With Tissa Tissasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Now at that time Venerable Tissa—the Buddha’s cousin on his father’s side—informed several mendicants: Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti:

“Reverends, my body feels like it’s drugged. I’m disorientated, the teachings don’t spring to mind, and dullness and drowsiness fill my mind. I lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, and have doubts about the teachings.” “api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo; disāpi me na pakkhāyanti; dhammāpi maṁ na paṭibhanti; thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati; anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā”ti.

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “āyasmā, bhante, tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamāroceti: ‘api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo; disāpi me na pakkhāyanti; dhammāpi maṁ na paṭibhanti; thinamiddhañca me cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhati; anabhirato ca brahmacariyaṁ carāmi; hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti.

So the Buddha addressed one of the monks, Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: “Please, monk, in my name tell the mendicant Tissa that the Teacher summons him.” “ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena tissaṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Tissa and said to him, “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā tisso tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ etadavoca: “Reverend Tissa, the teacher summons you.” “satthā taṁ, āvuso tissa, āmantetī”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” Tissa replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā tisso tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

“Is it really true, Tissa, that you informed several mendicants that “saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, tissa, sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ evamārocesi: your body feels like it’s drugged … and you have doubts about the teachings?” ‘api me, āvuso, madhurakajāto viya kāyo …pe… hoti ca me dhammesu vicikicchā’”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Tissa? “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa, If you’re not rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form, when that form decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” rūpe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa, tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, good, Tissa! “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. That’s how it is, Tissa, Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. when you’re not rid of greed for form. Yathā taṁ rūpe avigatarāgassa …

If you’re not rid of greed for feeling … vedanāya … perception … saññāya … choices … saṅkhāresu avigatarāgassa …pe… tesaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti? “Evaṁ, bhante”. “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. consciousness, when that consciousness decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” Yathā taṁ saṅkhāresu anigatarāgassa, viññāṇe avigatarāgassa avigatacchandassa avigatapemassa avigatapipāsassa avigatapariḷāhassa avigatataṇhassa, tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, good, Tissa! “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. That’s how it is, Tissa, Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. when you’re not rid of greed for consciousness. Yathā taṁ viññāṇe avigatarāgassa.

What do you think, Tissa? Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa, If you are rid of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for form, when that form decays and perishes, will it give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress?” rūpe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa, tassa rūpassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti?

“No, sir.” “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, good, Tissa! “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. That’s how it is, Tissa, Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. when you are rid of greed for form … Yathā taṁ rūpe vigatarāgassa … feeling … vedanāya … perception … saññāya … choices … saṅkhāresu vigatarāgassa … viññāṇe vigatarāgassa vigatacchandassa vigatapemassa vigatapipāsassa vigatapariḷāhassa vigatataṇhassa tassa viññāṇassa vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Sādhu sādhu, tissa. Evañhetaṁ, tissa, hoti. consciousness. Yathā taṁ viññāṇe vigatarāgassa.

What do you think, Tissa? Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, tissa, Is form permanent or impermanent?” rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” “Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“Is feeling … “Vedanā … perception … saññā … choices … saṅkhārā … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” “Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“So you should truly see … “Tasmātiha …pe… Seeing this … evaṁ passaṁ …pe… They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’ nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti.

Suppose, Tissa, there were two individuals. Seyyathāpi, tissa, dve purisā—One was not skilled in the path, the other was. eko puriso amaggakusalo, eko puriso maggakusalo. The one not skilled in the path would question the one skilled in the path, Tamenaṁ so amaggakusalo puriso amuṁ maggakusalaṁ purisaṁ maggaṁ puccheyya. who would reply: So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Come, my man, this is the path. ‘ehi, bho purisa, ayaṁ maggo. Go down it an hour, Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. and you’ll see a fork in the road. Ignore the left, and take the right-hand path. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi dvedhāpathaṁ, tattha vāmaṁ muñcitvā dakkhiṇaṁ gaṇhāhi. Go an hour more, Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. and you’ll see a dense forest grove. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi tibbaṁ vanasaṇḍaṁ. Go an hour more, Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. and you’ll see an expanse of low-lying marshes. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi mahantaṁ ninnaṁ pallalaṁ. Go an hour more, Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. and you’ll see a large, steep cliff. Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi sobbhaṁ papātaṁ. Go an hour more, Tena muhuttaṁ gaccha. and you’ll see level, cleared parkland.’ Tena muhuttaṁ gantvā dakkhissasi samaṁ bhūmibhāgaṁ ramaṇīyan’ti.

I’ve made up this simile to make a point. Upamā kho myāyaṁ, tissa, katā atthassa viññāpanāya. And this is what it means. Ayaṁ cevettha attho:

‘A person who is not skilled in the path’ is a term for an ordinary unlearned person. ‘puriso amaggakusalo’ti kho, tissa, puthujjanassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘A person who is skilled in the path’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. ‘Puriso maggakusalo’ti kho, tissa, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.

‘A fork in the road’ is a term for doubt. ‘Dvedhāpatho’ti kho, tissa, vicikicchāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘The left-hand path’ is a term for the wrong eightfold path, that is, ‘Vāmo maggo’ti kho, tissa, aṭṭhaṅgikassetaṁ micchāmaggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—wrong view … wrong immersion. micchādiṭṭhiyā …pe… micchāsamādhissa.

‘The right-hand path’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is, ‘Dakkhiṇo maggo’ti kho, tissa, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—right view … right immersion. sammādiṭṭhiyā …pe… sammāsamādhissa.

‘A dense forest grove’ is a term for ignorance. ‘Tibbo vanasaṇḍo’ti kho, tissa, avijjāyetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘An expanse of low-lying marshes’ is a term for sensual pleasures. ‘Mahantaṁ ninnaṁ pallalan’ti kho, tissa, kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘A large, steep cliff’ is a term for anger and distress. ‘Sobbho papāto’ti kho, tissa, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Level, cleared parkland’ is a term for extinguishment. ‘Samo bhūmibhāgo ramaṇīyo’ti kho, tissa, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Rejoice, Tissa, rejoice! Abhirama, tissa, abhirama, tissa. I am here with advice, with support, with instruction.” Ahamovādena ahamanuggahena ahamanusāsaniyā”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Idamavoca bhagavā. Satisfied, Venerable Tissa approved what the Buddha said. Attamano āyasmā tisso bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.