MN 131 Bhaddekaratta Sutta: The Ideal Lover of Solitude

[mikenz66]

MN 131 PTS: M iii 187
Bhaddekaratta Sutta: The Discourse on the Ideal Lover of Solitude
translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Ñanananda

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nana.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Discussion by the Translator: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el188.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Alternative translation by Thanissoro Bhikkhu:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Translation by Bhikkhus Ñanamoli and Bohdi available at:
http://www.palicanon.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (you have to register).


Thus have I heard: At one time the Exalted one was living at Saavatthi in the Jeta
Grove, Anaathapi.n.dika's monastery. There he addressed the monks thus: "Monks."
"Revered one," the monks answered the Exalted One in assent. The Exalted one
spoke thus "Monks, I shall preach to you the summary and the exposition of the Ideal
Lover of Solitude. Listen and give attention. I shall speak." "Even so, revered sir," the
monks answered the Exalted One in assent. The Exalted One said this:

Let one not trace back the past
Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.
That which is past is left behind
Unattained is the "yet-to-come."
But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.
The Immovable — the-non-irritable.
In that state should the wise one grow
Today itself should one bestir
Tomorrow death may come — who knows?
For no bargain can we strike
With Death who has his mighty hosts.
But one who dwells thus ardently
By day, by night, untiringly
Him the Tranquil Sage has called
The Ideal Lover of Solitude.

"And how, monks, does one trace back the past? He thinks: 'I was of such form in the
past' and brings delight to bear on it. He thinks: 'I was of such feeling in the past' and
brings delight to bear on it. He thinks: 'I was of such perception in the past' and brings
delight to bear on it. He thinks: 'I was of such formations in the past' and brings
delight to bear on them. He thinks: 'I was of such consciousness in the past' and
brings delight to bear on it. That is how, monks, one traces back the past.
"And how, monks, does one not trace back the past? He thinks: 'I was of such form in
the past' but brings no delight to bear on it. He thinks: 'I was of such feeling... of such
perception... of such formations...'... He thinks: 'I was of such consciousness in the
past' but brings no delight to bear on it. That is how, monks, one does not trace back
the past.

"And how, monks, does one yearn for the future? He thinks: 'I may have such form in
the future' and brings delight to bear on it. He thinks: 'I may have such feeling... such
perception... such formations...'... He thinks: 'I may have such consciousness in the
future' and brings delight to bear on it. That is how, monks, one yearns for the future.
"And how, monks, does one not yearn for the future? He thinks: 'I may have such
form in the future' but brings no delight to bear on it. He thinks: 'I may have such
feeling... such perception... such formations...'... He thinks: 'I may have such
consciousness in the future' but brings no delight to bear on it. That is how, monks,
one does not yearn for the future.

"And how is one drawn into present things? Herein, monks, an uninstructed ordinary
man who takes no account of the Noble Ones, is unskilled in the Dhamma of the Noble
Ones, untrained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, taking no account of the good
men, unskilled in the Dhamma of the good men, untrained in the Dhamma of the good
men, looks upon form as self, or self as possessed of form, or form as in self, or self
as in form. He looks upon feeling as self, or self as possessed of feeling, or feeling as
in self, or self as in feeling. He looks upon perception as self, or self as possessed of
perception, or perception as in self, or self as in perception. He looks upon formations
as self, or self as possessed of formations, or formations as in self, or self as in
formations. He looks upon consciousness as self, or self as possessed of
consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That is how,
monks, one is drawn into present things.

"And how, monks, is one not drawn into present things? Herein, monks, an instructed
Noble disciple who takes into account the Noble Ones, skilled in the Dhamma of the
Noble Ones, trained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, taking into account the good
men, skilled in the Dhamma of the good men, trained in the Dhamma of the good
men, does not look upon form as self, or self as possessed of form, or form as in self,
or self as in form. He does not look upon feeling as self... He does not look upon
perception as self... He does not look upon formations as self... He does not look upon
consciousness as self, or self as possessed of consciousness, or consciousness as in
self, or self as in consciousness. That is how, monks, one is not drawn into present
things.

Let one not trace back the past
Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.
That which is past is left behind
Unattained is the "yet-to-come."
But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.
The Immovable — the-non-irritable.
In that state should the wise one grow
Today itself should one bestir
Tomorrow death may come — who knows?
For no bargain can we strike
With Death who has his mighty hosts.
But one who dwells thus ardently
By day, by night, untiringly
Him the Tranquil Sage has called
The Ideal Lover of Solitude.

So it was with reference to this that it was said: "Monks, I shall preach to you the
summary and the exposition of the Ideal Lover of Solitude."

Thus spoke the Exalted One, Delighted, those monks rejoiced in what the Exalted One
had said.

