English
And to the devas, monks, it occurred: 'Now the asuras dwell in a state of fear and refuge, unassailable by us.' Just so, monks, when a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhana, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure, at that time, monks, it occurs to the monk: 'Now I dwell in a state of fear and refuge, unassailable by Mara.' And to Mara, the Evil One, monks, it occurs: 'Now the monk dwells in a state of fear and refuge, unassailable by me.' When, monks, a monk, with the stilling of initial and sustained application... enters and dwells in the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth jhana... at that time, monks, it occurs to the monk: 'Now I dwell in a state of fear and refuge, unassailable by Mara.' And to Mara, the Evil One, monks, it occurs: 'Now the monk dwells in a state of fear and refuge, , it is not for me.’’ ‘‘When, monks, 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. This, monks, is called: ‘The monk has made an end of Māra, having struck down the footless one, he has gone beyond the sight of the Evil One, crossed over the entanglement in the world.’’ ‘‘When, monks, a monk, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite space, thinking ‘consciousness is infinite,’ enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite consciousness… by completely transcending the dimension of infinite consciousness, thinking ‘there is nothing,’ enters and dwells in the dimension of nothingness… by completely transcending the dimension of nothingness, enters and dwells in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception… by completely transcending the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling, and having seen with wisdom, his defilements are exhausted. This, monks, is called: ‘The monk has made an end of Māra, having struck down the footless one, he has gone beyond the sight of the Evil One, crossed over the entanglement in the world.’’ The Eighth. 9. The Elephant Discourse 40. ‘‘When, monks, a wild elephant, intent on grazing, has elephants, elephant cows, elephant calves, and baby elephants going ahead of it, and breaking off grass tips, then, monks, the wild elephant is annoyed, ashamed, and disgusted. When, monks, a wild elephant, intent on grazing, has elephants, elephant cows, elephant calves, and baby elephants eating broken and snapped branches, then, monks, the wild elephant is annoyed, ashamed, and disgusted. When, monks, a wild elephant, having descended into the water, has elephants, elephant cows, elephant calves, and baby elephants going ahead of it, and stirring up the water with their trunks, then, monks, the wild elephant is annoyed, ashamed, and disgusted. He is pure. At whatever time, monks, when the forest elephant, having emerged from the bathing place, has female elephants pass by, rubbing against his body, then, monks, the forest elephant is annoyed, ashamed, disgusted. At that time, monks, the forest elephant thinks thus: 'Indeed, I now live crowded by male elephants, female elephants, elephant calves, and baby elephants. I eat grass with broken tips, and they eat my broken branches, I drink turbid water, and when I emerge from the bathing place, female elephants pass by, rubbing against my body. How would it be if I were to live alone, withdrawn from the herd?' So, after some time, he lives alone, withdrawn from the herd. He eats grass with unbroken tips, and they do not eat his broken branches, he drinks unturbid water, and when he emerges from the bathing place, female elephants do not pass by, rubbing against his body. At that time, monks, the forest elephant thinks thus: 'Indeed, I previously lived crowded by male elephants, female elephants, elephant calves, and baby elephants. I ate grass with broken tips, and they ate my broken branches, I drank turbid water, and when I emerged from the bathing place, female elephants passed by, rubbing against my body. But now I live alone, withdrawn from the herd. I eat grass with unbroken tips, and they do not eat my broken branches, I drink unturbid water, and when I emerge from the bathing place, female elephants do not pass by, rubbing against my body.' He, having broken a branch with his trunk, having rubbed his body with the branch, delighted, withdraws his trunk. He removes the itch. “Even so, bhikkhus, at whatever time a bhikkhu dwells crowded with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen, laywomen, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, sectarian disciples, at that time, bhikkhus, it occurs to the bhikkhu: ‘I am now dwelling crowded with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen, laywomen, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, sectarian disciples. Why don’t I dwell alone, withdrawn from the crowd?’ So he resorts to a secluded lodging: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, the open air, a heap of straw. Having gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, he sits down, having folded his legs crosswise, having set his body erect, having established mindfulness at the front. “He, having abandoned covetousness for the world, dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies his mind from covetousness. Having abandoned ill will and malice, he dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies his mind from ill will and malice. Having abandoned sloth and torpor, he dwells free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and clearly comprehending; he purifies his mind from sloth and torpor. Having abandoned restlessness and remorse, he dwells unagitated, with his mind inwardly peaceful; he purifies his mind from restlessness and remorse. Having abandoned doubt, he dwells having overcome doubt, without perplexity regarding wholesome states; he purifies his mind from doubt. He, having abandoned these five hindrances, these defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, and filled with rapture and happiness. He, delighted, removes the itch. With the calming of initial and sustained thought… he enters and abides in the second jhāna… the third jhāna… the fourth jhāna. He, delighted, withdraws his trunk. “With the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, thinking, ‘Space is infinite,’ he enters and abides in the sphere of infinite space. He, delighted, withdraws his trunk. With the complete transcending of the sphere of infinite space, thinking, ‘Consciousness is infinite,’ he enters and abides in the sphere of infinite consciousness… with the complete transcending of the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking, ‘There is nothing,’ he enters and abides in the sphere of nothingness… with the complete transcending of the sphere of nothingness, he enters and abides in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception… with the complete transcending of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters and abides in the cessation of perception and feeling, and having seen with wisdom, his defilements are utterly destroyed. He, delighted, withdraws his trunk.” The Ninth. 10. The Discourse to Tapussa At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Mallans, at a Mallan town named Uruvelakappa. Then, in the morning, having put on his robes and taken his bowl and outer robe, the Blessed One entered Uruvelakappa for alms. Having wandered for alms in Uruvelakappa and returned from his alms round after the meal, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Stay right here, Ānanda, while I enter the Great Wood for my day's abiding.” “Yes, venerable sir,” Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having entered the Great Wood, sat down at the root of a certain tree for his day's abiding. Then Tapussa the householder approached Venerable Ānanda; having approached and paid homage to Venerable Ānanda, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Tapussa the householder said to Venerable Ānanda: “Venerable Ānanda, we are laypeople, enjoyers of sensual pleasures, delighting in sensual pleasures, fond of sensual pleasures, rejoicing in sensual pleasures. For us, venerable sir, laypeople, enjoyers of sensual pleasures, delighting in sensual pleasures, For those who delight in sensual pleasures, who are absorbed in sensual pleasures, renunciation appears like a precipice. I have heard this, venerable sir: ‘In this Dhamma and Discipline, the minds of young monks, young monks, leap into renunciation, are pleased with it, settle in it, are liberated by it, seeing it as peaceful.’ And this, venerable sir, renunciation, is disagreeable to many people among the monks in this Dhamma and Discipline.” “Indeed, householder, this is a suitable topic for an audience with the Blessed One. Come, householder, let us go to the Blessed One; having approached, we will report this matter to the Blessed One. As the Blessed One explains it to us, so shall we remember it.” “Yes, venerable sir,” Tapussa the householder replied to Venerable Ānanda. Then Venerable Ānanda, together with Tapussa the householder, went to the Blessed One; having approached, he bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “This Tapussa the householder, venerable sir, says this: ‘We, venerable Ānanda, are laypeople, enjoyers of sensual pleasures,