1

Indriya Bhvan Sutta

The Development of the Faculties
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu For free distribution only

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was stayin amon the !a""an alas in the Bamboo #rove$ Then the youn Brahman %ttara& a student of Parasiri 'Parasivi( went to the Blessed One and& on arrival& e)chan ed friendly reetin s and courtesies$ *fter this e)chan e of courteous reetin s he sat to one side$ *s he was sittin there& the Blessed One said to him+ ,%ttara& does the Brahman Parasiri teach his followers the development of the faculties-, ,.es& master #otama& he does$, ,*nd how does he teach his followers the development of the faculties-, ,There is the case where one does not see forms with the eye& or hear sounds with the ear /in a trance of non0perception1$ That2s how the Brahman Parasiri teaches his followers the development of the faculties$, ,That bein the case& %ttara& then a blind person will have developed faculties& and a deaf person will have developed faculties& accordin to the words of the Brahman Parasiri$ For a blind person does not see forms with the eye& and a deaf person does not hear sounds with the ear$, 3hen this was said& the youn Brahman %ttara sat silent and abashed& his shoulders slumped& his head down& broodin & at a loss for words$ The Blessed One 00 noticin that %ttara was sittin silent and abashed& his shoulders slumped& his head down& broodin & at a loss for words 00 said to 4en$ 5nanda& ,5nanda& the development of the faculties that the Brahman Parasiri teaches his followers is one thin & but the une)celled development of the faculties in the discipline of a noble one is somethin else entirely$, ,6ow is the time& O Blessed One$ 6ow is the time& O One 3ell0#one& for the Blessed One to teach the une)celled development of the faculties in the discipline of the noble one$ 7avin heard the Blessed One& the monks will remember it$,

2 ,In that case& 5nanda& listen and pay close attention$ I will speak$, ,*s you say& lord&, 4en$ 5nanda responded to the Blessed One$ The Blessed One said+ ,6ow how& 5nanda& in the discipline of a noble one is there the une)celled development of the faculties- There is the case where& when seein a form with the eye& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e discerns that 2this a reeable thin has arisen in me& this disa reeable thin $$$ this a reeable and disa reeable thin has arisen in me$ *nd that is compounded& ross& dependently co0arisen$ But this is peaceful& this is e)8uisite& i$e$& e8uanimity$2 3ith that& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ 9ust as a man with ood eyes& havin closed them& mi ht open them: or havin opened them& mi ht close them& that is how 8uickly& how rapidly& how easily& no matter what it refers to& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ In the discipline of a noble one& this is called the une)celled development of the faculties with re ard to forms co ni;able by the eye$ ,Furthermore& when hearin a sound with the ear& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e discerns that 2This a reeable thin has arisen in me& this disa reeable thin $$$ this a reeable and disa reeable thin has arisen in me$ *nd that is compounded& ross& dependently co0arisen$ But this is peaceful& this is e)8uisite& i$e$& e8uanimity$2 3ith that& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ 9ust as a stron man mi ht easily snap his fin ers& that is how 8uickly& how rapidly& how easily& no matter what it refers to& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ In the discipline of a noble one& this is called the une)celled development of the faculties with re ard to sounds co ni;able by the ear$ ,Furthermore& when smellin an aroma with the nose& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e discerns that 2this a reeable thin has arisen in me& this disa reeable thin $$$ this a reeable and disa reeable thin has arisen in me$ *nd that is compounded& ross& dependently co0arisen$ But this is peaceful& this is e)8uisite& i$e$& e8uanimity$2 3ith that& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ 9ust as drops of water roll off a ently slopin lotus leaf and do not remain

