The Fetter

At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.*Macchikāsaṇḍa was a township in Kāsī (Kd 11:18.1.3), known only through its connection with Citta. The name probably means “Fisher’s Forest”.Now at that time, after the meal, on return from almsround, several senior mendicants sat together in the pavilion and this discussion came up among them:

Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove.*Macchikāsaṇḍa was a township in Kāsī (Kd 11:18.1.3), known only through its connection with Citta. The name probably means “Fisher’s Forest”.Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane. Now at that time, after the meal, on return from almsround, several senior mendicants sat together in the pavilion and this discussion came up among them:Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

Some senior mendicants answered like this:“Reverends, the ‘fetter’ and the ‘things that tighten fetters’: these things differ in both meaning and phrasing.”

Tatrekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ hoti: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti.

Some senior mendicants answered like this:Tatrekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ hoti: “Reverends, the ‘fetter’ and the ‘things that tighten fetters’: these things differ in both meaning and phrasing.”“‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti.

But some senior mendicants answered like this:“Reverends, the ‘fetter’ and the ‘things that tighten fetters’ mean the same thing; they differ only in the phrasing.”

Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ hoti: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

But some senior mendicants answered like this:Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ hoti: “Reverends, the ‘fetter’ and the ‘things that tighten fetters’ mean the same thing; they differ only in the phrasing.”“‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

Now at that time the householder CittacittaMente, corazón o estado de consciencia. En los suttas puede referirse a la mente como experiencia cognitiva y afectiva, no solo al pensamiento conceptual. En meditación, citta suele señalar el estado o cualidad de la mente que se observa, calma, concentra o libera.Ver en el glosario had arrived at Migapathaka on some business.*The householder Citta, often identified as “of Macchikāsaṇḍa”, was a chief lay disciple (AN 2.132:1.2), foremost in teaching Dhamma (AN 1.250). His boldness and intelligence mark his distinctive personality. Likely he was born under the asterism Citrā (the star Spica), a manifestation of Agni (see Pāṇini 4.3.34, vārttika 1). The primordial myth of the asterism attributes to it the power to enable one of lower status (the titans) to challenge those of higher status, the gods (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 2.1.2.13–17). Citta the householder is likewise noted for his brilliant insight that surpasses the monks; moreover, on several occasions in his presence the most junior monastic surpasses the senior. | Migapathaka (“place of the animal track”) is only mentioned here.He heard about what those senior mendicants were discussing.*The use of kira here shows that he did not hear them directly, but heard a report. Hence below he says “I heard that …” (sutaṁ metaṁ), similar to the phrase “so I have heard” (MN 127:17.4).

Tena kho pana samayena citto gahapati migapathakaṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosi kho citto gahapati sambahulānaṁ kira therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Tatrekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

Now at that time the householder Citta had arrived at Migapathaka on some business.*The householder Citta, often identified as “of Macchikāsaṇḍa”, was a chief lay disciple (AN 2.132:1.2), foremost in teaching Dhamma (AN 1.250). His boldness and intelligence mark his distinctive personality. Likely he was born under the asterism Citrā (the star Spica), a manifestation of Agni (see Pāṇini 4.3.34, vārttika 1). The primordial myth of the asterism attributes to it the power to enable one of lower status (the titans) to challenge those of higher status, the gods (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 2.1.2.13–17). Citta the householder is likewise noted for his brilliant insight that surpasses the monks; moreover, on several occasions in his presence the most junior monastic surpasses the senior. | Migapathaka (“place of the animal track”) is only mentioned here.Tena kho pana samayena citto gahapati migapathakaṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena. He heard about what those senior mendicants were discussing.*The use of kira here shows that he did not hear them directly, but heard a report. Hence below he says “I heard that …” (sutaṁ metaṁ), similar to the phrase “so I have heard” (MN 127:17.4).Assosi kho citto gahapati sambahulānaṁ kira therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Tatrekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

So he went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to them,“Sirs, I heard that you were discussing whether the ‘fetter’ and the ‘things that tighten fetters’ differ in both meaning and phrasing, or whether they mean the same thing, and differ only in the phrasing.”

Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca: “sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, sambahulānaṁ kira therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: ‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

So he went up to them, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to them,Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca: “Sirs, I heard that you were discussing whether the ‘fetter’ and the ‘things that tighten fetters’ differ in both meaning and phrasing, or whether they mean the same thing, and differ only in the phrasing.”“sutaṁ metaṁ, bhante, sambahulānaṁ kira therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: ‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ: “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṁ byākataṁ “‘saṁyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṁyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti.

Well then, sirs, I shall give you a simile.For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said.

Tena hi, bhante, upamaṁ vo karissāmi. Upamāyapidhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānanti.

Well then, sirs, I shall give you a simile.Tena hi, bhante, upamaṁ vo karissāmi. For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said.Upamāyapidhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānanti.

