English
4. The Great Twin Chapter 1. The Shorter Discourse on Gosinga 325. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Nātika, at the Brick Hall. Now at that time the venerable Anuruddha, the venerable Nandiya, and the venerable Kimbila were dwelling in the Gosinga Sal-tree Wood. Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having risen from his seclusion, went to the Gosinga Sal-tree Wood. The park-keeper saw the Blessed One approaching from afar. Having seen him, he said to the Blessed One: “Do not enter this wood, ascetic. There are three noble sons dwelling here, desirous of their own welfare. Do not disturb them.” The venerable Anuruddha heard the park-keeper speaking with the Blessed One. Having heard him, he said to the park-keeper: “Do not, friend park-keeper, prevent the Blessed One. The Teacher, the Blessed One, has arrived for us.” Then the venerable Anuruddha went to where the venerable Nandiya and the venerable Kimbila were. Having approached, he said to the venerable Nandiya and the venerable Kimbila: “Come, venerable sirs, come, venerable sirs! The Teacher, the Blessed One, has arrived for us.” Then the venerable Anuruddha, the venerable Nandiya, and the venerable Kimbila went forth to meet the Blessed One. One received the Blessed One’s bowl and robe, one arranged a seat, one prepared water for the feet. The Blessed One sat down on the seat that was prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One washed his feet. Those venerable ones too, having saluted the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To the venerable Anuruddha, sitting to one side, the Blessed One said: 326. “I hope, Anuruddha, you are keeping well, I hope you are managing, I hope you are not troubled by almsfood?” “We are keeping well, Blessed One, we are managing, Blessed One; and we are not troubled by almsfood, venerable sir.” “I hope then, Anuruddha, you are living in concord, harmonious, without dispute, become like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes, do you dwell? "Indeed, venerable sir, we in harmony, delighting together, without dispute, become like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes, we dwell." "But how then, Anuruddha, do you in harmony, delighting together, without dispute, become like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes, do you dwell?" "Here, venerable sir, it occurs to me thus: 'Indeed, it is a gain for me, indeed, it is well-obtained for me, that I dwell with such noble companions in the holy life.' For me, venerable sir, towards these venerable ones, a bodily act of loving-kindness is present, both openly and in private; a verbal act of loving-kindness is present, both openly and in private; a mental act of loving-kindness is present, both openly and in private. For me, venerable sir, it occurs thus: 'What if I were to set aside my own mind, and act in accordance with the minds of these venerable ones?' So indeed I, venerable sir, having set aside my own mind, act in accordance with the minds of these venerable ones. Indeed, venerable sir, our bodies are separate, but I think our minds are one." And Venerable Nandiya... and Venerable Kimila also said this to the Blessed One: "For me too, venerable sir, it occurs thus: 'Indeed, it is a gain for me, indeed, it is well-obtained for me, that I dwell with such noble companions in the holy life.' For me, venerable sir, towards these venerable ones, a bodily act of loving-kindness is present, both openly and in private; a verbal act of loving-kindness is present, both openly and in private; a mental act of loving-kindness is present, both openly and in private. For me, venerable sir, it occurs thus: 'What if I were to set aside my own mind, and act in accordance with the minds of these venerable ones?' So indeed I, venerable sir, having set aside my own mind, act in accordance with the minds of these venerable ones. Indeed, venerable sir, our bodies are separate, but I think our minds are one." "Thus indeed we, venerable sir..." They, united, rejoicing together, not disputing, like milk and water mingled, looking at one another with loving eyes, we dwell. 327. "Good, good, Anuruddhas! I hope, Anuruddhas, you dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute?" "Indeed, venerable sir, we dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute." "How then, Anuruddhas, do you dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute?" "Here, venerable sir, whoever among us first returns from the alms-round arranges the seats, sets out drinking water and washing water, and sets out the refuse bin. Whoever returns last from the alms-round, if there is leftover food, if he wishes, he eats it. If he does not wish, he discards it in a place with little greenery, or immerses it in water free of living creatures. He puts away the seats, puts away the drinking water and washing water, puts away the refuse bin, and sweeps the refectory. Whoever sees a water pot, or a washing water pot, or a urinal pot empty and void, he fills it. If it is beyond his strength, by a gesture of the hand, having called a second monk, by a hand-signal, we fill it. But we do not, venerable sir, on that account, break our speech (quarrel). And indeed, venerable sir, every five days, for the whole night, we sit together with talk about the Dhamma. Thus indeed, venerable sir, we dwell diligent, ardent, and resolute." 328. "Good, good, Anuruddhas! Is there for you, Anuruddhas, thus dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, a comfortable dwelling attained, a superhuman state, a special knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones?" "Indeed there is, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, with thinking and pondering, born of seclusion, rapture and happiness, we enter and dwell in the first jhana. This indeed is for us, venerable sir, for us dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, a superhuman state..." a comfortable dwelling, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision has been attained.” “Good, good, Anuruddha! But, Anuruddha, for transcending this dwelling, for the appeasement of this dwelling, is there any other superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision, a comfortable dwelling, that has been attained by you?” “Why should there not be, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, as long as we wish, with the calming of initial and sustained thought, with the inner tranquility, the unification of mind, without initial thought, without sustained thought, the joy and happiness born of concentration, we enter and dwell in the second jhāna. For transcending this dwelling, venerable sir, for the appeasement of this dwelling, this other superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision, a comfortable dwelling, has been attained.” “Good, good, Anuruddha! But, Anuruddha, for transcending this dwelling, for the appeasement of this dwelling, is there any other superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision, a comfortable dwelling, that has been attained by you?” “Why should there not be, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, as long as we wish, with the fading away of joy, we dwell in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experience happiness with the body, that which the noble ones declare: ‘He dwells in equanimity, mindful, happily.’ we enter and dwell in the third jhāna. For transcending this dwelling, venerable sir, for the appeasement of this dwelling, this other superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision, a comfortable dwelling, has been attained.” “Good, good, Anuruddha! But, Anuruddha, for transcending this dwelling, for the appeasement of this dwelling, is there any other superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge and vision, a comfortable dwelling, that has been attained by you?” “Why should there not be, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, as long as we wish, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the prior disappearance of joy and sorrow, we enter and dwell in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, a state of equanimity and purity of mindfulness. we dwell having attained the fourth jhana. For transcending this dwelling, venerable sir, for the calming of this dwelling, this other superior human state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision, has been attained, a comfortable dwelling." "Excellent, excellent, Anuruddha! But for transcending this dwelling of yours, Anuruddha, for the calming of this dwelling, is there any other superior human state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision, attained, a comfortable dwelling?" "Why should there not be, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, as long as we wish, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, 'space is infinite,' we dwell having attained the dimension of infinite space. For transcending this dwelling, venerable sir, for the calming of this dwelling, this other superior human state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision, has been attained, a comfortable dwelling." "Excellent, excellent, Anuruddha! But for transcending this dwelling of yours, Anuruddha, for the calming of this dwelling, is there any other superior human state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision, attained, a comfortable dwelling?" "Why should there not be, venerable sir! Here, venerable sir, as long as we wish, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite space, 'consciousness is infinite,' we dwell having attained the dimension of infinite consciousness. By completely transcending the dimension of infinite consciousness, 'there is nothing,' we dwell having attained the dimension of nothingness. By completely transcending the dimension of nothingness, we dwell having attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.