➥ saṅga and satta.

• for saṅga:
  • bond [to individual existence]
  • bondage [to individual existence]
• for satta:
  • bound [to individual existence]
  • bound (to some named object)
• for asattā:
  • liberated [from individual existence]

Saṅga: bond/bondage [to individual existence]

Saṅga is usually rendered as ‘tie’ or ‘bond’ or ‘attachment.’ But overcoming it is associated with arahantship (brāhmaṇan, Uda 6) and wisdom, or those who are wise (vijānataṁ, Dhp 171; dhīro, Snp 250; tathāgato Snp 473). It is a synonym of saṁyojana (Dhp 342). Thus it is not just bond/bondage, but bond/bondage [to individual existence].

• Saṅgāmajiṁ, free of bondage [to individual existence], he is what I call a Brahman.

Saṅgā saṅgāmajiṁ muttaṁ tamahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇan ti. (Uda 6)

• Attached by ties and bonds [to individual existence], they end up with suffering again and again for a long time.

Saṁyojanasaṅgasattakā dukkhamupenti punappunaṁ cirāya. (Dhp 342)

Saṅgātīto: transcended the bonds [to individual existence]

Saṅgātīto (‘one who has transcended the bonds [to individual existence]’) is associated with visaṁyutto (‘one who is emancipated [from individual existence]’):

• One whose āsavas are destroyed, who is emancipated [from individual existence], who has transcended the bonds [to individual existence], one who is inwardly at complete peace, he bears his last body having gone beyond birth and death.

Khīṇāsavo visaṁyutto saṅgātīto sunibbuto
Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ jātimaraṇapāragū. (Tha 1022)

Saṅgātigataṁ: overcome all bonds [to individual existence]

Saṅgātigataṁ (‘one who has overcome all bonds [to individual existence]’) is associated with bhavassa pāragun ti (one who has gone beyond individual existence, Tha 38):

• The devas venerate him, that great sage who has overcome all bonds [to individual existence] and gone beyond individual existence..

Taṁ sabbasaṅgātigataṁ mahāmuniṁ devā namassanti bhavassa pāragun ti. (Tha 38)

These, and other quotes below, show that saṅga means bondage [to individual existence], not just bondage.

Varieties and numbers of saṅgas

The number of saṅgas is unsettled. The scriptures say there are either five (pañcasaṅgātigo bhikkhu Tha 633; SN i 3) or seven (sattasaṅgapahīṇassa Iti 94), the members of which are explained differently in the commentaries, as follows:

1) The commentaries to Tha 633 and SN i 3 list the five saṅga as rāgasaṅgo dosasaṅgo mohasaṅgo mānasaṅgo diṭṭhisaṅgo.

2) The commentary to Iti 94 lists the seven saṅgas as taṇhāsaṅgo diṭṭhisaṅgo mānasaṅgo kodhasaṅgo avijjāsaṅgo kilesasaṅgo duccaritasaṅgo ti.

3) The commentary to Iti 94 adds that some say the saṅgas are the seven proclivites (sattānusayā) namely: kāmarāgānusaya paṭighānusaya diṭṭhānusaya vicikicchānusaya mānānusaya bhavarāga avijjā (AN iv 7-9).

4) In the Dhotaka Sutta, the Buddha says all known objects are saṅga:

• Whatever you know, above, below, across, and also in the middle, knowing this to be a bond [to individual existence] in the world, do not foster craving for any state of individual existence.

Yaṁ kiñci sampajānāsi uddhaṁ adho tiriyañcāpi majjhe
Etaṁ viditvā saṅgo ti loke bhavābhavāya mākāsi taṇhan ti. (Snp 1068)

Satta

Satta is related to saṅga, because both stem from sajjati. Like saṅga, if no object is specified, the object of satta is individual existence. We call it ‘bound,’ or ‘bound [to individual existence].’

• Taking delight in and bound to her femininity.

Itthatte bhikkhave abhiratā sattā. (AN iv 57)

• Perishable is the body, Abhayā, to which the common man is bound.

Abhaye bhiduro kāyo yattha sattā puthujjanā. (Thi 35)

• Man (loko) is bound to individual existence,

bhavasatto loko. (Uda 33)

• The common man is bound [to individual existence]

satto puthujjano. (Snp 706)

➥ saṅgā: (main article see: saṅga)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

The bonds [to individual existence] do not afflict one who is liberated from the perception of existence, who does not adhere to immaterial-factors-and-bodily-form.

