Samyutta Nikaya - Sacca Samyutta
SN 56.11
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation:HarveyÑanamoliPiyadassiThanissaro
PTS: S v 420
CDB ii 1843
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1993 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1993
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
Other formats:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Varanasi in the
Game Refuge at Isipatana. There he addressed the group of five monks:
"There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged in by one who has gone
forth. Which two? That which is devoted to sensual pleasure with reference to
sensual objects: base, vulgar, common, ignoble, unprofitable; and that which is
devoted to self-affliction: painful, ignoble, unprofitable. Avoiding both of
these extremes, the middle way realized by the Tathagata — producing vision,
producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to
Unbinding.
"And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing vision,
producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to
Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right
speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration. This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing
vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to
self-awakening, to Unbinding.
"Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress:1 Birth is stressful, aging is
stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair
are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the
loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five
clinging-aggregates are stressful.
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of stress: the craving
that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing
now here & now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming,
craving for non-becoming.
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of stress: the
remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, &
letting go of that very craving.
"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the
cessation of stress: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right
resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration.
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble
truth of stress'... 'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended'... 'This
noble truth of stress has been comprehended.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble
truth of the origination of stress'... 'This noble truth of the origination of
stress is to be abandoned' 2 ... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress
has been abandoned.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble
truth of the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of
stress is to be directly experienced'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of
stress has been directly experienced.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination
arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble
truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress'... 'This noble
truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be
developed'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation
of stress has been developed.' 3
"And, monks, as long as this — my three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge &
vision concerning these four noble truths as they have come to be was — not
pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened to the right self-awakening
unexcelled in the cosmos with its deities, Maras, & Brahmas, with its
contemplatives & priests, its royalty & commonfolk. But as soon as this — my
three-round, twelve-permutation knowledge & vision concerning these four noble
truths as they have come to be — was truly pure, then I did claim to have
directly awakened to the right self-awakening unexcelled in the cosmos with its
deities, Maras & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & priests, its royalty &
commonfolk. Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is
the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the group of five monks delighted
at his words. And while this explanation was being given, there arose to Ven.
Kondañña the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye: Whatever is subject to origination
is all subject to cessation.
And when the Blessed One had set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, the earth devas
cried out: "At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has
set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by priest or
contemplative, deva, Mara or God or anyone in the cosmos." On hearing the earth
devas' cry, the devas of the Four Kings' Heaven took up the cry... the devas of
the Thirty-three... the Yama devas... the Tusita devas... the Nimmanarati
devas... the Paranimmita-vasavatti devas... the devas of Brahma's retinue took
up the cry: "At Varanasi, in the Game Refuge at Isipatana, the Blessed One has
set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by priest or
contemplative, deva, Mara, or God or anyone at all in the cosmos."
So in that moment, that instant, the cry shot right up to the Brahma worlds. And
this ten-thousand fold cosmos shivered & quivered & quaked, while a great,
measureless radiance appeared in the cosmos, surpassing the effulgence of the
devas.
Then the Blessed One exclaimed: "So you really know, Kondañña? So you really
know?" And that is how Ven. Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Kondañña — Kondañña
who knows.
Notes
1. The Pali phrases for the four noble truths are grammatical anomalies. From
these anomalies, some scholars have argued that the expression "noble truth" is
a later addition to the texts. Others have argued even further that the content
of the four truths is also a later addition. Both of these arguments are based
on the unproven assumption that the language the Buddha spoke was grammatically
regular, and that any irregularities were later corruptions of the language.
This assumption forgets that the languages of the Buddha's time were oral
dialects, and that the nature of such dialects is to contain many grammatical
irregularities. Languages tend to become regular only when being used to govern
a large nation state or to produce a large body of literature: events that
happened in India only after the Buddha's time. (A European example: Italian was
a group of irregular oral dialects until Dante fashioned it into a regular
language for the sake of his poetry.) Thus the irregularity of the Pali here is
no proof either for the earliness or lateness of this particular teaching.
2. Another argument for the lateness of the expression "noble truth" is that a
truth — meaning an accurate statement about a body of facts — is not something
that should be abandoned. In this case, only the craving is to be abandoned, not
the truth about craving. However, in Vedic Sanskrit — as in modern English — a
"truth" can mean both a fact and an accurate statement about a fact. Thus in
this case, the "truth" is the fact, not the statement about the fact, and the
argument for the lateness of the expression does not hold.
3. The discussion in the four paragraphs beginning with the phrase, "Vision
arose...," takes two sets of variables — the four noble truths and the three
levels of knowledge appropriate to each — and lists their twelve permutations.
In ancient Indian philosophical and legal traditions, this sort of discussion is
called a wheel. Thus, this passage is the Wheel of Dhamma from which the
discourse takes its name.
SN 56.31
Simsapa Sutta
The Simsapa Leaves
Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa1 forest. Then,
picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, "What do you
think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few simsapa leaves in my hand or
those overhead in the simsapa forest?"
"The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those
overhead in the simsapa forest are more numerous."
"In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge
but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why
haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not
relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to
dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to
Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them.
"And what have I taught? 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress...
This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the
cessation of stress': This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these
things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the
holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to
direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. This is why I have taught
them.
"Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the
origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the
contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress.'"
Note
1. The Pandanus Database of Plants identifies the simsapa tree as Dalbergia
sympathetica. The article "Dalbergias in Hortus malabaricus" (Thothathri and
Nair, Taxon 30(1):43-47, February 1981) mentions the naming authority for this
species as "Nimmo 1839". Thus the full botanical name of the simsapa tree would
be: Dalbergia sympathetica Nimmo 1839. [Thanks to Tom Phelan (2007) for tracking
this down. If anyone has a photo of this tree or its leaves, I'd be delighted to
post it here. — ATI ed.]
SN 56.42
Papata Sutta
The Drop-off
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha at Vulture's Peak.
Then he said to the monks, "Come, monks, let's go to Inspiration1 Peak for the
day's abiding."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
Then the Blessed One together with a large number of monks went to Inspiration
Peak. One of the monks saw the huge drop-off from Inspiration Peak and, on
seeing it, said to the Blessed One, "Wow, what a huge drop-off! What a really
huge drop-off!2 Is there any drop-off more huge & frightening than this?"
"There is, monk, a drop-off more huge & frightening than this."
"And which drop-off, lord, is more huge & frightening than this?"
"Any priests or contemplatives who do not know, as it actually is present, that
'This is stress'; who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is the
origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path
of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They revel in (thought-)
fabrications leading to birth; they revel in fabrications leading to aging; they
revel in fabrications leading to death; they revel in fabrications leading to
sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Reveling in fabrications leading
to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair,
they fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Fabricating fabrications leading to
birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they
drop over the drop-off of birth. They drop over the drop-off of aging... the
drop-off of death... the drop-off of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &
despair. They are not totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows,
lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are not totally released, I
tell you, from suffering & stress.
"But as for any priests or contemplatives who do know, as it actually is
present, that 'This is stress'; who know, as it actually is present, that 'This
is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is
the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They don't revel in
(thought-) fabrications leading to birth; don't revel in fabrications leading to
aging; don't revel in fabrications leading to death; don't revel in fabrications
leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not reveling in
fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain,
distress, & despair, they don't fabricate fabrications leading to birth...
aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not
fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they don't drop over the drop-off of
birth. They don't drop over the drop-off of aging, don't drop over the drop-off
of death, don't drop over the drop-off of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &
despair. They are totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows,
lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are totally released, I tell
you, from suffering & stress.
"Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is
the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the
contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress.'"
Notes
1. Pa.tibhaana.
2. The Thai edition has "really huge drop-off" here. The Burmese and PTS
editions have "really frightening drop-off." Both readings are found in parallel
passages in other suttas in this section in all three editions, so it's hard to
decide which reading is more likely to be the original one.
See also: SN 56.46
SN 56.44
Kuta Sutta
Gabled
"Monks, if anyone were to say, 'Without having broken through to the noble truth
of stress as it actually is present, without having broken through to the noble
truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of
practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will
bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be an impossibility. Just as
if someone were to say, 'Without having built the lower story of a gabled
building, I will put up the upper story,' that would be an impossibility; in the
same way, if anyone were to say, 'Without having broken through to the noble
truth of stress as it actually is present, without having broken through to the
noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path
of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I
will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be an impossibility.
"If anyone were to say, 'Having broken through to the noble truth of stress as
it actually is present, having broken through to the noble truth of the
origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading
to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the
right ending of stress,' that would be a possibility. Just as if someone were to
say, 'Having built the lower story of a gabled building, I will put up the upper
story,' that would be a possibility; in the same way, if anyone were to say,
'Having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present,
having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the
cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,
as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that
would be a possibility.
"Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is
the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the
contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress.'"
See also: SN 56.45
SN 56.45
Vala Sutta
The Horsehair
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Vesali at the Gabled Hall in
the Great Forest. Then in the early morning, Ven. Ananda, having put on his robe
and carrying his bowl and outer robe, went into Vesali for alms. He saw a large
number of Licchavi boys practicing archery in the stadium building. From a
distance they were shooting arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one
right after the other. On seeing this, the thought occurred to him, "How trained
these Licchavi boys are, how well-trained these Licchavi boys are, in that from
a distance they can shoot arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one
right after the other!"
Then, having gone for alms in Vesali, after his meal, returning from his alms
round, Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to
him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: "Just
now, lord, in the early morning, having put on my robe and carrying my bowl and
outer robe, I went into Vesali for alms. I saw a large number of Licchavi boys
practicing archery in the stadium building. From a distance they were shooting
arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other. On
seeing this, the thought occurred to me 'How trained these Licchavi boys are,
how well-trained these Licchavi boys are, in that from a distance they can shoot
arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other!'"
"What do you think, Ananda: Which is harder to do, harder to master — to shoot
arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other, or to
take a horsehair split into seven strands and pierce tip with a tip?"1
"This, lord, is harder to do, harder to master — to take a horsehair split into
seven strands and pierce tip with a tip."
"And they, Ananda, pierce what is even harder to pierce, those who pierce, as it
actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who pierce, as it actually is
present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of
stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'
"Therefore, Ananda, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is
the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the
contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress.'"
Notes
1. The Commentary tries to convert this feat into an archery trick, in which one
fastens a strand of horsehair on an eggplant and another strand on the tip of an
arrow, and then backs off to shoot the hair on the eggplant with the hair
fastened on the arrow. This, however, sounds more like one of the impossible
feats of marksmanship that Mark Twain once chided James Fenimore Cooper for
including in his Deerslayer books. Even assuming that the hair on the arrow
could withstand the force of the air pushing it back and actually stick straight
ahead to pierce the other hair, the speed and force of the arrow would demolish
any evidence that it had actually done so. Thus it seems more likely that the
Buddha is describing a more delicate feat bearing more resemblance to the
delicacy required in penetrating the four noble truths.
