Muni's PlayThis famous sutta succinctly defines the two pillars of Buddhist meditation: Serenity (समथ - samatha) and Insight (विपस्सना - vipassanā). It explicitly maps out the purpose of each practice, what they develop, and what they ultimately abandon.
The Two Things that Partake of True Knowledge
The Buddha explains that both serenity and insight are necessary for true knowledge (विद्याभागीया - vidyābhāgiyā) and complete liberation.
Pali
“द्वे मे, भिक्खवे, धम्मा विज्जाभागिया। कतमे द्वे? समथो च विपस्सना च।
समथो, भिक्खवे, भावितो कमत्थमनुभोति? चित्तं भावीयति। चित्तं भावितं कमत्थमनुभोति? यो रागो सो पहीयति।
विपस्सना, भिक्खवे, भाविता कमत्थमनुभोति? पञ्ञा भावीयति। पञ्ञा भाविता कमत्थमनुभोति? या अविज्जा सा पहीयति।
रागुपक्किलिट्ठं वा, भिक्खवे, चित्तं न विमुच्चति, अविज्जुपक्किलिट्ठा वा पञ्ञा न भावीयति। इति खो, भिक्खवे, रागविरागा चेतोविमुत्ति, अविज्जाविरागा पञ्ञाविमुत्ती”ति।”
Sanskrit Chaya
“द्वौ इमौ भिक्षवो धर्मौ विद्याभागीयौ। कतमौ द्वौ? शमथश्च विपश्यना च।
शमथो भिक्षवो भावितः किमर्थमनुभवति? चित्तं भाव्यते। चित्तं भावितं किमर्थमनुभवति? यो रागः स प्रहीयते।
विपश्यना भिक्षवो भाविता किमर्थमनुभवति? प्रज्ञा भाव्यते। प्रज्ञा भाविता किमर्थमनुभवति? या अविद्या सा प्रहीयते।
रागोपक्लिष्टं वा भिक्षवश्चित्तं न विमुच्यते, अविद्योपक्लिष्टा वा प्रज्ञा न भाव्यते। इति खलु भिक्षवो रागविरागाच्चेतोविमुक्तिः, अविद्याविरागात् प्रज्ञाविमुक्तिरिति।”
“Monks, these two things partake of true knowledge. What two? Serenity and insight. When serenity is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it serve? Lust is abandoned. When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve? Wisdom is developed. And when wisdom is developed, what purpose does it serve? Ignorance is abandoned. A mind defiled by lust is not liberated, and wisdom defiled by ignorance is not developed. Thus, monks, through the fading away of lust there is liberation of mind; through the fading away of ignorance there is liberation by wisdom.”
Summary of Practice
The sutta establishes a clear causal sequence for both practices, leading to two distinct aspects of liberation.
| Practice | Develops | Abandons (Defilement) | Resulting Liberation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serenity Pali: समथ (samatha) Skt: शमथ (śamatha) | The Mind Pali: चित्त (citta) Skt: चित्त (citta) | Lust / Passion Pali: राग (rāga) Skt: राग (rāga) | Liberation of Mind Pali: चेतोविमुत्ति (cetovimutti) Skt: चेतोविमुक्ति (cetovimukti) |
| Insight Pali: विपस्सना (vipassanā) Skt: विपश्यना (vipaśyanā) | Wisdom Pali: पञ्ञा (paññā) Skt: प्रज्ञा (prajñā) | Ignorance Pali: अविज्जा (avijjā) Skt: अविद्या (avidyā) | Liberation by Wisdom Pali: पञ्ञाविमुत्ति (paññāvimutti) Skt: प्रज्ञाविमुक्ति (prajñāvimukti) |