Taṁ nāmarūpasmimasajjamānaṁ akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti saṅgā ti. (SN i 25)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

He should walk on almsround in the village at the right time. Bonds [to individual existence] bind one who walks on almsround at the wrong time.

Gāmañca piṇḍāya careyya kāle
Akālacāriṁ hi sajanti saṅgā. (Snp 386)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

The bhikkhu who has overcome the five bonds [to individual existence] is called one who has crossed the flood [of suffering].

Pañcasaṅgātigo bhikkhu oghatiṇṇo ti vuccati. (Tha 633; SN i 3)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

For the bhikkhu who has abandoned the seven bonds [to individual existence] and destroyed the conduit to renewed states of individual existence, the round of birth and death is destroyed. For him there are no renewed states of individual existence.

Sattasaṅgapahīṇassa nettichinnassa bhikkhuno
Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro natthi tassa punabbhavo ti. (Iti 94)

➥ saṅgo: (main article see: saṅga)

Illustration: saṅgo, bondage [to individual existence]; saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

Why is ‘bondage [to individual existence]’ an epithet for sensuous pleasures?

Kasmā ca bhikkhave saṅgoti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ

Because one who is passionately attached to sensuous pleasure, fastened by fondness and attachment, is neither free of bonds [to individual existence] in this lifetime, nor in the hereafter, therefore ‘bondage [to individual existence]’ is an epithet for sensuous pleasures.

yasmā ca kāmarāgarattāyaṁ bhikkhave chandarāgavinibaddho diṭṭhadhammikāpi saṅgā na parimuccati samparāyikāpi saṅgā na parimuccati tasmā saṅgoti kāmānametaṁ adhivacanaṁ. (AN iii 310)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

For the Teacher has mastered this Path which transcends birth, old age, fear, and the bonds [to individual existence].

Satthā hi vijesi maggametaṁ saṅgā jātijarābhayā atītaṁ. (Tha 413)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

The one who has overcome the bonds [to individual existence], death-forsaker, the one free of attachment, has abandoned suffering, and has no renewed states of individual existence.

Saṅgātigo maccujaho nirupadhi pahāsi dukkhaṁ apunabbhavāya. (Iti 57-8; SN iv 158)

Illustration: saṅgā, bonds [to individual existence]

I am the disciple of him, the Blessed One who has overcome the bonds [to individual existence], who is freed [from individual existence].

Saṅgātigassa muttassa bhagavato tassa sāvako'hamasmi. (MN i 386)

Illustration: saṅga, bondage [to individual existence]

Having abandoned son and wife, father and mother, wealth and grain, and relatives, and abundant sensuous pleasures, one should live the religious life as solitarily as a rhinoceros horn.

Puttañca dāraṁ pitarañca mātaraṁ dhanāni dhaññāni ca bandhavāni
Hitvāna kāmāni yathodhikāni eko care khaggavisāṇakappo

[All of] this is bondage [to individual existence]. Here there is little enjoyment and much suffering.

Saṅgo eso parittamettha sokhyaṁ appassādo dukkhamettha bhiyyo (Snp 60-1)

Illustration: saṅga, bondage [to individual existence]

Knowing attachment in the world [of phenomena] as bondage [to individual existence], a person should train for its elimination.

Upadhiṁ viditvā saṅgo ti loke tasseva jantu vinayāya sikkheti. (SN i 117)

➥ satto: (main article see: saṅga)

Illustration: satto, bound [to individual existence]

One is bound [to individual existence], Rādha, thoroughly bound [to individual existence], by fondness, attachment, spiritually fettering delight, and craving regarding bodily form, therefore one is called a being…

Rūpe kho rādha yo chando yo rāgo yā nandi yā taṇhā tatra satto tatra visatto tasmā satto ti vuccati. (SN iii 190)

➥ asattā: (main article see: saṅga)

Illustration: asattā, liberated [from individual existence]

Those who roam the world who are truly liberated [from individual existence], liberated from the perception of existence, spiritually perfected.

Ye ve asattā vicaranti loke akiñcanā kevalino. (Snp 490)

COMMENT:

Akiñcanā: ‘liberated from the perception of existence.’ See Glossary sv Ākiñcañña.

➥ asattaṁ: (main article see: saṅga)

Illustration: asattaṁ, liberated [from individual existence]

Liberated [from individual existence] in the sensuous plane of existence.

kāmabhave asattaṁ. (Snp 176)