MN 106 · Conducive to the Imperturbable

MN 106 · Conducive to the Imperturbable

MN 106 · Āneñjasappāyasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṁ nāma kurūnaṁ nigamo. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Mendicants, sensual pleasures are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive. This is made by illusion, mendicants, lamented by fools. Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; both of these are Māra’s dominion, Māra’s domain, Māra’s lair, and Māra’s range. They conduce to bad, unskillful notions such as desire, ill will, and aggression. And they create an obstacle for a noble disciple training here.

“Aniccā, bhikkhave, kāmā tucchā musā mosadhammā. Māyākatametaṁ, bhikkhave, bālalāpanaṁ. Ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā— ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro. Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti. Teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti.

A noble disciple reflects on this: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; both of these are Māra’s dominion, Māra’s domain, Māra’s lair, and Māra’s range. They conduce to bad, unskillful notions such as desire, ill will, and aggression. And they create an obstacle for a noble disciple training here. Why don’t I meditate with an abundant, expansive heart, having mastered the world and stabilized the mind? Then I will have no more bad, unskillful notions such as desire, ill will, and aggression. And by giving them up my mind, no longer limited, will become limitless and well developed.’

Tatra, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā— ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro. Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti, teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti. Yannūnāhaṁ vipulena mahaggatena cetasā vihareyyaṁ abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā. Vipulena hi me mahaggatena cetasā viharato abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā ye pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi te na bhavissanti. Tesaṁ pahānā aparittañca me cittaṁ bhavissati appamāṇaṁ subhāvitan’ti.

Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the imperturbable. This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; whatever form there is, all form is the four principal states, or form derived from the four principal states.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the imperturbable. This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ sabbaṁ rūpaṁ cattāri ca mahābhūtāni, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṁ upādāyarūpan’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come; all of these are impermanent. And what’s impermanent is not worth approving, welcoming, or clinging to.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the imperturbable. This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā— ubhayametaṁ aniccaṁ. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ nālaṁ abhinandituṁ, nālaṁ abhivadituṁ, nālaṁ ajjhositun’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come, and perceptions of the imperturbable; all are perceptions. Where they cease without remainder, that is peaceful, that is sublime, namely the dimension of nothingness.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; yā ca āneñjasaññā— sabbā saññā. Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ— yadidaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanan’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This is empty of a self or what belongs to a self.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘suññamidaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘I don’t belong to anyone anywhere! And nothing belongs to me anywhere!’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘nāhaṁ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasmiṁ, na ca mama kvacani kismiñci kiñcanaṁ natthī’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of the imperturbable, and perceptions of the dimension of nothingness; all are perceptions. Where they cease without remainder, that is peaceful, that is sublime, namely the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that that conducive consciousness will be reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is said to be the way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā— sabbā saññā. Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ— yadidaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanan’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā, ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyatī”ti.

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Sir, take a mendicant who practices like this: ‘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.’ In this way they gain equanimity. Would that mendicant become extinguished or not?”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idha, bhante, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi yaṁ, bhūtaṁ—taṁ pajahāmī’ti. Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. Parinibbāyeyya nu kho so, bhante, bhikkhu na vā parinibbāyeyyā”ti?

“One such mendicant might become extinguished, Ānanda, while another might not.”

“Apetthekacco, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā”ti.

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for this?”

“Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yenapetthekacco bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā”ti?

“Ānanda, take a mendicant who practices like this: ‘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.’ In this way they gain equanimity. They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to that equanimity. Their consciousness has that as support and fuel for grasping. A mendicant with fuel for grasping does not become extinguished.”

“Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṁ bhūtaṁ—taṁ pajahāmī’ti. Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So taṁ upekkhaṁ abhinandati, abhivadati, ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ upekkhaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato tannissitaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ tadupādānaṁ. Saupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu na parinibbāyatī”ti.

“But sir, what is that mendicant grasping?”

“Kahaṁ pana so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī”ti?

“The dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

“Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ, ānandā”ti.

“Sir, it seems that mendicant is grasping the best thing to grasp!”

“Upādānaseṭṭhaṁ kira so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī”ti?

“Indeed, Ānanda. For the best thing to grasp is the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

“Upādānaseṭṭhañhi so, ānanda, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyati. Upādānaseṭṭhañhetaṁ, ānanda, yadidaṁ— nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ.

Take a mendicant who practices like this: ‘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.’ In this way they gain equanimity. They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to that equanimity. So their consciousness doesn’t have that as support and fuel for grasping. A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished.”

Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṁ bhūtaṁ—taṁ pajahāmī’ti. Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So taṁ upekkhaṁ nābhinandati, nābhivadati, na ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ upekkhaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato na tannissitaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ na tadupādānaṁ. Anupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyatī”ti.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! It seems the Buddha has explained to us how to cross over the flood by relying on one support or another. But sir, what is noble liberation?”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Nissāya nissāya kira no, bhante, bhagavatā oghassa nittharaṇā akkhātā. Katamo pana, bhante, ariyo vimokkho”ti?

“Ānanda, it’s when a noble disciple reflects like this: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of the imperturbable, perceptions of the dimension of nothingness, perceptions of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; that is substantial reality as far as substantial reality extends. But this is freedom from death, namely the liberation of the mind by not grasping.’

“Idhānanda, bhikkhu ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā, yā ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā— esa sakkāyo yāvatā sakkāyo. Etaṁ amataṁ yadidaṁ anupādā cittassa 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 another, and I have taught noble liberation.

Iti, kho, ānanda, desitā mayā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā nissāya nissāya oghassa nittharaṇā, desito ariyo vimokkho.

Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, Ānanda! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”

Yaṁ kho, ānanda, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā. Etāni, ānanda, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyathānanda, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī’”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.