The Root of Everything

MN 1

This is what I heard.

One time the Buddha was staying in the Subhaga Forest near Ukkattha, at the root of a great Sal tree. He said this to the seekers,

“Seekers, I will explain the ‘root of everything’.

“Suppose you have an average uneducated person who has not seen noble ones or good persons and is untrained in their teachings.

“They perceive the property of solidity as solidity. But then they image things about solidity, they imagine themselves in solidity, they identify as solidity, they see solidity as “mine”, and they take pleasure in solidity. Why is that? Because they haven’t fully understood it.

“They perceive the properties of liquidity, heat and air, and then proceed to imagine things about them as well, identifying with these experiences. They do this because they have not understood them.

“They perceive beings as beings. But then they imagine things about beings, imagine themselves as beings, identify as beings, see beings as “mine” and take pleasure in beings. Why? Because they have not really understood what a being is.

“This process of imagining and identification also happens when they perceive all the various kinds of gods, such as Brahma, the radiant gods, glorious gods, fruitful gods and so on. They do this because they have not understood them.

“They also perceive the dimension of infinite space, but then their imagination runs wild, they imagine themselves as infinite space, identify with it, see it as “mine” and take pleasure in it.

“This same process happens when they perceive the dimension of infinite consciousness, the dimension of nothingness and the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They do this because of their lack of understanding.

“In addition, they also perceive the seen as the seen, and then go on to imagine things about the seen, identifying with things seen, experiencing them as “mine” and so on. Again, they perceive what is heard, what is sensed, and what is known. Then they go on to identify with all these experiences. Why? Because they do not truly understand these things.

“They also perceive unity, diversity and the all and then imagine things about them, identifying with them in different ways. This is because they have not understood these phenomena.

“They even perceive nirvana and go on to imagine things about nirvana. They go on identifying with it, seeing themselves in nirvana, seeing it as “mine” and taking pleasure in it. Why is that? Because they haven’t fully understood this.

“But now, suppose you have a seeker who is in training but hasn’t yet achieved the goal. Yet they yearn for the supreme relief from bondage. While they directly know solidity as solidity, they shouldn’t image things about solidity, nor see themselves in solidity, nor identify as solidity. Neither should they see solidity as “mine”, nor take pleasure in solidity. Why is that? So that they may fully understand it.

“This trainee should not imagine nor identify with liquidity, heat nor air. They should not identify with beings, with all the different types of gods, or with the dimensions of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness and neither perception nor non-perception. They should not identify themselves as the seen, heard, sensed, or what is known. They should not see themselves in unity, diversity or the all. They should not even go on to imagine things about nirvana. They should not identify with it, see themselves in it, see nirvana as “mine” or take pleasure in it. Why is that? So that they may fully understand all these phenomena.

“Now, suppose you have a seeker who is a Worthy Being, who has ended the corruptions and totally ended the chains of becoming. They have achieved the true goal of spirituality by laying down the burden, reaching true freedom.
“They directly know solidity as solidity and yet they don’t image things about solidity, nor see themselves in solidity, nor identify as solidity. They do not see solidity as “mine”, nor take pleasure in solidity. Why is that? Because they have completely understood it.

“Likewise, Worthy Beings do not identify with any property like liquidity, heat or air. They do not imagine anything about any kind of being or god. They do not identify with any of the dimensions, such as infinite space, nor with what is seen, heard, sensed, or known. They don’t see themselves in unity, diversity or the all. They do not identify or take pleasure even in nirvana. This is because they are freed from greed, hostility and delusion.

“Likewise, the Realized One, the fully awakened Buddha, directly knows all these phenomena and also does not identify with them in any way.

“Why? Because the Realized One has completely understood them all the way to the end. He knows that relishing is the root of suffering, that birth comes from becoming and that whoever comes to be will age and die. Therefore, with the ending, cessation, and letting go of all cravings, the Realized One has reached the supreme perfect Awakening.

That is what the Buddha said, but the seekers were not happy with it.