SĀ 1.1 Impermanent
Translation
| § | Chinese | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 一[1]；一[2]（一） | SĀ 1.1 Impermanent (T99.1) | |
| 1. | 如是我聞：[3]一時，佛住舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。 | Thus I have heard:[4] One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. |
| 2. | 爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「當觀色無常，如是觀者，則為正見[5]；正見者則生厭離，厭離者喜貪盡，喜貪盡者說心解脫。 | It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “You should observe that form is impermanent. Such observation then is right view.[6] Right view then gives rise to disillusionment. Being disillusioned, delight and greed [for form] will end. When delight and greed [for form] have ended, that’s said to be the mind’s liberation. |
| 3. | 如是觀受、想、行、識無常，如是觀者，則為正見；正見者則生厭離，厭離者喜貪盡，喜貪盡者說心解脫。 | “Thus, observe that feeling … perception … volition … consciousness is impermanent. Such observation then is right view. Right view then gives rise to disillusionment. Being disillusioned, delight and greed [for consciousness] will end. When delight and greed [for consciousness] have ended, that’s said to be the mind’s liberation. |
| 4. | 如是比丘！心解脫者，若欲自證，則能自證：我生已盡，梵行已立，所作已作，自知不受後有」。 | “Thus, monks, if someone whose mind is liberated wants to realize it for themselves, then they can realize, ‘My births have been ended, the religious practice has been established, and the task has been accomplished. I myself know that I won’t be subject to a later existence.’” |
| 5. | 時諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。 | When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved. |
Parallels
When we compare this sutra to those found in Pali, we find that it closely matches SN 22.12 and 51. Specifically, the teaching about the aggregates closely matches what we find in SN 22.51, although it has been abbreviated further. SN 22.12 appears to be a more succinct version of the same teaching that separates the statement that the five aggregates are impermanent from the process of liberation. SN 22.12 also includes the stock passage describing self-realization that concludes SĀ 1.1. My conclusion is that this is a variant of SN 22.12 with the more verbose teaching on the aggregates found in SN 12.51. The close match of wording suggests that it descends from the pre-sectarian period.
| § | SĀ 1.1 | SN 22.51 | SN 22.12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 如是我聞：一時，佛住舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。 | Sāvatthinidānaṃ. | evaṃ me sutaṃ— sāvatthiyaṃ. |
| 2. | 爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「當觀色無常，如是觀者，則為正見；正見者則生厭離，厭離者喜貪盡，喜貪盡者說心解脫。 | “Aniccaññeva, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpaṃ aniccanti passati. Sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi. Sammā passaṃ nibbindati. Nandikkhayā rāgakkhayo, rāgakkhayā nandikkhayo. Nandirāgakkhayā cittaṃ vimuttaṃ suvimuttanti vuccati. | “rūpaṃ, bhikkhave, aniccaṃ, vedanā aniccā, saññā aniccā, saṅkhārā aniccā, viññāṇaṃ aniccaṃ.
Evaṃ passaṃ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati. Nibbindaṃ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati. |
| 3. | 如是觀受、想、行、識無常，如是觀者，則為正見；正見者則生厭離，厭離者喜貪盡，喜貪盡者說心解脫。 | Aniccaññeva, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vedanaṃ aniccanti passati. Sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi. Sammā passaṃ nibbindati. Nandikkhayā rāgakkhayo, rāgakkhayā nandikkhayo. Nandirāgakkhayā cittaṃ vimuttaṃ suvimuttanti vuccati.
Aniccaññeva, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saññaṃ aniccanti passati … pe … anicceyeva bhikkhave, bhikkhu saṅkhāre aniccāti passati. Sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi. Sammā passaṃ nibbindati. Nandikkhayā rāgakkhayo, rāgakkhayā nandikkhayo. Nandirāgakkhayā cittaṃ vimuttaṃ suvimuttanti vuccati. Aniccaññeva, bhikkhave, bhikkhu viññāṇaṃ aniccanti passati. Sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi. Sammā passaṃ nibbindati. Nandikkhayā rāgakkhayo, rāgakkhayā nandikkhayo. Nandirāgakkhayā cittaṃ vimuttaṃ suvimuttanti vuccatī”ti. | |
| 4. | 如是比丘！心解脫者，若欲自證，則能自證：我生已盡，梵行已立，所作已作，自知不受後有」。 | ∅ | Vimuttasmiṃ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṃ hoti.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti. |
| 5. | 時諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。 | ∅ | ∅ |
Notes
- ↑ 此是每一相應經數次第。(印順法師)
- ↑ 此是全經次第經數。（）以內者，為《大正藏》所計經數。(印順法師)
- ↑ 《相應部》（二二）〈蘊相應〉一二經。又〈蘊相應〉五一經。凡宋體字，是《經》文。(印順法師)
- ↑ This sūtra is parallel with SN 22.12 and SN 22.51. The next three sūtras are variants that follow this template while substituting the other three marks (‘painful,’ ‘empty,’ and ‘not self’) for ‘impermanent.’
- ↑ 「見」，原本作「觀」。依《相應部．蘊相應》五一經，本經（二）〈入處相應〉一經，及《論》義，均作「見」，今改。(印順法師)
- ↑ right view. Yinshun amends correct observation (正觀) to right view (正見) in this sūtra citing the parallel passages at SN 22.51 and SĀ 2.1.
