Āneñjasappāyasutta |
Conducive to the Imperturbable |
Evaṃ me sutaṃ— |
So I have heard. |
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṃ nāma kurūnaṃ nigamo. |
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma. |
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: |
“Aniccā, bhikkhave, kāmā tucchā musā mosadhammā. |
“monks, sensual pleasures are impermanent, baseless, false, and deceptive, |
Māyākatametaṃ, bhikkhave, bālalāpanaṃ. |
made by illusion, cooed over by fools. |
Ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā— |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; |
ubhayametaṃ māradheyyaṃ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro. |
both of these are Māra’s dominion, Māra’s domain, and Māra’s territory. |
Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṃvattanti. |
They conduce to bad, unskillful Dharmas such as desire, ill will, and aggression. |
Teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti. |
And they create an obstacle for a noble-one's-disciple training here. |
Tatra, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
A noble-one's-disciple reflects on this: |
‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā— |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; |
ubhayametaṃ māradheyyaṃ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro. |
both of these are Māra’s dominion, Māra’s domain, and Māra’s territory. |
Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṃvattanti, |
They conduce to bad, unskillful Dharmas such as desire, ill will, and aggression. |
teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti. |
And they create an obstacle for a noble-one's-disciple training here. |
Yannūnāhaṃ vipulena mahaggatena cetasā vihareyyaṃ abhibhuyya lokaṃ adhiṭṭhāya manasā. |
Why don’t I meditate with an abundant, expansive heart, having mastered the world and resolved the mind? |
Vipulena hi me mahaggatena cetasā viharato abhibhuyya lokaṃ adhiṭṭhāya manasā ye pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi te na bhavissanti. |
Then I will have no more bad, unskillful Dharmas such as desire, ill will, and aggression. |
Tesaṃ pahānā aparittañca me cittaṃ bhavissati appamāṇaṃ subhāvitan’ti. |
And by giving them up my mind, no longer limited, will become limitless and well developed.’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa āneñjūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati. |
This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
Furthermore, a noble-one's-disciple reflects: |
‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; |
yaṃ kiñci rūpaṃ sabbaṃ rūpaṃ cattāri ca mahābhūtāni, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāyarūpan’ti. |
whatever is form, all form is the four primary elements, or form derived from the four primary elements.’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa āneñjūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, dutiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati. |
This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
Furthermore, a noble-one's-disciple reflects: |
‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, |
ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; |
material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā— |
perceptions of material-forms in this life and in lives to come; |
ubhayametaṃ aniccaṃ. |
all of these are impermanent. |
Yadaniccaṃ taṃ nālaṃ abhinandituṃ, nālaṃ abhivadituṃ, nālaṃ ajjhositun’ti. |
And what’s impermanent is not worth approving, welcoming, or clinging to.’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa āneñjūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, tatiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati. |
This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
Furthermore, a noble-one's-disciple reflects: |
‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, |
ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; |
material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; |
perceptions of material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca āneñjasaññā— |
and perceptions of the imperturbable; |
sabbā saññā. |
all are perceptions. |
Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ— |
Where [perceptions of form and perceptions of lower formless dimensions] cease without anything left over, that is peaceful, that is sublime, |
yadidaṃ ākiñcaññāyatanan’ti. |
namely the dimension of nothingness.’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati. |
This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
Furthermore, a noble-one's-disciple has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: |
‘suññamidaṃ attena vā attaniyena vā’ti. |
‘This is empty of a self or what belongs to a self.’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, dutiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati. |
This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
Furthermore, a noble-one's-disciple reflects: |
‘nāhaṃ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasmiṃ, na ca mama kvacani kismiñci kiñcanaṃ natthī’ti. |
‘I don’t belong to anyone anywhere! And nothing belongs to me anywhere!’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, tatiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati. |
This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness. |
Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
Furthermore, a noble-one's-disciple reflects: |
‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, |
ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; |
material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; |
perceptions of material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā— |
perceptions of the imperturbable, and perceptions of the dimension of nothingness; |
sabbā saññā. |
all are perceptions. |
Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ— |
Where they cease without anything left over, that is peaceful, that is sublime, |
yadidaṃ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanan’ti. |
namely the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ |
Tassa evaṃpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṃ pasīdati. |
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. |
