4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

4👑☸ → MN‍ → MN 64    🔝
     MN 64.1 - (Māluṅkyaputta remembers 5 fetters incorrectly)
    MN 64.2 - (simile of infant: no concept of fetters, but underlying tendency there)
    MN 64.3 - (Buddha teaches 5 lower fetters)
    MN 64.4 - (There is a path for giving up 5 lower fetters)
    MN 64.7 - (Seven paths for cutting 5 lower fetters are the 4 jhānas, and first 3 formless attainments)
    MN 64.8 - (difference between ceto-vimutti and pañña vimutti)

detailed TOC

     MN 64.1 - (Māluṅkyaputta remembers 5 fetters incorrectly)
    MN 64.2 - (simile of infant: no concept of fetters, but underlying tendency there)
    MN 64.3 - (Buddha teaches 5 lower fetters)
        MN 64.3.1 - (case of ordinary person)
        MN 64.3.2 - (case of noble one’s disciple)
    MN 64.4 - (There is a path for giving up 5 lower fetters)
        MN 64.4.1 - (It’s impossible to cut 5 lower fetters without that path, simile of heartwood)
        MN 64.4.2 - (It’s possible to cut 5 lower fetters with that path, simile of heartwood)
        MN 64.4.3 - (It’s impossible to cease identity view without calming mind, simile of river ganges)
        MN 64.4.4 - (It’s possible to cease identity view with calming mind, simile of river ganges)
    MN 64.7 - (Seven paths for cutting 5 lower fetters are the 4 jhānas, and first 3 formless attainments)
        MN 64.7.1 - (1. While doing First jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.2 - (2. While doing second jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.3 - (3. While doing third jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.4 - (4. While doing fourth jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.5 - (5. While doing base of infinite space, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.6 - (6. While doing base of infinite consciousness, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.7 - (7. While doing base of no-thingness, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)
        MN 64.7.8 - (8. + 9. are omitted, since one can not do vipassana while in those attainments!)
    MN 64.8 - (difference between ceto-vimutti and pañña vimutti)
MN 64.100 – commentary
    MN 64.100.1 – Commentary from frankk
    MN 64.100.2 – Notes from B. Ṭhānissaro (from his translation)

64 – MN 64 Mahā-mālukya: longer (discourse with) mālukya


(2023 SP-FLUENT translation by frankk‍ derived from B. Sujato‍ )

Mahāmālukyasutta
 The Longer Discourse With Māluṅkya
Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​
 So I have heard.
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
 At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
 There the Buddha addressed the monks:
“bhikkhavo”ti.
 “monks!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ.
 “Venerable sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
 The Buddha said this:
“dhāretha no tumhe, bhikkhave, mayā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanānī”ti?
 “monks, do you remember the five lower fetters that I taught?”

64.1 - (Māluṅkyaputta remembers 5 fetters incorrectly)


Evaṃ vutte, āyasmā mālukyaputto bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:
 When he said this, Venerable Māluṅkyaputta said to him:
“ahaṃ kho, bhante, dhāremi bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanānī”ti.
 “Sir, I remember them.”
“Yathā kathaṃ pana tvaṃ, mālukyaputta, dhāresi mayā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanānī”ti?
 “But how do you remember them?”
“Sakkāyadiṭṭhiṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ desitaṃ dhāremi;
 “I remember the lower fetters taught by the Buddha as follows: identity view,
vicikicchaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ desitaṃ dhāremi;
 doubt,
sīlabbataparāmāsaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ desitaṃ dhāremi;
 misapprehension of precepts and observances,
kāmacchandaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ desitaṃ dhāremi;
 sensual desire,
byāpādaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ desitaṃ dhāremi.
 and ill will.
Evaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, dhāremi bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanānī”ti.
 That’s how I remember the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha.”