See also: SN 56.44
SN 56.46
Andhakara Sutta
Darkness
"There is, monks, an inter-cosmic1 void, an unrestrained darkness, a pitch-black
darkness, where even the light of the sun & moon — so mighty, so powerful —
doesn't reach."
When this was said, one of the monks said to the Blessed One, "Wow, what a great
darkness! What a really great darkness! Is there any darkness greater & more
frightening than that?"
"There is, monk, a darkness greater & more frightening than that."
"And which darkness, lord, is greater & more frightening than that?"
"Any priests or contemplatives who do not know, as it actually is present, that
'This is stress'; who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is the
origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path
of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They revel in (thought-)
fabrications leading to birth; they revel in fabrications leading to aging; they
revel in fabrications leading to death; they revel in fabrications leading to
sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Reveling in fabrications leading
to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair,
they fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Fabricating fabrications leading to
birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they
drop into the darkness of birth. They drop into the darkness of aging... the
darkness of death... darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair.
They are not totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows, lamentations,
pains, distresses, & despairs. They are not totally released, I tell you, from
suffering & stress.
"But as for any priests or contemplatives who do know, as it actually is
present, that 'This is stress'; who know, as it actually is present, that 'This
is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is
the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They don't revel in
(thought-) fabrications leading to birth; don't revel in fabrications leading to
aging; don't revel in fabrications leading to death; don't revel in fabrications
leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not reveling in
fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain,
distress, & despair, they don't fabricate fabrications leading to birth...
aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not
fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they don't drop into the darkness of
birth. They don't drop into the darkness of aging, don't drop into the darkness
of death, don't drop into the darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &
despair. They are totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows,
lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are totally released, I tell
you, from suffering & stress.
"Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is
the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the
contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress.'"
Notes
1. Or: intergalactic?
See also: SN 56.42
SN 56.48
Chiggala Sutta
The Hole
"Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man
were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it
west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push
it south, a wind from the south would push it north. And suppose a blind
sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred
years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface
once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?"
"It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the
surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a
single hole."
"It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state. It's
likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened,
arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine &
discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world. Now, this human state
has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, has arisen in
the world. A doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the
world.
"Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the
origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the
contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress.'"
Showing posts with label Samyutta Nikaya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samyutta Nikaya. Show all posts
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Samyutta Nikaya - Sotapatti Samyutta II
Samyutta Nikaya - Sotapatti Samyutta II
SN 55.31
Abhisanda Sutta
Bonanzas (1)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 391
CDB ii 1821
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1994 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1994
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness,
nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first
bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced
methodically...who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types
of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types
— they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of
merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of
skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with virtues that are
appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered,
liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. This is
the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of
bliss."
See also: SN 55.32; SN 55.33; SN 55.40.
SN 55.32
Abhisanda Sutta
Bonanzas (2)
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness,
nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first
bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced
methodically...who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types
of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types
— they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of
merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of
skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones lives at home with an awareness
cleansed of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in
being magnanimous, responsive to requests, delighting in the distribution of
alms. This is the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment
of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of
bliss."
See also: SN 55.31; SN 55.33; SN 55.40.
SN 55.33
Abhisanda Sutta
Bonanzas (3)
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness,
nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first
bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced
methodically...who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types
of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types
— they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of
merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of
skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is discerning, endowed with
discernment of arising & passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to the right
ending of stress. This is the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of
bliss."
See also: SN 55.31; SN 55.32; SN 55.40.
SN 55.40
Nandiya Sutta
To Nandiya
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans near Kapilavatthu
in Nigrodha's Park. Then Nandiya the Sakyan went to the Blessed One and, on
arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he
said to the Blessed One, "Lord, the disciple of the noble ones in whom the
factors of stream entry are altogether & in every way lacking: Is he called a
disciple of the noble ones who lives heedlessly?"
"Nandiya, the person in whom the factors of stream entry are altogether & in
every way lacking I call an outsider, one who stands in the faction of the
run-of-the-mill. But as to how a disciple of the noble ones lives heedlessly and
heedfully, listen well and pay attention, I will speak"
"As you say, lord," Nandiya the Sakyan responded.
The Blessed One said, "And how, Nandiya, does a disciple of the noble ones live
heedlessly? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones is endowed with
verified confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and
rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert
with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be
tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' Content with
that verified confidence in the Awakened One, he does not exert himself further
in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus heedlessly, there
is no joy. There being no joy, there is no rapture. There being no rapture,
there is no serenity. There being no serenity, he dwells in pain. When pained,
the mind does not become centered. When the mind is uncentered, phenomena do not
become manifest. When phenomena are not manifest, he is reckoned simply as one
who dwells heedlessly.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' Content with that verified confidence in the Dhamma, he does
not exert himself further in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him,
living thus heedlessly, there is no joy. There being no joy, there is no
rapture. There being no rapture, there is no serenity. There being no serenity,
he dwells in pain. When pained, the mind does not become centered. When the mind
is uncentered, phenomena do not become manifest. When phenomena are not
manifest, he is reckoned simply as one who dwells heedlessly.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well... who
have practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced methodically... who have
practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when
taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Sangha
of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy
of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
Content with that verified confidence in the Sangha, he does not exert himself
further in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus
heedlessly, there is no joy. There being no joy, there is no rapture. There
being no rapture, there is no serenity. There being no serenity, he dwells in
pain. When pained, the mind does not become centered. When the mind is
uncentered, phenomena do not become manifest. When phenomena are not manifest,
he is reckoned simply as one who dwells heedlessly.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with virtues that are
appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered,
liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. Content
with those virtues pleasing to the noble ones, he does not exert himself further
in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus heedlessly, there
is no joy. There being no joy, there is no rapture. There being no rapture,
there is no serenity. There being no serenity, he dwells in pain. When pained,
the mind does not become centered. When the mind is uncentered, phenomena do not
become manifest. When phenomena are not manifest, he is reckoned simply as one
who dwells heedlessly.
"This is how a disciple of the noble ones lives heedlessly.
"And how, Nandiya, does a disciple of the noble ones live heedfully? There is
the case where a disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Awakened One... Not content with that verified confidence in the Awakened
One, he exerts himself further in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For
him, living thus heedfully, joy arises. In one who has joy, rapture arises. In
one who has rapture, the body becomes serene. When the body is serene, one feels
pleasure. Feeling pleasure, the mind becomes centered. When the mind is
centered, phenomena become manifest. When phenomena are manifest, he is reckoned
as one who dwells heedfully.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma... verified confidence in the Sangha... virtues that are appealing
to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating,
praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. Not content with
those virtues pleasing to the noble ones, he exerts himself further in solitude
by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus heedfully, joy arises. In one
who has joy, rapture arises. In one who has rapture, the body becomes serene.
When the body is serene, one feels pleasure. Feeling pleasure, the mind becomes
centered. When the mind is centered, phenomena become manifest. When phenomena
are manifest, he is reckoned as one who dwells heedfully.
"This is how a disciple of the noble ones lives heedfully."
See also: SN 3.17; SN 48.56.
SN 55.31
Abhisanda Sutta
Bonanzas (1)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 391
CDB ii 1821
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1994 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1994
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness,
nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first
bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced
methodically...who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types
of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types
— they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of
merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of
skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with virtues that are
appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered,
liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. This is
the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of
bliss."
See also: SN 55.32; SN 55.33; SN 55.40.
SN 55.32
Abhisanda Sutta
Bonanzas (2)
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness,
nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first
bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced
methodically...who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types
of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types
— they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of
merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of
skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones lives at home with an awareness
cleansed of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in
being magnanimous, responsive to requests, delighting in the distribution of
alms. This is the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment
of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of
bliss."
See also: SN 55.31; SN 55.33; SN 55.40.
SN 55.33
Abhisanda Sutta
Bonanzas (3)
"Monks, there are these four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness,
nourishments of bliss. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is the first
bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' This is the second bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well...who have practiced straight-forwardly...who have practiced
methodically...who have practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types
of noble disciples when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types
— they are the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of
merit for the world.' This is the third bonanza of merit, bonanza of
skillfulness, nourishment of bliss.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is discerning, endowed with
discernment of arising & passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to the right
ending of stress. This is the fourth bonanza of merit, bonanza of skillfulness,
nourishment of bliss.
"These are four bonanzas of merit, bonanzas of skillfulness, nourishments of
bliss."
See also: SN 55.31; SN 55.32; SN 55.40.
SN 55.40
Nandiya Sutta
To Nandiya
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans near Kapilavatthu
in Nigrodha's Park. Then Nandiya the Sakyan went to the Blessed One and, on
arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he
said to the Blessed One, "Lord, the disciple of the noble ones in whom the
factors of stream entry are altogether & in every way lacking: Is he called a
disciple of the noble ones who lives heedlessly?"
"Nandiya, the person in whom the factors of stream entry are altogether & in
every way lacking I call an outsider, one who stands in the faction of the
run-of-the-mill. But as to how a disciple of the noble ones lives heedlessly and
heedfully, listen well and pay attention, I will speak"
"As you say, lord," Nandiya the Sakyan responded.
The Blessed One said, "And how, Nandiya, does a disciple of the noble ones live
heedlessly? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones is endowed with
verified confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and
rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert
with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be
tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.' Content with
that verified confidence in the Awakened One, he does not exert himself further
in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus heedlessly, there
is no joy. There being no joy, there is no rapture. There being no rapture,
there is no serenity. There being no serenity, he dwells in pain. When pained,
the mind does not become centered. When the mind is uncentered, phenomena do not
become manifest. When phenomena are not manifest, he is reckoned simply as one
who dwells heedlessly.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here
& now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise
for themselves.' Content with that verified confidence in the Dhamma, he does
not exert himself further in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him,
living thus heedlessly, there is no joy. There being no joy, there is no
rapture. There being no rapture, there is no serenity. There being no serenity,
he dwells in pain. When pained, the mind does not become centered. When the mind
is uncentered, phenomena do not become manifest. When phenomena are not
manifest, he is reckoned simply as one who dwells heedlessly.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the 'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well... who
have practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced methodically... who have
practiced masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when
taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Sangha
of the Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy
of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
Content with that verified confidence in the Sangha, he does not exert himself
further in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus
heedlessly, there is no joy. There being no joy, there is no rapture. There
being no rapture, there is no serenity. There being no serenity, he dwells in
pain. When pained, the mind does not become centered. When the mind is
uncentered, phenomena do not become manifest. When phenomena are not manifest,
he is reckoned simply as one who dwells heedlessly.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with virtues that are
appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered,
liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. Content
with those virtues pleasing to the noble ones, he does not exert himself further
in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus heedlessly, there
is no joy. There being no joy, there is no rapture. There being no rapture,
there is no serenity. There being no serenity, he dwells in pain. When pained,
the mind does not become centered. When the mind is uncentered, phenomena do not
become manifest. When phenomena are not manifest, he is reckoned simply as one
who dwells heedlessly.
