Toh 245 — The Sections of Dharma

F.27.b Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Nyagrodha Park, in Kapilavastu, together with a great saṅgha of five hundred monks. At one point venerable Śāriputra, venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, venerable Mahākāśyapa, venerable Ānanda, and venerable Rāhula all went to see the Blessed One; they prostrated to him, placing their heads at his feet, and then sat to one side. Sitting there, venerable Śāriputra asked the Blessed One, F.28.a “Blessed One, you have spoken of ‘sections of the Dharma.’ But what is the extent of those sections of the Dharma to which the Thus-Gone One refers using that expression? How many such sections are there? What are the sections of the Dharma?”

The Blessed One replied to venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, the Thus-Gone One has taught that there are eighty-four thousand sections of the Dharma. Śāriputra, in this regard, the birthlessness of all phenomena is the primary sense of a section of the Dharma. Śāriputra, I do not claim that there is something called phenomena, or that anything whatsoever is born or ceases. Why is that? Śāriputra, it is because all phenomena are characterized as being unborn and unceasing. For example, Śāriputra, paṇḍakas^[1] are not called men or women, and should indeed not be said to be men or women. Why is that? Śāriputra, it is because they cannot be designated as men or women. Likewise, Śāriputra, the Thus-Gone One has attained unsurpassed awakening with respect to all phenomena, but one cannot say that he therefore knows phenomena on account of phenomena.

“As an analogy, Śāriputra, neither paṇḍakas nor ṣaṇḍhas^[2] have abandoned passion, but they cannot act on that passion. Śāriputra, when they see a beautiful woman, and desire is aroused, most paṇḍakas and ṣaṇḍhas suffer pain in their ducts.^[3] Their ducts drip, their ducts become like metal,^[4] and their faces become red.

Śāriputra, why do you think this is? These paṇḍakas and ṣaṇḍhas have not fainted to the floor; their bodies have not been struck by weapons. Why do you think their ducts are so painful?”

Venerable Śāriputra replied to the Blessed One’s question, F.28.b “Blessed One, paṇḍakas and ṣaṇḍhas are the guards of ladies’ quarters. When they see beautiful women, they give rise to desire. Their desirous minds make them boil with affliction and, boiling with affliction, their bodies become engorged with semen. When they are thus tormented by the pangs of lust, their ducts burst and their bodies become ruined.”

Then the Blessed One said to venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, few among paṇḍakas or ṣaṇḍhas take rebirth in the world of the happy destinies of the higher realms. Most of them are reborn as hell beings. Śāriputra, observe the contrast with the sons^[5] of the Śākya ascetic, none of whom get carried away by desire. Why is that? They know that the sense pleasures are without substance. Knowing that the sense pleasures are impure, they are weary and disenchanted with them. With this deep dislike, they observe celibacy, and their complexions are bright.

“Śāriputra, evil men are unable to feel weary or disenchanted. Why is that? Śāriputra, it is because evil men, thinking so much about objects of desire as they do, are full of thoughts. Śāriputra, what are the thoughts of evil men? They think of things that are non-existent. They think of the impure as pure. They think of lack of perception as perception. They think of women as women. They think of being desirous as being desirous. These, Śāriputra, are the thoughts of evil men. Śāriputra, these are the actions of paṇḍakas and ṣaṇḍhas who are gripped by desire; they are not the actions of holy beings. Śāriputra, those paṇḍakas who thus entertain evil men’s conceptions F.29.a have the experience, ‘I am touching that,’ and thus perceive the body with its nine orifices—this impure, leaking thing—as clean. All these things should not be done. They are not the actions of holy beings.

“Śāriputra, those ascetics and brahmins who do not recognize the flaws of the sense pleasures for what they really are fantasize about women and cling to certain features of their eyes, perceiving them to be like beryl. They do not see them as bubbles of water. Śāriputra, compare this to the example of a jenny or a sow that has just given birth. Her body is emptied by giving birth and a filthy, excrement-like placenta, unbearable to look at, emerges from her body. Śāriputra, eyes, too, ought to be described like that. The eyes resemble the placenta of a jenny, a sow, or a bitch. The interior of the eyeball is like a water bubble. That is why filth emerges from it, and it is therefore disagreeable. Pus and blood ooze from it—it exudes filth. Śāriputra, the bodily formation that leaks filth, pus, and blood, and that leaks essential fluids, that thing is called the eye.

“Śāriputra, what is the reason for speaking of the eyes? What are the causes and conditions for their being called eyes? They are the leaders of the body. Looking at form, one is never satisfied—whether at first, in the middle, or in the end—and therefore one physically engages in an ocean of non-virtuous deeds. Because of that we speak of eyes.^[6] Why is that, Śāriputra? What are the causes and conditions for speaking of eyes? It is because they are disagreeable. Śāriputra, why are the eyes disagreeable? They see the absence of form as form, the absence of sensation as sensation, the absence of perception as perception, the absence of formation as formation, and the absence of consciousness as consciousness. Again, what is the reason for this? That is, what are the causes and conditions for speaking of eyes? F.29.b They cause one’s virtuous conduct to degenerate, and therefore we speak of eyes. They cause monkhood to degenerate, and therefore we speak of eyes. Śāriputra, eyes are impermanent, unstable, and do not endure. That is why they should be known as eyes.