64.2 - (simile of infant: no concept of fetters, but underlying tendency there)


“Kassa kho nāma tvaṃ, mālukyaputta, imāni evaṃ pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni desitāni dhāresi?
 “Who on earth do you remember being taught the five lower fetters in that way?
Nanu, mālukyaputta, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā iminā taruṇūpamena upārambhena upārambhissanti?
 Wouldn’t the wanderers who follow other paths fault you using the simile of the infant?
Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa sakkāyotipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati sakkāyadiṭṭhi?
 For a little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘identity’, so how could identity view possibly arise in them?
Anusetvevassa sakkāyadiṭṭhānusayo.
 Yet the underlying tendency to identity view still lies within them.
Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa dhammātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati dhammesu vicikicchā?
 A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘Dharmas’, so how could doubt about the Dharmas possibly arise in them?
Anusetvevassa vicikicchānusayo.
 Yet the underlying tendency to doubt still lies within them.
Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa sīlātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati sīlesu sīlabbataparāmāso?
 A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘precepts’, so how could misapprehension of precepts and observances possibly arise in them?
Anusetvevassa sīlabbataparāmāsānusayo.
 Yet the underlying tendency to misapprehension of precepts and observances still lies within them.
Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa kāmātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati kāmesu kāmacchando?
 A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘sensual pleasures’, so how could desire for sensual pleasures possibly arise in them?
Anusetvevassa kāmarāgānusayo.
 Yet the underlying tendency to sensual desire still lies within them.
Daharassa hi, mālukyaputta, kumārassa mandassa uttānaseyyakassa sattātipi na hoti, kuto panassa uppajjissati sattesu byāpādo?
 A little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘sentient beings’, so how could ill will for sentient beings possibly arise in them?
Anusetvevassa byāpādānusayo.
 Yet the underlying tendency to ill will still lies within them.
Nanu, mālukyaputta, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā iminā taruṇūpamena upārambhena upārambhissantī”ti?
 Wouldn’t the wanderers who follow other paths fault you using the simile of the infant?”

64.3 - (Buddha teaches 5 lower fetters)


Evaṃ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:
 When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:
“etassa, bhagavā, kālo, etassa, sugata, kālo
 “Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!
yaṃ bhagavā pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
 May the Buddha teach the five lower fetters. The monks will listen and remember it.”
“Tena hānanda, suṇāhi, sādhukaṃ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
 “Well then, Ānanda, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Evaṃ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.
 “Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
 The Buddha said this:

64.3.1 - (case of ordinary person)


“Idhānanda, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṃ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṃ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto
 “Ānanda, take an uneducated ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in The Dharma of the noble ones. They’ve not seen good persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in The Dharma of the good persons.
sakkāyadiṭṭhipariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati sakkāyadiṭṭhiparetena;
 Their heart is overcome and mired in identity view,
uppannāya ca sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti.
 and they don’t truly understand the escape from identity view that has arisen.
Tassa sā sakkāyadiṭṭhi thāmagatā appaṭivinītā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ.
 That identity view is reinforced in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.
Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena;
 Their heart is overcome and mired in doubt,
uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti.
 and they don’t truly understand the escape from doubt that has arisen.
Tassa sā vicikicchā thāmagatā appaṭivinītā orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ.
 That doubt is reinforced in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.
Sīlabbataparāmāsapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati sīlabbataparāmāsaparetena;
 Their heart is overcome and mired in misapprehension of precepts and observances,
uppannassa ca sīlabbataparāmāsassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti.
 and they don’t truly understand the escape from misapprehension of precepts and observances that has arisen.
Tassa so sīlabbataparāmāso thāmagato appaṭivinīto orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ.
 That misapprehension of precepts and observances is reinforced in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.
Kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena;
 Their heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire,
uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti.
 and they don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen.
Tassa so kāmarāgo thāmagato appaṭivinīto orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ.
 That sensual desire is reinforced in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.
Byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena;
 Their heart is overcome and mired in ill will,
uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti.
 and they don’t truly understand the escape from ill will that has arisen.
Tassa so byāpādo thāmagato appaṭivinīto orambhāgiyaṃ saṃyojanaṃ.
 That ill will is reinforced in them, not eliminated: it is a lower fetter.

64.3.2 - (case of noble one’s disciple)