Sampasāde sati etarahi vā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā. |
Being confident, they either attain the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception now, or are freed by wisdom. |
Ṭhānametaṃ vijjati yaṃ taṃsaṃvattanikaṃ viññāṇaṃ assa nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagaṃ. |
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. |
Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyatī”ti. |
This is said to be the way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.” |
Evaṃ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: |
When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: |
“idha, bhante, bhikkhu evaṃ paṭipanno hoti: |
"Sir, take a monk who practices like this: |
‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi yaṃ, bhūtaṃ—taṃ pajahāmī’ti. |
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ |
Evaṃ upekkhaṃ paṭilabhati. |
In this way they gain equanimous-observation. |
Parinibbāyeyya nu kho so, bhante, bhikkhu na vā parinibbāyeyyā”ti? |
Would that monk become nirvana'd or not?” |
“Apetthekacco, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā”ti. |
“One such monk might become nirvana'd, Ānanda, while another might not.” |
“Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yenapetthekacco bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā”ti? |
“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for this?” |
“Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṃ paṭipanno hoti: |
“Ānanda, take a monk who practices like this: |
‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṃ bhūtaṃ—taṃ pajahāmī’ti. |
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ |
Evaṃ upekkhaṃ paṭilabhati. |
In this way they gain equanimous-observation. |
So taṃ upekkhaṃ abhinandati, abhivadati, ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. |
They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to that equanimous-observation. |
Tassa taṃ upekkhaṃ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato tannissitaṃ hoti viññāṇaṃ tadupādānaṃ. |
Their consciousness relies on that and grasps it. |
Saupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu na parinibbāyatī”ti. |
A monk with grasping does not become nirvana'd.” |
“Kahaṃ pana so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī”ti? |
“But sir, what is that monk grasping?” |
“Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ, ānandā”ti. |
“The dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.” |
“Upādānaseṭṭhaṃ kira so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī”ti? |
“Sir, it seems that monk is grasping the best thing to grasp!” |
“Upādānaseṭṭhañhi so, ānanda, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyati. |
“Indeed, Ānanda. |
Upādānaseṭṭhañhetaṃ, ānanda, yadidaṃ— |
For the best thing to grasp is |
nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ. |
the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. |
Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṃ paṭipanno hoti: |
Take a monk who practices like this: |
‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṃ bhūtaṃ—taṃ pajahāmī’ti. |
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ |
Evaṃ upekkhaṃ paṭilabhati. |
In this way they gain equanimous-observation. |
So taṃ upekkhaṃ nābhinandati, nābhivadati, na ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. |
They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to that equanimous-observation. |
Tassa taṃ upekkhaṃ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato na tannissitaṃ hoti viññāṇaṃ na tadupādānaṃ. |
So their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it. |
Anupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyatī”ti. |
A monk free of grasping becomes nirvana'd.” |
“Acchariyaṃ, bhante, abbhutaṃ, bhante. |
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! |
Nissāya nissāya kira no, bhante, bhagavatā oghassa nittharaṇā akkhātā. |
The Buddha has explained to us how to cross over the flood by relying on one support or the other. |
Katamo pana, bhante, ariyo vimokkho”ti? |
But sir, what is noble liberation?” |
“Idhānanda, bhikkhu ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: |
“Ananda, it’s when a monk reflects like this: |
‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; |
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; |
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, |
ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; |
material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; |
perceptions of material-forms in this life and in lives to come, |
yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā, yā ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā— |
perceptions of the imperturbable, perceptions of the dimension of nothingness, perceptions of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; |
esa sakkāyo yāvatā sakkāyo. |
that is identity as far as identity extends. |
Etaṃ amataṃ yadidaṃ anupādā cittassa vimokkho. |
This is the deathless, namely the liberation of the mind through not grasping. |
Iti, kho, ānanda, desitā mayā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā nissāya nissāya oghassa nittharaṇā, desito ariyo vimokkho. |
So, Ānanda, I have taught the ways of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable, the dimension of nothingness, and the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. I have taught how to cross the flood by relying on one support or the other, and I have taught noble liberation. |
Yaṃ kho, ānanda, satthārā karaṇīyaṃ sāvakānaṃ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṃ upādāya, kataṃ vo taṃ mayā. |
Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. |
Etāni, ānanda, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyathānanda, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṃ vo amhākaṃ anusāsanī’”ti. |
Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice jhāna, Ānanda! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.” |
Idamavoca bhagavā. |
That is what the Buddha said. |
Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandīti. |
Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda was happy with what the Buddha said. |