sutta » an » an3 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.102

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 3.102

10. Loṇakapallavagga
10. A Lump of Salt

Nimittasutta

Foundations

“Adhicittamanuyuttena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tīṇi nimittāni kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni—
“Mendicants, a mendicant committed to the higher mind should focus on three foundations from time to time:

kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ.
the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity.

Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ samādhinimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ kosajjāya saṁvatteyya.
If a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind focuses solely on the foundation of immersion, it’s likely their mind will incline to laziness.

Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ paggahanimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ uddhaccāya saṁvatteyya.
If they focus solely on the foundation of exertion, it’s likely their mind will incline to restlessness.

Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ upekkhānimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyeyya āsavānaṁ khayāya.
If they focus solely on the foundation of equanimity, it’s likely their mind won’t properly become immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi karoti, taṁ hoti cittaṁ muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya.
But when a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind focuses from time to time on the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity, their mind becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and has become rightly immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā ukkaṁ bandheyya, ukkaṁ bandhitvā ukkāmukhaṁ ālimpeyya, ukkāmukhaṁ ālimpetvā saṇḍāsena jātarūpaṁ gahetvā ukkāmukhe pakkhipeyya, ukkāmukhe pakkhipitvā kālena kālaṁ abhidhamati, kālena kālaṁ udakena paripphoseti, kālena kālaṁ ajjhupekkhati.
It’s like when a goldsmith or a goldsmith’s apprentice prepares a forge, fires the crucible, picks up some gold with tongs and puts it in the crucible. From time to time they fan it, from time to time they sprinkle water on it, and from time to time they just watch over it.

Sace, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ ekantaṁ abhidhameyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ jātarūpaṁ ḍaheyya.
If they solely fanned it, the gold would likely be scorched.

Sace, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ ekantaṁ udakena paripphoseyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ jātarūpaṁ nibbāpeyya.
If they solely sprinkled water on it, the gold would likely cool down.

Sace, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ ekantaṁ ajjhupekkheyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ jātarūpaṁ na sammā paripākaṁ gaccheyya.
If they solely watched over it, the gold would likely not be properly processed.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ kālena kālaṁ abhidhamati, kālena kālaṁ udakena paripphoseti, kālena kālaṁ ajjhupekkhati, taṁ hoti jātarūpaṁ muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā upeti kammāya.
But when that goldsmith fans it from time to time, sprinkles water on it from time to time, and watches over it from time to time, that gold becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and is ready to be worked.

Yassā yassā ca pilandhanavikatiyā ākaṅkhati—yadi paṭṭikāya, yadi kuṇḍalāya, yadi gīveyyake, yadi suvaṇṇamālāya—tañcassa atthaṁ anubhoti.
Then the goldsmith can successfully create any kind of ornament they want, whether a bracelet, earrings, a necklace, or a golden garland.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyuttena bhikkhunā tīṇi nimittāni kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni—
In the same way, a mendicant committed to the higher mind should focus on three foundations from time to time:

kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ.
the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity. …

Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ samādhinimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ kosajjāya saṁvatteyya.

Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ paggahanimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ uddhaccāya saṁvatteyya.

Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ upekkhānimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyeyya āsavānaṁ khayāya.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi karoti, taṁ hoti cittaṁ muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya.
When a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind focuses from time to time on the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity, their mind becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and has become rightly immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements.

Yassa yassa ca abhiññāsacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññāsacchikiriyāya, tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.
They become capable of realizing anything that can be realized by insight to which they extend the mind, in each and every case.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhaveyyaṁ …pe…
If they wish: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power’ …

(cha abhiññā vitthāretabbā.)
‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.’ …

:pali:``
‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives.’ …

:pali:``
‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn.’ …

Āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti,
‘May I realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane”ti.
They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.”

Ekādasamaṁ.

Loṇakapallavaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Accāyikaṁ pavivekaṁ,

Sarado parisā tayo;

Ājānīyā potthako ca,

Loṇaṁ dhovati nimittānīti.

Dutiyo paṇṇāsako samatto.