“Śāriputra, skilled, well-learned, and dauntless monks relate to the eyes in this way: eyes are not a woman, not a man, not a sentient being, not a life principle, not a living being, and not a person. Likewise, Śāriputra, this applies to the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. They are also not a woman, not a man, not a sentient being, not a life principle, not a living being, and not a person. These all arise from being mistaken about the five aggregates.

“Śāriputra, those ascetics and brahmins who do not correctly know the shortcomings of the sense pleasures are tormented by lust. Their complexions become poor and pale. Śāriputra, consider this analogy: When the leaves or the ripe fruits of a big tree fall off, they lose their luster. In the same way, Śāriputra, those among monks and nuns, and male and female lay devotees, who do not correctly know the shortcomings of the sense pleasures are tormented by lust. Their complexions become poor, their thoughts become unclear, and their poor complexions become unpleasant to look at.

“Śāriputra, young monks who are ordained in the prime of their lives will soon correctly know the sense pleasures, understanding that the sense pleasures lack substance. Even if they have thoughts of desire, they quickly pacify them, recognizing them as being non-virtuous. Śāriputra, that being the case, once monks have seen the shortcomings of the sense pleasures, they are disenchanted and free from desire. They then truly rejoice and practice pure conduct. F.30.a Their complexions become radiant.

“Śāriputra, consider this analogy: When pus develops in the body of a sick person, eighty-four thousand sores open up on all of that person’s limbs^[7] and each open sore also harbors eighty-four thousand swarms of parasites.^[8] These parasites have both beaks and mouths. No matter how much they eat, they are never satiated. If that person sits near a heap of embers,^[9] the more those creatures are tormented by burning, the more they eat. Now, what do you think about that, Śāriputra? As they consume that person, will those creatures eat the person up, or not?”

Venerable Śāriputra replied to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, if even to hear this makes my hair stand on end, it goes without saying how unpleasant it must be for that person. Blessed One, that person will certainly be eaten up by those varieties of creatures—nothing will be left uneaten. Those eighty-four thousand creatures make the body itch and, in that way, give that person no peace. They bring that person no happiness.”

“Śāriputra, what do you think? That person’s body leaks pus and blood—should that state of affairs be despised?”

“It is indeed something to despise, it is indeed disagreeable, it is indeed not something worthy of being looked upon.”

“Similarly, Śāriputra, skilled monks train correctly by contemplating as follows: ‘The Blessed One has said that women are filthy, foul-smelling, disagreeable, and not worthy of being looked upon. Women, boiling with afflictive emotions, should not be kept company with. Desires too are foul-smelling, disagreeable, and not worthy of being looked upon.’ F.30.b

“Śāriputra, women’s bodies harbor an additional five groups of parasites that are different from those on men’s bodies. Śāriputra, these five groups of parasites live in their urinary tracts. Each group of parasites has its own respective eighty parasites that have both beaks and mouths. These parasites constantly eat away at women’s bodies. That is why women, incited by the afflictions, engage in sexual misconduct, and yet, when they engage in their passions, they find no satisfaction.

“Therefore, Śāriputra, if one sees the sense pleasures as being ridden with faults, one will be disenchanted and free from desire. One will then engage in pure conduct with delight, and one’s complexion will glow. Śāriputra, this is the Dharma teaching that begins with a section on the sense pleasures. Śāriputra, one should be disenchanted with indulgence in passion.

“Now Śāriputra, what is defilement? Śāriputra, defilement is one’s own doing. Śāriputra, what are purification and pacification? Śāriputra, purification and pacification are also one’s own doing. Śāriputra, what is defilement and what is one’s own doing? They are the obsession with perceiving things as phenomena. What is the obsession with perceiving things as phenomena? It is to be obsessed with perceiving things as being born and as ceasing, and perceiving things as having a self, as not having a self, or as being the self. This is the section of Dharma spoken by the Blessed One.

“Śāriputra, childish, ordinary beings are blind and thus conceptualize the form aggregate. They also conceptualize the aggregates of sensation, perception, formation, and consciousness. But conceptualizing is bondage. Not to form concepts is to be liberated. Śāriputra, whoever conceptualizes will take on the form aggregate. F.31.a

“Śāriputra, there are ten misfortunes that befall someone whose discipline has lapsed. What are the ten? Lapsed discipline will torment one at the time of death. A monk whose discipline has lapsed will feel regret. Saying, ‘I am going to go to the hell of unrelenting torment!’ the monk will be afraid to stay among the assembly. The monk will think, ‘I am disparaging the discipline! The buddhas have forsaken me, the hearers have forsaken me, the gods have forsaken me!’ He will be fearful at death, go to the lower realms, and a human body will be difficult to obtain. Śāriputra, these are the misfortunes of a monk whose discipline has lapsed—one whose discipline has lapsed will suffer torment at the time of death.

