MN140 apparent heading order anomaly in the Pali

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Regarding MN140, I have uncovered what appears to be an anomaly in the order of the Pali headings at para 6 of my literal translation MN-140 datuvibhangasutta.

Following the order in the body of the text it appears the headings (which I have numbered in brackets) [6] and [5] in para 6 are in the reverse order and [5] should appear under heading [4], but because I don’t wish to change the Pali I have left it as is for now. So I’m wondering if anyone has access to an early original copy of this Sutta, and if so could they please help look into this to see how far back it might go?

Excerpt:

(para 6) “‘Cha dhāturo ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso

[ 1 ] “‘Six elements this-is: Mendicant-is, person-is;

cha phassāyatano

[ 2 ] Six touch-[ Skt. sparśa ]-seat-is;

aṭṭhārasa manopavicāro

[ 3 ] Eighteen mind-unto-divergence-is;

caturādhiṭṭhāno;

[ 4 ] Four-upon-standing-is;

yattha ṭhitaṃ maññassavā nappavattanti, maññassave kho pana nappavattamāne muni santoti vuccati.

[ 6 ] Which-place-abiding [ Skt. yatrastha ] steadfast-to: mind-to-be-[ Skt. manya ‘ego’ ]-of-flow-from - no-direct-turned-they-do; Mind-to-be-of-flow-where, indeed, further - no-direct-turned-esteem-where, ‘Sage calmed-is’, calls-one-does;

Paññaṃ nappamajjeyya, saccamanurak­kheyya, cāgamanubrūheyya, santimeva so sikkheyyā’ti—ayamudde dhātuvibhaṅ­gassa.

[ 5 ] Direct-cognizance-to, not-negligent-to-be-one-might-do; truth-to-after-guards-one-might-do; leaving-to-after-fosters-one-might-do; calm-to-exactly whom-is training-one-might-do.’ - this-is-upper-division, element-dissection-of.

[ Note: Following the order in the body of the text it appears as if the above headings [6] and [5] are in the wrong order and [5] should appear under heading [4], but because I don’t wish to change the Pali I have left it as is. ]

(para 7) ‘Cha dhāturo ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ. Kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? Chayimā, bhikkhu, dhātuyo—pathavīdhātu, āpodhātu, tejodhātu, vāyodhātu, ākāsadhātu, viññāṇadhātu. ‘Cha dhāturo ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

[ 1 ] ‘Six elements this-is: Mendicant-is, person-is,’ – thus indeed, further-here-that-to verily-uttered-to. What-to-and-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be-[ Skt. pratītya ] verily-uttered-to? Six-which-these-are, Mendicant-is, elements-they-are: earth-element; liquid-element; energy-element; wind-element; open-space-element; dis-cognition-element. ‘Six elements this-is: Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus which-to that-to verily-uttered-to? Here-this-to-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to!

para 8 ‘Cha phassāyatano ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ. Kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? Cakkhusamphassāyatanaṃ, sotasamphassāyatanaṃ, ghāna­samphassāyatanaṃ, jivhāsamphassāyatanaṃ, kāyasamphassāyatanaṃ, mano­samphassāyatanaṃ. ‘Cha phassāyatano ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

[ 2 ] ‘Six touch-seat-is: this-is Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus indeed, further-here-that-to verily-uttered-to. What-to-and-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to? Eye-together-touch-[ eye contact ]-seat-to; ear-together-touch-seat-to; nose-together-touch-seat-to; tongue-together-touch-seat-to; body together-touch-seat-to; mind-is-together-touch-seat-to. ‘Six touch-seat-is, this-is Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus which-to that-to verily-uttered-to? Here-this-to-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to!

(para 9) ‘Aṭṭhārasa manopavicāro ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ. Kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ?

[ 3 ] ‘Eighteen mind-unto-divergence-is: this-is Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus indeed, further-here-that-to verily-uttered-to. What-to-and-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to?

Cakkhunā rūpaṃ disvā somanassaṭṭhāniyaṃ rūpaṃ
upavicarati, domanassaṭṭhāniyaṃ rūpaṃ upavicarati, upekkhāṭṭhāniyaṃ rūpaṃ upavicarati; sotena saddaṃ sutvā … pe … ghānena gandhaṃ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṃ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṃ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṃ viññāya somanassaṭṭhāniyaṃ dhammaṃ upavicarati, domanassaṭṭhāniyaṃ dhammaṃ upavicarati, upekkhāṭṭhāniyaṃ dhammaṃ upavicarati

Eye-from form-to seen-having: happy-mind-of-local-[ Skt. sthānīya ]-to form-to, unto-diverges-one-does;
dour-mind-of-local-to form-to, unto-diverges-one-does;
unto-considering-from-local-to form-to, unto-diverges-one-does.

Ear-with sound-to,heard-having… etc…
Nose-with odour-to smelt-having…
Tongue-with taste-to savoured-having…
Body-with touch-arousal-to touched-having…

Mind-with rationale-to dis-cognizance-for: happy-mind-of-local-to rationale-to, unto-diverges-one-does;
dour-mind-of-local-to rationale-to, unto-diverges-one-does;
unto-considering-from-local-to rationale-to, unto-diverges-one-does.

