Source:: [SuttaCentral.net](https://suttacentral.net/sn12.61/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&script=latin) # SN12.61 Assutavāsutta | MOST Important on [[Citta]], [[Mano]], and [[Vinnana|Viññāṇa]] Tags:: [[Citta]] > [!summary] > - A [[Puthujjana]] could get [[Nibbida|disillusioned]] from the [[Kaya]], but not the [[Citta|Mind]], because for very long time they're attached to it as the [[Atta|Self]] > - But it's better off they take the "body" as the [[Atta|Self]], because at least that last up to a hundred year, yet, this mind doesn't even last for **one Moment**. ## Notes > [!NOTE] It's difficult to be disillusioned with the [[Citta|Mind]] — In Assutavāsutta ([SN12.61](https://suttacentral.net/sn12.61/en/sujato)) > But an unlearned ordinary person is **unable to become disillusioned, dispassionate, or freed from that which is called ==‘mind’ and also ‘sentience’ and also ‘consciousness’==.** > > _Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ._ > > Why is that? > _Taṁ kissa hetu?_ > > Because **==for a long time they’ve been attached to it, thought of it as their own==**, and mistaken it: > _**Dīgharattañhetaṁ**, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa ajjhositaṁ mamāyitaṁ parāmaṭṭhaṁ:_ > > ‘**==This is mine, I am this, this is my self==**.’ > _‘**etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā**’ti._ > > That’s why an unlearned ordinary person is unable to become disillusioned, dispassionate, or freed from it. > _Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ._ ^difficult-disillusion-of-mind > [!important] [[Citta]], [[Mano]], and [[Vinnana|Viññāṇa]] — The Simile of Monkey — In Assutavāsutta ([12.61](https://suttacentral.net/12.61/en/sujato)) #simile/buddha > But that **which is called ==‘mind’==** and **==also ‘sentience’==** and **==also ‘consciousness’==** **arises as one thing and ceases as another all day and all night**. > > _Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, **vuccati ==cittaṁ==** itipi, **==mano==** itipi, **==viññāṇaṁ==** itipi, **taṁ rattiyā ca divasassa ca aññadeva uppajjati aññaṁ nirujjhati**._ > > It’s like a **==monkey==** moving through the forest. It **grabs hold of one branch, lets it go, and grabs another; then it lets that go and grabs yet another**. > > _Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, makkaṭo araññe pavane caramāno sākhaṁ gaṇhati, taṁ muñcitvā aññaṁ gaṇhati, taṁ muñcitvā aññaṁ gaṇhati;_ > > In the same way, that which is called **==‘mind’==** and **==also ‘sentience’==** and **==also ‘consciousness’==** **arises as one thing and ceases as another all day and all night**. > > _evameva kho, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ vuccati **==cittaṁ==** itipi, **==mano==** itipi, **==viññāṇaṁ==** itipi, taṁ **==rattiyā ca divasassa ca aññadeva uppajjati aññaṁ nirujjhati==**._ > > > [!info] Meaning: ==When one goes to sleep, Mano closes, and viññāṇa disappears== ^simile-of-monkey ## Sutta (Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato) Linked Discourses 12.61 Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.61 7. The Great Chapter 8. Mahāvagga Unlearned Assutavāsutta So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. … ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme … “Mendicants, an unlearned ordinary person might become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed from this body made up of the four principal states. “assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano imasmiṁ cātumahābhūtikasmiṁ kāyasmiṁ nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? This body made up of the four principal states is seen to accumulate and disperse, to be taken up and laid to rest. Dissati, bhikkhave, imassa cātumahābhūtikassa kāyassa ācayopi apacayopi ādānampi nikkhepanampi. That’s why an unlearned ordinary person might become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed from it. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nibbindeyyapi virajjeyyapi vimucceyyapi. But an unlearned ordinary person is unable to become disillusioned, dispassionate, or freed from that which is called ‘mind’ and also ‘sentience’ and also ‘consciousness’. Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because for a long time they’ve been attached to it, thought of it as their own, and mistaken it: Dīgharattañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa ajjhositaṁ mamāyitaṁ parāmaṭṭhaṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti. That’s why an unlearned ordinary person is unable to become disillusioned, dispassionate, or freed from it. Tasmā tatrāssutavā puthujjano nālaṁ nibbindituṁ nālaṁ virajjituṁ nālaṁ vimuccituṁ. But an unlearned ordinary person would be better off taking this body made up of the four principal states to be their self, rather than the mind. Varaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano imaṁ cātumahābhūtikaṁ kāyaṁ attato upagaccheyya, na tveva cittaṁ. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? This body made up of the four principal states is seen to last for a year, or for two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or a hundred years, or even longer. Dissatāyaṁ, bhikkhave, cātumahābhūtiko kāyo ekampi vassaṁ tiṭṭhamāno dvepi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno tīṇipi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno cattāripi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno pañcapi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno dasapi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno vīsatipi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno tiṁsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno cattārīsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno paññāsampi vassāni tiṭṭhamāno vassasatampi tiṭṭhamāno, bhiyyopi tiṭṭhamāno. But that which is called ‘mind’ and also ‘sentience’ and also ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another all day and all night. Yañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, taṁ rattiyā ca divasassa ca aññadeva uppajjati aññaṁ nirujjhati. It’s like a monkey moving through the forest. It grabs hold of one branch, lets it go, and grabs another; then it lets that go and grabs yet another. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, makkaṭo araññe pavane caramāno sākhaṁ gaṇhati, taṁ muñcitvā aññaṁ gaṇhati, taṁ muñcitvā aññaṁ gaṇhati; In the same way, that which is called ‘mind’ and also ‘sentience’ and also ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another all day and all night. evameva kho, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ vuccati cittaṁ itipi, mano itipi, viññāṇaṁ itipi, taṁ rattiyā ca divasassa ca aññadeva uppajjati aññaṁ nirujjhati. In this case, a learned noble disciple carefully and rationally applies the mind to dependent origination itself: Tatra, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako paṭiccasamuppādaṁyeva sādhukaṁ yoniso manasi karoti: ‘When this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises. ‘iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati; When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is: imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati— Ignorance is a requirement for choices. yadidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā; Choices are a requirement for consciousness. … saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe… That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’ evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’ti. Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako rūpasmimpi nibbindati, vedanāyapi nibbindati, saññāyapi nibbindati, saṅkhāresupi nibbindati, viññāṇasmimpi nibbindati; Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati, vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’” ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānātī”ti.