"This is how a disciple of the noble ones lives heedlessly.
"And how, Nandiya, does a disciple of the noble ones live heedfully? There is
the case where a disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Awakened One... Not content with that verified confidence in the Awakened
One, he exerts himself further in solitude by day or seclusion by night. For
him, living thus heedfully, joy arises. In one who has joy, rapture arises. In
one who has rapture, the body becomes serene. When the body is serene, one feels
pleasure. Feeling pleasure, the mind becomes centered. When the mind is
centered, phenomena become manifest. When phenomena are manifest, he is reckoned
as one who dwells heedfully.
"Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence
in the Dhamma... verified confidence in the Sangha... virtues that are appealing
to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating,
praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. Not content with
those virtues pleasing to the noble ones, he exerts himself further in solitude
by day or seclusion by night. For him, living thus heedfully, joy arises. In one
who has joy, rapture arises. In one who has rapture, the body becomes serene.
When the body is serene, one feels pleasure. Feeling pleasure, the mind becomes
centered. When the mind is centered, phenomena become manifest. When phenomena
are manifest, he is reckoned as one who dwells heedfully.
"This is how a disciple of the noble ones lives heedfully."
See also: SN 3.17; SN 48.56.
Samyutta Nikaya - Sotapatti Samyutta I
Samyutta Nikaya - Sotapatti Samyutta I
SN 55.1
Raja Sutta
The Emperor
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 342
CDB ii 1788
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 2004 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 2004
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, even though a wheel-turning
emperor, having exercised sovereign lordship over the four continents, on the
break-up of the body, after death, reappears in the good destination, the
heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three, and enjoys
himself there in the Nandana grove, surrounded by a consort of nymphs, supplied
and endowed with the five strings of heavenly sensual pleasure, still — because
he is not endowed with four qualities — he is not freed from [the possibility of
going to] hell, not freed from the animal womb, not freed from the realm of
hungry shades, not freed from the plane of deprivation, the bad destinations,
the lower realms.
"And even though a disciple of the noble ones lives off lumps of alms food and
wears rag-robes, still — because he is endowed with four qualities — he is freed
from hell, freed from the animal womb, freed from the realm of hungry shades,
freed from the plane of deprivation, the bad destinations, the lower realms.
"And what are the four? There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones
is endowed with verified confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed
One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct,
well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those
people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened,
blessed.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting
verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced
straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced
masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as
pairs, the eight when taken as individual types1 — they are the Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
"He/she is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn,
unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished,
leading to concentration.
"He/she is endowed with these four qualities.2
"And between the gaining of the four continents and the gaining of these four
qualities, the gaining of the four continents is not equal to one sixteenth of
the gaining of these four qualities."3
Notes
1. The four pairs are (1) the person on the path to stream-entry, the person
experiencing the fruit of stream-entry; (2) the person on the path to
once-returning, the person experiencing the fruit of once-returning; (3) the
person on the path to non-returning, the person experiencing the fruit of
non-returning; (4) the person on the path to arahantship, the person
experiencing the fruit of arahantship. The eight individuals are the eight types
forming these four pairs.
2. These four qualities — the factors of stream-entry — characterize the person
who has attained the first of the four levels of awakening.
3. Dhp 178 provides what would appear to be a verse summary of this last
paragraph:
Sole dominion over the earth,
going to heaven,
lordship over all worlds:
the fruit of stream-entry
excels them.
SN 55.21
Mahanama Sutta
To Mahanama (1)
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans
near Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Then Mahanama the Sakyan went to the
Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he
was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, this Kapilavatthu is rich
& prosperous, populous & crowded, its alleys congested. Sometimes, when I enter
Kapilavatthu in the evening after visiting with the Blessed One or with the
monks who inspire the mind, I meet up with a runaway elephant, a runaway horse,
a runaway chariot, a runaway cart, or a runaway person. At times like that my
mindfulness with regard to the Blessed One gets muddled, my mindfulness with
regard to the Dhamma... the Sangha gets muddled. The thought occurs to me, 'If I
were to die at this moment, what would be my destination? What would be my
future course?"
"Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one, your
demise will not be bad. If one's mind has long been nurtured with conviction,
nurtured with virtue, nurtured with learning, nurtured with relinquishment,
nurtured with discernment, then when the body — endowed with form, composed of
the four primary elements, born from mother & father, nourished with rice &
porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, & dispersion —
is eaten by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, hyenas, or all sorts of creatures,
nevertheless the mind — long nurtured with conviction, nurtured with virtue,
learning, relinquishment, & discernment — rises upward and separates out.
"Suppose a man were to throw a jar of ghee or a jar of oil into a deep lake of
water, where it would break. There the shards & jar-fragments would go down,
while the ghee or oil would rise upward and separate out. In the same way, if
one's mind has long been nurtured with conviction, nurtured with virtue,
nurtured with learning, nurtured with relinquishment, nurtured with discernment,
then when the body... is eaten by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, hyenas, or all
sorts of creatures, nevertheless the mind... rises upward and separates out.
"Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one, your
demise will not be bad."
See also: SN 55.22; AN 6.16
SN 55.22
Mahanama Sutta
To Mahanama (2)
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans
near Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Then Mahanama the Sakyan went to the
Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he
was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, this Kapilavatthu is rich
& prosperous, populous & crowded, its alleys congested. Sometimes, when I enter
Kapilavatthu in the evening after visiting with the Blessed One or with the
monks who inspire the mind, I meet up with a runaway elephant, a runaway horse,
a runaway chariot, a runaway cart, or a runaway person. At times like that my
mindfulness with regard to the Blessed One gets muddled, my mindfulness with
regard to the Dhamma... the Sangha gets muddled. The thought occurs to me, 'If I
were to die at this moment, what would be my destination? What would be my
future course?"
"Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one, your
demise will not be bad. A disciple of the noble ones, when endowed with four
qualities, leans toward Unbinding, slants toward Unbinding, inclines toward
Unbinding. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting
verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced
straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced
masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as
pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
"He/she is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn,
unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished,
leading to concentration.
"Suppose a tree were leaning toward the east, slanting toward the east,
inclining toward the east. When its root is cut, which way would it fall?"
"In whichever way it was leaning, slanting, and inclining, lord."
"In the same way, Mahanama, a disciple of the noble ones, when endowed with four
qualities, leans toward Unbinding, slants toward Unbinding, inclines toward
Unbinding."
See also: SN 55.21; AN 6.16
SN 55.30
Licchavi Sutta
To the Licchavi
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Vesali in the Gabled Hall in
the Great Forest. Then Nandaka, the chief minister of the Licchavis, went to the
Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was
sitting there the Blessed One said to him: "Nandaka, a disciple of the noble
ones endowed with four qualities is a stream-winner, steadfast, never again
destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting
verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced
straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced
masterfully-in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as
pairs, the eight when taken as individual types-they are the Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
"He/she is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn,
unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished,
leading to concentration.
"A disciple of the noble ones endowed with these four qualities is a
stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for
self-awakening.
"Furthermore, a disciple of the noble ones endowed with these four qualities is
linked with long life, human or divine; is linked with beauty, human or divine;
is linked with happiness, human or divine; is linked with status, human or
divine; is linked with influence, human or divine.
"I tell you this, Nandaka, not having heard it from any other brahman or
contemplative. Instead, I tell you this having known, seen, and realized it for
myself."
When this was said, a certain man said to Nandaka, the chief minister of the
Licchavis, "It is now time for your bath, sir."
[Nandaka responded,] "Enough, I say, with this external bath. I am satisfied
with this internal bath: confidence in the Blessed One."
SN 55.1
Raja Sutta
The Emperor
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 342
CDB ii 1788
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 2004 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 2004
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, even though a wheel-turning
emperor, having exercised sovereign lordship over the four continents, on the
break-up of the body, after death, reappears in the good destination, the
heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three, and enjoys
himself there in the Nandana grove, surrounded by a consort of nymphs, supplied
and endowed with the five strings of heavenly sensual pleasure, still — because
he is not endowed with four qualities — he is not freed from [the possibility of
going to] hell, not freed from the animal womb, not freed from the realm of
hungry shades, not freed from the plane of deprivation, the bad destinations,
the lower realms.
"And even though a disciple of the noble ones lives off lumps of alms food and
wears rag-robes, still — because he is endowed with four qualities — he is freed
from hell, freed from the animal womb, freed from the realm of hungry shades,
freed from the plane of deprivation, the bad destinations, the lower realms.
"And what are the four? There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones
is endowed with verified confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed
One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct,
well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those
people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened,
blessed.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting
verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced
straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced
masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as
pairs, the eight when taken as individual types1 — they are the Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
"He/she is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn,
unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished,
leading to concentration.
"He/she is endowed with these four qualities.2
"And between the gaining of the four continents and the gaining of these four
qualities, the gaining of the four continents is not equal to one sixteenth of
the gaining of these four qualities."3
Notes
1. The four pairs are (1) the person on the path to stream-entry, the person
experiencing the fruit of stream-entry; (2) the person on the path to
once-returning, the person experiencing the fruit of once-returning; (3) the
person on the path to non-returning, the person experiencing the fruit of
non-returning; (4) the person on the path to arahantship, the person
experiencing the fruit of arahantship. The eight individuals are the eight types
forming these four pairs.
2. These four qualities — the factors of stream-entry — characterize the person
who has attained the first of the four levels of awakening.
3. Dhp 178 provides what would appear to be a verse summary of this last
paragraph:
Sole dominion over the earth,
going to heaven,
lordship over all worlds:
the fruit of stream-entry
excels them.
SN 55.21
Mahanama Sutta
To Mahanama (1)
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans
near Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Then Mahanama the Sakyan went to the
Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he
was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, this Kapilavatthu is rich
& prosperous, populous & crowded, its alleys congested. Sometimes, when I enter
Kapilavatthu in the evening after visiting with the Blessed One or with the
monks who inspire the mind, I meet up with a runaway elephant, a runaway horse,
a runaway chariot, a runaway cart, or a runaway person. At times like that my
mindfulness with regard to the Blessed One gets muddled, my mindfulness with
regard to the Dhamma... the Sangha gets muddled. The thought occurs to me, 'If I
were to die at this moment, what would be my destination? What would be my
future course?"
"Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one, your
demise will not be bad. If one's mind has long been nurtured with conviction,
nurtured with virtue, nurtured with learning, nurtured with relinquishment,
nurtured with discernment, then when the body — endowed with form, composed of
the four primary elements, born from mother & father, nourished with rice &
porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, & dispersion —
is eaten by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, hyenas, or all sorts of creatures,
nevertheless the mind — long nurtured with conviction, nurtured with virtue,
learning, relinquishment, & discernment — rises upward and separates out.