—iti cha somanassupavicārā, cha domanassupavicārā, cha upekkhupavicārā. ‘Aṭṭhārasa manopavicāro ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ, idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

Thus six happy-mind-of-unto-divergence-from; six dour-mind-of-unto-divergence-from; six unto-considering-unto-divergence-from. ‘Eighteen mind-unto-divergence-is: this-is Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus which-to that-to verily-uttered-to? Here-this-to-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to! [ refer: MN 137 Six-seat-dissection-discourse MN 137 Saḷāyatanavibhaṅgasutta ]

(para 10) ‘Caturādhiṭṭhāno ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ. Kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? Paññādhiṭṭhāno, saccādhiṭṭhāno, cāgādhiṭṭhāno, upasamādhiṭṭhāno. ‘Caturādhiṭṭhāno ayaṃ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—iti yaṃ taṃ vuttaṃ idametaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ.

[ 4 ] ‘Four-upon-standing-is: this-is Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus indeed, further-here-that-to verily-uttered-to. What-to-and-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to? Direct-cognizance-upon-standing-is [ refer para.29 ]; truth-upon-standing-is [ refer para.30 ]; leaving-upon-standing-is [ refer para.31 ]; unto-calmness-upon-standing-is [ refer para.32 ]. ‘Four-upon-standing-is: this-is Mendicant-is, person-is,’ - thus which-to that-to verily-uttered-to? Here-this-to-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to!

(para 11) ‘Paññaṃ nappamajjeyya, saccamanurakkheyya, cāgamanubrūheyya, santimeva so sikkheyyā’ti—iti kho panetaṃ vuttaṃ. Kiñcetaṃ paṭicca vuttaṃ? Kathañca, bhikkhu, paññaṃ nappamajjati? Chayimā, bhikkhu, dhātuyo—pathavīdhātu, āpodhātu, tejodhātu, vāyodhātu, ākāsadhātu, viññāṇadhātu.

[ 5 ] ‘Direct-cognizance-to, not-negligent-to-be-one-might-do; truth-to-after-guards-one-might-do; leaving-to-after-fosters-one-might-do; calm-to-exactly whom-is training-one-might-do,’ - thus indeed, further-here-that-to verily-uttered-to. What-to-and-here-that-to, about-toward-to-be verily-uttered-to? How-to-and, Mendicant-is: direct-cognizance-to, not-negligent-to-be-one-does? Six-which-these-are, Mendicant-is, elements-they-are: earth-element; liquid-element; energy-element; wind-element; open-space-element; dis-cognition-element.

kind regards Ani

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Dear ani, I am just on my phone now, but when I get to a computer I’ll check this out.

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Dear Bhante, I know you have been very busy, so just enquiring if you have had a chance to look into this yet?

Best wishes for 2020

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Dear Bhante, I know you have been very busy, so just enquiring if you have had a chance to look into this yet?

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Thanks so much for the reminder!

The relationship between the brief statement at the beginning (uddesa) and the exposition (vibhaṅga) in this sutta is less straightforward than we usually find. This is, perhaps, not so surprising when we consider that the sutta as a whole is pitched at a very high level.

In regards to the specific point that you raise, so far as I can tell, according to Analayo’s discussion in his Comparative Study the three versions he considers (from the Pali, the Madhyama-agama, and the Upayika) all show a similar structure. While there are some differences in details, the section on the “tides of conceit”, which he labels as “speculations on self” occurs near the end in each case. Here is the relevant table for your convenience.

Screenshot%20from%202019-12-31%2008-22-57
Screenshot%20from%202019-12-31%2008-22-571636×583 45.6 KB

So it would appear that, if there is a corruption, it was very early and widespread.

In this case, however, I think it’s more likely that the Buddha simply departed from his usual strict way of organizing things. The topic of māna is a subtle and difficult one. The uddesa introduces it with a phrase that is not exactly poetry, but is certainly poetic:

They have four foundations, standing on which the streams of identification don’t flow. And when the streams of identification don’t flow, they’re called a sage at peace.

I suspect that this phrase was a pre-existing maxim. At the very least, it is a powerful and memorable phrase, and I think the somewhat complex order of explanation is because the Buddha didn’t want to ruin a good saying. In a more straightforwardly analytical context, you can put everything exactly as you want. But poetry is a fickle mistress: she makes her own demands.

The four foundations are defined as wisdom, truth, generosity, and peace. But before treating the section on māna, the Buddha goes on to elucidate these four:

Don’t neglect wisdom, preserve truth, foster generosity, and train only for peace.

And then treat each in detail. The section on wisdom, in particular, focusses on seeing not-self in the six elements. It builds up from the basics to ultimately celebrate the attainment of the arahant. The text continues this theme by returning to the “streams of conceit” passage, showing how an arahant is freed of them. To introduce the arahant at an earlier point would confuse the progression. It is not until one has been through the full development of wisdom that one is poised to really understand what that passage means.

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Thank you for answer Bhante.

When I was in Namdroling Monastary India I recall there being an assistant checking the text pages were in the correct order before the teacher read them in the great hall, because the pechas aren’t bound and it’s easy to get a page around the wrong way. Fortunately they have page numbers. So I’d imagine this would be the same for text on palm leaves if not bound. The writing is upside down on the reverse side so you flip the pecha page top for bottom to read the next side. If the headings 5 and 6 were on opposite sides of the same palm leaf and if it was reversed when they were copied then ?

Unless we have access to the original palm leave text I doubt we can know for sure and I agree there doesn’t appear to be any problem with the order in the body of the text as you point out.

Thank you

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Indeed, it is always hard to guard against such mishaps. Palm leaf manuscripts also tend to have page numbers for this reason. There’s one well-known case where text in the Samyukta Agama in Chinese has been lost, swapped out for a passage from a life of Asoka. The Pali texts are, generally speaking, extremely coherent and well-preserved, but there are of course anomalies from time to time. Nonetheless, I am not aware of any case where it has been settled that mixing up of leaves created a textual corruption. Still, it’s worth bearing in mind!

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