English
dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.” Standing there, he attains the destruction of the taints. If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then, through that delight in Dhamma, through that joy in Dhamma, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an apparitional being, there attaining final Nibbāna, never to return from that world. “I declare, bhikkhus, the destruction of the taints to be dependent on the first jhāna.” Thus, what was said, was said with reference to this. “I declare, bhikkhus, the destruction of the taints to be dependent on the second jhāna…” “I declare, bhikkhus, the destruction of the taints to be dependent on the third jhāna…” “I declare, bhikkhus, the destruction of the taints to be dependent on the fourth jhāna.” Thus, this was said. It was said. And what was it said in reference to? Here, monks, a monk, by the abandoning of pleasure and by the abandoning of pain, and by the prior disappearance of joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. Whatever there is in that state of form, of feeling, of perception, of volitional formations, of consciousness, he sees these phenomena as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as an affliction, as an illness, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away from these phenomena, he directs his mind to the deathless element: “This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.” Standing there, he attains the destruction of the taints. If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then, by that very delight in Dhamma, by that very enjoyment of Dhamma, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an apparitional rebirth, there attaining final Nibbāna, never to return from that world. Just as, monks, an archer or an archer’s apprentice, having practiced on a straw man or a clay mound, after some time becomes a long-distance shooter, a quick-shot marksman, and a piercer of a great mass; even so, monks, a monk, by the abandoning of pleasure and by the abandoning of pain, and by the prior disappearance of joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. Whatever there is in that state of form, of feeling… never to return from that world. “I declare, monks, the destruction of the taints by relying on the fourth jhāna,” thus it was said, and it was said in reference to this. “I declare, monks, the destruction of the taints by relying on the base of infinite space,” thus it was said. And what was it said in reference to? Here, monks, a monk, by completely transcending forms… By transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, he enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite space, thinking 'space is infinite'. Whatever there is there of feeling, of perception, of volitional formations, of consciousness, he regards those phenomena as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as an affliction, as an illness, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena. Having turned his mind away from those phenomena, he directs his mind to the deathless element – 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' Standing there, he attains the destruction of the taints. If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then by that very delight in the Dhamma, by that very joy in the Dhamma, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an apparitional rebirth, one who attains final Nibbāna there, not liable to return from that world. Just as, bhikkhus, an archer or an archer's apprentice, having practiced on a straw man or a mound of clay, becomes skilled, and after some time becomes a long-distance shooter, a quick-shot, and a piercer of great bodies; in the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite space, thinking 'space is infinite'. Whatever there is there of feeling, of perception... not liable to return from that world. 'I declare the destruction of the taints, bhikkhus, based on the dimension of infinite space,' that which was said, was said with reference to this. 'I declare the destruction of the taints, bhikkhus, based on the dimension of infinite consciousness... I declare the destruction of the taints, bhikkhus, based on the dimension of nothingness,' that too was said. With reference to what was this said? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite consciousness, thinking 'there is nothing,' enters the dimension of nothingness. dwells having attained it. Whatever is there, of feeling, of perception, of formations, of consciousness, he sees these things as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as a misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not self. He turns his mind away from these things. Having turned his mind away from these things, he directs his mind to the deathless element: “This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.” Standing there, he attains the destruction of the taints. If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then, by that delight in Dhamma, by that joy in Dhamma, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an apparitional rebirth, there attaining final Nibbāna, not liable to return from that world. Just as, bhikkhus, an archer or an archer's apprentice, having practiced on a straw dummy or a mound of clay, after some time, becomes a long-distance shooter, a quick-shot marksman, and a piercer of a great body; even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having entirely transcended the dimension of infinite consciousness, and having attained the dimension of nothingness, thinking, "there is nothing," dwells having attained it. Whatever is there, of feeling, of perception, of formations, of consciousness, he sees these things as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as a misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not self. He turns his mind away from these things. Having turned his mind away from these things, he directs his mind to the deathless element: “This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.” Standing there, he attains the destruction of the taints. If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then, by that delight in Dhamma, by that joy in Dhamma, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an apparitional rebirth, there attaining final Nibbāna, not liable to return. From that world. 'I declare the destruction of the taints, relying on the dimension of nothingness,' what was said thus, was said with reference to this. Thus, bhikkhus, as far as the attainment of perception, so far is the penetration of gnosis. And these two dimensions, bhikkhus, relying on which – the attainment of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and the cessation of perception and feeling, these, bhikkhus, by those skilled in attainments, skilled in emerging from attainments, having attained and emerged, should be rightly explained, I say. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse to Ānanda 37. At one time, the venerable Ānanda was staying in Kosambī, at Ghosita's Park. There, the venerable Ānanda addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Friends, bhikkhus!" "Friend," those bhikkhus replied to the venerable Ānanda. The venerable Ānanda said this: "Wonderful, friends, amazing, friends! How much the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, has comprehended the attainment of space in confinement, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and displeasure, for the attainment of the method, for the realization of Nibbāna. The eye will be there, the forms will be there, but that dimension will not experience them. The ear will be there, the sounds will be there, but that dimension will not experience them. The nose will be there, the smells will be there, but that dimension will not experience them. The tongue will be there, the tastes will be there, but that dimension will not experience them. The body will be there, the tangibles will be there, but that dimension will not experience them." When this was said, the venerable Udāyī said to the venerable Ānanda: "Is it, friend Ānanda, with perception that that dimension does not experience, or without perception?" "It is with perception, friend, that that dimension does not experience, not without perception." "With what perception, then, friend, does that dimension not experience?" "Here, friend, a bhikkhu Again, friends, a monk, 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 and dwells in the dimension of infinite space. Even one with such a perception, friends, does not experience that dimension. Again, further, friends, a monk, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite space, (thinking) ‘consciousness is infinite,’