"Suppose a man were to throw a jar of ghee or a jar of oil into a deep lake of
water, where it would break. There the shards & jar-fragments would go down,
while the ghee or oil would rise upward and separate out. In the same way, if
one's mind has long been nurtured with conviction, nurtured with virtue,
nurtured with learning, nurtured with relinquishment, nurtured with discernment,
then when the body... is eaten by crows, vultures, hawks, dogs, hyenas, or all
sorts of creatures, nevertheless the mind... rises upward and separates out.
"Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one, your
demise will not be bad."
See also: SN 55.22; AN 6.16
SN 55.22
Mahanama Sutta
To Mahanama (2)
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans
near Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha's Park. Then Mahanama the Sakyan went to the
Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he
was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, this Kapilavatthu is rich
& prosperous, populous & crowded, its alleys congested. Sometimes, when I enter
Kapilavatthu in the evening after visiting with the Blessed One or with the
monks who inspire the mind, I meet up with a runaway elephant, a runaway horse,
a runaway chariot, a runaway cart, or a runaway person. At times like that my
mindfulness with regard to the Blessed One gets muddled, my mindfulness with
regard to the Dhamma... the Sangha gets muddled. The thought occurs to me, 'If I
were to die at this moment, what would be my destination? What would be my
future course?"
"Have no fear, Mahanama! Have no fear! Your death will not be a bad one, your
demise will not be bad. A disciple of the noble ones, when endowed with four
qualities, leans toward Unbinding, slants toward Unbinding, inclines toward
Unbinding. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting
verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced
straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced
masterfully — in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as
pairs, the eight when taken as individual types — they are the Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
"He/she is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn,
unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished,
leading to concentration.
"Suppose a tree were leaning toward the east, slanting toward the east,
inclining toward the east. When its root is cut, which way would it fall?"
"In whichever way it was leaning, slanting, and inclining, lord."
"In the same way, Mahanama, a disciple of the noble ones, when endowed with four
qualities, leans toward Unbinding, slants toward Unbinding, inclines toward
Unbinding."
See also: SN 55.21; AN 6.16
SN 55.30
Licchavi Sutta
To the Licchavi
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Vesali in the Gabled Hall in
the Great Forest. Then Nandaka, the chief minister of the Licchavis, went to the
Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was
sitting there the Blessed One said to him: "Nandaka, a disciple of the noble
ones endowed with four qualities is a stream-winner, steadfast, never again
destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening. Which four?
"There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified
confidence in the Awakened One: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly
self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with
regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of divine & human beings, awakened, blessed.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting
verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.'
"He/she is endowed with verified confidence in the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practiced well...who have practiced
straight-forwardly...who have practiced methodically...who have practiced
masterfully-in other words, the four types of noble disciples when taken as
pairs, the eight when taken as individual types-they are the Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.'
"He/she is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn,
unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished,
leading to concentration.
"A disciple of the noble ones endowed with these four qualities is a
stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for
self-awakening.
"Furthermore, a disciple of the noble ones endowed with these four qualities is
linked with long life, human or divine; is linked with beauty, human or divine;
is linked with happiness, human or divine; is linked with status, human or
divine; is linked with influence, human or divine.
"I tell you this, Nandaka, not having heard it from any other brahman or
contemplative. Instead, I tell you this having known, seen, and realized it for
myself."
When this was said, a certain man said to Nandaka, the chief minister of the
Licchavis, "It is now time for your bath, sir."
[Nandaka responded,] "Enough, I say, with this external bath. I am satisfied
with this internal bath: confidence in the Blessed One."
Samyutta Nikaya - Anapana Samyutta II
Samyutta Nikaya - Anapana Samyutta II
SN 54.13
Ananda Sutta
To Ananda
(On Mindfulness of Breathing)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 328
CDB ii 1780
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1995 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1995
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed
One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting
there he addressed the Blessed One, saying, "Is there one quality that, when
developed & pursued, brings four qualities to completion? And four qualities
that, when developed & pursued, bring seven qualities to completion? And seven
qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring two qualities to completion?"
"Yes, Ananda, there is one quality that, when developed & pursued, brings four
qualities to completion; and four qualities that, when developed & pursued,
bring seven qualities to completion; and seven qualities that, when developed &
pursued, bring two qualities to completion. And what is the one quality that,
when developed & pursued, brings four qualities to completion? What are the four
qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring seven qualities to completion?
What are the seven qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring two qualities
to completion?
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four
frames of reference1 to completion. The four frames of reference, when developed
& pursued, bring the seven factors for Awakening to completion. The seven
factors for Awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release
to completion.
Mindfulness of In-&-Out Breathing
"Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to bring
the four frames of reference to their culmination?
"There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding
his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes
in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing
out long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. [2] Or breathing in short,
he discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns
that he is breathing out short. [3] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to
the entire body, and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. [4] He trains
himself to breathe in calming the bodily processes, and to breathe out calming
the bodily processes.
"[5] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe out
sensitive to rapture. [6] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to pleasure,
and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [7] He trains himself to breathe in
sensitive to mental processes, and to breathe out sensitive to mental processes.
[8] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental processes, and to breathe out
calming mental processes.
"[9] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe out
sensitive to the mind. [10] He trains himself to breathe in satisfying the mind,
and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [11] He trains himself to breathe in
steadying the mind, and to breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself to breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.
"[13] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and to breathe
out focusing on inconstancy. [14] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on
dispassion,2 and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [15] He trains himself
to breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out focusing on cessation.
[16] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on relinquishment, and to breathe
out focusing on relinquishment.
The Four Frames of Reference
"[1] Now, on whatever occasion a monk breathing in long discerns that he is
breathing in long; or breathing out long, discerns that he is breathing out
long; or breathing in short, discerns that he is breathing in short; or
breathing out short, discerns that he is breathing out short; trains himself to
breathe in... &... out sensitive to the entire body; trains himself to breathe
in... &... out calming the bodily processes: On that occasion the monk remains
focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you that this — the
in-&-out breath — is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on
that occasion remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
"[2] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in... &... out
sensitive to rapture; trains himself to breathe in... &... out sensitive to
pleasure; trains himself to breathe in... &... out sensitive to mental
processes; trains himself to breathe in... &... out calming mental processes: On
that occasion the monk remains focused on feelings in & of themselves — ardent,
alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. I
tell you that this — close attention to in-&-out breaths — is classed as a
feeling among feelings, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused
on feelings in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed
& distress with reference to the world.
"[3] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in... &... out
sensitive to the mind; trains himself to breathe in... &... out satisfying the
mind; trains himself to breathe in... &... out steadying the mind; trains
himself to breathe in... &... out releasing the mind: On that occasion the monk
remains focused on the mind in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting
aside greed & distress with reference to the world. I don't say that there is
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing in one of confused mindfulness and no
alertness, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the mind in
& of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world.
"[4] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in... &... out
focusing on inconstancy; trains himself to breathe in... &... out focusing on
dispassion; trains himself to breathe in... &... out focusing on cessation;
trains himself to breathe in... &... out focusing on relinquishment: On that
occasion the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world. He who sees clearly with discernment the abandoning of greed & distress
is one who oversees with equanimity, which is why the monk on that occasion
remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
"This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to
bring the four frames of reference to their culmination.
The Seven Factors for Awakening
"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring the
seven factors for Awakening to their culmination?
"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his
mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for
Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the
culmination of its development.
"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a
comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this
way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with
discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening becomes
aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
"[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality
with discernment, unflagging persistence is aroused. When unflagging persistence
is aroused in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that
quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for Awakening becomes
aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises.
When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then
rapture as a factor for Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him
it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[5] For one who is enraptured, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm.
When the body & mind of an enraptured monk grow calm, then serenity as a factor
for Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the
culmination of its development.
"[6] For one who is at ease — his body calmed — the mind becomes concentrated.
When the mind of one who is at ease — his body calmed — becomes concentrated,
then concentration as a factor for Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it,
and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[7] He oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he oversees
the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor for Awakening
becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
(Similarly with the other three frames of reference: feelings, mind, & mental
qualities.)
"This is how the four frames of reference are developed & pursued so as to bring
the seven factors for Awakening to their culmination.
Clear Knowing & Release
"And how are the seven factors for Awakening developed & pursued so as to bring
clear knowing & release to their culmination? There is the case where a monk
develops mindfulness as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion...
dispassion... cessation, resulting in relinquishment. He develops analysis of
qualities as a factor for Awakening... persistence as a factor for Awakening...
rapture as a factor for Awakening... serenity as a factor for Awakening...
concentration as a factor for Awakening... equanimity as a factor for Awakening
dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
"This is how the seven factors for Awakening, when developed & pursued, bring
clear knowing & release to their culmination."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Ananda delighted in the
Blessed One's words.
Notes
1. Or: "foundations of mindfulness."
2. Lit., "fading."
SN 54.13
Ananda Sutta
To Ananda
(On Mindfulness of Breathing)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 328
CDB ii 1780
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1995 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1995
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed
One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting
there he addressed the Blessed One, saying, "Is there one quality that, when
developed & pursued, brings four qualities to completion? And four qualities
that, when developed & pursued, bring seven qualities to completion? And seven
qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring two qualities to completion?"
"Yes, Ananda, there is one quality that, when developed & pursued, brings four
qualities to completion; and four qualities that, when developed & pursued,
bring seven qualities to completion; and seven qualities that, when developed &
pursued, bring two qualities to completion. And what is the one quality that,
when developed & pursued, brings four qualities to completion? What are the four
qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring seven qualities to completion?
What are the seven qualities that, when developed & pursued, bring two qualities
to completion?
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four
frames of reference1 to completion. The four frames of reference, when developed
& pursued, bring the seven factors for Awakening to completion. The seven
factors for Awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release
to completion.
Mindfulness of In-&-Out Breathing
"Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to bring
the four frames of reference to their culmination?
"There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding
his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes
in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing
out long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. [2] Or breathing in short,
he discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns
that he is breathing out short. [3] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to
the entire body, and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. [4] He trains
himself to breathe in calming the bodily processes, and to breathe out calming
the bodily processes.
"[5] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe out
sensitive to rapture. [6] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to pleasure,
and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [7] He trains himself to breathe in
sensitive to mental processes, and to breathe out sensitive to mental processes.
[8] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental processes, and to breathe out
calming mental processes.
"[9] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe out
sensitive to the mind. [10] He trains himself to breathe in satisfying the mind,
and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [11] He trains himself to breathe in
steadying the mind, and to breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself to breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.
"[13] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and to breathe
out focusing on inconstancy. [14] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on
dispassion,2 and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [15] He trains himself
to breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out focusing on cessation.
[16] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on relinquishment, and to breathe
out focusing on relinquishment.
