MN18 — Madhupiṇḍikasutta - The Honey-ball Discourse

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Grove. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Kapilavatthu for alms. After walking for alms in Kapilavatthu and returning from the alms round after the meal, he went to the Great Wood for the days abiding. Having entered the Great Wood, he sat down for the days abiding at the root of the beluva sapling.

Then Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan, while walking and wandering for exercise, went to the Great Wood. Having entered the Great Wood, he went to the beluva sapling where the Blessed One was. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. After courteous and polite conversation, he stood to one side, leaning on his staff. Standing to one side, Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan said to the Blessed One:

What does the recluse assert? What does he proclaim?

Friend, I assert and proclaim such a teaching that one does not quarrel with anyone in the world—with its gods, Māras, Brahmās, its recluses and brahmins, its princes and people—such that perceptions no longer underlie that brahmin who lives detached from sensual pleasures, without perplexity, with doubts cut off, free from craving for being and non-being.

When this was said, Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan shook his head, stuck out his tongue, raised his eyebrows in three furrows on his forehead, and departed leaning on his staff.

Then, in the evening, the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and went to the Banyan Grove. Having arrived, he sat down on the prepared seat. Sitting down, the Blessed One addressed the disciples:

Disciples, this morning I dressed, took my bowl and robe, and entered Kapilavatthu for alms. After walking for alms in Kapilavatthu and returning from the alms round after the meal, I went to the Great Wood for the days abiding. Having entered the Great Wood, I sat down for the days abiding at the root of the beluva sapling.

Then Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan, while walking and wandering for exercise, came to the Great Wood. Having entered the Great Wood, he came to the beluva sapling where I was. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with me. After courteous and polite conversation, he stood to one side, leaning on his staff. Standing to one side, Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan said to me:

What does the recluse assert? What does he proclaim?

When this was said, I said to Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan:

When this was said, disciples, Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan shook his head, stuck out his tongue, raised his eyebrows in three furrows on his forehead, and departed leaning on his staff.

Then a certain disciple said to the Blessed One:

But, Venerable Sir, in what way does the Blessed One not quarrel with anyone in the world—with its gods, Māras, Brahmās, its recluses and brahmins, its princes and people? And how is it that perceptions no longer underlie that brahmin who lives detached from sensual pleasures, without perplexity, with doubts cut off, free from craving for being and non-being?

Disciple, it is because of the source from which concepts and perceptions of proliferation arise in a person. If there is nothing to delight in, welcome, or hold to, then this is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust, aversion, views, doubt, conceit, craving for being, and ignorance. This is the end of taking up rods and weapons, of quarrels, disputes, arguments, and false speech. These unskillful unwholesome states are all completely destroyed.

The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Well-Gone One rose from his seat and entered the dwelling.

Soon after the Blessed One had departed, the disciples considered:

The Blessed One has given a brief summary without expounding the detailed meaning and has entered the dwelling. It is because of the source from which concepts and perceptions of proliferation arise in a person. If there is nothing to delight in, welcome, or hold to... Who might expound the detailed meaning of this brief summary?

Then the disciples thought:

Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his fellow disciples. He is capable of expounding the detailed meaning of this brief summary. Let us go to him and ask him about this matter.

So the disciples went to Venerable Mahākaccāna, exchanged greetings, and after polite conversation, sat to one side. Sitting to one side, they said:

Venerable Kaccāna, the Blessed One gave a brief summary without expounding the detailed meaning and entered the dwelling. It is because of the source from which concepts and perceptions of proliferation arise in a person. If there is nothing to delight in, welcome, or hold to... Who might expound the detailed meaning of this brief summary?

They continued:

Venerable Kaccāna, the Blessed One is praised and esteemed by his fellow disciples. You are capable of expounding the detailed meaning of this brief summary. Please explain it.

Venerable Mahākaccāna replied:

Friends, it is as if a man seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, passed over the root and trunk of a great tree and searched for heartwood in the branches and leaves. So too, when the Blessed One is present, you think to ask me about this matter, passing over the Blessed One. The Blessed One knows and sees; he is vision, knowing, the Dhamma, the Brahmā, the speaker, the proclaimer, the revealer of meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the Lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. That was the time to ask the Blessed One about this matter. As he would explain it, so should you remember it.