Suppose there was a black ox and a white ox yoked by a single harness or yoke.Would it be right to say thatthe black ox is the yoke of the white ox, or the white ox is the yoke of the black ox?”*This example is not attributed to the Buddha in the canon, so the question arises where Citta heard it. It is found in a discussion between Mahākoṭṭhita and Sāriputta (SN 35.232:4.3), but perhaps more relevant, between Kāmabhū and Ānanda (SN 35.233:4.3). Kāmabhū discussed Dhamma with Citta (SN 41.5, SN 41.6), so perhaps Citta learned it from him.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, kāḷo ca balībaddo odāto ca balībaddo ekena dāmena vā yottena vā saṁyuttā assu. Yo nu kho evaṁ vadeyya: ‘kāḷo balībaddo odātassa balībaddassa saṁyojanaṁ, odāto balībaddo kāḷassa balībaddassa saṁyojanan’ti, sammā nu kho so vadamāno vadeyyā”ti?

Suppose there was a black ox and a white ox yoked by a single harness or yoke.Seyyathāpi, bhante, kāḷo ca balībaddo odāto ca balībaddo ekena dāmena vā yottena vā saṁyuttā assu. Would it be right to say thatYo nu kho evaṁ vadeyya: the black ox is the yoke of the white ox, or the white ox is the yoke of the black ox?”*This example is not attributed to the Buddha in the canon, so the question arises where Citta heard it. It is found in a discussion between Mahākoṭṭhita and Sāriputta (SN 35.232:4.3), but perhaps more relevant, between Kāmabhū and Ānanda (SN 35.233:4.3). Kāmabhū discussed Dhamma with Citta (SN 41.5, SN 41.6), so perhaps Citta learned it from him.‘kāḷo balībaddo odātassa balībaddassa saṁyojanaṁ, odāto balībaddo kāḷassa balībaddassa saṁyojanan’ti, sammā nu kho so vadamāno vadeyyā”ti?

“No, householder.The black ox is not the yoke of the white ox, nor is the white ox the yoke of the black ox.The yoke there is the single harness or yoke that they’re yoked by.”

“No hetaṁ, gahapati. Na kho, gahapati, kāḷo balībaddo odātassa balībaddassa saṁyojanaṁ, napi odāto balībaddo kāḷassa balībaddassa saṁyojanaṁ; yena kho te ekena dāmena vā yottena vā saṁyuttā taṁ tattha saṁyojanan”ti.

“No, householder.“No hetaṁ, gahapati. The black ox is not the yoke of the white ox, nor is the white ox the yoke of the black ox.Na kho, gahapati, kāḷo balībaddo odātassa balībaddassa saṁyojanaṁ, napi odāto balībaddo kāḷassa balībaddassa saṁyojanaṁ; The yoke there is the single harness or yoke that they’re yoked by.”yena kho te ekena dāmena vā yottena vā saṁyuttā taṁ tattha saṁyojanan”ti.

“In the same way, the eye is not the fetter of sights, nor are sights the fetter of the eye.The fetter there is the desire and greed that arises from the pair of them.

“Evameva kho, bhante, na cakkhu rūpānaṁ saṁyojanaṁ, na rūpā cakkhussa saṁyojanaṁ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanaṁ.

“In the same way, the eye is not the fetter of sights, nor are sights the fetter of the eye.“Evameva kho, bhante, na cakkhu rūpānaṁ saṁyojanaṁ, na rūpā cakkhussa saṁyojanaṁ; The fetter there is the desire and greed that arises from the pair of them.yañca tattha tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanaṁ.

The ear … nose … tongue … body …mind is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the mind.The fetter there is the desire and greed that arises from the pair of them.”

Na sotaṁ saddānaṁ … na ghānaṁ gandhānaṁ … na jivhā rasānaṁ … na kāyo phoṭṭhabbānaṁ saṁyojanaṁ, na phoṭṭhabbā kāyassa saṁyojanaṁ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanaṁ. Na mano dhammānaṁ saṁyojanaṁ, na dhammā manassa saṁyojanaṁ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanan”ti.

The ear … nose … tongue … body …Na sotaṁ saddānaṁ … na ghānaṁ gandhānaṁ … na jivhā rasānaṁ … na kāyo phoṭṭhabbānaṁ saṁyojanaṁ, na phoṭṭhabbā kāyassa saṁyojanaṁ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanaṁ. mind is not the fetter of ideas, nor are ideas the fetter of the mind.Na mano dhammānaṁ saṁyojanaṁ, na dhammā manassa saṁyojanaṁ; The fetter there is the desire and greed that arises from the pair of them.”yañca tattha tadubhayaṁ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṁ tattha saṁyojanan”ti.

“You’re fortunate, householder, so very fortunate,to traverse the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario’s deep teachings with the eye of wisdom.”

“Lābhā te, gahapati, suladdhaṁ te, gahapati, yassa te gambhīre buddhavacane paññācakkhu kamatī”ti.

“You’re fortunate, householder, so very fortunate,“Lābhā te, gahapati, suladdhaṁ te, gahapati, to traverse the Buddha’s deep teachings with the eye of wisdom.”yassa te gambhīre buddhavacane paññācakkhu kamatī”ti.