The Four Frames of Reference
"[1] Now, on whatever occasion a monk breathing in long discerns that he is
breathing in long; or breathing out long, discerns that he is breathing out
long; or breathing in short, discerns that he is breathing in short; or
breathing out short, discerns that he is breathing out short; trains himself to
breathe in... &... out sensitive to the entire body; trains himself to breathe
in... &... out calming the bodily processes: On that occasion the monk remains
focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you that this — the
in-&-out breath — is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on
that occasion remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
"[2] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in... &... out
sensitive to rapture; trains himself to breathe in... &... out sensitive to
pleasure; trains himself to breathe in... &... out sensitive to mental
processes; trains himself to breathe in... &... out calming mental processes: On
that occasion the monk remains focused on feelings in & of themselves — ardent,
alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. I
tell you that this — close attention to in-&-out breaths — is classed as a
feeling among feelings, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused
on feelings in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed
& distress with reference to the world.
"[3] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in... &... out
sensitive to the mind; trains himself to breathe in... &... out satisfying the
mind; trains himself to breathe in... &... out steadying the mind; trains
himself to breathe in... &... out releasing the mind: On that occasion the monk
remains focused on the mind in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting
aside greed & distress with reference to the world. I don't say that there is
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing in one of confused mindfulness and no
alertness, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the mind in
& of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with
reference to the world.
"[4] On whatever occasion a monk trains himself to breathe in... &... out
focusing on inconstancy; trains himself to breathe in... &... out focusing on
dispassion; trains himself to breathe in... &... out focusing on cessation;
trains himself to breathe in... &... out focusing on relinquishment: On that
occasion the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world. He who sees clearly with discernment the abandoning of greed & distress
is one who oversees with equanimity, which is why the monk on that occasion
remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, &
mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.
"This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to
bring the four frames of reference to their culmination.
The Seven Factors for Awakening
"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring the
seven factors for Awakening to their culmination?
"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his
mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for
Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the
culmination of its development.
"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a
comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this
way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with
discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening becomes
aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
"[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality
with discernment, unflagging persistence is aroused. When unflagging persistence
is aroused in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that
quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for Awakening becomes
aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises.
When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then
rapture as a factor for Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him
it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[5] For one who is enraptured, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm.
When the body & mind of an enraptured monk grow calm, then serenity as a factor
for Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the
culmination of its development.
"[6] For one who is at ease — his body calmed — the mind becomes concentrated.
When the mind of one who is at ease — his body calmed — becomes concentrated,
then concentration as a factor for Awakening becomes aroused. He develops it,
and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[7] He oversees the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he oversees
the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor for Awakening
becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its
development.
(Similarly with the other three frames of reference: feelings, mind, & mental
qualities.)
"This is how the four frames of reference are developed & pursued so as to bring
the seven factors for Awakening to their culmination.
Clear Knowing & Release
"And how are the seven factors for Awakening developed & pursued so as to bring
clear knowing & release to their culmination? There is the case where a monk
develops mindfulness as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion...
dispassion... cessation, resulting in relinquishment. He develops analysis of
qualities as a factor for Awakening... persistence as a factor for Awakening...
rapture as a factor for Awakening... serenity as a factor for Awakening...
concentration as a factor for Awakening... equanimity as a factor for Awakening
dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
"This is how the seven factors for Awakening, when developed & pursued, bring
clear knowing & release to their culmination."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Ananda delighted in the
Blessed One's words.
Notes
1. Or: "foundations of mindfulness."
2. Lit., "fading."
Samyutta Nikaya - Anapana Samyutta I
Samyutta Nikaya - Anapana Samyutta I
SN 54.6
Arittha Sutta
To Arittha
(On Mindfulness of Breathing)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 314
CDB ii 1768
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 2006 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 2006
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, do you develop mindfulness of
in-&-out breathing?"
When this was said, Ven. Arittha replied to the Blessed One, "I develop
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, lord."
"But how do you develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Arittha?"
"Having abandoned sensual desire for past sensual pleasures, lord, having done
away with sensual desire for future sensual pleasures, and having thoroughly
subdued perceptions of irritation with regard to internal & external events, I
breathe in mindfully and breathe out mindfully."1
"There is that mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Arittha. I don't say that
there isn't. But as to how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is brought in
detail to its culmination, listen and pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," Ven. Arittha responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, "And how, Arittha, is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing
brought in detail to its culmination? There is the case where a monk, having
gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits
down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness
to the fore.2 Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out
long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, he
discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am
breathing out short.' [3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the
entire body.'3 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire
body.' [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'4
He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the bodily fabrication.'
"[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to
mental fabrication.'5 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental
fabrication.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental
fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental
fabrication.'
"[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the
mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will
breathe out releasing the mind.'6
"[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14] He trains himself,
'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.'7 He trains himself, 'I will breathe
out focusing on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing
on cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.'
[16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.' He
trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'
"This, Arittha, is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is brought in detail to
its culmination."
Notes
1. The Commentary reads this statement as indicating that Arittha has attained
the third level of Awakening, non-return, but it is also possible to interpret
the statement on a more mundane level: Arittha is simply practicing mindfulness
in the present moment, having temporarily subdued desire for past and future
sensual pleasures, and having temporarily subdued any thought of irritation with
regard to the present.
2. To the fore (parimukham): The Abhidhamma takes an etymological approach to
this term, defining it as around (pari-) the mouth (mukham). In the Vinaya,
however, it is used in a context (Cv.V.27.4) where it undoubtedly means the
front of the chest. There is also the possibility that the term could be used
idiomatically as "to the front," which is how I have translated it here.
3. The commentaries insist that "body" here means the breath, but this is
unlikely in this context, for the next step — without further explanation —
refers to the breath as "bodily fabrication." If the Buddha were using two
different terms to refer to the breath in such close proximity, he would have
been careful to signal that he was redefining his terms (as he does below, when
explaining that the first four steps in breath meditation correspond to the
practice of focusing on the body in and of itself as a frame of reference). The
step of breathing in and out sensitive to the entire body relates to the many
similes in the suttas depicting jhana as a state of whole-body awareness (see MN
119).
4. "In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things tied up with the body. That's
why in-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications." — MN 44.
5. "Perceptions & feelings are mental; these are things tied up with the mind.
That's why perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications." — MN 44.
6. AN 9.34 shows how the mind, step by step, is temporarily released from
burdensome mental states of greater and greater refinement as it advances
through the stages of jhana.
7. Lit., "fading."
See also: MN 118; SN 54.8.
SN 54.8
Dipa Sutta
The Lamp
"Monks, concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed
& pursued, is of great fruit, great benefit. And how is concentration through
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be of great
fruit, great benefit?
"There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding
his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore.1 Always mindful, he
breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out
long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, he
discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am
breathing out short.' [3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the
entire body.'2 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire
body.' [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'3
He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the bodily fabrication.'
"[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to
mental fabrication.'4 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental
fabrication.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental
fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental
fabrication.'
"[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the
mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will
breathe out releasing the mind.'5
"[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14] He trains himself,
'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.'6 He trains himself, 'I will breathe
out focusing on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing
on cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.'
[16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.' He
trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'
"This is how concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is
developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, great benefit.
"I myself, monks, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened
bodhisatta, often dwelt in this [meditative] dwelling. While I was dwelling in
this [meditative] dwelling, neither my body nor my eyes were fatigued, and the
mind — through lack of clinging/sustenance — was released from mental
fermentations.
"Thus, monks, if a monk should wish, 'May neither my body nor my eyes be
fatigued, and may my mind — through lack of clinging/sustenance — be released
from mental fermentations,' then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May memories & resolves connected to the household life
be abandoned within me,' he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I be percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of
what is not loathsome,' he should attend closely to this very same concentration
through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I be percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence
of what is loathsome ... May I be percipient of loathesomeness in the presence
of what is loathsome & what is not ... May I be percipient of unloathsomeness in
the presence of what is loathsome & what is not ... May I — in the presence of
what is loathsome & what is not — cutting myself off from both, remain
equanimous, alert, & mindful,' then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I — quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures,
withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enter & remain in the first jhana: rapture
& pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation,'
then he should attend closely to this very same concentration through
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the stilling of directed thoughts &
evaluations, enter & remain in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of
composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation —
internal assurance, then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the fading of rapture, remain in
equanimity, mindful & alert, be physically sensitive to pleasure, and enter &
remain in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, "Equanimous &
mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding," then he should attend closely to this
very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of perceptions of
[physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not
heeding perceptions of diversity, [perceiving,] 'Infinite space,' enter & remain
in the dimension of the infinitude of space,' then he should attend closely to
this very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of the infinitude of space, [perceiving,] 'Infinite consciousness,' enter &
remain in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness,' then he should
attend closely to this very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out
breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of the infinitude of consciousness, [perceiving,] 'There is nothing,' enter &
remain in the dimension of nothingness,' then he should attend closely to this
very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of nothingness, enter & remain in the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception,' then he should attend closely to this very same concentration
through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of neither perception nor non-perception, enter & remain in the cessation of
perception & feeling,' then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"When concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing has been thus
developed, thus pursued, one senses a feeling of pleasure. One discerns it as
'inconstant.' One discerns it as 'not grasped at.' One discerns it as 'not
relished.' One senses a feeling of pain. One discerns it as 'inconstant.' One
discerns it as 'not grasped at.' One discerns it as 'not relished.' One senses a
feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. One discerns it as 'inconstant.' One
discerns it as 'not grasped at.' One discerns it as 'not relished.'
"If one senses a feeling of pleasure, one senses it as if disjoined from it. If
one senses a feeling of pain, one senses it as if disjoined from it. If one
senses a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one senses it as if disjoined
from it. When sensing a feeling limited to the body, one discerns, 'I am sensing
a feeling limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, one
discerns, 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' One discerns, 'With the
break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is experienced,
not being relished, will grow cold right here.'
"Just as an oil lamp would burn in dependence on oil & wick and, from the
termination of the oil & wick, it would go out unnourished; in the same way,
when sensing a feeling limited to the body, one discerns that 'I am sensing a
feeling limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, one
discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' One discerns, 'With the
break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not
being relished, will grow cold right here.'"
Notes
1. To the fore (parimukham): The Abhidhamma takes an etymological approach to
this term, defining it as around (pari-) the mouth (mukham). In the Vinaya,
however, it is used in a context (Cv.V.27.4) where it undoubtedly means the
front of the chest. There is also the possibility that the term could be used
idiomatically as "to the front," which is how I have translated it here.
2. The commentaries insist that "body" here means the breath, but this is
unlikely in this context, for the next step — without further explanation —
refers to the breath as "bodily fabrication." If the Buddha were using two
different terms to refer to the breath in such close proximity, he would have
been careful to signal that he was redefining his terms (as he does below, when
explaining that the first four steps in breath meditation correspond to the
practice of focusing on the body in and of itself as a frame of reference). The
step of breathing in and out sensitive to the entire body relates to the many
similes in the suttas depicting jhana as a state of whole-body awareness (see MN
119).
3. "In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things tied up with the body. That's
why in-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications." — MN 44.
4. "Perceptions & feelings are mental; these are things tied up with the mind.
