The Further Shore
Parāyana Sutta (AN 6:61)
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Vārāṇasī at the Deer Park at Isipatana. And on that occasion a large number of elder monks, after the meal, on returning from their alms round, were sitting gathered together in the assembly hall when this discussion arose: “It was said by the Blessed One in The Way to the Further Shore, in Metteyya’s Question [Sn 5:2]:
‘Whoever, a thinker,
knowing both sides,
doesn’t adhere in between: He
I call a great person. He
here has gone past
the seamstress.’1
“Which, friends, is the first side? Which is the second side? What is in-between? Who is the seamstress?”
When this was said, a monk said to the elder monks, “Contact, friends, is the first side, the origination of contact the second side, and the cessation of contact2 is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, friends, that a monk directly knows what should be directly known, comprehends what should be comprehended. Directly knowing what should be directly known, comprehending what should be comprehended, he is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
When this was said, another monk said to the elder monks, “The past, friends, is the first side, the future the second side, and the present is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, friends, that a monk… is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
When this was said, another monk said to the elder monks, “Pleasant feeling, friends, is the first side, painful feeling the second side, and neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, friends, that a monk… is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
When this was said, another monk said to the elder monks, “Name, friends, is the first side, form the second side, and consciousness is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, friends, that a monk… is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
When this was said, another monk said to the elder monks, “The six internal sense-media, friends, are the first side, the six external sense-media the second side, and consciousness is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, friends, that a monk… is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
When this was said, another monk said to the elder monks, “Self-identification, friends, is the first side, the origination of self-identification the second side, and the cessation of self-identification is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, friends, that a monk directly knows what should be directly known, comprehends what should be comprehended. Directly knowing what should be directly known, comprehending what should be comprehended, he is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
“When this was said, one of the monks said to the elder monks, “We have each answered in line with his own inspiration. Come, friends, let’s go to the Blessed One and, on arrival, report this matter to him. However he answers is how we should remember it.”
“As you say, friend,” the elder monks said to that monk.
Then the elder monks went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they reported the entirety of their conversation to him. “Which of us, lord, has spoken well?”
“Monks, each of you has spoken well in his way, but as for what I intended when I said in The Way to the Further Shore, in Metteyya’s Question—
‘Whoever, a thinker,
knowing both sides,
doesn’t adhere in between: He
I call a great person. He
here has gone past
the seamstress’—
“Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“As you say, lord,” the elder monks responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, “Contact, monks, is the first side, the origination of contact the second side, and the cessation of contact is in between. Craving is the seamstress—for craving stitches one to the production of this or that very becoming. It’s to this extent, monks, that a monk directly knows what should be directly known, comprehends what should be comprehended. Directly knowing what should be directly known, comprehending what should be comprehended, he is one who puts an end to suffering & stress in the here & now.”
Notes
1. The version of this verse in the Thai edition of this discourse reads:
Yo ubh’ante viditvāna majjhe mantā na limpati
Taṁ brūmi mahāpuriso so’dha sibbanim-accagāti.
In the Thai edition of Sn 5:2, however, the verse is slightly different:
So ubh’antam-abhiññāya majjhe mantā na limpati
Taṁ brūmi mahāpurisoti so’dha sibbanim-accagāti.
This would translate as:
He, a thinker
knowing both sides,
doesn’t adhere in between. He
I call a great person. He
here has gone past
the seamstress.
2. On the cessation of contact as unbinding, see SN 35:117.
See also: SN 35:204
