Refugee wrote::namaste:
Please, I need some clarity with regard to the Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta, more specifically this paragraph:
Mahanama, that very mental quality [viz., greed, aversion, or delusion ] is what is unabandoned within you so that there are times when the mental quality of greed... the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades your mind and remains.[3] For if that mental quality were abandoned in you, you would not live the household life and would not partake of sensuality. It's because that mental quality is not abandoned in you that you live the household life and partake of sensuality.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.014.than.htmlI tried paraphrasing this paragraph as best as I could and it seems to be indicating that the mental quality of greed, aversion, or delusion cannot be abandoned (at least not completely) by a person living a household life. Hence, it seems almost impossible for such person to become an arhant. However, I had searched other threads in the forum and it was pointed out that evidence exists in other suttas that householders can in fact become arhants. Now, I'm thinking that maybe I'm not understanding the above paragraph in the Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta correctly. I will appreciate it if someone can assist me. Metta.
Hi,
I can only give you my interpretation. As I see it, the paragraph doesn't imply that greed, aversion and delusion cannot be abandoned by a person living the household life. What we can find in that paragraph is, that the Buddha says that Mahanama lives the household life and partakes of sensuality
because he has not abandoned greed, aversion and delusion. Not the other way round.
I think these paragraphs and comments are also important (emphasize added):
"Mahanama, that very mental quality[2] is what is unabandoned within you so that there are times when the mental quality of greed... the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades your mind and remains.[3] For if that mental quality were abandoned in you, you would not live the household life and would not partake of sensuality. It's because that mental quality is not abandoned in you that you live the household life and partake of sensuality.
"Even though a disciple of the noble ones has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, still — if he has not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that[4] — he can be tempted by sensuality. But when he has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and he has attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, he cannot be tempted by sensuality.
[2] I.e., greed, aversion, or delusion.
[3] This sentence is mistranslated in both MLS and MLDB. Its point is that the mental qualities that invade Mahanama's mind are precisely the ones he has not yet abandoned. In practical terms, this means that he does not have to look for another quality lurking behind them, but instead can focus his attention on abandoning these qualities directly as they arise. The remainder of the sutta gives a lesson in how greed, aversion, and delusion can be abandoned by understanding the object on which they most frequently focus: sensuality.
[4] The rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, is a factor of the first or second jhana. "Something more peaceful than that" would be any attainments higher than the second jhana.
Hope it helps.
best wishes, acinteyyo
