28 (Day) Notes | Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2) | Sutta Study @ Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields | Bhante Dr. G. Chandima

Unwise attention leads to Non-avoidance. 

1. What is Parivajjanā?

2. How to practice Parivajjanā in terms of beings?

3. How to practice Parivajjanā in terms of things?

4.How can we explain the contradiction between the teachings of sense restraint in Indriyabhavna Sutta (MN 152) and Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2)?

“Deseti, bho gotama, pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti.

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, uttara, deseti pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti?

“Idha, bho gotama, cakkhunā rūpaṁ na passati, sotena saddaṁ na suṇāti—evaṁ kho, bho gotama, deseti pārāsiviyo brāhmaṇo sāvakānaṁ indriyabhāvanan”ti.

The Buddha said to him, “Uttara, does Pārāsariya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?”

“He does, Master Gotama.” “But how does he teach it?”

“Master Gotama, it’s when the eye sees no sight and the ear hears no sound. That’s how Pārāsariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties.”

“Kathañcānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā hoti? Idhānanda, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā uppajjati manāpaṁ, uppajjati amanāpaṁ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṁ. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘uppannaṁ kho me idaṁ manāpaṁ, uppannaṁ amanāpaṁ, uppannaṁ manāpāmanāpaṁ. Tañca kho saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ. Etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ—upekkhā’ti. Tassa taṁ uppannaṁ manāpaṁ uppannaṁ amanāpaṁ uppannaṁ manāpāmanāpaṁ nirujjhati; upekkhā saṇṭhāti. Seyyathāpi, ānanda, cakkhumā puriso ummīletvā vā nimīleyya, nimīletvā vā ummīleyya; evameva kho, ānanda, yassa kassaci evaṁsīghaṁ evaṁtuvaṭaṁ evaṁappakasirena uppannaṁ manāpaṁ uppannaṁ amanāpaṁ uppannaṁ manāpāmanāpaṁ nirujjhati, upekkhā saṇṭhāti—ayaṁ vuccatānanda, ariyassa vinaye anuttarā indriyabhāvanā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu.

“And how, Ānanda, is there the supreme development of the faculties in the training of the Noble One? When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, liking, disliking, and both liking and disliking come up in them. They understand: ‘Liking, disliking, and both liking and disliking have come up in me. That’s conditioned, coarse, and dependently originated. But this is peaceful and sublime, namely equanimity.’ Then the liking, disliking, and both liking and disliking that came up in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. It’s like how a person with clear eyes might open their eyes then shut them; or might shut their eyes then open them. Such is the speed, the swiftness, the ease with which any liking, disliking, and both liking and disliking at all that came up in them cease, and equanimity becomes stabilized. In the training of the Noble One this is called the supreme development of the faculties regarding sights known by the eye.

6. Where does Parivajjanā fit in the path?

7. Why do people forget about Parivajjanā?