Table of Contents

• Synopsis
  • AN 7.61 Pacalāyana
    • (1. don’t attend to the perception that made you drowsy)
    • (2. Recall dhamma using V&V, thinking and evaluation, and upekkha)
    • (3. Recite that dhamma out loud, vocally)
    • (4. Pull your earlobes and rub your limbs)
    • (5. Stand up, wash eyes with water, look at stars in sky)
    • (6. STED ASMK: luminosity perception all day all night)
    • (7. Start walking meditation)
    • (Lie down in lion posture as last resort)
    • (don’t sociaize with lay people too much, causes restlessness)
    • (don’t say confrontational things)
    • (Buddha praises secluded meditation areas)
    • (conclusion: brief summary of path to arahantship)
• Commentary

Synopsis

AN 7.61 Pacalāyana

Pacalāyamāna-suttaṃ (AN 7.61)	AN 7.61 Nodding discourse
	(derived from Thanissaro trans.)
♦ 61. evaṃ me sutaṃ — ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā bhaggesu viharati	Once the Blessed One was living among the Bhaggas
susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.	in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, near Crocodile Haunt.
tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno	At that time Ven. Maha Moggallana
magadhesu kallavāḷaputtagāme pacalāyamāno nisinno hoti.	sat nodding near the village of Kallavalaputta, in Magadha.
addasā kho bhagavā dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena	The Blessed One, with his purified divine eye, surpassing the human,
āyasmantaṃ mahāmoggallānaṃ magadhesu kallavāḷaputtagāme pacalāyamānaṃ nisinnaṃ.	saw Ven. Maha Moggallana as he sat nodding near the village of Kallavalaputta, in Magadha.
disvā —	As soon as he saw this—
seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṃ vā bāhaṃ pasāreyya,	just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm
pasāritaṃ vā bāhaṃ samiñjeyya, evamevaṃ —	or flex his extended arm—
bhaggesu susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye	he disappeared from among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove,
antarahito magadhesu kallavāḷaputtagāme	near Crocodile Haunt, and re-appeared near the village of Kallavalaputta, in Magadha,
āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa sammukhe pāturahosi.	right in front of Ven. Maha Moggallana.
nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane.	There he sat down on a prepared seat.
nisajja kho bhagavā āyasmantaṃ mahāmoggallānaṃ etadavoca —	As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to Ven. Maha Moggallana,
♦ “pacalāyasi no tvaṃ, moggallāna, pacalāyasi no tvaṃ, moggallānā”ti?	“Are you nodding, Moggallana? Are you nodding?”
“evaṃ, bhante”.	“Yes, lord.”

(1. don’t attend to the perception that made you drowsy)

“tasmātiha, moggallāna,	“Well then, Moggallana,
yathā-saññissa te viharato	whatever-perception you dwelt-in (when)
taṃ middhaṃ okkamati,	that drowsiness descends (on you),
taṃ saññaṃ mā manasā-kāsi,	that perception {you should} not give-attention (to),
taṃ saññaṃ mā bahulama-kāsi.	that perception {you should} not abundantly-pursue,
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ, moggallāna, vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(2. Recall dhamma using V&V, thinking and evaluation, and upekkha)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
yathā-sutaṃ yathā-pariyattaṃ dhammaṃ	{with the Dhamma} as-heard (and) as-memorized *******,
cetasā anu-vitakkeyyāsi anu-vicāreyyāsi,	mentally re-think (and) re-examine (that),
manasā an-upekkheyyāsi.	(in your) mind consider-it-carefully.
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	"It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(3. Recite that dhamma out loud, vocally)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
yathā-sutaṃ yathā-pariyattaṃ dhammaṃ	{with the Dhamma} as-heard (and) as-memorized *******,
vitthārena sajjhāyaṃ kareyyāsi.	(in) detail recite-it-aloud; you-should-do-that.
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	"It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(4. Pull your earlobes and rub your limbs)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
ubho kaṇṇa-sotāni āviñcheyyāsi,	pull both your earlobes and
pāṇinā gattāni anumajjeyyāsi.	rub your limbs with your hands.
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	"It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(5. Stand up, wash eyes with water, look at stars in sky)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
uṭṭhāy-āsanā	get up -- (from your) seat,
udakena akkhīni anumajjitvā	(using) water (on your) eyes, wash (them),
disā anuvilokeyyāsi,	look around in all directions,
nakkhattāni tārakarūpāni ullokeyyāsi.	(at) constellations & stars, look-upwards.
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	"It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(6. STED ASMK: luminosity perception all day all night)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
Āloka-saññaṃ manasi kareyyāsi,	Luminosity-perception: (his) mind should-attend (to).
Divā-saññaṃ adhiṭṭhaheyyāsi —	daytime-perception (he) should-resolve (to do).
yathā divā tathā rattiṃ,	as-by Day so-by night,
yathā rattiṃ tathā divā.	As-by-night so-by day,
Iti vivaṭena cetasā a-pariyonaddhena	(By means of an) *** open awareness, un-enveloped,
Sap-pabhāsaṃ cittaṃ bhāveyyāsi.	***-luminous mind, (he) should-develop.
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	"It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(7. Start walking meditation)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
pacchā-pure-saññī caṅkamaṃ	after-&-before-perceptions (while doing) walking-meditation
adhiṭṭhaheyyāsi	you should resolve on,
anto-gatehi indriyehi	inwardly-immersed (with your) [sense]-faculties,
a-bahigatena mānasena.	not-outward-bound (with your) mind.
ṭhānaṃ kho panetaṃ vijjati yaṃ te evaṃ viharato	"It’s possible that by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha.	that drowsiness (is) removed. "