Sutavā ca kho, ānanda, ariyasāvako ariyānaṃ dassāvī ariyadhammassa kovido ariyadhamme suvinīto, sappurisānaṃ dassāvī sappurisadhammassa kovido sappurisadhamme suvinīto na sakkāyadiṭṭhipariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na sakkāyadiṭṭhiparetena;
 But an educated noble-one's-disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in The Dharma of the noble ones. They’ve seen good persons, and are skilled and trained in The Dharma of the good persons. Their heart is not overcome and mired in identity view,
uppannāya ca sakkāyadiṭṭhiyā nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.
 and they truly understand the escape from identity view that has arisen.
Tassa sā sakkāyadiṭṭhi sānusayā pahīyati.
 That identity view, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.
Na vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na vicikicchāparetena;
 Their heart is not overcome and mired in doubt,
uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.
 and they truly understand the escape from doubt that has arisen.
Tassa sā vicikicchā sānusayā pahīyati.
 That doubt, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.
Na sīlabbataparāmāsapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na sīlabbataparāmāsaparetena;
 Their heart is not overcome and mired in misapprehension of precepts and observances,
uppannassa ca sīlabbataparāmāsassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.
 and they truly understand the escape from misapprehension of precepts and observances that has arisen.
Tassa so sīlabbataparāmāso sānusayo pahīyati.
 That misapprehension of precepts and observances, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.
Na kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na kāmarāgaparetena;
 Their heart is not overcome and mired in sensual desire,
uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.
 and they truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen.
Tassa so kāmarāgo sānusayo pahīyati.
 That sensual desire, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.
Na byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati na byāpādaparetena;
 Their heart is not overcome and mired in ill will,
uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.
 and they truly understand the escape from ill will that has arisen.
Tassa so byāpādo sānusayo pahīyati.
 That ill will, along with any underlying tendency to it, is given up in them.

64.4 - (There is a path for giving up 5 lower fetters)

64.4.1 - (It’s impossible to cut 5 lower fetters without that path, simile of heartwood)


Yo, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya taṃ maggaṃ taṃ paṭipadaṃ anāgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati.
 There is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It’s not possible to know or see or give up the five lower fetters without relying on that path and that practice.
Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato tacaṃ acchetvā phegguṃ acchetvā sāracchedo bhavissatīti—
 Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood. It’s not possible to cut out the heartwood without having cut through the bark and the softwood.
netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati;
evameva kho, ānanda, yo maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya taṃ maggaṃ taṃ paṭipadaṃ anāgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati.
 In the same way, there is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It’s not possible to know or see or give up the five lower fetters without relying on that path and that practice.

64.4.2 - (It’s possible to cut 5 lower fetters with that path, simile of heartwood)


Yo ca kho, ānanda, maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya taṃ maggaṃ taṃ paṭipadaṃ āgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—ṭhānametaṃ vijjati.
 There is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It is possible to know and see and give up the five lower fetters by relying on that path and that practice.
Seyyathāpi, ānanda, mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato tacaṃ chetvā phegguṃ chetvā sāracchedo bhavissatīti—ṭhānametaṃ vijjati.
 Suppose there was a large tree standing with heartwood. It is possible to cut out the heartwood after having cut through the bark and the softwood.
evameva kho, ānanda, yo maggo yā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya taṃ maggaṃ taṃ paṭipadaṃ āgamma pañcorambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni ñassati vā dakkhati vā pajahissati vāti—ṭhānametaṃ vijjati.
 In the same way, there is a path and a practice for giving up the five lower fetters. It is possible to know and see and give up the five lower fetters by relying on that path and that practice.

64.4.3 - (It’s impossible to cease identity view without calming mind, simile of river ganges)


Seyyathāpi, ānanda, gaṅgā nadī pūrā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā.
 Suppose the river Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it.
Atha dubbalako puriso āgaccheyya:
 Then along comes a feeble person, who thinks:
‘ahaṃ imissā gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṃ bāhāya sotaṃ chetvā sotthinā pāraṃ gacchissāmī’ti;
 ‘By swimming with my arms I’ll safely cross over to the far shore of the Ganges.’
so na sakkuṇeyya gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṃ bāhāya sotaṃ chetvā sotthinā pāraṃ gantuṃ.
 But they’re not able to do so.
Evameva kho, ānanda, yesaṃ kesañci sakkāyanirodhāya dhamme desiyamāne cittaṃ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati;
 In the same way, when the Dhamma is being taught for the cessation of identity view, someone whose mind isn’t eager, confident, settled, and decided
seyyathāpi so dubbalako puriso evamete daṭṭhabbā.
 should be regarded as being like that feeble person.

