body, uncorrupted amidst mental phenomena cognizable by the mind. When a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Mara approaches him through the eye, Mara fails to gain access to him, Mara fails to get a hold on him. If Mara approaches him through the ear … through the mind, Mara fails to gain access to him, Mara fails to get a hold on him.

“Suppose, friends, there is a peaked house or a hall built of thickly packed clay and freshly plastered. If a man approaches it from the east with a blazing grass torch, or from the west, from the north, from the south, from below, or from above, whichever way he approaches it the fire fails to gain access to it, the fire fails to get a hold on it. So too, friends, when a bhikkhu dwells thus, if Mara approaches him through the eye … through the mind, Mara fails to gain access to him, Mara fails to get a hold on him.

“When a bhikkhu dwells thus, he overwhelms forms; forms do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms sounds; sounds do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms odours; odours do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms tastes; tastes do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms tactile objects; tactile objects do not overwhelm him. He overwhelms mental phenomena; mental phenomena do not overwhelm him. This is called, friends, a bhikkhu who overwhelms forms, who overwhelms sounds, who overwhelms odours, who overwhelms tastes, who overwhelms tactile objects, who overwhelms mental phenomena—one who overwhelms and who is not overwhelmed. He has overwhelmed those evil unwholesome states that defile, that lead to renewed existence, that bring trouble, that result in suffering, and that lead to future birth, aging, and death.

“It is in this way, friends, that one is uncorrupted.”

Then the Blessed One got up and addressed the Venerable Mahamoggallana thus: “Good, good, Moggallana! You have spoken well to the bhikkhus the exposition on the corrupted and the uncorrupted.”

This is what the Venerable Mahamoggallana said. The Teacher approved. Elated, those bhikkhus delighted in the Venerable Mahamoggallana’s statement.