Indeed, Venerable Kaccāna, the Blessed One knows and sees; he is vision, knowing, the Dhamma, the Brahmā, the speaker, the proclaimer, the revealer of meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the Lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. That was the time to ask the Blessed One about this matter. As he would explain it, so should we remember it. But you too, Venerable Kaccāna, are praised and esteemed by your fellow disciples. You are capable of expounding the detailed meaning of this brief summary.

Venerable Mahākaccāna said, Then, friends, listen carefully and pay attention, I will speak.

Yes, friend, the disciples replied to Venerable Mahākaccāna.

Venerable Mahākaccāna said:

Friends, regarding the brief statement the Blessed One gave without explaining the detailed meaning before rising from his seat and entering the dwelling:

Disciples, it is because of the source from which concepts and perceptions of proliferation arise in a person. If there is nothing to delight in, welcome, or hold to, then this is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust… etc.… these unskillful, unwholesome states are completely destroyed.

This is how I know the detailed meaning of that brief statement:

Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling arises. What one feels, one perceives. What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates. From mental proliferation, concepts and perceptions of proliferation beset a person with regard to past, future, and present forms cognizable through the eye.

Dependent on the ear and sounds, ear-consciousness arises…

Dependent on the nose and smells, nose-consciousness arises…

Dependent on the tongue and tastes, tongue-consciousness arises…

Dependent on the body and tangibles, body-consciousness arises…

Dependent on the mind and mental phenomena, mind-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as condition, feeling arises. What one feels, one perceives. What one perceives, one thinks about. What one thinks about, one mentally proliferates. From mental proliferation, concepts and perceptions of proliferation beset a person with regard to past, future, and present mental phenomena cognizable through the mind.

So, friends, when there is the eye, forms, and eye-consciousness, it is possible to point out the manifestation of contact. With contact, it is possible to point out the manifestation of feeling. With feeling, it is possible to point out the manifestation of perception. With perception, it is possible to point out the manifestation of thinking. With thinking, it is possible to point out the manifestation of concepts and perceptions of mental proliferation.

So too with the ear and sounds…

nose and smells…

tongue and tastes…

body and tangibles…

mind and mental phenomena.

But, friends, when there is no eye, no forms, and no eye-consciousness, it is not possible to point out the manifestation of contact. Without contact, it is not possible to point out the manifestation of feeling. Without feeling, it is not possible to point out the manifestation of perception. Without perception, it is not possible to point out the manifestation of thinking. Without thinking, it is not possible to point out the manifestation of concepts and perceptions of mental proliferation.

So too with the ear and sounds…

nose and smells…

tongue and tastes…

body and tangibles…

mind and mental phenomena.

Friends, regarding the brief statement the Blessed One gave without explaining the detailed meaning before rising from his seat and entering the dwelling:

This is how I know the detailed meaning of that brief statement.

But if you wish, friends, you may go to the Blessed One and ask him about this matter. As he explains it to you, so you should remember it.

Then the disciples, delighted and satisfied with Venerable Mahākaccānas words, rose from their seats and went to the Blessed One. Having arrived, they bowed to him and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the disciples said to the Blessed One:

Venerable Sir, the Blessed One gave a brief statement without explaining the detailed meaning before rising from his seat and entering the dwelling:

Soon after the Blessed One departed, we thought: Who might explain the detailed meaning of this brief statement? Then we thought: Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his fellow disciples. He is capable of explaining the detailed meaning of this brief statement. So we went to him and asked him about this matter. He explained it to us with these words, phrases, and expressions.

The Blessed One said:

Disciples, Mahākaccāna is wise, Mahākaccāna has great wisdom. If you had asked me about this matter, I would have explained it in the same way that Mahākaccāna has explained it. That is the meaning. So you should remember it.

Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:

Venerable Sir, just as a man overcome by hunger and weakness might come upon a honey-ball, and wherever he tastes it, he would find a sweet flavor, so too, Venerable Sir, a disciple of sharp faculties, wherever he examines this exposition of the Dhamma with wisdom, he finds satisfaction and confidence in the mind. What is the name of this exposition of the Dhamma, Venerable Sir?

Then, Ānanda, you should remember this exposition of the Dhamma as the Honey-ball Discourse.

This is what the Blessed One said. Venerable Ānanda was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed Ones words.

The Honey-ball Discourse is finished.