64.4.4 - (It’s possible to cease identity view with calming mind, simile of river ganges)


Seyyathāpi, ānanda, gaṅgā nadī pūrā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā.
 Suppose the river Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it.
Atha balavā puriso āgaccheyya:
 Then along comes a strong person, who thinks:
‘ahaṃ imissā gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṃ bāhāya sotaṃ chetvā sotthinā pāraṃ gacchissāmī’ti;
 ‘By swimming with my arms I’ll safely cross over to the far shore of the Ganges.’
so sakkuṇeyya gaṅgāya nadiyā tiriyaṃ bāhāya sotaṃ chetvā sotthinā pāraṃ gantuṃ.
 And they are able to do so.
Evameva kho, ānanda, yesaṃ kesañci sakkāyanirodhāya dhamme desiyamāne cittaṃ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati;
 In the same way, when the Dhamma is being taught for the cessation of identity view, someone whose mind is eager, confident, settled, and decided
seyyathāpi so balavā puriso evamete daṭṭhabbā.
 should be regarded as being like that strong person.

64.7 - (Seven paths for cutting 5 lower fetters are the 4 jhānas, and first 3 formless attainments)


Katamo cānanda, maggo, katamā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya?
 And what, Ānanda, is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters?

64.7.1 - (1. While doing First jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)


Idhānanda, bhikkhu upadhi-vivekā
 It’s when a monk—due to judicious-seclusion (viveka ) from attachments,
akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānā
 the giving up of unskillful Dharmas,
sabbaso kāya-duṭṭhullānaṃ paṭip-passaddhiyā
 and the complete-pacification of physical-discomfort—
(STED first jhāna j1🌘 )
🚫💑 vivicc’eva kāmehi
 Judiciously-secluded from desire for five cords of sensual pleasures,
🚫😠 vivicca a-kusalehi dhammehi
 Judiciously-secluded from unskillful ☸Dharmas,
(V&V💭) sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicāraṃ
 with directed-thought and evaluation [of those verbal ☸Dharma thoughts],
😁🙂 viveka-jaṃ pīti-sukhaṃ
 with [mental] rapture and [physical] pleasure born from judicious-seclusion,
🌘 paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.
 he attains and lives in first jhāna.






So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṃ vedanāgataṃ saññāgataṃ saṅkhāragataṃ viññāṇagataṃ te dhamme
 They see those dharmas there [while in jhāna]—included in form, feeling, perception, co-activities, and consciousness—as
(11ada💩 ways of seeing 5uk as dukkha)

a-niccato dukkhato
 (1) im-permanent, (2) pain-&-suffering,
rogato gaṇḍato
 (3) diseased, (4) an abscess,
sallato aghato
 (5) a dart, (6) misery,
ābādhato parato
 (7) an affliction, (8) alien,
palokato suññato
 (9) falling apart, (10) empty,
anattato
 (11) not-self,
samanupassati.
 They see [5 aggregates while in jhāna having those 11 properties].
(doing that well, attains arahantship or nonreturn)

So tehi dhammehi cittaṃ paṭivāpeti.
 They turn their mind away from those dharmas,
So tehi dhammehi cittaṃ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṃ upasaṃharati:
 and apply it to the deathless element:
‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.
 ‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, cessation, nirvana.’
So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṃ khayaṃ pāpuṇāti;
 Abiding in that they attain the ending of asinine-inclinations.
no ce āsavānaṃ khayaṃ pāpuṇāti teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti, tattha parinibbāyī, anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
 If they don’t attain the ending of asinine-inclinations, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are nirvana'd there, and are not liable to return from that world.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṃ paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya.
 This is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

64.7.2 - (2. While doing second jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)


Puna caparaṃ, ānanda, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā … pe … dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati … pe …
 Furthermore, as the directed-thought and evaluation are stilled, a monk enters and remains in the second jhāna …

64.7.3 - (3. While doing third jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)

tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ … pe …
 third jhāna …

64.7.4 - (4. While doing fourth jhāna, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)

catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.
 fourth jhāna.
So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṃ vedanāgataṃ saññāgataṃ saṅkhāragataṃ viññāṇagataṃ …
 They contemplate the dharma there as impermanent …
pe …
 They turn their mind away from those dharmas …
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
 If they don’t attain the ending of asinine-inclinations, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṃ paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya.
 This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

64.7.5 - (5. While doing base of infinite space, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)


Puna caparaṃ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṃ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṃ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṃ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.
 Furthermore, a monk, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.
So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṃ saññāgataṃ saṅkhāragataṃ viññāṇagataṃ …
 They contemplate the dharma there as impermanent …
pe …
 They turn their mind away from those dharmas …
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
 If they don’t attain the ending of asinine-inclinations, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṃ paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya.
 This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

64.7.6 - (6. While doing base of infinite consciousness, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)


Puna caparaṃ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma ‘anantaṃ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.
 Furthermore, a monk, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṃ saññāgataṃ saṅkhāragataṃ viññāṇagataṃ …
 They contemplate the dharma there as impermanent …
pe …
 They turn their mind away from those dharmas …
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
 If they don’t attain the ending of asinine-inclinations, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṃ paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya.
 This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.

