English
the defilements of the mind, which weaken wisdom, dwell pervading one direction with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness… …(and so on for compassion)… …(and so on for sympathetic joy)… …dwell pervading one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, around, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, dwell pervading it with a mind accompanied by equanimity, vast, great, immeasurable, free from enmity, free from ill-will and malice.’ Here, friends, what is the distinction, what is the difference, what is the dissimilarity between the recluse Gotama and us, regarding this— the teaching of the Dhamma, or the instruction?” Then those bhikkhus neither approved nor disapproved of the words of those wanderers of other sects. Without approving or disapproving, they rose from their seats and departed, thinking, “We shall learn the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One.” Then those bhikkhus, having wandered for alms in Haliddavasana, after their meal, having returned from their alms round, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, in the morning, having dressed, taking our bowls and robes, we entered Haliddavasana for alms. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: ‘It is still too early to wander for alms in Haliddavasana. to wander. What if we were to approach the park of the wandering ascetics of other sects?’’’ ‘‘Then, venerable sir, we approached the park of the wandering ascetics of other sects. Having approached, we exchanged greetings with those wandering ascetics of other sects. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, we sat down to one side. As we were sitting to one side, venerable sir, those wandering ascetics of other sects said this to us: ‘‘‘Friends, the ascetic Gotama teaches the Dhamma to his disciples thus: “Come, monks, having abandoned the five hindrances, the corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, dwell pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness… …dwell pervading one direction with a mind imbued with compassion… …with a mind imbued with appreciative joy… …with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, dwell pervading it with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will.”’ ‘‘‘And we too, friends, teach the Dhamma to our disciples thus: “Come, friends, having abandoned the five hindrances, the corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, dwell pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness… …with a mind imbued with compassion… …with a mind imbued with appreciative joy… …with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, dwell pervading it with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will.” Here, friends, what is the difference, what is the distinction, what is the dissimilarity between the ascetic Gotama and us, regarding this teaching of the Dhamma or instruction from instruction?’ Then We, venerable sir, the speech of those other sect ascetics neither approved nor rejected. Without approving, without rejecting, we rose from our seats and departed, thinking: 'We shall understand the meaning of this speech in the presence of the Blessed One.' "Monks, when other sect ascetics speak in this way, they should be addressed thus: 'How, friends, when developed, is the liberation of mind by loving-kindness, what is its destination, what is its ultimate goal, what is its fruit, what is its culmination? How, friends, when developed, is the liberation of mind by compassion, what is its destination, what is its ultimate goal, what is its fruit, what is its culmination? How, friends, when developed, is the liberation of mind by sympathetic joy, what is its destination, what is its ultimate goal, what is its fruit, what is its culmination? How, friends, when developed, is the liberation of mind by equanimity, what is its destination, what is its ultimate goal, what is its fruit, what is its culmination?'" "Monks, when asked thus, those other sect ascetics will not be able to answer, and will fall into further vexation. Why is that? Because, monks, it is beyond their scope. "Monks, I do not see in the world with its devas, Māras, and Brahmās, among the generation of recluses and brahmins, devas and humans, anyone who, by answering these questions, could satisfy the mind, except for the Tathāgata, or a disciple of the Tathāgata, or one who has heard it from them." "And how, monks, when developed, is the liberation of mind by loving-kindness, what is its destination, what is its ultimate goal, what is its fruit, what is its culmination? Here, monks, a monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by loving-kindness... (and so on)... develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by loving-kindness, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. If he wishes: 'May I dwell perceiving repulsion in what is not repulsive,' he dwells perceiving repulsion there. If he wishes: 'May I dwell perceiving non-repulsion in what is repulsive,' he dwells perceiving non-repulsion there. If he wishes: 'May I dwell perceiving repulsion in both what is not repulsive and what is repulsive,' he perceives repulsion he dwells there. If he wishes, ‘May I dwell perceiving the disagreeable in the agreeable and the disagreeable,’ he dwells there perceiving the disagreeable. If he wishes, ‘Having avoided both the agreeable and the disagreeable, may I dwell equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending,’ he dwells there equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending, or he enters and dwells in the beautiful liberation. The beautiful, I say, monks, is the highest for the liberation of mind through loving-kindness, for a monk of limited wisdom here, who has not penetrated a higher liberation. And how, monks, is the liberation of mind through compassion developed? What is its destination, what is its highest, what is its fruit, what is its culmination? Here, monks, a monk develops the mindfulness enlightenment-factor accompanied by compassion… he develops the equanimity enlightenment-factor accompanied by compassion, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. If he wishes, ‘May I dwell perceiving the disagreeable in the agreeable,’ he dwells there perceiving the disagreeable… If he wishes, ‘Having avoided both the agreeable and the disagreeable, may I dwell equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending,’ he dwells there equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending. Or, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, (perceiving) ‘space is infinite,’ he enters and dwells in the base of infinite space. The base of infinite space, I say, monks, is the highest for the liberation of mind through compassion, for a monk of limited wisdom here, who has not penetrated a higher liberation. And how, monks, is the liberation of mind through appreciative joy developed? What is its destination, what is its highest, what is its fruit, what is its culmination? Here, monks, a monk develops the mindfulness enlightenment-factor accompanied by appreciative joy… he develops the equanimity enlightenment-factor accompanied by appreciative joy, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. If he wishes, ‘May I dwell perceiving the disagreeable in the agreeable,’ he dwells there perceiving the disagreeable. dwells… …if he wishes, ‘Having avoided both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, I would dwell in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending,’ he dwells there in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending. Or, having entirely transcended the base of infinite space, he enters and dwells in the base of infinite consciousness, thinking, ‘Consciousness is infinite.’ I declare, monks, that the liberation of mind by gladness has the base of infinite consciousness as its highest, for a monk of limited wisdom here who has not penetrated to a higher liberation. “And how, monks, is the liberation of mind by equanimity developed? What is its destination? What is its highest? What is its fruit? What is its culmination? Here, monks, a monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by equanimity, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment… …he develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by equanimity, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. If he wishes, ‘I would dwell perceiving repulsion in the unrepulsive,’ he dwells there perceiving repulsion. If he wishes, ‘I would dwell perceiving unrepulsion in the repulsive,’ he dwells there perceiving unrepulsion. If he wishes, ‘I would dwell perceiving repulsion in both the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ he dwells there perceiving repulsion. If he wishes, ‘I would dwell perceiving unrepulsion in both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ he dwells there perceiving unrepulsion. If he wishes, ‘Having avoided both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, I would dwell in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending,’ he dwells there in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending. Or, having entirely transcended the base of infinite consciousness, he enters and dwells in the base of nothingness, thinking, ‘There is nothing.’ I declare, monks, that the liberation of mind by equanimity