Bhaddekaratta Sutta

1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s Park. There he addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.” – “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

2. “Bhikkhus, I shall teach you the summary and exposition of ‘One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night.’ Listen and attend closely to what I shall say.” – “Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

4. “How, bhikkhus, does one revive the past? Thinking, ‘I had such material form in the past,’ one finds delight in that.[4] Thinking, ‘I had such feeling in the past,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such perception in the past,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such formations in the past,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ one finds delight in that. That is how one revives the past.

5. “And how, bhikkhus, does one not revive the past? Thinking, ‘I had such material form in the past,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such feeling in the past,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such perception in the past,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such formations in the past,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I had such consciousness in the past,’ one does not find delight in that. That is how one does not revive the past.

6. “And how, bhikkhus, does one build up hope upon the future? Thinking, ‘I may have such material form in the future,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such feeling in the future,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such formations in the future,’ one finds delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ one finds delight in that. That is how one builds up hope upon the future.

7. “And how, bhikkhus, does one not build up hope upon the future? Thinking, ‘I may have such material form in the future,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such feeling in the future,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such perception in the future,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such formations in the future,’ one does not find delight in that. Thinking, ‘I may have such consciousness in the future,’ one does not find delight in that. That is how one does not build up hope upon the future.

8. “And how, bhikkhus, is one vanquished in regard to the presently arisen states? Here, bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards material form as self, or self as possessed of material form, or material form as in self, or self as in material form. He regards feeling as self, or self as possessed of feeling, or feeling as in self, or self as in feeling. He regards perception as self, or self as possessed of perception, or perception as in self, or self as in perception. He regards formations as self, or self as possessed of formations, or formations as in self, or self as in formations. He regards consciousness as self, or self as possessed of consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That is how hone is vanquished in regard to presently arisen states.

9. “And how, bhikkhus, is one invincible in regard to presently arisen states? Here, bhikkhus, a well-taught noble disciple, who has regard for noble ones and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who has regard for true men and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, does not regard material form as self, or self as possessed of material form, or material form as in self, or self as in material form. He does not regard feeling as self, or self as possessed of feeling, or feeling as in self, or self as in feeling. He does not regard perception as self, or self as possessed of perception, or perception as in self, or self as in perception. He does not regard formations as self, or self as possessed of formations, or formations as in self, or self as in formations. He does not regard consciousness as self, or self as possessed of consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. That is how one is invincible in regard to presently arisen states.

11. “So it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘Bhikkhus, I shall teach you the summary and exposition of “One Who Has Had a Single Excellent Night.””

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

[1] More literally the first two lines should be translated: “Let not a person run back to the past or live in expectation of the future.” The meaning will be elucidated in the expository passage of the sutta.

[2] He should contemplate each presently arisen state, just where it has arisen, with insight into its impermanence, etc.

[3] The “Peaceful Sage” is the Buddha.

[4] One “finds delight” by bringing to bear upon the past either craving or a view associated with craving. It should be noted that it is not the mere recollection of the past through memory that causes bondage, but the reliving of past experiences with thoughts of craving

Source: The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya. Translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi. Wisdom Publications