SN 28.1 · Born of Seclusion
SN 28.1 · Vivekajasutta
At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Dark Forest for the day’s meditation, plunged deep into it, and sat at the root of a tree to meditate.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya. Andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.
Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta came out of retreat and went to Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Venerable Ānanda saw him coming off in the distance, and said to him:
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. What meditation were you practicing today?”
“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?
“Reverend, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. But it didn’t occur to me: ‘I am entering the first absorption’ or ‘I have entered the first absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the first absorption’.”
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it didn’t occur to you: ‘I am entering the first absorption’ or ‘I have entered the first absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the first absorption’.”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
Paṭhamaṁ.
SN 28.2 · Without Placing the Mind
SN 28.2 · Avitakkasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:
Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe… āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. What meditation were you practicing today?”
“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?
“Reverend, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. But it didn’t occur to me: ‘I am entering the second absorption’ or ‘I have entered the second absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the second absorption’.”
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it didn’t occur to you: ‘I am entering the second absorption’ or ‘I have entered the second absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the second absorption’.”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
Dutiyaṁ.
SN 28.3 · Rapture
SN 28.3 · Pītisutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:
Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe…
“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. What meditation were you practicing today?”
“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?
“Reverend, with the fading away of rapture, I entered and remained in the third absorption, where I meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ But it didn’t occur to me: ‘I am entering the third absorption’ or ‘I have entered the third absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the third absorption’.”
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihāsiṁ sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedemi; yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it didn’t occur to you: ‘I am entering the third absorption’ or ‘I have entered the third absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the third absorption’.”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
Tatiyaṁ.
SN 28.4 · Equanimity
SN 28.4 · Upekkhāsutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:
Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe…
“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. What meditation were you practicing today?”
“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?
“Reverend, with the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. But it didn’t occur to me: ‘I am entering the fourth absorption’ or ‘I have entered the fourth absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the fourth absorption’.”
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it didn’t occur to you: ‘I am entering the fourth absorption’ or ‘I have entered the fourth absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the fourth absorption’.”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
Catutthaṁ.
SN 28.5 · The Dimension of Infinite Space
SN 28.5 · Ākāsānañcāyatanasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta …
Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe…
“Reverend, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, I entered and remained in the dimension of infinite space. …” …
“idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi …pe… vuṭṭhitoti vā”ti.
Pañcamaṁ.
SN 28.6 · The Dimension of Infinite Consciousness
SN 28.6 · Viññāṇañcāyatanasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta …
Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe…
“Reverend, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, I entered and remained in the dimension of infinite consciousness. …” …
“idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma anantaṁ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi …pe… vuṭṭhitoti vā”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
SN 28.7 · The Dimension of Nothingness
SN 28.7 · Ākiñcaññāyatanasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta …
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto …pe…
“Reverend, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, I entered and remained in the dimension of nothingness. …” …
“idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma, natthi kiñcīti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi …pe… vuṭṭhitoti vā”ti.
Sattamaṁ.
SN 28.8 · The Dimension of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception
SN 28.8 · Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta …
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto …pe…
“Reverend, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, I entered and remained in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. …” …
“idhāhaṁ, āvuso, ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi …pe… vuṭṭhitoti vā”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
SN 28.9 · The Attainment of Cessation
SN 28.9 · Nirodhasamāpattisutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta …
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto …pe….
“Reverend, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, I entered and remained in the cessation of perception and feeling. But it didn’t occur to me: ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling’.”
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it didn’t occur to you: ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling’.”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
Navamaṁ.
SN 28.10 · With Sucimukhī
SN 28.10 · Sucimukhīsutta
At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then he robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. After wandering indiscriminately for almsfood in Rājagaha, he ate his almsfood by a wall.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahe piṇḍāya pāvisi. Rājagahe sapadānaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā taṁ piṇḍapātaṁ aññataraṁ kuṭṭamūlaṁ nissāya paribhuñjati.
Then the wanderer Sucimukhī went up to Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:
Atha kho sucimukhī paribbājikā yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
“Ascetic, do you eat facing downwards?”
“Kiṁ nu kho, samaṇa, adhomukho bhuñjasī”ti?
“No, sister.”
“Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, adhomukho bhuñjāmī”ti.
“Well then, do you eat facing upwards?”
“Tena hi, samaṇa, ubbhamukho bhuñjasī”ti?
“No, sister.”
“Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, ubbhamukho bhuñjāmī”ti.
“Well then, do you eat facing the cardinal directions?”
“Tena hi, samaṇa, disāmukho bhuñjasī”ti?
“No, sister.”
“Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, disāmukho bhuñjāmī”ti.
“Well then, do you eat facing the intermediate directions?”
“Tena hi, samaṇa, vidisāmukho bhuñjasī”ti?
“No, sister.”
“Na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, vidisāmukho bhuñjāmī”ti.
“When asked if you eat facing all these directions, you answer ‘no, sister’. How then do you eat, ascetic?”
“‘Kiṁ nu, samaṇa, adhomukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, adhomukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, samaṇa, ubbhamukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, ubbhamukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, samaṇa, disāmukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, disāmukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, samaṇa, vidisāmukho bhuñjasī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na khvāhaṁ, bhagini, vidisāmukho bhuñjāmī’ti vadesi. Kathañcarahi, samaṇa, bhuñjasī”ti?
“Sister, those ascetics and brahmins who earn a living by geomancy—a low lore, a wrong livelihood—are said to eat facing downwards.
“Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā vatthuvijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘adhomukhā bhuñjantī’ti.
Those ascetics and brahmins who earn a living by astrology—a low lore, a wrong livelihood—are said to eat facing upwards.
Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā nakkhattavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘ubbhamukhā bhuñjantī’ti.
Those ascetics and brahmins who earn a living by running errands and messages—a wrong livelihood—are said to eat facing the cardinal directions.
Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘disāmukhā bhuñjantī’ti.
Those ascetics and brahmins who earn a living by limb-reading—a low lore, a wrong livelihood—are said to eat facing the intermediate directions.
Ye hi keci, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā aṅgavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappenti, ime vuccanti, bhagini, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ‘vidisāmukhā bhuñjantī’ti.
I don’t earn a living by any of these means. I seek alms in a principled manner, and I eat it in a principled manner.”
So khvāhaṁ, bhagini, na vatthuvijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi, na nakkhattavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi, na dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi, na aṅgavijjātiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvikaṁ kappemi. Dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesāmi; dhammena bhikkhaṁ pariyesitvā bhuñjāmī”ti.
Then Sucimukhī the wanderer went around Rājagaha from street to street and from square to square, and announced: “The ascetics who follow the Sakyan eat food in a principled manner! The ascetics who follow the Sakyan eat food blamelessly! Give almsfood to the ascetics who follow the Sakyan!”
Atha kho sucimukhī paribbājikā rājagahe rathiyāya rathiyaṁ, siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evamārocesi: “dhammikaṁ samaṇā sakyaputtiyā āhāraṁ āhārenti; anavajjaṁ samaṇā sakyaputtiyā āhāraṁ āhārenti. Detha samaṇānaṁ sakyaputtiyānaṁ piṇḍan”ti.
Dasamaṁ.
Sāriputtavaggo paṭhamo.
Tassuddānaṁ
Vivekajaṁ avitakkaṁ,pīti upekkhā catutthakaṁ;Ākāsañceva viññāṇaṁ,ākiñcaṁ nevasaññinā;Nirodho navamo vutto,dasamaṁ sūcimukhī cāti.
The Linked Discourses on Sāriputta are complete.
Sāriputtasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.