Magga-vibhaṅga Sutta
An Analysis of the Path
[Evam-me sutaṁ,] Ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā,
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati, Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa, ārāme. Tatra kho Bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi “Bhikkhavo ti.” “Bhadante ti” te bhikkhū Bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etad-avoca.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. There he addressed the monks: “Monks.” “Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him. The Blessed One said,
“Ariyaṁ vo bhikkhave aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ desissāmi vibhajissāmi. Taṁ suṇātha sādhukaṁ manasi-karotha bhāsissāmīti.
“Monks, I will teach & analyse for you the noble eightfold path. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“Evam-bhante” ti kho te bhikkhū Bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to him.
Bhagavā etad-avoca.
The Blessed One said,
“Katamo ca bhikkhave ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo?
“Now what, monks, is the noble eightfold path?
Seyyathīdam, Sammā-diṭṭhi sammā-saṅkappo,
Sammā-vācā sammā-kammanto sammā-ājīvo,
Sammā-vāyāmo sammā-sati sammā-samādhi.
Right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Katamā ca bhikkhave sammā-diṭṭhi?
And what, monks, is right view?
Yaṁ kho bhikkhave dukkhe ñāṇaṁ dukkha-samudaye ñāṇaṁ dukkha-nirodhe ñāṇaṁ dukkha-nirodha-gāminiyā paṭipadāya ñāṇaṁ.
Knowledge in terms of stress, knowledge in terms of the origination of stress, knowledge in terms of the cessation of stress, knowledge in terms of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress:
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-diṭṭhi.
This, monks, is called right view.
Katamo ca bhikkhave sammā-saṅkappo?
And what, monks, is right resolve?
Yo kho bhikkhave nekkhamma-saṅkappo abyāpāda-saṅkappo avihiṁsā-saṅkappo.
Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness:
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-saṅkappo.
This, monks, is called right resolve.
Katamā ca bhikkhave sammā-vācā?
And what is right speech?
Yā kho bhikkhave musāvādā veramaṇī,
pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī,
pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī,
samphappalāpā veramaṇī.
Abstaining from lying, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from idle chatter:
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-vācā.
This, monks, is called right speech.
Katamo ca bhikkhave sammā-kammanto?
And what, monks, is right action?
Yā kho bhikkhave pāṇātipātā veramaṇī,
adinnādānā veramaṇī,
abrahma-cariyā veramaṇī.
Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from sexual intercourse.
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-kammanto.
This, monks, is called right action.
Katamo ca bhikkhave sammā-ājīvo?
And what, monks, is right livelihood?
Idha bhikkhave ariya-sāvako micchā-ājīvaṁ pahāya,
Sammā-ājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti.
There is the case where a noble disciple, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood.
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-ājīvo.
This, monks, is called right livelihood.
Katamo ca bhikkhave sammā-vāyāmo?
And what, monks, is right effort?
Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya, chandaṁ janeti vāyamati viriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.
There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
Uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, chandaṁ janeti vāyamati viriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.
He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.
Anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya, chandaṁ janeti vāyamati viriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.
He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
Uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ, ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyo-bhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā, chandaṁ janeti vāyamati viriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.
He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen.
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-vāyāmo.
This, monks, is called right effort.
Katamā ca bhikkhave sammā-sati?
And what, monks, is right mindfulness?
Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ.
There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ.
He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.
Citte cittānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ.
He remains focused on the mind in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.
Dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhā-domanassaṁ.
He remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-sati.
This, monks, is called right mindfulness.
Katamo ca bhikkhave sammā-samādhi?
And what, monks, is right concentration?
Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu vivicc’eva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi, sa-vitakkaṁ sa-vicāraṁ vivekajam-pīti-sukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
There is the case where a monk—quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful (mental) qualities—enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.
Vitakka-vicārānaṁ vūpasamā, ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodi-bhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ, samādhijam-pīti-sukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation—internal assurance.
Pītiyā ca virāgā, upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañ-ca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yan-taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti upekkhako satimā sukha-vihārīti, tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’
Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā, pubbe va somanassa-domanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā, adukkham-asukhaṁ upekkhā-sati-pārisuddhiṁ, catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
With the the abandoning of pleasure & pain—as with the earlier disappearance of joys & distresses—he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.
Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sammā-samādhīti.”
This, monks, is called right concentration.”
Idam-avoca Bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū Bhagavato bhāsitaṁ, abhinandunti.
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in his words.
