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of a great standing tree with heartwood, cuts down the sapwood, takes it, and departs, thinking it is heartwood. And whatever purpose he had for heartwood, that purpose will not be served. I declare this person to be like that, brahmin. 322. But here, brahmin, a certain person, out of faith, has gone forth from home to homelessness, thinking: 'I am overcome by birth, by old age, by death, by sorrows, by lamentations, by pains, by griefs, by despairs. Overcome by suffering, afflicted by suffering. Oh, if only an end to this entire mass of suffering might be discerned!' Having thus gone forth, he acquires gain, honor, and renown. He is not pleased with that gain, honor, and renown, nor is his aspiration fulfilled. With that gain, honor, and renown, he does not exalt himself, nor does he disparage others. And for the realization of those other states that are higher and more excellent than gain, honor, and renown, he generates desire, he strives, he is not slack in his effort and not lazy. He achieves moral perfection. He is pleased with that moral perfection, but his aspiration is not fulfilled. With that moral perfection, he does not exalt himself, nor does he disparage others. And for the realization of those other states that are higher and more excellent than moral perfection, he generates desire, he strives, he is not slack in his effort and not lazy. He achieves concentration perfection. He is pleased with that concentration perfection, but his aspiration is not fulfilled. With that concentration perfection, he does not exalt himself, nor does he disparage others. He does not praise himself, nor does he disparage others. And for the accomplishment of concentration, and for the realization of those other states that are higher and more refined, he generates desire, he strives, he is not lax in his conduct, nor is he negligent. He attains knowledge and vision. He is pleased with that knowledge and vision, but not yet fully resolved. With that knowledge and vision, he does not praise himself, nor does he disparage others. And for the realization of those other states that are higher and more refined than knowledge and vision, he generates desire, he strives, he is not lax in his conduct, nor is he negligent. 323. "And what, brahmin, are the states that are higher and more refined than knowledge and vision? Here, brahmin, a monk — quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by initial application and sustained application. This too, brahmin, is a state higher and more refined than knowledge and vision. "Further, brahmin, with the stilling of initial and sustained application, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of concentration, with internal assurance and unification of mind, without initial application and sustained application. This too, brahmin, is a state higher and more refined than knowledge and vision. "Further, brahmin, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending, and he experiences pleasure with the body, of which the noble ones declare: 'He dwells equanimous, mindful, and experiencing pleasure' — he enters and remains in the third jhana. This too, brahmin, is a state higher and more refined than knowledge and vision. "Further, brahmin, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the prior disappearance of joy and sorrow, he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: neither painful nor pleasant, with the purity of equanimity and mindfulness. This too, brahmin, is a state higher and more refined than knowledge and vision. F. Again, further, brahmin, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, thinking, ‘Space is infinite,’ enters upon and abides in the sphere of infinite space. This too, brahmin, is a state more excellent and more sublime than knowledge and vision. Again, further, brahmin, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending the sphere of infinite space, thinking, ‘Consciousness is infinite,’ enters upon and abides in the sphere of infinite consciousness. This too, brahmin, is a state more excellent and more sublime than knowledge and vision. Again, further, brahmin, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking, ‘There is nothing,’ enters upon and abides in the sphere of nothingness. This too, brahmin, is a state more excellent and more sublime than knowledge and vision. Again, further, brahmin, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending the sphere of nothingness, enters upon and abides in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. This too, brahmin, is a state more excellent and more sublime than knowledge and vision. Again, further, brahmin, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, enters upon and abides in the cessation of perception and feeling. And having seen with wisdom, his defilements are destroyed. This too, brahmin, is a state more excellent and more sublime than knowledge and vision. These, brahmin, are the states more excellent and more sublime than knowledge and vision. 324. Just as, brahmin, a man in search of heartwood, seeking heartwood, searching for heartwood, would go to a great tree, standing, full of heartwood, and having cut off only the heartwood, would take it and depart, knowing it to be heartwood. And whatever he needed to do with heartwood, that purpose would be fulfilled for him. I declare, brahmin, this person to be like that. Thus, brahmin, this holy life is not for the advantage of gain, honor, and renown, nor for the advantage of moral perfection, nor for the advantage of concentration perfection, nor for the advantage of knowledge and vision. But this, indeed, is Brahmin, unshakeable liberation of mind – for this purpose, Brahmin, is this holy life, this is the essence, this is the culmination. When this was said, the brahmin Piṅgalakoccha said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, Venerable Gotama! Excellent, Venerable Gotama! … Let Venerable Gotama remember me as a lay follower from this day forth, for as long as life lasts, who has taken refuge.” The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood, the tenth, is concluded. The Chapter on Similes, the third, is concluded. Its summary: Moḷiya, Phagguna, Ariṭṭha, and Nāma, Andhavana, Kathi, Puṇṇa, Nivāpa; Rāsika, Kaṇeru, Mahāgaja, Nāma, Sārūpama, and then Piṅgalakoccha.