That's why perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications." — MN 44.
5. AN 9.34 shows how the mind, step by step, is temporarily released from
burdensome mental states of greater and greater refinement as it advances
through the stages of jhana.
6. Lit., "fading."
See also: MN 118; SN 54.8.
SN 54.6
Arittha Sutta
To Arittha
(On Mindfulness of Breathing)
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 314
CDB ii 1768
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 2006 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 2006
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, do you develop mindfulness of
in-&-out breathing?"
When this was said, Ven. Arittha replied to the Blessed One, "I develop
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, lord."
"But how do you develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Arittha?"
"Having abandoned sensual desire for past sensual pleasures, lord, having done
away with sensual desire for future sensual pleasures, and having thoroughly
subdued perceptions of irritation with regard to internal & external events, I
breathe in mindfully and breathe out mindfully."1
"There is that mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Arittha. I don't say that
there isn't. But as to how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is brought in
detail to its culmination, listen and pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," Ven. Arittha responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, "And how, Arittha, is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing
brought in detail to its culmination? There is the case where a monk, having
gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits
down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness
to the fore.2 Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out
long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, he
discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am
breathing out short.' [3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the
entire body.'3 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire
body.' [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'4
He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the bodily fabrication.'
"[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to
mental fabrication.'5 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental
fabrication.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental
fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental
fabrication.'
"[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the
mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will
breathe out releasing the mind.'6
"[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14] He trains himself,
'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.'7 He trains himself, 'I will breathe
out focusing on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing
on cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.'
[16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.' He
trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'
"This, Arittha, is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is brought in detail to
its culmination."
Notes
1. The Commentary reads this statement as indicating that Arittha has attained
the third level of Awakening, non-return, but it is also possible to interpret
the statement on a more mundane level: Arittha is simply practicing mindfulness
in the present moment, having temporarily subdued desire for past and future
sensual pleasures, and having temporarily subdued any thought of irritation with
regard to the present.
2. To the fore (parimukham): The Abhidhamma takes an etymological approach to
this term, defining it as around (pari-) the mouth (mukham). In the Vinaya,
however, it is used in a context (Cv.V.27.4) where it undoubtedly means the
front of the chest. There is also the possibility that the term could be used
idiomatically as "to the front," which is how I have translated it here.
3. The commentaries insist that "body" here means the breath, but this is
unlikely in this context, for the next step — without further explanation —
refers to the breath as "bodily fabrication." If the Buddha were using two
different terms to refer to the breath in such close proximity, he would have
been careful to signal that he was redefining his terms (as he does below, when
explaining that the first four steps in breath meditation correspond to the
practice of focusing on the body in and of itself as a frame of reference). The
step of breathing in and out sensitive to the entire body relates to the many
similes in the suttas depicting jhana as a state of whole-body awareness (see MN
119).
4. "In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things tied up with the body. That's
why in-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications." — MN 44.
5. "Perceptions & feelings are mental; these are things tied up with the mind.
That's why perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications." — MN 44.
6. AN 9.34 shows how the mind, step by step, is temporarily released from
burdensome mental states of greater and greater refinement as it advances
through the stages of jhana.
7. Lit., "fading."
See also: MN 118; SN 54.8.
SN 54.8
Dipa Sutta
The Lamp
"Monks, concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed
& pursued, is of great fruit, great benefit. And how is concentration through
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be of great
fruit, great benefit?
"There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of
a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding
his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore.1 Always mindful, he
breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out
long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, he
discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am
breathing out short.' [3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the
entire body.'2 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire
body.' [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'3
He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming the bodily fabrication.'
"[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.' [6] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
sensitive to pleasure.' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to
mental fabrication.'4 He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental
fabrication.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental
fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental
fabrication.'
"[9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.' [10] He trains himself, 'I
will breathe in satisfying the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out
satisfying the mind.' [11] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in steadying the
mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains
himself, 'I will breathe in releasing the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will
breathe out releasing the mind.'5
"[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.' He trains
himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.' [14] He trains himself,
'I will breathe in focusing on dispassion.'6 He trains himself, 'I will breathe
out focusing on dispassion.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing
on cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.'
[16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.' He
trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'
"This is how concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is
developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, great benefit.
"I myself, monks, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened
bodhisatta, often dwelt in this [meditative] dwelling. While I was dwelling in
this [meditative] dwelling, neither my body nor my eyes were fatigued, and the
mind — through lack of clinging/sustenance — was released from mental
fermentations.
"Thus, monks, if a monk should wish, 'May neither my body nor my eyes be
fatigued, and may my mind — through lack of clinging/sustenance — be released
from mental fermentations,' then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May memories & resolves connected to the household life
be abandoned within me,' he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I be percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of
what is not loathsome,' he should attend closely to this very same concentration
through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I be percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence
of what is loathsome ... May I be percipient of loathesomeness in the presence
of what is loathsome & what is not ... May I be percipient of unloathsomeness in
the presence of what is loathsome & what is not ... May I — in the presence of
what is loathsome & what is not — cutting myself off from both, remain
equanimous, alert, & mindful,' then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I — quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures,
withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enter & remain in the first jhana: rapture
& pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation,'
then he should attend closely to this very same concentration through
mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the stilling of directed thoughts &
evaluations, enter & remain in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of
composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation —
internal assurance, then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the fading of rapture, remain in
equanimity, mindful & alert, be physically sensitive to pleasure, and enter &
remain in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, "Equanimous &
mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding," then he should attend closely to this
very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of perceptions of
[physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not
heeding perceptions of diversity, [perceiving,] 'Infinite space,' enter & remain
in the dimension of the infinitude of space,' then he should attend closely to
this very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of the infinitude of space, [perceiving,] 'Infinite consciousness,' enter &
remain in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness,' then he should
attend closely to this very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out
breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of the infinitude of consciousness, [perceiving,] 'There is nothing,' enter &
remain in the dimension of nothingness,' then he should attend closely to this
very same concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of nothingness, enter & remain in the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception,' then he should attend closely to this very same concentration
through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"If a monk should wish, 'May I, with the complete transcending of the dimension
of neither perception nor non-perception, enter & remain in the cessation of
perception & feeling,' then he should attend closely to this very same
concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"When concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing has been thus
developed, thus pursued, one senses a feeling of pleasure. One discerns it as
'inconstant.' One discerns it as 'not grasped at.' One discerns it as 'not
relished.' One senses a feeling of pain. One discerns it as 'inconstant.' One
discerns it as 'not grasped at.' One discerns it as 'not relished.' One senses a
feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. One discerns it as 'inconstant.' One
discerns it as 'not grasped at.' One discerns it as 'not relished.'
"If one senses a feeling of pleasure, one senses it as if disjoined from it. If
one senses a feeling of pain, one senses it as if disjoined from it. If one
senses a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one senses it as if disjoined
from it. When sensing a feeling limited to the body, one discerns, 'I am sensing
a feeling limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, one
discerns, 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' One discerns, 'With the
break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is experienced,
not being relished, will grow cold right here.'
"Just as an oil lamp would burn in dependence on oil & wick and, from the
termination of the oil & wick, it would go out unnourished; in the same way,
when sensing a feeling limited to the body, one discerns that 'I am sensing a
feeling limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, one
discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' One discerns, 'With the
break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not
being relished, will grow cold right here.'"
Notes
1. To the fore (parimukham): The Abhidhamma takes an etymological approach to
this term, defining it as around (pari-) the mouth (mukham). In the Vinaya,
however, it is used in a context (Cv.V.27.4) where it undoubtedly means the
front of the chest. There is also the possibility that the term could be used
idiomatically as "to the front," which is how I have translated it here.
2. The commentaries insist that "body" here means the breath, but this is
unlikely in this context, for the next step — without further explanation —
refers to the breath as "bodily fabrication." If the Buddha were using two
different terms to refer to the breath in such close proximity, he would have
been careful to signal that he was redefining his terms (as he does below, when
explaining that the first four steps in breath meditation correspond to the
practice of focusing on the body in and of itself as a frame of reference). The
step of breathing in and out sensitive to the entire body relates to the many
similes in the suttas depicting jhana as a state of whole-body awareness (see MN
119).
3. "In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things tied up with the body. That's
why in-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications." — MN 44.
4. "Perceptions & feelings are mental; these are things tied up with the mind.
That's why perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications." — MN 44.
5. AN 9.34 shows how the mind, step by step, is temporarily released from
burdensome mental states of greater and greater refinement as it advances
through the stages of jhana.
6. Lit., "fading."
See also: MN 118; SN 54.8.
Samyutta Nikaya - Anuruddha Samyutta
Samyutta Nikaya - Anuruddha Samyutta
SN 52.10
Gilayana Sutta
Illness
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 302
CDB ii 1757
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Anuruddha was staying near Savatthi in
the Dark Forest — diseased, in pain, severely ill. Then a large number of monks
went to Ven. Anuruddha and on arrival said to him, "What dwelling1 are you
dwelling in so that the pains that have arisen in the body do not invade or
remain in the mind?"
"When I dwell with my mind well-established in the four frames of reference, the
pains that have arisen in the body do not invade or remain in the mind. Which
four? There is the case where I remain focused on the body in & of itself —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world. I remain focused on feelings in & of themselves... mind in & of itself...
mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world. When I dwell with my mind
well-established in these four frames of reference, the pains that have arisen
in the body do not invade or remain in the mind."
Note
1. I.e., mental dwelling.
SN 52.10
Gilayana Sutta
Illness
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 302
CDB ii 1757
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Anuruddha was staying near Savatthi in
the Dark Forest — diseased, in pain, severely ill. Then a large number of monks
went to Ven. Anuruddha and on arrival said to him, "What dwelling1 are you
dwelling in so that the pains that have arisen in the body do not invade or
remain in the mind?"
"When I dwell with my mind well-established in the four frames of reference, the
pains that have arisen in the body do not invade or remain in the mind. Which
four? There is the case where I remain focused on the body in & of itself —
ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the
world. I remain focused on feelings in & of themselves... mind in & of itself...
mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside
greed & distress with reference to the world. When I dwell with my mind
well-established in these four frames of reference, the pains that have arisen
in the body do not invade or remain in the mind."
Note
1. I.e., mental dwelling.
Samyutta Nikaya - Iddhipada Samyutta
Samyutta Nikaya - Iddhipada Samyutta
SN 51.15
Brahmana Sutta
To Unnabha the Brahman
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 271
CDB ii 1732
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Ananda was staying in Kosambi, at
Ghosita's Park. Then the Brahman Unnabha went to where Ven. Ananda was staying
and on arrival greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings
& courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven.
Ananda: "Master Ananda, what is the aim of this holy life lived under the
contemplative Gotama?"
"Brahman, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the aim of
abandoning desire."
"Is there a path, is there a practice, for the abandoning of that desire?"
