1At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Koliyans, where they have a town called Haliddavasana. Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Haliddavasana for alms. Then it occurred to him: “It’s too early to wander for alms in Haliddavasana. Why don’t we go to the monastery of the wanderers who follow other paths?”

2Then they went to the monastery of the wanderers who follow other paths, and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. The wanderers said to them:

3“Reverends, the ascetic Gotama teaches his disciples like this: ‘Come, mendicants, give up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom, and meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, spread a heart full of love to the whole world — abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Meditate spreading a heart full of compassion to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, spread a heart full of compassion to the whole world — abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, spread a heart full of rejoicing to the whole world — abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world — abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.’

4We too teach our disciples in just the same way. What, then, is the difference between the ascetic Gotama’s teaching and instruction and ours?”

5-10Those mendicants neither approved nor dismissed that statement of the wanderers who follow other paths. They got up from their seat, thinking: “We will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself.” Then, after the meal, when they returned from alms-round, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

11“Mendicants, when wanderers who follow other paths say this, you should say to them: ‘But reverends, how is the heart’s release by love developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? How is the heart’s release by compassion developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? How is the heart’s release by rejoicing developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? How is the heart’s release by equanimity developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?’ Questioned like this, the wanderers who follow other paths would be stumped, and, in addition, would get frustrated. Why is that? Because they’re out of their element. I don’t see anyone in this world — with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans — who could provide a satisfying answer to these questions except for the Realized One or his disciple or someone who has heard it from them.

12And how is the heart’s release by love developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? It’s when a mendicant develops the heart’s release by love together with the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. The apex of the heart’s release by love is the beautiful, I say, for a mendicant who has not penetrated to a higher freedom.

13And how is the heart’s release by compassion developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? It’s when a mendicant develops the heart’s release by compassion together with the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. … If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. Or else, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space. The apex of the heart’s release by compassion is the dimension of infinite space, I say, for a mendicant who has not penetrated to a higher freedom.

14And how is the heart’s release by rejoicing developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? It’s when a mendicant develops the heart’s release by rejoicing together with the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. … If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. Or else, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. The apex of the heart’s release by rejoicing is the dimension of infinite consciousness, I say, for a mendicant who has not penetrated to a higher freedom.

15And how is the heart’s release by equanimity developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end? It’s when a mendicant develops the heart’s release by equanimity together with the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. Or else, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. The apex of the heart’s release by equanimity is the dimension of nothingness, I say, for a mendicant who has not penetrated to a higher freedom.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā koliyesu vihārati haliddavasanaṁ nāma koliyānaṁ nigamo. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya haliddavasanaṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu. Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: "atippago kho tāva haliddavasane piṇḍāya carituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyāmā"ti.

2Atha kho te bhikkhū yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā tehi aññatitthiyehi paribbājakehi saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te bhikkhū aññatitthiyā paribbājakā etadavocuṁ: 

3"Samaṇo, āvuso, gotamo sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihāratha. Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ karuṇāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihāratha. Muditāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ muditāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihāratha. Upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihārathā’ti.

4Mayampi kho, āvuso, sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desema: ‘etha tumhe, āvuso, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha … pe … karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … muditāsahagatena cetasā … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihārathā’ti. Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso, ko adhippayāso, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ samaṇassa vā gotamassa amhākaṁ vā, yadidaṁ – dhammadesanāya vā dhammadesanaṁ, anusāsaniyā vā anusāsanin"ti?

5Atha kho te bhikkhū tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandiṁsu nappaṭikkosiṁsu. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu: "Bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmā"ti. Atha kho te bhikkhū haliddavasane piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: 

6"Idha mayaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya haliddavasane piṇḍāya pavisimha. Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘atippago kho tāva haliddavasane piṇḍāya carituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyāmā’ti.

7Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkamimha, upasaṅkamitvā tehi aññatitthiyehi paribbājakehi saddhiṁ sammodimha. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdimha. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho amhe, bhante, te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā etadavocuṁ: 

8‘Samaṇo, āvuso, gotamo sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: "etha tumhe, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha … pe … karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe … muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihārathā’ti.

9Mayampi kho, āvuso, sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desema: ‘etha tumhe, āvuso, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha … pe … karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe … muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihāratha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā vihārathā’ti. Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso, ko adhippayāso, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ samaṇassa vā gotamassa amhākaṁ vā, yadidaṁ, dhammadesanāya vā dhammadesanaṁ, anusāsaniyā vā anusāsaninti?

10Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandimha nappaṭikkosimha, anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamimha: ‘bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmā’"ti.

11"Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā: ‘kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, mettācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, karuṇācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, muditācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, upekkhācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā na ceva sampāyissanti, uttariñca vighātaṁ āpajjissanti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yathā taṁ, bhikkhave, avisayasmiṁ. Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo imesaṁ pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena cittaṁ ārādheyya, aññatra tathāgatena vā tathāgatāsāvakena vā ito vā pana sutvā.

12Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, mettācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti … pe … mettāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. So sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako ca tattha vihārati sato sampajāno, subhaṁ vā kho pana vimokkhaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Subhaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, mettācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.

13Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, karuṇācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu karuṇāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti … pe … karuṇāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. So sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati … pe … sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha vihārati sato sampajāno. Sabbaso vā pana rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Ākāsānañcāyatanaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, karuṇācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.

14Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, muditācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu muditāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti … pe … muditāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. So sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati … pe … sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha vihārati sato sampajāno. Sabbaso vā pana ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Viññāṇañcāyatanaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, muditācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.

15Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, upekkhācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upekkhāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ … pe … upekkhāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. So sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha vihārati. Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha vihārati sato sampajāno. Sabbaso vā pana viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘Natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Ākiñcaññāyatanaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, upekkhācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato"ti.

Catutthaṁ.