64.7.7 - (7. While doing base of no-thingness, do vipassana and realize arahantship or nonreturn)


Puna caparaṃ, ānanda, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.
 Furthermore, a monk, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.
So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṃ saññāgataṃ saṅkhāragataṃ viññāṇagataṃ …
 They contemplate the dharma there as impermanent …
pe …
 They turn their mind away from those dharmas …
anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
 If they don’t attain the ending of asinine-inclinations, they’re reborn spontaneously … and are not liable to return from that world.
Ayampi kho, ānanda, maggo ayaṃ paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāyā”ti.
 This too is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters.”

64.7.8 - (8. + 9. are omitted, since one can not do vipassana while in those attainments!)

(See MN 111 and AN 9.36 for more explicit explanation of that)


64.8 - (difference between ceto-vimutti and pañña vimutti)


“Eso ce, bhante, maggo esā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya, atha kiñcarahi idhekacce bhikkhū cetovimuttino ekacce bhikkhū paññāvimuttino”ti?
 “Sir, if this is the path and the practice for giving up the five lower fetters, how come some monks here are released in heart while others are released by wisdom?”
“Ettha kho panesāhaṃ, ānanda, indriya-vemattataṃ vadāmī”ti.
 “In that case, I say it is the diversity of their faculties.”
Idamavoca bhagavā.
 That is what the Buddha said.
Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandīti.
 Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda was happy with what the Buddha said.

(end of sutta⏹️)








64.100 – commentary

64.100.1 – Commentary from frankk

1. Interesting that the path to cutting the 5 lower fetters is the the four jhānas!
You were probably expecting The Buddha to say noble eightfold path, or sati (remembrance of Dharma) or right view, or a gradual training as the answer, but the Buddha just says the 4 jhānas and the 7 perception attainments.

2. This sutta, MN 64 is probably the most definitive sutta in saying it’s not possible to realize non-returner or arahantship without jhāna, since it says it’s impossible to cut the 5 fetters without the path, and the path is defined in this sutta as the 4 jhānas (and 7 perception attainments).

3. viveka in first jhāna, must be discernment + right view, not just ‘seclusion’, as explained here: only 1 way‍ 1.2.64 – MN 64 says four jhānas is the path that leads to nirvana!


64.100.2 – Notes from B. Ṭhānissaro (from his translation)

1. The list of concentration attainments to be used as a basis for insight while one remains in the attainment stops here.
MN 111 indicates that the next two attainments—the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception and the cessation of perception & feeling—can be used as a basis for liberating insight only after one has emerged from the attainment.
AN 9.36 notes that the attainments from the first jhāna up through the dimension of nothingness are “perception-attainments.”
Given that the work of insight requires perceptions, this suggests that the two higher attainments would be destroyed by trying to use the perceptions of insight while remaining in them.
AN 9.36 adds, “As far as the perception-attainments go, that is as far as gnosis-penetration goes.
As for these two dimensions—the attainment of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception & the attainment of the cessation of perception & feeling—I tell you that they are to be rightly explained by those monks who are meditators, skilled at attainment, skilled at attainment-emergence, who have attained & emerged in dependence on them.”

2. Given that arahants are described as being of two sorts—released through awareness and released through discernment—it might seem that there should be two different paths to arahantship.
In this sutta, however, the Buddha is describing a single path.
That’s why Ven. Ānanda asks for clarification.
The Buddha’s response is in line with the explanation given in AN 9.43 - AN 9.45.
“Released through discernment” does not mean that one has attained awakening without experiencing any of the jhānas.
Instead, it means that one has experienced at least the first jhāna, but without any of the psychic powers that sometimes accompany the jhānas.
Thus a person whose faculty of concentration was too weak to encompass any of those powers would be described as released through discernment, whereas one whose faculty of concentration was strong enough to encompass at least some of them would be described as released through awareness.


See also: MN 52; MN 78; SN 12.70 SN 22.89 AN 3.88 AN 10.13 Dhp 218; Sn 1:8


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