"Yes, there is a path, there is a practice, for the abandoning of that desire."
"What is the path, the practice, for the abandoning of that desire?"
"Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with
concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the
base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration
founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications
of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning
of that desire."
"If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an
end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire."
"In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see
fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the
park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire
allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then
when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then
when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the
park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of
discrimination allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has reached
fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal,
totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right
gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on
attaining arahantship that particular desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he
first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that
particular persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the
attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular intent is
allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the attainment of arahantship,
on attaining arahantship that particular discrimination is allayed. So what do
you think, brahman? Is this an endless path, or one with an end?"
"You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an endless
one. Magnificent, Master Ananda! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place
upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one
who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see
forms, in the same way has Master Ananda — through many lines of reasoning —
made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to
the Sangha of monks. May Master Ananda remember me as a lay follower who has
gone for refuge, from this day forward, for life."
SN 51.20
Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta
Analysis of the Bases of Power
"These four bases of power, when developed & pursued, are of great fruit & great
benefit. And how are the four bases of power developed & pursued so as to be of
great fruit & great benefit?
"There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with
concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion, thinking, 'This
desire of mine will be neither overly sluggish nor overly active, neither
inwardly restricted nor outwardly scattered.' He keeps perceiving what is in
front & behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, what is
behind is the same as what is in front. What is below is the same as what is
above, what is above is the same as what is below. [He dwells] by night as by
day, and by day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open & unhampered, he
develops a brightened mind.
"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on
persistence...
"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on intent...
"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on
discrimination & the fabrications of exertion, thinking, 'This discrimination of
mine will be neither overly sluggish nor overly active, neither inwardly
restricted nor outwardly scattered.' He keeps perceiving what is in front &
behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, what is behind is
the same as what is in front. What is below is the same as what is above, what
is above is the same as what is below. [He dwells] by night as by day, and by
day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open & unhampered, he develops a
brightened mind.
"And how is desire overly sluggish? Whatever desire is accompanied by laziness,
conjoined with laziness, that is called overly sluggish desire.
"And how is desire overly active? Whatever desire is accompanied by
restlessness, conjoined with restlessness, that is called overly active desire.
"And how is desire inwardly restricted? Whatever desire is accompanied by sloth
& drowsiness, conjoined with sloth & drowsiness, that is called inwardly
restricted desire.
"And how is desire outwardly scattered? Whatever desire is stirred up by the
five strings of sensuality, outwardly dispersed & dissipated, that is called
outwardly scattered desire.
"And how does a monk dwell perceiving what is in front & behind so that what is
in front is the same as what is behind, and what is behind is the same as what
is in front? There is the case where a monk's perception of what is in front &
behind is well in hand, well-attended to, well-considered, well-tuned1 by means
of discernment. This is how a monk keeps perceiving what is in front and behind
so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, and what is behind is
the same as what is in front.
"And how does a monk dwell so that what is below is the same as what is above,
and what is above is the same as what is below? There is the case where a monk
reflects on this very body, from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of
the head on down, surrounded by skin, & full of various kinds of unclean things:
'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh,
tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large
intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat,
fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.' This is how a
monk dwells so that what is below is the same as what is above, and what is
above is the same as what is below.
"And how does a monk dwell by night as by day, and by day as by night? There is
the case where a monk at night develops the base of power endowed with
concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion by means of the
same modes2 & signs & themes that he uses by day, and by day he develops the
base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of
exertion by means of the same modes & signs & themes that he uses by night. This
is how a monk dwells by night as by day, and by day as by night.
"And how does a monk — by means of an awareness open & unhampered — develop a
brightened mind? There is the case where a monk has the perception of light, the
perception of daytime [at any hour of the day] well in hand & well-established.
This is how a monk — by means of an awareness open & unhampered — develops a
brightened mind.
(The above discussion is then repeated for persistence, intent, &
discrimination.)
"When a monk has thus developed & pursued the four bases of power, he
experiences manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having
been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through
walls, ramparts, & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth
as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land.
Sitting crosslegged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand
he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises
influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.
"He hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified & surpassing the human
— both kinds of sounds: divine & human, whether near or far.
"He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed
it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with
passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a
mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a
mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion,
and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a restricted
mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns
an enlarged mind as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged
mind. He discerns an excelled mind [one that is not at the most excellent level]
as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a
concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an
unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an
unreleased mind as an unreleased mind.
"He recollects his manifold past lives,3 i.e., one birth, two births, three
births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one
thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of
cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction & expansion, [recollecting],
'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such
was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life.
Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name,
belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my
experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that
state, I re-arose here.' Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their
modes & details.
"He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings
passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior,
beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These
beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, & mind, who reviled
the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of
wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in
the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But
these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who
did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under
the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have
re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of
the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away
and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful &
ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.
"Through the ending of the mental effluents, he remains in the effluent-free
awareness-release & discernment-release, knowing & realizing it for himself in
the here & now.
"This is how these four bases of power, when developed & pursued, are of great
fruit & great benefit."
Notes
1. Or: "penetrated."
2. Or: "permutations."
3. Lit.: "previous homes."
SN 51.2
§ 63. Monks, whoever neglects these four bases of power neglects the noble path going to the right ending of stress. Whoever undertakes these four bases of power undertakes the noble path going to the right ending of stress. Which four?
There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion.
Whoever neglects these four bases of power neglects the noble path going to the right ending of stress. Whoever undertakes these four bases of power undertakes the noble path going to the right ending of stress.
SN 51.26
§ 64. Ven. Ānanda: What, venerable sir, is power? What is the base of power? What is the development of the base of power? And what is the path of practice leading to the development of the base of power?
The Buddha: There is the case, Ānanda, where a monk [1] wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahmā worlds. {Just as a skilled potter or his assistant could craft from well-prepared clay whatever kind of pottery vessel he likes, or as a skilled ivory-carver or his assistant could craft from well-prepared ivory any kind of ivory-work he likes, or as a skilled goldsmith or his assistant could craft from well-prepared gold any kind of gold article he likes; in the same way, the monk wields manifold supranormal powers...}
[2] He hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified & surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine & human, whether near or far. {Just as if a man traveling along a highway were to hear the sounds of kettledrums, small drums, conchs, cymbals, & tom-toms. He would know, 'That is the sound of kettledrums, that the sound of small drums, that the sound of conchs, that the sound of cymbals, & that the sound of tom-toms.' In the same way... the monk hears... both kinds of sounds: divine & human...}
[3] He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a constricted mind as a constricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns an enlarged mind [in jhāna] as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged mind. He discerns an excelled mind [one not on the most excellent level] as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an unreleased mind as an unreleased mind. {Just as if a young woman — or man — fond of ornaments, examining the reflection of her own face in a bright mirror or a bowl of clear water would know 'blemished' if it were blemished, or 'unblemished' if it were not. In the same way... the monk knows the awareness of other beings...}
[4] He recollects his manifold past lives [lit: previous homes], i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction & expansion, (recollecting,) 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their modes & details. {Just as if a man were to go from his home village to another village, and then from that village to yet another village, and then from that village back to his home village. The thought would occur to him, 'I went from my home village to that village over there. There I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, talked in such a way, & remained silent in such a way. From that village I went to that village over there, and there I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, talked in such a way, & remained silent in such a way. From that village I came back home.' In the same way... the monk recollects his manifold past lives...}
[5] He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, & mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the breakup of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the breakup of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma. {Just as if there were a tall building in the central square (of a town), and a man with good eyesight standing on top of it were to see people entering a house, leaving it, walking along the street, & sitting in the central square. The thought would occur to him, 'These people are entering a house, leaving it, walking along the streets, & sitting in the central square.' In the same way... the monk sees — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing...}
[6] Through the ending of the mental effluents, he remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. {Just as if there were a pool of water in a mountain glen — clear, limpid, & unsullied — where a man with good eyesight standing on the bank could see shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about & resting, and it would occur to him, 'This pool of water is clear, limpid, & unsullied. Here are these shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also these shoals of fish swimming about & resting.' In the same way, the monk discerns, as it is has come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are effluents... This is the origination of effluents... This is the cessation of effluents... This is the way leading to the cessation of effluents.' His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the effluent of sensuality, released from the effluent of becoming, released from the effluent of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'}
This is called power.
And what is the base of power? Whatever path, whatever practice, leads to the attainment of power, the winning of power: That is called the base of power.
And what is the development of the base of power? There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion. This is called the development of the base of power.
And what is the path of practice leading to the development of the base of power? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is called the path of practice leading to the development of the base of power.
SN 51.13
§ 65. If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on desire, that is called concentration founded on desire. He generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen... (and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. These are called the fabrications of exertion. This is desire, this is concentration founded on desire, these are the fabrications of exertion. This is called the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion.
If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on persistence, that is called concentration founded on persistence...
If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on intent, that is called concentration founded on intent...
If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on discrimination, that is called concentration founded on discrimination. He generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen... (and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. These are called the fabrications of exertion. This is discrimination, this is concentration founded on discrimination, these are the fabrications of exertion. This is called the base of power endowed with concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion.
SN 51.22
§ 68. Ven. Ānanda: Venerable sir, does the Blessed One have direct experience of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with a mind-made body?
The Buddha: Yes, Ānanda...
Ven. Ānanda: But does the Blessed One also have direct experience of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with this very physical body, composed of the four great elements?
The Buddha: Yes...
Ven. Ānanda: It's amazing & astounding that the Blessed One should have direct experience of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with a mind-made body, and of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with this very physical body, composed of the four great elements.
The Buddha: Tathāgatas are both amazing, Ānanda, and endowed with amazing qualities. They are both astounding and endowed with astounding qualities. Whenever the Tathāgata merges his body with his mind and his mind with his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy with regard to the body, then his body becomes lighter, more pliant, more malleable, & more radiant.
Just as when an iron ball heated all day becomes lighter, more pliant, more malleable, & more radiant; in the same way, whenever the Tathāgata merges his body with his mind and his mind with his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy with regard to the body, then his body becomes lighter, more pliant, more malleable, & more radiant.
Now, whenever the Tathāgata merges his body with his mind and his mind with his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy with regard to the body, then his body rises effortlessly from the earth up into the sky. He then experiences manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahmā worlds.
Just as a tuft of cotton seed or a ball of thistle down, lightly wafted by the wind, rises effortlessly from the earth up into the sky, in the same way, whenever the Tathāgata concentrates his body in his mind & his mind in his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy, then his body rises effortlessly from the earth up into the sky. He then experiences manifold supranormal powers... even as far as the Brahmā worlds.
SN 51.15
Brahmana Sutta
To Unnabha the Brahman
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: S v 271
CDB ii 1732
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.
I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Ananda was staying in Kosambi, at
Ghosita's Park. Then the Brahman Unnabha went to where Ven. Ananda was staying
and on arrival greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings
& courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven.
Ananda: "Master Ananda, what is the aim of this holy life lived under the
contemplative Gotama?"