(Lie down in lion posture as last resort)

♦ “no ce te evaṃ viharato	“But if by doing this
taṃ middhaṃ pahīyetha,	That drowsiness (is) {not} removed,
tato tvaṃ, moggallāna,	Then ****, *********,
dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṃ kappeyyāsi	(on his) right side, (the) lion-lying-down [posture] *******,
pāde pādaṃ accādhāya	(one) foot (on the other) foot overlapping,
sato sampajāno	mindful (and) clearly-comprehending,
uṭṭhāna-saññaṃ manasi karitvā.	rising-[from sleep]-perception (his) mind sets,
paṭibuddhena ca te, moggallāna,	As soon as you wake up, moggallāna,
khippaññeva pacc-uṭṭhātabbaṃ —	quickly get-up, [with the thought,]
‘na seyya-sukhaṃ	‘No lying-down -- pleasure,
na passa-sukhaṃ	no reclining-pleasure,
na middha-sukhaṃ	no drowsiness-pleasure,
anu-yutto viharissāmī’ti.	with-dedication [to this practice] (I) will-dwell.
evañhi te, moggallāna, sikkhitabbaṃ.	That is how you, **********, should train yourself

(don’t sociaize with lay people too much, causes restlessness)

♦ “tasmātiha, moggallāna,	“Furthermore, Moggallana,
evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ —	should you train yourself:
‘na uccāsoṇḍaṃ paggahetvā kulāni upasaṅkamissāmī’ti.	‘I will not visit families with my pride lifted high.’
evañhi te, moggallāna, sikkhitabbaṃ.	That is how you should train yourself.
sace, moggallāna, bhikkhu uccāsoṇḍaṃ paggahetvā kulāni upasaṅkamati,	Among families there are many jobs that have to be done,
santi hi, moggallāna, kulesu kiccakaraṇīyāni.	so that people don’t pay attention to a visiting monk.
yehi manussā āgataṃ bhikkhuṃ na manasi karonti,	If a monk visits them with his trunk lifted high,
tatra bhikkhussa evaṃ hoti —	the thought will occur to him,
‘kosu nāma	‘Now who, I wonder,
idāni maṃ imasmiṃ kule paribhindi,	has caused a split between me and this family?
virattarūpā dānime mayi manussā’ti.	The people seem to have no liking for me.’
itissa alābhena maṅkubhāvo,	Getting nothing, he becomes abashed.
maṅkubhūtassa uddhaccaṃ,	Abashed, he becomes restless.
uddhatassa asaṃvaro,	Restless, he becomes unrestrained.
asaṃvutassa ārā cittaṃ samādhimhā.	Unrestrained, his mind is far from concentration.

(don’t say confrontational things)

♦ “tasmātiha, moggallāna,	“Furthermore, Moggallana,
evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ —	should you train yourself:
‘na viggāhikakathaṃ kathessāmī’ti.	‘I will speak no confrontational speech.’
evañhi te, moggallāna, sikkhitabbaṃ.	That is how you should train yourself.
viggāhikāya, moggallāna,	When there is confrontational speech,
kathāya sati kathābāhullaṃ pāṭikaṅkhaṃ,	a lot of discussion can be expected.
kathābāhulle sati uddhaccaṃ,	When there is a lot of discussion, there is restlessness.
uddhatassa asaṃvaro,	One who is restless becomes unrestrained.
asaṃvutassa ārā cittaṃ samādhimhā.	Unrestrained, his mind is far from concentration.

(Buddha praises secluded meditation areas)

nāhaṃ, moggallāna,	“It’s not the case, Moggallana,
sabbeheva saṃsaggaṃ vaṇṇayāmi.	that I praise association of every sort.
na panāhaṃ, moggallāna,	But it’s not the case
sabbeheva saṃsaggaṃ na vaṇṇayāmi.	that I dispraise association of every sort.
sagahaṭṭhapabbajitehi kho ahaṃ, moggallāna,	I don’t praise association
saṃsaggaṃ na vaṇṇayāmi.	with householders and renunciates.
yāni ca kho tāni senāsanāni appasaddāni appanigghosāni	But as for dwelling places that are free from noise, free from sound,
vijanavātāni manussarāhasseyyakāni	their atmosphere devoid of people,
paṭisallānasāruppāni tathārūpehi senāsanehi	appropriately secluded for resting undisturbed by human beings:
saṃsaggaṃ vaṇṇayāmī”ti.	I praise association with dwelling places of this sort.”

