A Honey Cake

MN 18

This is what I heard.

One time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, in the Banyan Tree Monastery near Kapilavatthu.

In the morning, the Buddha went begging for food in Kapilavatthu. Afterwards, he went deep into the Great Wood and sat under a tree to meditate.

At that time, ‘Stickman’ the Sakyan went up to the Buddha. Leaning on his stick he asked, “what is your teaching?”

The Buddha said,

“My teaching is one which does not conflict with anyone in this world of gods, humans and demons. Whoever follows this teaching will live free from sensual pleasures, hesitation, worry and craving for any kind of existence.”

After the Buddha said this, Stickman furrowed his brow, raised his head and wagged his tongue. He left, leaning on his stick.

In the afternoon, Buddha walked to the Banyan Tree Monastery and told the seekers there what happened. One seeker asked,

“But sir, what is this conflict-free teaching?”

“Seeker, people get overwhelmed by notions of identity arising from the multiplication of perceptions. If they don’t approve, welcome or cling to this process, the underlying tendencies of desire, repulsion, views, hesitation, egotism and the craving for any kind of becoming will all come to an end.

This is the end of weapons, arguments, and fights. It is the ending of accusations, lies, and divisive talk. This is where these bad, useless states totally come to an end.”

After saying this, the Buddha got up and entered his hut. However, the seekers wanted a more detailed explanation of the Buddha’s brief statement. They approached Mahakaccana, who was honored and respected by the Buddha and his companions. When asked to explain the Buddha’s statement, Mahakaccana said,

“Friends, this is like a person in search of heartwood who comes across a large heartwood tree. But he ignores the trunk and roots, thinking that heartwood is found in the branches and leaves.

Friends, you were face to face with the Buddha and instead are asking me about this? He is the awakened one who knows and sees. He is vision, knowledge, the Dharma and holiness. He is the teacher, the explainer of meaning, the giver of freedom from death, the lord of Dharma, the Transcendent One.”

“You’re right friend Mahakaccana, we should have asked the Buddha at that time. Still, you are well respected and are able to explain the Buddha’s statement. Please do so if it’s no trouble.”

“Very well friends, this is my understanding of what he said.

Visual consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights. Their coming together is contact. Contact is a condition for feeling tone.

Feeling tone is perceived, and what you perceive you think about. Thinking leads to a multiplication of ideas.

This multiplication of perceptions and ideas gives rise to the notions of identity which make people suffer. This arises with things seen in the past, present and future.

This same process happens with consciousness related to the ear, nose, tongue, body and heartmind.

When there are eyes, sights and visual consciousness, ‘contact’ can be noticed. When there’s contact, ‘feeling tone’ can be noticed. When there’s feeling tone, ‘perception’ can be noticed. When there is perception, ‘thought’ can be noticed. When there’s thought one can notice how one is affected by ‘notions of identity arising from the multiplication of perceptions’.

This same process can also be observed with any consciousness related to the ear, nose, tongue, body or mind.

But when there is no eye, sight and visual consciousness, ‘contact’ cannot be noticed. Without contact, ‘feeling tone’ cannot be noticed. With no feeling tone, ‘perception’ cannot be noticed. Without perception, ‘thought’ cannot be noticed. When there’s no thought, one is not affected by ‘notions of identity arising from the multiplication of perceptions.’

This same process can also be observed with any consciousness related to the ear, nose, tongue, body or mind.

This is how I understand that brief passage of the Buddha. If you want, memorize it, so you can go and ask him about it.”

The seekers approved of this and went to see the Buddha to report all that was said. The Buddha said,

“Mahakaccana is wise and intelligent. If you had asked me what you asked him, I would have answered in exactly the same way. That is what my brief statement means, remember it well.”

Then Venerable Ananda said to the Buddha,

“Sir, imagine someone who was starving were to find a honey-cake. Wherever they taste it, they would enjoy a sweet and delicious flavor.

In the same way, wherever an honest, capable seeker might examine with wisdom the meaning of this teaching, they would only gain joy and clarity. What do you call this teaching?”

“Well, Ananda, you may remember this as ‘The Honey-Cake teaching.’”

That is what the Buddha said and Venerable Ananda was happy.