English
I encourage, I inspire, I gladden. And while I am speaking, they do not know me – ‘Who indeed is this speaking, a god or a human?’ With a talk on Dhamma, having instructed, having encouraged, having inspired, having gladdened, I vanish. And having vanished, they do not know me – ‘Who indeed is this who has vanished, a god or a human?’ I know, Ananda, that I have approached hundreds of assemblies of brahmins… and so on… assemblies of householders… assemblies of ascetics… assemblies of the Four Great Kings… assemblies of the Thirty-three gods… assemblies of Māra… assemblies of Brahmā. There too, I have sat down before, and conversed before, and engaged in discussion before. There, whatever their complexion, such is my complexion. Whatever their voice, such is my voice. With a talk on Dhamma, I instruct, I encourage, I inspire, I gladden. And while I am speaking, they do not know me – ‘Who indeed is this speaking, a god or a human?’ With a talk on Dhamma, having instructed, having encouraged, having inspired, having gladdened, I vanish. And having vanished, they do not know me – ‘Who indeed is this who has vanished, a god or a human?’ These, Ananda, are the eight assemblies. Eight spheres of mastery. “These, Ananda, are the eight spheres of mastery. Which eight? One, perceiving forms internally, sees external forms, small, beautiful or ugly. He is thus aware: ‘Having overcome them, I know, I see.’ This is the first sphere of mastery. One, perceiving forms internally, sees external He sees developed forms, immeasurable, beautiful and ugly. 'Having overcome them, I know, I see,' he is thus aware. This is the second sphere of mastery. One, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, limited, beautiful and ugly. 'Having overcome them, I know, I see,' he is thus aware. This is the third sphere of mastery. One, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, immeasurable, beautiful and ugly. 'Having overcome them, I know, I see,' he is thus aware. This is the fourth sphere of mastery. One, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, blue, blue-colored, blue-appearing, blue-shining. Just as a flax flower is blue, blue-colored, blue-appearing, blue-shining. Or just as that cloth from Benares, polished on both sides, is blue, blue-colored, blue-appearing, blue-shining. Just so, one, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, blue, blue-colored, blue-appearing, blue-shining. 'Having overcome them, I know, I see,' he is thus aware. This is the fifth sphere of mastery. One, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, yellow, yellow-colored, yellow-appearing, yellow-shining. Just as a kaṇikāra flower is yellow, yellow-colored, yellow-appearing, yellow-shining. Or just as that cloth from Benares, polished on both sides, is yellow, yellow-colored, yellow-appearing, yellow-shining. Just so, one, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, yellow, yellow-colored, yellow-appearing, yellow-shining. 'Having overcome them, I know, I see,' he is thus aware. This is the sixth sphere of mastery. One, internally not perceiving forms, externally sees forms, red, red-colored, red-appearing, red-shining. Just as a bandhujīvaka flower is red, red-colored, red-appearing. appearance, red in luster. Just as a Benares cloth, polished on both sides, is red, red in color, red in appearance, red in luster. In the same way, one who is internally formless in perception sees external forms that are red, red in color, red in appearance, red in luster. He perceives: 'Having overcome them, I know, I see.' This is the seventh sphere of mastery. One who is internally formless in perception sees external forms that are white, white in color, white in appearance, white in luster. Just as the morning star is white, white in color, white in appearance, white in luster. Just as a Benares cloth, polished on both sides, is white, white in color, white in appearance, white in luster. In the same way, one who is internally formless in perception sees external forms that are white, white in color, white in appearance, white in luster. He perceives: 'Having overcome them, I know, I see.' This is the eighth sphere of mastery. These, Ananda, are the eight spheres of mastery. Eight Liberations 174. "These, Ananda, are the eight liberations. Which eight? One with form sees forms; this is the first liberation. Internally formless in perception, one sees external forms; this is the second liberation. One is intent on the beautiful; this is the third liberation. With the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, one enters and dwells in the sphere of infinite space, thinking: 'Space is infinite'; this is the fourth liberation. With the complete transcending of the sphere of infinite space, one enters and dwells in the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking: 'Consciousness is infinite'; this is the fifth liberation. With the complete transcending of the sphere of infinite consciousness, one enters and dwells in the sphere of nothingness, thinking: 'There is nothing'; this is the sixth liberation. With the complete transcending of the sphere of nothingness, one enters and dwells in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. he dwells. This is the seventh liberation. Having entirely transcended the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling; this is the eighth liberation. These, Ananda, are the eight liberations. 175. "Once, Ananda, I was dwelling in Uruvela, on the bank of the Nerañjarā River, at the Ajapāla Banyan tree, having just attained full enlightenment. Then, Ananda, Māra the Evil One approached me; having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Ananda, Māra the Evil One said to me: 'Now, Venerable One, let the Blessed One attain final Nibbana; let the Sugata attain final Nibbana; now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbana.' When this was said, Ananda, I said to Māra the Evil One: "'I will not attain final Nibbana, Evil One, until my monks are disciples, accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in accordance with the Dhamma, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they will teach, expound, declare, establish, disclose, analyze, and make clear, and having thoroughly refuted any arisen opposing doctrine with the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with a wonder-working power. "'I will not attain final Nibbana, Evil One, until my nuns are disciples, accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in accordance with the Dhamma, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they will teach, expound, declare, establish, disclose, analyze, and make clear, and having thoroughly refuted any arisen opposing doctrine with the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with a wonder-working power. "'I will not attain final Nibbana, Evil One, until my male lay followers are disciples, accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in accordance with the Dhamma, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they will teach, expound, declare, establish, disclose, analyze, and make clear, and having thoroughly refuted any arisen opposing doctrine with the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with a wonder-working power. having mastered their own teacher's doctrine, they will teach, they will explain, they will declare, they will establish, they will reveal, they will analyze, they will make clear; and having thoroughly suppressed any arisen opposing view with the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with its marvel. "Not yet will I, Evil One, attain final Nibbāna, until my female lay followers become disciples: accomplished, trained, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing correctly, living in conformity with the Dhamma; having mastered their own teacher's doctrine, they will teach, they will explain, they will declare, they will establish, they will reveal, they will analyze, they will make clear; and having thoroughly suppressed any arisen opposing view with the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with its marvel. "Not yet will I, Evil One, attain final Nibbāna, until this holy life of mine becomes: prosperous, flourishing, widespread, populous, extensive, and well-proclaimed among gods and humans." 176. "Just now, Ananda, today at the Cāpāla Shrine, Māra, the Evil One, came to where I was; having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Ananda, Māra, the Evil One, said this to me: 'Now, Venerable Sir, let the Blessed One attain final Nibbāna; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna. Now is the time, Venerable Sir, for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna. For this word, Venerable Sir, was spoken by the Blessed One: "Not yet will I, Evil One, attain final Nibbāna, until my monks become disciples... until my nuns become disciples... until my male lay followers become disciples... until my female lay followers become disciples... until this holy life of mine becomes prosperous, flourishing, widespread, populous, extensive, and well-proclaimed among gods and humans." But now, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One's holy life is prosperous, flourishing, widespread, populous, extensive, and well-proclaimed among gods and humans. Pari..." Now let the Blessed One pass away, Venerable Sir, Let the Well-Gone One pass away completely, Now is the time for the Blessed One's complete passing away, Venerable Sir. 177. "When this was said, I, Ananda, spoke to Māra the Evil One thus: 'Be at ease, Evil One,