With Khemaka Khemakasutta

At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ sambahulā therā bhikkhū kosambiyaṁ viharanti ghositārāme. Now at that time Venerable Khemaka was staying in the Jujube Tree Monastery, and he was sick, suffering, gravely ill. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā khemako badarikārāme viharati ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno.

In the late afternoon those senior mendicants came out of retreat and addressed Venerable Dāsaka, Atha kho therā bhikkhū sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhitā āyasmantaṁ dāsakaṁ āmantesuṁ: “Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: “ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—hope you’re keeping well; they hope you’re all right. They hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.’” kacci te, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci dukkhā vedanā paṭikkamanti no abhikkamanti, paṭikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no abhikkamo’”ti?

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He went to Khemaka and said to him: “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavoca:

“Reverend Khemaka, the seniors “therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: hope you’re keeping well; they hope you’re all right. They hope that your pain is fading, not growing, that its fading is evident, not its growing.” ‘kacci te, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ …pe… no abhikkamo’”ti?

“Reverend, I’m not keeping well, I’m not getting by. My pain is terrible and growing, not fading; its growing is evident, not its fading.” “Na me, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ na yāpanīyaṁ …pe… abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo”ti.

Then Dāsaka went to those senior mendicants and told them what had happened. They said, Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca: “khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha: ‘na me, āvuso, khamanīyaṁ …pe… abhikkamosānaṁ paññāyati no paṭikkamo’”ti.

“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: “Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors say that ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—these five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Do you regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self?’” Imesu āyasmā khemako pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassatī’”ti?

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied: “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: “pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu āyasmā khemako pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassatī”ti?

“These five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: “Pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho. I do not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self.” Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmī”ti.

Then Dāsaka went to those senior mendicants and told them what had happened. They said: Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū etadavoca: “khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha: ‘pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmī’”ti.

“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: “Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors say that ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—these five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho. If, as it seems, Venerable Khemaka does not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self, No ce kirāyasmā khemako imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassati. then he is a perfected one, with defilements ended.’” Tenahāyasmā khemako arahaṁ khīṇāsavo’”ti.

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied: “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako …pe… therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: “pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho; no ce kirāyasmā khemako imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassati, tenahāyasmā khemako arahaṁ khīṇāsavo”ti.

“These five grasping aggregates have been taught by the Buddha, that is: “Pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho. I do not regard anything among these five grasping aggregates as self or as belonging to self, yet I am not a perfected one, with defilements ended. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmi, na camhi arahaṁ khīṇāsavo; For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’.” api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ, ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmī”ti.

Then Dāsaka went to those senior mendicants and told them what had happened. They said: Atha kho āyasmā dāsako yena therā bhikkhū …pe… there bhikkhū etadavoca: “khemako, āvuso, bhikkhu evamāha—pañcime, āvuso, upādānakkhandhā vuttā bhagavatā, seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho …pe… viññāṇupādānakkhandho. Imesu khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu na kiñci attaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā samanupassāmi, na camhi arahaṁ khīṇāsavo; api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ, ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmī”ti.

“Please, Reverend Dāsaka, go to the mendicant Khemaka and say to him: “Ehi tvaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, yena khemako bhikkhu tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā khemakaṁ bhikkhuṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘Reverend Khemaka, the seniors ask, ‘therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu—when you say “I am”, what is it that you’re talking about? yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, asmīti vadesi, kimetaṁ asmīti vadesi? Is it form or apart from form? Rūpaṁ asmīti vadesi, aññatra rūpā asmīti vadesi, Is it feeling … vedanaṁ … perception … saññaṁ … choices … saṅkhāre … consciousness, or apart from consciousness? viññāṇaṁ asmīti vadesi, aññatra viññāṇā asmīti vadesi. When you say “I am”, what is it that you’re talking about?” Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, asmīti vadesi. Kimetaṁ asmīti vadesī’”ti?

“Yes, reverends,” replied Dāsaka. He relayed the message to Khemaka, who replied: “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā dāsako therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paṭissutvā yenāyasmā khemako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavoca—therā taṁ, āvuso khemaka, evamāhaṁsu: “yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Vedanaṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesī”ti?

“Enough, Reverend Dāsaka! What’s the point in running back and forth? “Alaṁ, āvuso dāsaka, kiṁ imāya sandhāvanikāya. Bring my staff, Āharāvuso, daṇḍaṁ; I’ll go to see the senior mendicants myself.” ahameva yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkamissāmī”ti.

Then Venerable Khemaka, leaning on a staff, went to those senior mendicants and exchanged greetings with them. Atha kho āyasmā khemako daṇḍamolubbha yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā therehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ sammodi. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. They said to him: Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ therā bhikkhū etadavocuṁ:

“Reverend Khemaka, when you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about? “yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Is it form or apart from form? Rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi, aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? Is it feeling … Vedanaṁ … perception … saññaṁ … choices … saṅkhāre … consciousness, or apart from consciousness? viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesi, aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadesi? When you say ‘I am’, what is it that you’re talking about?” Yametaṁ, āvuso khemaka, ‘asmī’ti vadesi, kimetaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadesī”ti?

“Reverends, I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to form, or apart from form. “Na khvāhaṁ, āvuso, rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi; napi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to feeling … Na vedanaṁ … perception … na saññaṁ … choices … na saṅkhāre … consciousness, or apart from consciousness. na viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi; napi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’. Api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmi.