[mikenz66]

Study Guide from:
Pressing Out Pure Honey
Sharda Rogell
PDF here: http://www.dharma.org/bcbs/Pages/publications.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

131 Bhaddekaratta Sutta A Single Excellent Night
132 Ānandabhaddekaratta Sutta Ānanda and a Single Excellent Night
133 Mahākaccānabhaddekaratta Sutta Mahā Kaccāna and a Single
Excellent Night
134 Lomasakangiyabhaddekaratta Sutta Lomasakangiya and a Single
Excellent Night

(N.B.: In the Second Edition of the Majjhima Nikāya, the phrase “A Single
Excellent Night,” wherever it appears, has been changed from “One Fortunate
Attachment,” which was used in the first edition [1995].) [Ed: Ven. Thanissaro
Bhikkhu adds an interesting reflection: In the Pali Canon, which was composed in
a culture that used a lunar calendar, the word “night” was used to mean a 24 hour
period of dayandnight, just as we, with our solar calendar, call the same
period a “day.”]

SUMMARY

The above four discourses are a summary and exposition on a verse about how
one revives the past, puts hope in the future and gets embroiled in the present,
and how not to do this. The Buddha emphasizes the need for present effort in
seeing things as they are.
MN131: The Buddha explains the verse by way of the five aggregates.
MN132: Ānanda expounds a summary and exposition of the last discourse to
the bhikkhus, and the Buddha commends him.
MN133: The Buddha gives the teaching in brief. After he leaves for his
dwelling, Mahā Kaccāna analyzes the verse by way of the twelve
sense bases.
MN134: The Buddha gives the teaching to Ven. Lomasakangiya.

NOTES

MN131 is an important discourse to reflect on, and the repetition in the other
discourses is helpful. The verse is practical and has a timeless element. (In the
first edition, the One Fortunate Attachment is cultivating insight.)
The VERSE (repeated in each of the four discourses):

Let not a person revive the past
Or on the future build his hopes;
For the past has been left behind
And the future has not been reached.
Instead with insight let him see
Each presently arisen state;
Let him know that and be sure of it,
Invincibly, unshakably.
Today the effort must be made
Tomorrow Death may come, who knows?
No bargain with Mortality
Can keep him and his hordes away,
But one who dwells thus ardently,
Relentlessly, by day, by night –
It is he, the Peaceful Sage has said,
Who has a single excellent night.”
[or, one fortunate attachment.]

How does one revive the past? “Thinking, ‘I had such material form in the
past,’ (or feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness), one finds
delight in that.” [MN131.4]

Or, “Thinking, ‘My eye was thus in the past, and visual forms were thus,’ one’s
consciousness becomes bound up with desire and lust for that…one delights in
that. When one delights in that, one revives the past.” [Ed: Ven. Mahā Kaccāna
continues for the other sense doors.] “‘My mind was thus in the past, and mindobjects
were thus,’ consciousness becomes bound up with desire and lust for
that…” [MN133.13] [Ed: An example of this would be thinking I had a “good”
meditation and desiring that kind of meditation in the future.]

How does one not revive the past? “Thinking, ‘I had such material form in the
past,’ one does not find delight in that.” [MN131.5]. “Thinking, ‘My eye was thus
in the past and forms were thus,’ one’s consciousness does not become bound
up with desire and lust for that …one does not delight in that.” [MN133.14]

Note 1215 makes an important point. It is “not the mere recollection of the
past through memory that causes bondage, but the reliving of past experience
with thoughts of craving.” The bondage happens when one finds delight by
bringing to bear upon the past either craving or a view associated with craving.
Remember, the craving can be for something to remain, as when we find
something attractive, or for something to go away, as when we find something
repulsive. Therefore, memory itself is not the problem, but the craving and
delight in those thoughts of the past.

How does one build up hope in the future? I desire that this will happen in the
future. I may have this material form in the future [MN131.6]; or My body
and tangibles may be thus… and taking delight in it, I
set my heart on obtaining that [in a form of action]. [MN133.15]
How does one not build up hope in the future? Consciousness does not
become bound up with desire [for that object], does not find delight in it.
[MN131.7, MN133.16]

How are we bound up in the present? One is bound up with desire and lust for
what is present and one delights in it; one gets bound up, or lost, because one
takes the five aggregates as self [MN131.8, MN133.17].

How are we not bound up in the present? One is not bound up with desire and
lust for what is present and one does not delight in it; one does not get bound
up, or lost, because one does not take the five aggregates as self [MN131.9,
MN133.18].

PRACTICE

1. Pay close attention, both in your formal sittings and in your daily activities, to
how you revive the past, put hope in the future, and get bound up with present
moment experience. Choose one at a time to practice. See if you can track the
arising thoughts, and the delight and desire for the object, as well as the
continuation of the thoughts that leads to an action. Remember that craving and
delight can be related to aversion and negativity, too.