3 there& that is how 8uickly& how rapidly& how easily& no matter what it refers to& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ In the discipline of a noble one& this is called the une)celled development of the faculties with re ard to aromas co ni;able by the nose$ ,Furthermore& when tastin a flavor with the ton ue& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e discerns that 2This a reeable thin has arisen in me& this disa reeable thin $$$ this a reeable and disa reeable thin has arisen in me$ *nd that is compounded& ross& dependently co0arisen$ But this is peaceful& this is e)8uisite& i$e$& e8uanimity$2 3ith that& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ 9ust as a stron man mi ht easily spit out a ball of saliva athered on the tip of his ton ue& that is how 8uickly& how rapidly& how easily& no matter what it refers to& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ In the discipline of a noble one& this is called the une)celled development of the faculties with re ard to flavors co ni;able by the ton ue$ ,Furthermore& when touchin a tactile sensation with the body& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e discerns that 2This a reeable thin has arisen in me& this disa reeable thin $$$ this a reeable and disa reeable thin has arisen in me$ *nd that is compounded& ross& dependently co0arisen$ But this is peaceful& this is e)8uisite& i$e$& e8uanimity$2 3ith that& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ 9ust as a stron man mi ht easily e)tend his fle)ed arm or fle) his e)tended arm& that is how 8uickly& how rapidly& how easily& no matter what it refers to& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ In the discipline of a noble one& this is called the une)celled development of the faculties with re ard to tactile sensations co ni;able by the body$ ,Furthermore& when co ni;in an idea with the intellect& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e discerns that 2this a reeable thin has arisen in me& this disa reeable thin $$$ this a reeable and disa reeable thin has arisen in me$ *nd that is compounded& ross& dependently co0arisen$ But this is peaceful& this is e)8uisite& i$e$& e8uanimity$ 3ith that& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ 9ust as a stron man mi ht let two or three drops of water fall onto an iron pan

4 heated all day+ Slow would the fallin of the drops of water& but they 8uickly would vanish and disappear$ That is how 8uickly& how rapidly& how easily& no matter what it refers to& the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin ceases& and e8uanimity takes its stance$ In the discipline of a noble one& this is called the une)celled development of the faculties with re ard to ideas co ni;able by the intellect$ ,*nd how is one a person in trainin & someone followin the wayThere is the case where& when seein a form with the eye& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e feels horrified& humiliated& and dis usted with the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin $ ,3hen hearin a sound with the ear$$$ 3hen smellin an aroma with the nose$$$ 3hen tastin a flavor with the ton ue$$$ 3hen touchin a tactile sensation with the body$$$ 3hen co ni;in an idea with the intellect& there arises in him what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ 7e feels horrified& humiliated& and dis usted with the arisen a reeable thin $$$ disa reeable thin $$$ a reeable and disa reeable thin $ ,This is how one is a person in trainin & someone followin the way$ ,*nd how is one a noble one with developed faculties- There is the case where& when seein a form with the eye& there arises in a monk what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ If he wants& he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome$ If he wants& he remains percipient of un0loathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome$ If he wants& he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome and what is$ If he wants& he remains percipient of un0loathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome and what is not$ If he wants 00 in the presence of what is loathsome and what is not 00 cuttin himself off from both& he remains e8uanimous& alert& and mindful$ ,3hen hearin a sound with the ear$$$ 3hen smellin an aroma with the nose$$$ 3hen tastin a flavor with the ton ue$$$ 3hen touchin a tactile sensation with the body$$$ 3hen co ni;in an idea with the intellect& there arises in him what is a reeable& what is disa reeable& what is a reeable and disa reeable$ If he wants& he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome$ If he wants& he remains percipient of un0loathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome$ If he wants& he remains percipient of

5 loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome and what is$ If he wants& he remains percipient of un0loathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome and what is not$ If he wants 00 in the presence of what is loathsome and what is not 00 cuttin himself off from both& he remains e8uanimous& alert& and mindful$ ,This is how one is a noble one with developed faculties$ ,So& 5nanda& I have tau ht you the une)celled development of the faculties in the discipline of a noble one: I have tau ht you how one is a person in trainin & someone followin the way: I have tau ht you how one is a noble one with developed faculties$ 3hatever a teacher should do 00 seekin the welfare of his disciples& out of sympathy for them 00 that have I done for you$ Over there are the roots of trees: over there& empty dwellin s$ Practice "hana& 5nanda$ Don2t be heedless$ Don2t later fall into re ret$ This is our messa e to you all$, That is what the Blessed One said$ #ratified& 4en$ 5nanda deli hted in the Blessed One2s words$