“Śāriputra, since that is the case, you should come to perceive sense pleasures as ridden with faults. Śāriputra, that means that whether a monk dwells in the forest, at the base of a tree, in an abandoned building, or out in the open, he should train himself by thinking, ‘The sense pleasures are foul-smelling. The sense pleasures are disagreeable. The sense pleasures are like an open wound. The sense pleasures are not worthy of being looked upon. The sense pleasures are despicable. The sense pleasures are like a corpse filled to the brim with excrement!’ The sense pleasures are objects of excitement for the childish. Śāriputra, enough of enjoying women sexually and pleasing them!

“Śāriputra, a woman’s body is completely filled with feces and spittle—who would enjoy that? Śāriputra, their bodies are to be despised just like the rotten corpse of an ordinary dog. Indeed, Śāriputra, as an analogy consider a filthy, rotten, and foul-smelling corpse of a dog with repulsive, dark bluish-green skin, completely full of maggots, lying on a roadside. Rain falls on the corpse and the wind tosses it about. Then some people arrive there, circling around the corpse, and catch a whiff of its smell. When that happens, Śāriputra, what do you think? F.31.b Will they sniff at its stench or not?”

“O Blessed One, certainly not!” exclaimed Śāriputra.

The Blessed One then asked venerable Śāriputra, “So what do you think, Śāriputra? If someone touched^[10] the corpse of that dog, if he shook it, if he enjoyed himself with it, would he be praised by many people?”

“Such a person would be difficult even to look at—how could he ever be praised?” replied venerable Śāriputra.

The Blessed One then said to venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, the thus-gone ones might praise the person who embraces, shakes, and enjoys himself with that dog’s corpse. However, they would not praise a person who, even with just his toe, touches a woman, even if she is the beauty of the land, sixteen years old, an excellent woman, with a beautiful form, who is lovely to behold, with delightful full breasts, adorned with jewelry, youthful, pleasant to touch, and free of disease. Śāriputra, a person who touches such a beauty of the land with even just his toe is despicable, unlike the one who embraces, shakes, and enjoys himself with that dog’s corpse. Śāriputra, what do you think about this? By embracing or touching a dog’s corpse, will sentient beings end up being born in the hell realms?”

“No, Blessed One, they will not.”

“Śāriputra, monks must develop the perception of the faults of the sense pleasures in the following way. Śāriputra, how should monks develop the perception of the faults of the body? Śāriputra, this body is very harmful and troublesome. F.32.a Śāriputra, women’s bodies have twenty-five more groups of parasites that are not like the ones present in men’s bodies. Śāriputra, there are masses of parasites in women’s brains. Known as the robbers, they eat the brains of women. Śāriputra, there are masses of parasites in women’s noses. Known as the mouth terminators, they eat women’s moustaches, thus preventing them from growing. Śāriputra, there are masses of parasites in women’s ears. Known as the eaters, they eat and pierce the ears of women.

“Śāriputra, there are masses of parasites on the sides of women’s necks and heads. Known as the yearners, they eat and pierce the ears of women and make their eyes sharp. Śāriputra, they don’t prick the ears of men but only those of women. Śāriputra, there are masses of parasites on women’s bodies. Known as the obstructors,^[11] they incessantly eat women’s mouths. That is why the throats of women are flat, unlike those of men. As soon as women put food or drink in their mouths, the parasites are the first to eat. They then deposit their waste inside women’s breasts, making their breasts hang down. Whenever women become pregnant, the parasites also become pregnant. That is why there is so much milk in women’s breasts.

“Śāriputra, inside the part of women’s bodies where the womb lies, there are destructive parasites known as the mighty exterminators. They kill and eat the parasites known as the lickers. If they cannot find any of the parasites known as the lickers, they too will die. Pregnancy comes about from the death, and thus the absence, of those two types of parasites, in addition to the union of mother and father. Śāriputra, in the birth canal inside women’s bodies, there are four hosts of parasites that are known as the great lips, F.32.b the lump concealers, the wind expellers, and the desire catchers. They incessantly eat at the bodies of women. Because of this, women are completely ablaze with afflictions, yet are never satisfied by indulging in their desires. Consequently, knowing that women have such great faults, the Thus-Gone One added additional rules to the fundamental precepts.^[12]

“Śāriputra, you should teach this Dharma discourse on the sections of Dharma over and over again to the four assemblies.^[13] Why? So that they will come to know that the body and the sense pleasures are to be despised. Śāriputra, knowing this body to be a fabrication, apart from immature, ordinary beings with no education, no one would continue clinging to the sense pleasures—it would be impossible. Śāriputra, that being the case, you should not be fond of this body. In particular, do not be attached to it.” Thus spoke the Blessed One.

After the Well-Gone One had uttered those words, the Teacher continued, saying the following:

After the Blessed One had spoken these words, venerable Śāriputra, together with the whole world and its gods, humans, and demigods, rejoiced and praised the teaching of the Blessed One.