English
nor percipient of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, nor percipient of this world in this world, nor percipient of the other world in the other world, and as for what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by mind, even there he would not be percipient; but would he be percipient? "Here, Ananda, a monk perceives thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.' Thus, Ananda, it is possible for a monk to attain such a concentration that he would not be percipient of earth in earth, nor percipient of water in water, nor percipient of fire in fire, nor percipient of wind in wind." nor in the sphere of infinite space would he perceive infinite space; nor in the sphere of infinite consciousness would he perceive infinite consciousness; nor in the sphere of nothingness would he perceive nothingness; nor in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception would he perceive neither perception nor non-perception; nor in this world would he perceive this world; nor in the other world would he perceive the other world; and as for what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and pondered by the mind, even there he would not perceive, yet he would be perceiving." Then indeed, Venerable Ananda, having delighted in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, and circumambulated him clockwise. He then approached Venerable Sariputta. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with Venerable Sariputta. After exchanging courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ananda said this to Venerable Sariputta: "Is it possible, friend Sariputta, for a bhikkhu to attain such a concentration that he would not perceive earth in earth... and as for what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and pondered by the mind, even there he would not perceive, yet he would be perceiving?" "It is possible, friend Ananda, for a bhikkhu to attain such a concentration that he would not perceive earth in earth... and as for what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and pondered by the mind, even there he would not perceive, yet he would be perceiving." "But how, friend Sariputta, is it possible for a bhikkhu to attain such a concentration that he would not perceive earth in earth... and as for what is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and pondered by the mind, even there he would not perceive, yet he would be perceiving?" "Here, friend Ananda, a bhikkhu perceives thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana. Indeed, friend Ananda, there might be a monk who attains such a concentration that he is not conscious of earth as earth... and so on... and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, even there he is not conscious, yet he is conscious. "Wonderful, friend, amazing, friend! Where indeed the Teacher's and the disciple's meaning with meaning, word with word, will agree, will meet, will not diverge, concerning this highest state! Just now, friend, I approached the Blessed One and asked him about this matter. The Blessed One also explained this matter to me with these very letters, these very words, these very phrases, just as Venerable Sariputta did. Wonderful, friend, amazing, friend, where indeed the Teacher's and the disciple's meaning with meaning, word with word, will agree, will meet, will not diverge, concerning this highest state!" The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on Attention. 8. Then Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ananda said this to the Blessed One: "Might there be, venerable sir, a monk who attains such a concentration that he would not attend to the eye, nor attend to forms, nor attend to the ear, nor attend to sounds, nor attend to the nose, nor attend to smells, nor attend to the tongue, nor attend to tastes, nor attend to the body, nor attend to tactile objects, nor attend to earth, nor attend to water, nor attend to fire, nor attend to wind, nor attend to the dimension of infinite space, nor attend to the dimension of infinite consciousness, nor attend to the dimension of nothingness, nor attend to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, nor attend to this world, nor to the other world... What should he attend to? Whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, that too he should not attend to; but he should attend to something? “It is possible, Ānanda, for a bhikkhu to attain such a concentration that he would not attend to the eye, not attend to forms, not attend to the ear, not attend to sounds, not attend to the nose, not attend to odors, not attend to the tongue, not attend to tastes, not attend to the body, not attend to tactile objects, not attend to earth, not attend to water, not attend to fire, not attend to wind, not attend to the dimension of infinite space, not attend to the dimension of infinite consciousness, not attend to the dimension of nothingness, not attend to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, not attend to this world, not attend to the other world, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, that too he would not attend to; but he would attend to something.” “But how, venerable sir, could a bhikkhu attain such a concentration that he would not attend to the eye, not attend to forms… whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, that too he would not attend to; but he would attend to something?” “Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu attends thus – ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all fabrications, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ Thus, Ānanda, it is possible for a bhikkhu to attain such a concentration that he would not attend to the eye, not attend to forms… whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, pondered by the mind, that too he would not attend to; but he would attend to something.” The Eighth. 9. The Discourse to Saddha At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Natika, at the Brick Hall. Then the venerable Saddha approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. To the venerable Saddha, seated to one side, the Blessed One said this: "Meditate, Saddha, with the meditation of a thoroughbred; do not meditate with the meditation of a colt. And how, is it the meditation of a colt? A colt, Saddha, tied to the manger, meditates 'fodder, fodder'. What is the reason for that? For, Saddha, a colt tied to the manger does not think thus: 'What task will the horse-trainer assign me today? How shall I respond to it?' So, tied to the manger, it meditates 'fodder, fodder'. Even so, Saddha, some man-colt here, even gone to the forest, or gone to the root of a tree, or gone to an empty dwelling, dwells with a mind overcome by sensual desire, overwhelmed by sensual desire, and does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen sensual desire. He, making sensual desire his inner preoccupation, meditates, ponders, reflects, contemplates. He dwells with a mind overcome by ill-will... He dwells with a mind overcome by sloth and torpor... He dwells with a mind overcome by restlessness and remorse... He dwells with a mind overcome by doubt, overwhelmed by doubt, and does not understand as it really is the escape from arisen doubt. He, making doubt his inner preoccupation, meditates, ponders, reflects, contemplates. He meditates relying on earth, he meditates relying on water, he meditates relying on fire, he meditates relying on air, he meditates relying on the sphere of infinite space, he meditates relying on the sphere of infinite consciousness, he meditates relying on the sphere of nothingness, he meditates relying on the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, here He meditates relying on this world, He meditates relying on the other world, And he meditates relying on what is seen, heard, sensed, known, attained, sought, and pondered by the mind. Thus, Saddha, is the meditation of a worthless man. "And how, Saddha, is the meditation of a thoroughbred? A fine thoroughbred horse, Saddha, tied in the manger, does not meditate 'fodder, fodder'. For what reason? For a fine thoroughbred horse, Saddha, tied in the manger, this thought arises: 'What task will the horse-trainer assign me today? How shall I respond to it?' So, tied in the manger, he does not meditate 'fodder, fodder'. A fine thoroughbred horse, Saddha, regards the goad's thrust as if it were a debt, a bond, a loss, a quarrel. Even so, Saddha, a fine thoroughbred man, whether gone to the wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, does not dwell with a mind overcome by sensual desire, nor obsessed by sensual desire. He understands as it really is the escape from arisen sensual desire. He does not dwell with a mind overcome by ill will… He does not dwell with a mind overcome by sloth and torpor… He does not dwell with a mind overcome by restlessness and remorse… He does not dwell with a mind overcome by doubt, nor obsessed by doubt. He understands as it really is the escape from arisen doubt. He does not meditate relying on earth, He does not meditate relying on water, He does not meditate relying on fire, He does not meditate relying on air, He does not meditate relying on the base of infinite space,