English
When he cognizes a mental phenomenon with the mind, his consciousness follows the sign of the mental phenomenon, is caught up in the delight of the sign of the mental phenomenon, is bound by the delight of the sign of the mental phenomenon, is yoked to the fetter of the delight of the sign of the mental phenomenon. Thus, consciousness is said to be scattered and diffused externally. This is how, friends, consciousness is said to be scattered and diffused externally. 317. ‘‘And how, friends, is consciousness said to be not scattered and not diffused externally? Here, friends, when a monk sees a form with the eye, his consciousness does not follow the sign of the form, is not caught up in the delight of the sign of the form, is not bound by the delight of the sign of the form, is not yoked to the fetter of the delight of the sign of the form. Thus, consciousness is said to be not scattered and not diffused externally. When he hears a sound with the ear… When he smells a smell with the nose… When he tastes a taste with the tongue… When he touches a tangible object with the body… When he cognizes a mental phenomenon with the mind, his consciousness does not follow the sign of the mental phenomenon, is not caught up in the delight of the sign of the mental phenomenon, is not bound by the delight of the sign of the mental phenomenon, is not yoked to the fetter of the delight of the mental phenomenon. Thus, consciousness is said to be not scattered and not diffused externally. This is how, friends, consciousness is said to be not scattered and not diffused externally. 318. ‘‘And how, friends, is the mind internally What is called 'settled'? Here, friend, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, with initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure, enters and dwells in the first jhana. His consciousness follows the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, is infatuated with the taste of the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, is bound by the taste of the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, is yoked by the taste of the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. This is called the mind 'settled' internally. Furthermore, friend, a monk, with the fading away of initial and sustained application, with internal assurance, and unification of mind, without initial application and sustained application, born of concentration, with rapture and pleasure, enters and dwells in the second jhana. His consciousness follows the rapture and pleasure born of concentration, is infatuated with the taste of the rapture and pleasure born of concentration, is bound by the taste of the rapture and pleasure born of concentration, is yoked by the taste of the rapture and pleasure born of concentration. This is called the mind 'settled' internally. Furthermore, friend, a monk, with the fading away of rapture, dwells in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experiences pleasure with the body, that of which the noble ones declare: 'He dwells in equanimity, mindful, and at ease,' enters and dwells in the third jhana. His consciousness follows equanimity and pleasure, is infatuated with the taste of equanimity and pleasure, is bound by the taste of equanimity and pleasure, is yoked by the taste of equanimity and pleasure. This is called the mind 'settled' internally. Furthermore, friend, a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure, and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhana, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. His consciousness follows neither pain nor pleasure, is infatuated with the taste of neither pain nor pleasure, is bound by the taste of neither pain nor pleasure, is yoked by the taste of neither pain nor pleasure. This is called the mind 'settled' internally. In this way, friend, is the mind 'settled' internally. 319. "And how, friend, is internally... is called 'the mind unestablished'? Here, friend, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhana. His consciousness does not follow the joy and pleasure born of seclusion, is not greedy for the taste of the joy and pleasure born of seclusion, is not bound by the taste of the joy and pleasure born of seclusion, is not yoked by the fetter of the taste of the joy and pleasure born of seclusion. Thus, his inner mind is called 'unestablished'. Again, friend, a bhikkhu, with the stilling of applied thought and sustained thought, enters and dwells in the second jhana. His consciousness does not follow the joy and pleasure born of concentration, is not greedy for the taste of the joy and pleasure born of concentration, is not bound by the taste of the joy and pleasure born of concentration, is not yoked by the fetter of the taste of the joy and pleasure born of concentration. Thus, his inner mind is called 'unestablished'. Again, friend, a bhikkhu, with the fading away of joy, enters and dwells in the third jhana. His consciousness does not follow equanimity, is not greedy for the taste of the pleasure of equanimity, is not bound by the taste of the pleasure of equanimity, is not yoked by the fetter of the taste of the pleasure of equanimity. Thus, his inner mind is called 'unestablished'. Again, friend, a bhikkhu, by the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and by the prior disappearance of gladness and sadness, enters and dwells in the fourth jhana, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. His consciousness does not follow neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, is not greedy for the taste of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, is not bound by the taste of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, is not yoked by the fetter of the taste of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Thus, his inner mind is called 'unestablished'. It is in this way, friend, that 'the inner mind is called unestablished'. 320. "And how, friend, is there no agitation without clinging? Here, friend, an uninstructed ordinary person, who is not a seer of the noble ones, not skilled in the Dhamma of the noble ones, not disciplined in the Dhamma of the noble ones, not a seer of the true persons, not skilled in the Dhamma of the true persons, not disciplined in the Dhamma of the true persons, He perceives form as self, or self as having form, or form in self, or self in form. For him, that form changes, it becomes otherwise. From that changing and becoming otherwise of form, his consciousness follows the change of form. From that following of the change of form, anxieties and mental states arise, they stand overwhelming his mind. From the mind's being overwhelmed, he becomes fearful, and distressed, and longing, and he worries without grasping. (Similarly for) feeling... perception... formations... He perceives consciousness as self, or self as having consciousness, or consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. For him, that consciousness changes, it becomes otherwise. From that changing and becoming otherwise of consciousness, his consciousness follows the change of consciousness. From that following of the change of consciousness, anxieties and mental states arise, they stand overwhelming his mind. From the mind's being overwhelmed, he becomes fearful, and distressed, and longing, and he worries without grasping. Thus indeed, friends, there is worry without grasping. 321. "And how, friends, is there no worry from non-grasping? Here, friends, a well-taught noble disciple, who has seen the noble ones, skilled in the noble Dhamma, well-trained in the noble Dhamma, who has seen the true men, skilled in the Dhamma of true men, well-trained in the Dhamma of true men, does not perceive form as self, nor self as having form, nor form in self, nor self in form. For him, that form changes, it becomes otherwise. From that changing and becoming otherwise of form, his consciousness does not follow the change of form. For him, anxieties and mental states, not born from following the change of form, do not stand overwhelming his mind. From the mind's not being overwhelmed, he is not fearful, nor distressed, nor longing, and he does not worry without grasping. (Similarly for) not feeling... not perception... not formations... He does not perceive consciousness as self, nor self as having consciousness... or the self in consciousness, or consciousness in the self. That consciousness of his changes, it becomes otherwise. From the change and otherwise-ness of that consciousness, consciousness does not become one that follows the change of consciousness. From that, the anxieties born of following the change of consciousness, the arising of states, do not overwhelm his mind. From the non-overwhelming of his mind, he is neither terrified, nor distressed, nor expectant, and not clinging, he does not worry. Thus, indeed, friend, is non-clinging, non-worry. “That which, friends, the Blessed One briefly stated as a summary, without elaborating on its meaning, and then rose from his seat and entered the monastery— ‘In such a way, monks, should a monk examine, so that for one who examines in such a way, his consciousness is not scattered or dispersed externally, and not established internally, not clinging, he would not worry. When, monks, consciousness is not scattered or dispersed externally, and not established internally, for one not clinging, not worrying, there is no future arising of birth, old age, death, and suffering.’ Of this summary, friends, stated by the Blessed One, whose meaning was not elaborated, I thus understand the meaning in detail. And if you, venerable ones, wish, you may approach the Blessed One himself and question him about this matter; as the Blessed One explains it to you, so should you remember it.” 322.