(conclusion: brief summary of path to arahantship)

♦ evaṃ vutte	When this was said,
āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavantaṃ etadavoca —	Ven. Moggallana said to the Blessed One:
“kittāvatā nu kho, bhante,	“Briefly, lord,
bhikkhu saṃkhittena taṇhā-saṅkhaya-vimutto hoti	in what respect is a monk released through the ending of craving,
accanta-niṭṭho accanta-yogak-khemī	utterly complete, utterly free from bonds,
accanta-brahmacārī accanta-pariyosāno	a follower of the utterly holy life, utterly consummate:
seṭṭho deva-manussānan”ti?	foremost among human & heavenly beings?”
♦ “idha, moggallāna, bhikkhuno sutaṃ hoti —	“There is the case, Moggallana, where a monk has heard,
‘sabbe dhammā nālaṃ abhinivesāyā’ti;	‘All phenomena are unworthy of attachment.’
evañcetaṃ, moggallāna, bhikkhuno sutaṃ hoti —	Having heard that
‘sabbe dhammā nālaṃ abhinivesāyā’ti.	all phenomena are unworthy of attachment,
so sabbaṃ dhammaṃ abhijānāti,	he fully knows all things.
sabbaṃ dhammaṃ abhiññāya	Fully knowing all things,
sabbaṃ dhammaṃ parijānāti.	he fully comprehends all things.
sabbaṃ dhammaṃ pariññāya	Fully comprehending all things,
yaṃkiñci vedanaṃ vediyati	then whatever feeling he experiences—
sukhaṃ vā dukkhaṃ vā adukkhamasukhaṃ vā.	pleasure, pain, neither pleasure nor pain—
so tāsu vedanāsu	with regard to that feeling,
aniccānupassī viharati,	he remains focused on inconstancy,
virāgānupassī viharati,	focused on dispassion,
nirodhānupassī viharati,	focused on cessation,
paṭinissaggānupassī viharati.	focused on relinquishing
so tāsu vedanāsu	with regard to that feeling.
aniccānupassī viharanto	As he remains focused on inconstancy,
virāgānupassī viharanto	focused on dispassion,
nirodhānupassī viharanto	focused on cessation,
paṭinissaggānupassī viharanto	focused on relinquishing
na kiñci loke upādiyati,	he is unsustained by anything in the world.
anupādiyaṃ na paritassati,	Unsustained, he is not agitated.
aparitassaṃ paccattaṃyeva parinibbāyati.	Unagitated, he is unbound right within.
	He discerns:
‘khīṇā jāti,	‘Birth is ended,
vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ,	the holy life fulfilled,
kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ,	the task done.
nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.	There is nothing further for this world.’
ettāvatā kho, moggallāna,	“It is in this respect, Moggallana,
bhikkhu saṃkhittena	that a monk, in brief,
Taṇhā-saṅkhaya-vimutto hoti	is released through the ending of craving,
accanta-niṭṭho accanta-yogak-khemī	utterly complete, utterly free from bonds,
Accanta-brahmacārī	a follower of the utterly holy life,
Accanta-pariyosāno	utterly consummate:
seṭṭho devamanussānan”ti.	foremost among human & heavenly beings.”

(end of sutta)

Commentary

.	.

Whether you’re a more novice meditator trying to get into or stabilize first jhana and fight off the 5 hindrances, or a master of all four jhanas, there will always arise situation and conditions where you will have to deal with drowsiness and need a set of tools to draw from. These 7 methods are those tools. While the word "jhana" or "iddhi pada" is not explicitly used, the fact that moggallana is the poster child for iddhi pada, and even super samadhi meditators eventually have to deal with hunger, drowsiness, etc, this passage sheds light on how V&V is a powerful tool to see, understand, replace the current meditation subject with a different meditation object to curb the drowsiness. This is not just for beginners fighting off 5 hindrances, these tools are applicable to all skill levels, even the most elite samadhi masters. in method #2, see how the close analog to anu-vitakka and anu-vicara are used, and also how anu-upekkha is not just a passive attitude of equanimity but has vipassana capability. in method #3, we can see how the oral tradition works, memorizing, reflecting (with V&V, S&S, upekkha), and reciting aloud to teach others, and also to ward off drowsiness. You can see this is what's meant by SN 36.11 that speech ceases in first jhana. You can use V&V to reflect on teaching while in first jhana, but if you recite the teaching vocally that will break you out of first jhana. in method #1, you don't even have to break out of 4th jhana to use S&S to be aware that the perception of the current meditation subject is causing drowsiness, and it's time to switch to a different perception to stop drowsiness. In practice, most meditators would come out of 4th jhana and engage in V&V to change meditation subjects. Method #6 is really only suitable for advanced third and fourth jhana meditators who have to ability to radiate and perceive luminosity day and night. At this stage of practice, very little sleep is needed, maybe just 1 or 2 per day, or as in the case of Anuruddha, over 20 years of no lying down. When he needed rest, he just sat in samadhi. A zen meditation technique is to open the eyes slightly and let some light in during sitting meditation.