"Brahman, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the aim of
abandoning desire."
"Is there a path, is there a practice, for the abandoning of that desire?"
"Yes, there is a path, there is a practice, for the abandoning of that desire."
"What is the path, the practice, for the abandoning of that desire?"
"Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with
concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the
base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration
founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications
of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning
of that desire."
"If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an
end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire."
"In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see
fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the
park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire
allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then
when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then
when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the
park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of
discrimination allayed?"
"Yes, sir."
"So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has reached
fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal,
totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right
gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on
attaining arahantship that particular desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he
first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that
particular persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the
attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular intent is
allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the attainment of arahantship,
on attaining arahantship that particular discrimination is allayed. So what do
you think, brahman? Is this an endless path, or one with an end?"
"You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an endless
one. Magnificent, Master Ananda! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place
upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one
who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see
forms, in the same way has Master Ananda — through many lines of reasoning —
made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to
the Sangha of monks. May Master Ananda remember me as a lay follower who has
gone for refuge, from this day forward, for life."
SN 51.20
Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutta
Analysis of the Bases of Power
"These four bases of power, when developed & pursued, are of great fruit & great
benefit. And how are the four bases of power developed & pursued so as to be of
great fruit & great benefit?
"There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with
concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion, thinking, 'This
desire of mine will be neither overly sluggish nor overly active, neither
inwardly restricted nor outwardly scattered.' He keeps perceiving what is in
front & behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, what is
behind is the same as what is in front. What is below is the same as what is
above, what is above is the same as what is below. [He dwells] by night as by
day, and by day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open & unhampered, he
develops a brightened mind.
"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on
persistence...
"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on intent...
"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on
discrimination & the fabrications of exertion, thinking, 'This discrimination of
mine will be neither overly sluggish nor overly active, neither inwardly
restricted nor outwardly scattered.' He keeps perceiving what is in front &
behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, what is behind is
the same as what is in front. What is below is the same as what is above, what
is above is the same as what is below. [He dwells] by night as by day, and by
day as by night. By means of an awareness thus open & unhampered, he develops a
brightened mind.
"And how is desire overly sluggish? Whatever desire is accompanied by laziness,
conjoined with laziness, that is called overly sluggish desire.
"And how is desire overly active? Whatever desire is accompanied by
restlessness, conjoined with restlessness, that is called overly active desire.
"And how is desire inwardly restricted? Whatever desire is accompanied by sloth
& drowsiness, conjoined with sloth & drowsiness, that is called inwardly
restricted desire.
"And how is desire outwardly scattered? Whatever desire is stirred up by the
five strings of sensuality, outwardly dispersed & dissipated, that is called
outwardly scattered desire.
"And how does a monk dwell perceiving what is in front & behind so that what is
in front is the same as what is behind, and what is behind is the same as what
is in front? There is the case where a monk's perception of what is in front &
behind is well in hand, well-attended to, well-considered, well-tuned1 by means
of discernment. This is how a monk keeps perceiving what is in front and behind
so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, and what is behind is
the same as what is in front.
"And how does a monk dwell so that what is below is the same as what is above,
and what is above is the same as what is below? There is the case where a monk
reflects on this very body, from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of
the head on down, surrounded by skin, & full of various kinds of unclean things:
'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh,
tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large
intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat,
fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.' This is how a
monk dwells so that what is below is the same as what is above, and what is
above is the same as what is below.
"And how does a monk dwell by night as by day, and by day as by night? There is
the case where a monk at night develops the base of power endowed with
concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion by means of the
same modes2 & signs & themes that he uses by day, and by day he develops the
base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of
exertion by means of the same modes & signs & themes that he uses by night. This
is how a monk dwells by night as by day, and by day as by night.
"And how does a monk — by means of an awareness open & unhampered — develop a
brightened mind? There is the case where a monk has the perception of light, the
perception of daytime [at any hour of the day] well in hand & well-established.
This is how a monk — by means of an awareness open & unhampered — develops a
brightened mind.
(The above discussion is then repeated for persistence, intent, &
discrimination.)
"When a monk has thus developed & pursued the four bases of power, he
experiences manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having
been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through
walls, ramparts, & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth
as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land.
Sitting crosslegged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand
he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises
influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.
"He hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified & surpassing the human
— both kinds of sounds: divine & human, whether near or far.
"He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed
it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with
passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a
mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a
mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion,
and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a restricted
mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns
an enlarged mind as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged
mind. He discerns an excelled mind [one that is not at the most excellent level]
as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a
concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an
unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an
unreleased mind as an unreleased mind.
"He recollects his manifold past lives,3 i.e., one birth, two births, three
births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one
thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of
cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction & expansion, [recollecting],
'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such
was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life.
Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name,
belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my
experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that
state, I re-arose here.' Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their
modes & details.
"He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings
passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior,
beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These
beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, & mind, who reviled
the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of
wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in
the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But
these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who
did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under
the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have
re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of
the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away
and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful &
ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.
"Through the ending of the mental effluents, he remains in the effluent-free
awareness-release & discernment-release, knowing & realizing it for himself in
the here & now.
"This is how these four bases of power, when developed & pursued, are of great
fruit & great benefit."
Notes
1. Or: "penetrated."
2. Or: "permutations."
3. Lit.: "previous homes."
SN 51.2
§ 63. Monks, whoever neglects these four bases of power neglects the noble path going to the right ending of stress. Whoever undertakes these four bases of power undertakes the noble path going to the right ending of stress. Which four?
There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion.
Whoever neglects these four bases of power neglects the noble path going to the right ending of stress. Whoever undertakes these four bases of power undertakes the noble path going to the right ending of stress.
SN 51.26
§ 64. Ven. Ānanda: What, venerable sir, is power? What is the base of power? What is the development of the base of power? And what is the path of practice leading to the development of the base of power?
The Buddha: There is the case, Ānanda, where a monk [1] wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahmā worlds. {Just as a skilled potter or his assistant could craft from well-prepared clay whatever kind of pottery vessel he likes, or as a skilled ivory-carver or his assistant could craft from well-prepared ivory any kind of ivory-work he likes, or as a skilled goldsmith or his assistant could craft from well-prepared gold any kind of gold article he likes; in the same way, the monk wields manifold supranormal powers...}
[2] He hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified & surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine & human, whether near or far. {Just as if a man traveling along a highway were to hear the sounds of kettledrums, small drums, conchs, cymbals, & tom-toms. He would know, 'That is the sound of kettledrums, that the sound of small drums, that the sound of conchs, that the sound of cymbals, & that the sound of tom-toms.' In the same way... the monk hears... both kinds of sounds: divine & human...}
[3] He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a constricted mind as a constricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns an enlarged mind [in jhāna] as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged mind. He discerns an excelled mind [one not on the most excellent level] as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an unreleased mind as an unreleased mind. {Just as if a young woman — or man — fond of ornaments, examining the reflection of her own face in a bright mirror or a bowl of clear water would know 'blemished' if it were blemished, or 'unblemished' if it were not. In the same way... the monk knows the awareness of other beings...}
[4] He recollects his manifold past lives [lit: previous homes], i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction & expansion, (recollecting,) 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their modes & details. {Just as if a man were to go from his home village to another village, and then from that village to yet another village, and then from that village back to his home village. The thought would occur to him, 'I went from my home village to that village over there. There I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, talked in such a way, & remained silent in such a way. From that village I went to that village over there, and there I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, talked in such a way, & remained silent in such a way. From that village I came back home.' In the same way... the monk recollects his manifold past lives...}
[5] He sees — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, & mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the breakup of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the breakup of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma. {Just as if there were a tall building in the central square (of a town), and a man with good eyesight standing on top of it were to see people entering a house, leaving it, walking along the street, & sitting in the central square. The thought would occur to him, 'These people are entering a house, leaving it, walking along the streets, & sitting in the central square.' In the same way... the monk sees — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing...}
[6] Through the ending of the mental effluents, he remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. {Just as if there were a pool of water in a mountain glen — clear, limpid, & unsullied — where a man with good eyesight standing on the bank could see shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about & resting, and it would occur to him, 'This pool of water is clear, limpid, & unsullied. Here are these shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also these shoals of fish swimming about & resting.' In the same way, the monk discerns, as it is has come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are effluents... This is the origination of effluents... This is the cessation of effluents... This is the way leading to the cessation of effluents.' His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the effluent of sensuality, released from the effluent of becoming, released from the effluent of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'}
This is called power.
And what is the base of power? Whatever path, whatever practice, leads to the attainment of power, the winning of power: That is called the base of power.
And what is the development of the base of power? There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion. This is called the development of the base of power.
And what is the path of practice leading to the development of the base of power? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is called the path of practice leading to the development of the base of power.
SN 51.13
§ 65. If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on desire, that is called concentration founded on desire. He generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen... (and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. These are called the fabrications of exertion. This is desire, this is concentration founded on desire, these are the fabrications of exertion. This is called the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion.
If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on persistence, that is called concentration founded on persistence...
If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on intent, that is called concentration founded on intent...
If a monk attains concentration, attains singleness of mind founded on discrimination, that is called concentration founded on discrimination. He generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen... (and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. These are called the fabrications of exertion. This is discrimination, this is concentration founded on discrimination, these are the fabrications of exertion. This is called the base of power endowed with concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion.
SN 51.22
§ 68. Ven. Ānanda: Venerable sir, does the Blessed One have direct experience of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with a mind-made body?
The Buddha: Yes, Ānanda...
Ven. Ānanda: But does the Blessed One also have direct experience of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with this very physical body, composed of the four great elements?
The Buddha: Yes...
Ven. Ānanda: It's amazing & astounding that the Blessed One should have direct experience of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with a mind-made body, and of going to the Brahmā world by means of supranormal power with this very physical body, composed of the four great elements.
The Buddha: Tathāgatas are both amazing, Ānanda, and endowed with amazing qualities. They are both astounding and endowed with astounding qualities. Whenever the Tathāgata merges his body with his mind and his mind with his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy with regard to the body, then his body becomes lighter, more pliant, more malleable, & more radiant.
Just as when an iron ball heated all day becomes lighter, more pliant, more malleable, & more radiant; in the same way, whenever the Tathāgata merges his body with his mind and his mind with his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy with regard to the body, then his body becomes lighter, more pliant, more malleable, & more radiant.
Now, whenever the Tathāgata merges his body with his mind and his mind with his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy with regard to the body, then his body rises effortlessly from the earth up into the sky. He then experiences manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahmā worlds.
Just as a tuft of cotton seed or a ball of thistle down, lightly wafted by the wind, rises effortlessly from the earth up into the sky, in the same way, whenever the Tathāgata concentrates his body in his mind & his mind in his body, and remains having alighted on the perception of ease and buoyancy, then his body rises effortlessly from the earth up into the sky. He then experiences manifold supranormal powers... even as far as the Brahmā worlds.
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