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The Noble Search

อริยปริเยสนสุตฺตํ

Most people seek things that age, sicken and die just as they do. The Buddha tells how he turned to seek what does not age or die, from his going forth to his first teaching.

5 points

The Ariyapariyesanā Sutta (called the Pāsarāsi Sutta in the Thai Royal Edition) begins with many monks gathered at the hermitage of the brahmin Rammaka. The Buddha says that when gathered, one should do one of two things: discuss the Dhamma or keep noble silence.

He then teaches two kinds of search. The ignoble search: being oneself subject to birth, ageing, sickness, death, sorrow and defilement, one seeks what is likewise subject to birth, ageing, sickness, death, sorrow and defilement — spouse and children, servants, animals, gold and silver. The noble search: seeing the danger in these, one seeks the unborn, unageing, unailing, deathless, sorrowless and undefiled — nibbāna.

He goes on to tell his own story in detail: going forth while still young as his parents wept, studying under Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta, awakening at Uruvelā, and going to teach the group of five.

  1. 1

    The ignoble search อนริยา ปริเยสนา

    Being oneself subject to birth, ageing, sickness, death, sorrow and defilement, one seeks only what is likewise subject to birth, ageing, sickness, death, sorrow and defilement.

    Applying it in daily life

    Notice whether all your life goals are things that will decay along with you. If they all are, life will have nothing to hold when they are gone.

  2. 2

    The noble search อริยา ปริเยสนา

    Knowing the danger in what is subject to birth, ageing and death, one seeks the unborn, unageing, unailing, deathless, sorrowless and undefiled supreme security from bondage — nibbāna.

    Applying it in daily life

    You needn't abandon the life you have, but let part of it aim at what doesn't decay, such as regular meditation and study of the Dhamma.

  3. 3

    Very good, but not yet the way นายํ ธมฺโม นิพฺพิทาย

    The Bodhisatta studied under Āḷāra Kālāma until attaining the base of nothingness, and under Uddaka Rāmaputta until attaining the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Both teachers invited him to stay and lead their communities, but seeing that their teaching did not lead to liberation, he left.

    Applying it in daily life

    Having gained something good, still ask whether it truly leads to the goal. Walking away from a success that isn't the way is one of the hardest things to do.

  4. 4

    Reluctance to teach, and the lotus simile อปฺปรชกฺขชาติกา

    After awakening, seeing the Dhamma was profound and hard to see for people delighting in attachment, he inclined not to teach. Brahmā Sahampati requested him to teach. Surveying the world, he saw beings like lotuses in a pond — some submerged, some at the surface, some standing clear of the water — beings with little dust in their eyes. So he resolved to teach.

    Applying it in daily life

    The discourse has three kinds of lotus; the four kinds familiar in Thailand come from the commentaries. The lesson: everyone can grow, just at different times.

  5. 5

    The simile of the deer and the snares พทฺโธ ปาสราสึ อธิเสยฺย

    Ascetics and brahmins who enjoy the five strands of sense pleasure while infatuated and blind to the danger are like a forest deer lying on a heap of snares, meeting misfortune. Those who use them seeing the danger and knowing the escape are like a deer not caught in snares, free to go where it wishes.

    Applying it in daily life

    You can enjoy what you like, but know what the snares are, and keep your freedom to put things down.

Try it in daily life

This discourse doesn't say having a family or possessions is wrong. It points out that if your whole life is spent seeking only what ages, sickens and dies as you do, in the end you will have no secure refuge.

The useful question is: of the time and energy you spend each day, how much goes toward seeking what doesn't decay with the body — peace of mind, understanding of life, lessening of defilements? If none does, set aside even a small share for this kind of search.

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