A Commentary of the Mahāsaḷāyatana-sutta (MN)

by Madhyama

Introduction
The Mahāsaḷāyana-sutta (MN) of the Theravāda tradition is the Gotama Buddha’s Great Discourse on the Six Sense Bases. The writer read the Sutta in July 30, 2003 and composed a purport  to be shared with others at the opportune time. This is the second edition  of the purport . The Deer Park opens the gate of wisdom so that I could rejoice in sharing the treasure of Dhamma with the readers. In  the  mundane world, Dhamma is learnt, reflected upon, cultivated and practised to improve and eventually to perfect  one’s character to construct individual and societal harmony. Succinctly put, it develops a  high score of EQ (Emotional quotient) of an accomplished cultivator. EQ is the capacity to manage one’s emotions effectively and deal mindfully with others in any social environment. Dharma cultivation constructs high EQ.

Anattā
The supernormal knowledge of Insubstantiality or Non-self (anattā) or the elimination of ontological commitment to all phenomena is to be learnt, reflected upon, cultivated, and realized to annihilate the illusive egoistic or selfish self. The wisdom of the Buddha is called supernormal knowledge because it completely eradicates cankers – the defilement of the human mind. Self-realization or intuitive apprehension of anattā perfects one character ethically. Even if ethical perfection is beyond the attainment of many ordinary people, at least, it reduces one’ s grasping upon the five aggregates or one’s selfish desires or tendencies which give rise to the three fires or poisons of life. The three fires or poisons are greed, hatred and delusion. Good character formation is realized through the apprehension and practice of anattā.

Three Universal Characteristics
Whoever perceives the insubstantiality, selflessness or soullessness of the six senses faculties, the corresponding six objects of perceptions and the corresponding six sense consciousness discerns the true nature of all phenomena  which are conditioned by diverge conditions. In addition to the discernment of insubstantiality, the other two co-related universal characteristics of the five aggregates or all phenomena are also intuitively apprehended. These two other universal characteristics are Impermanence (anicca) and Suffering (dukkha). The three universal characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anattā are three-fold aspect of the ultimate truth of Dependent Co-arising (paṭiccasamuppāda). Intuitive perception of anattā automatically incorporates the discernment of anicca, dukkha  or paṭiccasamuppāda integratedly. Having insightfully penetrated into the  elements  of six sense faculties and  six sense objects comprising the 12 sense bases (saḷāyatana-s) , the wise or the enlightened one ceases grasping upon the five aggregates  as This is I; This is Mine; This belongs to me. The three-fold negation of I, Mine and Me is the anattā formula promulgated by Gotama Buddha. The discernment of anattā annihilates the illusionary egoistic or selfish self superimposed in the mind of an ordinary worldling. The annihilation of the false self detaches the wise or enlightened one from gasping upon the 12 sense bases thus purifying and liberating the wordling.

Detachment does not imply the cessation of the utility of the six sense organs to transact daily mundane activities. Detachment is non-grasping or non-clinging upon all sense activities while the wise is engaged in all forms of daily mundane activities without being defied. The pragmatic value of detachment is the cessation of errorneous substantial or metaphysical conceptualization of all phenomena of  the multiplicity of the empirical world. Cessation of erroneous conceptualization leads to the appeasement of volitional activities or dispositions (saṅkhāra-s).The appeasement of saṅkhāra-s appeases mental obsessions. The wise one or enlightened one is thus appeased. The wordling is successfully tamed. All his or her activities are kammaless and therefore cankerless putting an end to suffering. The liberated one is absolutely mindful and clearly aware that none of the 12 sense bases or none of the five aggregates is his personal belonging or private part. The notion of I, Mine or Me vanishes as the illusionary self-superimposed self is extinguished. The notion of duality or dichotomy between the perceiver and the perceived, subject and object, substance  and attribute or subject and predicated is absolutely eliminated. With the complete extinction of illusionary egoistic or selfish self which does not exist in the first place, his or her greed, hatred, mental anxieties, torments and fevers cease to arise. This harmonizes oneself and others and constructs social harmony as the Five Precepts are not transgressed.

Noble Eight Fold Path
The wise or the enlightened one views a phenomenon as it really is  with respect to the right supramundane view of  the Noble Eight Fold Path. He or she wisely contemplates on the  Right View : He or she thus visions a phenomenon in terms of anattā. He or she wisely contemplates on Right thought: He or she reflects on a phenomenon in terms of anattā. He or she wisely contemplates on Right Speech : He or she thus  purifies his or her verbal  activities through the right view of anattā. He or she contemplates wisely on  Right Actions : He or she thus purifies his actions by the wisdom  of anattā. He or she wisely contemplates on Right Livelihood: He or she thus adopts right livelihood through the right vision of anattā without transgressssing the Five Precepts. He or she wisely contemplates on  Right Efforts : He or she thus commits only wholesome actions and  avoids unwholesome actions through the right perception of anattā. He or she wisely contemplate on Right Mindfulness : He or she thus establishes the four foundations of mindfulness through the discernment of anattā. He or she wisely contemplates on  Right Concentration : He or she enters and abides in the mental absorptions (progressive levels of jhāna-s) through the right penetration of anicca or anattā and detaches from 12 sense bases  which comprise the five aggregates. The significant objective of detachment through right mindfulness is to extinguish the arising of greed or hatred which harms others.

Conclusion
When the entire Nobel Eight Fold Path is undertaken through the right view or wisdom of anattā, the cultivator or practitioner of Buddha path is truly tamed after the total destruction of the cankers. Whoever is tamed destroys his or her cankers. The Buddha likened the tamed worldling to the metaphor of a tamed elephant: A wild elephant in the forest can never be used as a means of transport unless it has been instructed, trained and tamed by the skillful instructor. Likewise, an untamed man is considered uncultivated; an uncultivated man is untamed. A cultivated man is tamed and ethically excellent with a high score of EQ. He harmonizes himself and helps construct social harmony.