It’s like the scent of a blue water lily, or a pink or white lotus. Seyyathāpi, āvuso, uppalassa vā padumassa vā puṇḍarīkassa vā gandho. Would it be right to say that the scent belongs to the petals or the stalk or the pistil?” Yo nu kho evaṁ vadeyya: ‘pattassa gandho’ti vā ‘vaṇṇassa gandho’ti vā ‘kiñjakkhassa gandho’ti vā sammā nu kho so vadamāno vadeyyā”ti?

“No, reverend.” “No hetaṁ, āvuso”.

“Then, reverends, how should it be said?” “Yathā kathaṁ, panāvuso, sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti?

“It would be right to say that the scent belongs to the flower.” “‘Pupphassa gandho’ti kho, āvuso, sammā byākaramāno byākareyyā”ti.

“In the same way, reverends, I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to form, or apart from form. “Evameva khvāhaṁ, āvuso, na rūpaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi, napi aññatra rūpā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. I don’t say ‘I am’ with reference to feeling … Na vedanaṁ … perception … na saññaṁ … choices … na saṅkhāre … consciousness, or apart from consciousness. na viññāṇaṁ ‘asmī’ti vadāmi, napi aññatra viññāṇā ‘asmī’ti vadāmi. For when it comes to the five grasping aggregates I’m not rid of the conceit ‘I am’. But I don’t regard anything as ‘I am this’. Api ca me, āvuso, pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu ‘asmī’ti adhigataṁ ‘ayamahamasmī’ti na ca samanupassāmi.

Although a noble disciple has given up the five lower fetters, they still have a lingering residue of the conceit ‘I am’, the desire ‘I am’, and the underlying tendency ‘I am’ which has not been eradicated. Kiñcāpi, āvuso, ariyasāvakassa pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni bhavanti, atha khvassa hoti: ‘yo ca pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato asmīti māno, asmīti chando, asmīti anusayo asamūhato. After some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. So aparena samayena pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati—‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; Such is feeling … iti vedanā … Such is perception … iti saññā … Such are choices … iti saṅkhārā … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’ iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. As they do so, that lingering residue is eradicated. Tassimesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino viharato yopissa hoti pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchati.

Suppose there was a cloth that was dirty and soiled, so the owners give it to a launderer. Seyyathāpi, āvuso, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ. Tamenaṁ sāmikā rajakassa anupadajjuṁ. The launderer kneads it thoroughly with salt, lye, and cow dung, and rinses it in clear water. Tamenaṁ rajako ūse vā khāre vā gomaye vā sammadditvā acche udake vikkhāleti. Although that cloth is clean and bright, it still has a lingering scent of salt, lye, or cow dung that had not been eradicated. Kiñcāpi taṁ hoti vatthaṁ parisuddhaṁ pariyodātaṁ, atha khvassa hoti yeva anusahagato ūsagandho vā khāragandho vā gomayagandho vā asamūhato. The launderer returns it to its owners, who store it in a fragrant casket. Tamenaṁ rajako sāmikānaṁ deti. Tamenaṁ sāmikā gandhaparibhāvite karaṇḍake nikkhipanti. And that lingering scent would be eradicated. Yopissa hoti anusahagato ūsagandho vā khāragandho vā gomayagandho vā asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchati.

In the same way, although a noble disciple has given up the five lower fetters, they still have a lingering residue of the conceit ‘I am’, the desire ‘I am’, and the underlying tendency ‘I am’ which has not been eradicated. Evameva kho, āvuso, kiñcāpi ariyasāvakassa pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni bhavanti, atha khvassa hoti yeva pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato. After some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. So aparena samayena pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati. ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form. ‘Iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; Such is feeling … iti vedanā … Such is perception … iti saññā … Such are choices … iti saṅkhārā … Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.’ iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. As they do so, that lingering residue is eradicated.” Tassa imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassino viharato yopissa hoti pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu anusahagato ‘asmī’ti, māno ‘asmī’ti, chando ‘asmī’ti anusayo asamūhato, sopi samugghātaṁ gacchatī”ti.

When he said this, the senior mendicants said to Venerable Khemaka, Evaṁ vutte, therā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ etadavocuṁ: “We didn’t want to trouble Venerable Khemaka with our questions. But you’re capable of explaining, teaching, asserting, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing the Buddha’s instructions in detail. “na kho mayaṁ āyasmantaṁ khemakaṁ vihesāpekhā pucchimha, api cāyasmā khemako pahosi tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ vitthārena ācikkhituṁ desetuṁ paññāpetuṁ paṭṭhapetuṁ vivarituṁ vibhajituṁ uttānīkātuṁ. And that’s just what you’ve done.” Tayidaṁ āyasmatā khemakena tassa bhagavato sāsanaṁ vitthārena ācikkhitaṁ desitaṁ paññāpitaṁ paṭṭhapitaṁ vivaritaṁ vibhajitaṁ uttānīkatan”ti.

That’s what Venerable Khemaka said. Idamavoca āyasmā khemako. Satisfied, the senior mendicants approved what Venerable Khemaka said. Attamanā therā bhikkhū āyasmato khemakassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanduṁ. And while this discourse was being spoken, the minds of sixty senior mendicants and of Venerable Khemaka were freed from defilements by not grasping. Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne saṭṭhimattānaṁ therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsu, āyasmato khemakassa cāti.