2. See if you can notice if an action arises from clinging or from nonclinging

[Cittasanto]

Let one not trace back the past
Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.
That which is past is left behind
Unattained is the "yet-to-come."
But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.

I am fond of this part of the text!
for me it means we can not undo the past, or know what the future is going to be, as we can only live in the present, so make this moment the best we can, by living with discernment!

I have been reflecting on the the four suttas called Bonanzas in SN, which give alternative versions of what qualities a Stream winner has, (also see Thanissaros study guide on Stream winners pt2) the common thread is confirmed confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha, but the fourth quality changes from the commonly found Virtuous, to generous & discerning respectively.
I feel that Discerning is the important quality here, as it will aid in the conviction towards the Buddha Dhamma & sangha, as-well as aid in Virtue and generosity, and these Virtuous, Generous & discerning qualities are what enable us or anyone to live this moment the best we can, as they are the best place to act from, (in a worldling sence,) however as the latter explanation of the summary notes, it is even better to come from a position of anatta which the stream winner has to some extent managed with the destruction of the first fetter.

on reading Thanissaros introduction he says

Ven. Ñanamoli is probably right in assuming that "bhaddekaratta" was a pre-Buddhist term that the Buddha adopted and re-interpreted in light of his own teaching. The point of the discourse would thus be that — instead of the play of cosmic forces, the stars, or the lucky omens — one's own development of the mind's attitude to time is what makes a day auspicious.

this underlined phrase is the key to this (area atleast) and as it is through our minds that kamma first arises, and how we deal with the Kamma of the past (vipakka = fruit of Kamma) that makes time well spent, we could drown our sorrows, or hatch plans to get to a better situation, but this wouldn't deal with what is, in the moment, and potentially make matters worse by not dealing with what is, or by reacting to (being moved by) things from a defensive, or defeatist mindset, which is not possible when anatta is known.

[mikenz66]

Thanks Manapa,

One of the things that's always puzzled me a little is that the text discusses the negative possibilities of self-making in the present, which is just a dangerous as getting lost in the past or the future:

"And how is one drawn into present things? Herein, monks, an uninstructed ordinary man who takes no account of the Noble Ones, is unskilled in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, untrained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, taking no account of the good men, unskilled in the Dhamma of the good men, untrained in the Dhamma of the good men, looks upon form as self, or self as possessed of form, or form as in self, or self as in form. ...

Whereas the verse only has the negative possibilities in considering the past and future and the positive possibility in the present:

But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.

Mike

[Cittasanto]

Thanks Manapa,

One of the things that's always puzzled me a little is that the text discusses the negative possibilities of self-making in the present, which is just a dangerous as getting lost in the past or the future:

"And how is one drawn into present things? Herein, monks, an uninstructed ordinary man who takes no account of the Noble Ones, is unskilled in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, untrained in the Dhamma of the Noble Ones, taking no account of the good men, unskilled in the Dhamma of the good men, untrained in the Dhamma of the good men, looks upon form as self, or self as possessed of form, or form as in self, or self as in form. ...

Whereas the verse only has the negative possibilities in considering the past and future and the positive possibility in the present:

But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.

Mike

Hi Mike,
just checked the pali, the lines translated in your quote are (underlined)
Paccuppannañca yo dhammaṃ,
Tattha tattha vipassati;
Asaṃhīraṃ asaṃkuppaṃ,
Taṃ vidvā manubrūhaye.

But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.
The Immovable — the-non-irritable.
In that state should the wise one grow

the site has the pali split into four sets of four lines, so it appears that your puzzle is actually already qualified in the verse; it is a matter of how it is put makes it more confusing when looking at the english translation above (also notice the full stops, commas, and semi-colon differences.)

so it appears that the passage would be inferred rather than directly within the verse, and comes with the qualification

The Immovable — the-non-irritable,
In that state should the wise one grow.

and the Buddha was explaining its opposite state later.

[dhammapal]

Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s translation seems to say that the problem is not thinking about the future but getting carried away with the delight of it.
But when Larry Rosenberg reads that translation aloud on SuttaReadings.net
http://www.suttareadings.net/audio/index.html#mn.131" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
his voice inflection seems to say that thinking about the future is getting carried away with delight which is something very different.

With metta / dhammapal.

[Cittasanto]

is he reading thanissaros translation?
if so best to stick with the translation rather than what the speaker might of said.

[christopher:::]

Let one not trace back the past
Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.
That which is past is left behind
Unattained is the "yet-to-come."
But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.
The Immovable — the-non-irritable.
In that state should the wise one grow
Today itself should one bestir
Tomorrow death may come — who knows?
For no bargain can we strike
With Death who has his mighty hosts.
But one who dwells thus ardently
By day, by night, untiringly
Him the Tranquil Sage has called
The Ideal Lover of Solitude.

Very nice. This is how to practice. It's all there,
i mean, here.