1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

2“Mendicants, sensual pleasures are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive, made by illusion, cooed over by fools. Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; both of these are Māra’s sovereignty, Māra’s domain, and Māra’s territory. They conduce to bad, unskillful qualities such as desire, ill will, and aggression. And they create an obstacle for a noble disciple training here.

A noble disciple reflects on this: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; both of these are Māra’s sovereignty, Māra’s domain, and Māra’s territory. They conduce to bad, unskillful qualities such as desire, ill will, and aggression. And they create an obstacle for a noble disciple training here. Why don’t I meditate with an abundant, expansive heart, having mastered the world and stabilized the mind? Then I will have no more bad, unskillful qualities such as desire, ill will, and aggression. And by giving them up my mind, no longer limited, will become limitless and well developed.’

Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable. This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

3Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come; whatever is form, all form is the four primary elements, or form derived from the four primary elements.’

Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable. This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

4Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come; all of these are impermanent. And what’s impermanent is not worth approving, welcoming, or clinging to.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable. This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

5Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come, and perceptions of the imperturbable; all are perceptions. Where they cease without anything left over, that is peaceful, that is sublime, namely the dimension of nothingness.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

6Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this: ‘This is empty of a self or what belongs to a self.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

7Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘I don’t belong to anyone anywhere! And nothing belongs to me anywhere!’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

8Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of the imperturbable, and perceptions of the dimension of nothingness; all are perceptions. Where they cease without anything left over, that is peaceful, that is sublime, namely the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension. Being confident, they either attain the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception now, or are freed by wisdom. When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is said to be the way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

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9When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Sir, take a mendicant who practices like this: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ In this way they gain equanimity. Would that mendicant become extinguished or not?”

“One such mendicant might become extinguished, Ānanda, while another might not.”

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for this?”

“Ānanda, take a mendicant who practices like this: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ In this way they gain equanimity. They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to that equanimity. Their consciousness relies on that and grasps it. A mendicant with grasping does not become extinguished.”

“But sir, what is that mendicant grasping?”

“The dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

“Sir, it seems that mendicant is grasping the best thing to grasp!”

“Indeed, Ānanda. For the best thing to grasp is the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

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10Take a mendicant who practices like this: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ In this way they gain equanimity. They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to that equanimity. So their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it. A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished.”

11“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Buddha has explained to us how to cross over the flood by relying on one support or the other. But sir, what is noble liberation?”

“Ananda, it’s when a mendicant reflects like this: ‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come, sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come, visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come, perceptions of the imperturbable, perceptions of the dimension of nothingness, perceptions of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; that is identity as far as identity extends. This is the deathless, namely the liberation of the mind through not grasping.

So, Ānanda, I have taught the ways of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable, the dimension of nothingness, and the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. I have taught how to cross the flood by relying on one support or the other, and I have taught noble liberation.

Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, Ānanda! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”

12That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda was happy with what the Buddha said.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṁ nāma kurūnaṁ nigamo. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Aniccā, bhikkhave, kāmā tucchā musā mosadhammā. Māyākatametaṁ, bhikkhave, bālalāpanaṁ. Ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā — ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro. Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti. Teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti.

Tatra, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā — ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro. Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti, teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti. Yannūnāhaṁ vipulena mahaggatena cetasā vihareyyaṁ abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā. Vipulena hi me mahaggatena cetasā viharato abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā ye pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi te na bhavissanti. Tesaṁ pahānā aparittañca me cittaṁ bhavissati appamāṇaṁ subhāvitan’ti.

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ sabbaṁ rūpaṁ cattāri ca mahābhūtāni, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṁ upādāyarūpan’ti.

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā — ubhayametaṁ aniccaṁ. Yadaniccaṁ taṁ nālaṁ abhinandituṁ, nālaṁ abhivadituṁ, nālaṁ ajjhositun’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; yā ca āneñjasaññā –  sabbā saññā. Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ — yadidaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanan’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

6Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘suññamidaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

7Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘nāhaṁ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasmiṁ, na ca mama kvacani kismiñci kiñcanaṁ natthī’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.

8Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā — sabbā saññā. Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ — yadidaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanan’ti. Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā. Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagaṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyatī"ti.

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9Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "idha, bhante, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi yaṁ, bhūtaṁ — taṁ pajahāmī’ti. Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. Parinibbāyeyya nu kho so, bhante, bhikkhu na vā parinibbāyeyyā"ti?

"Apetthekacco, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā"ti.

"Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yenapetthekacco bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā"ti?

"Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṁ bhūtaṁ — taṁ pajahāmī’ti. Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So taṁ upekkhaṁ abhinandati, abhivadati, ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ upekkhaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato tannissitaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ tadupādānaṁ. Saupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu na parinibbāyatī"ti.

"Kahaṁ pana so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī"ti?

"Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ, ānandā"ti.

"Upādānaseṭṭhaṁ kira so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī"ti?

"Upādānaseṭṭhañhi so, ānanda, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyati. Upādānaseṭṭhañhetaṁ, ānanda, yadidaṁ — nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ.

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10Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṁ bhūtaṁ — taṁ pajahāmī’ti. Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So taṁ upekkhaṁ nābhinandati, nābhivadati, na ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Tassa taṁ upekkhaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato na tannissitaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ na tadupādānaṁ. Anupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyatī"ti.

11"Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Nissāya nissāya kira no, bhante, bhagavatā oghassa nittharaṇā akkhātā. Katamo pana, bhante, ariyo vimokkho"ti?

"Idhānanda, bhikkhu ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā; ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā; yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā; yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā, yā ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā — esa sakkāyo yāvatā sakkāyo. Etaṁ amataṁ yadidaṁ anupādā cittassa vimokkho.

Iti, kho, ānanda, desitā mayā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā, desitā nissāya nissāya oghassa nittharaṇā, desito ariyo vimokkho.

Yaṁ kho, ānanda, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā. Etāni, ānanda, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyathānanda, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī’"ti.

12Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

Āneñjasappāyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.