Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.123
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 4.123
13. Bhayavagga
13. Fears
Paṭhamanānākaraṇasutta
Difference (1st)
“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
“Mendicants, these four people are found in the world.
Katame cattāro?
What four?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Firstly, a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.
So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.
They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying.
Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of Brahmā’s Host.
Brahmakāyikānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ kappo āyuppamāṇaṁ.
The lifespan of the gods of Brahma’s Host is one eon.
Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.
An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.
Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.
But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life.
Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
This is the difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.
So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.
They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying.
Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of streaming radiance.
Ābhassarānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ dve kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ.
The lifespan of the gods of streaming radiance is two eons.
Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.
An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.
Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.
But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life.
Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
This is the difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’
So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.
They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying.
Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno, kālaṁ kurumāno subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods replete with glory.
Subhakiṇhānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ cattāro kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ.
The lifespan of the gods replete with glory is four eons.
Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.
An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.
Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.
But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life.
Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
This is the difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.
So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.
They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying.
Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno vehapphalānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.
If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of abundant fruit.
Vehapphalānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ pañca kappasatāni āyuppamāṇaṁ.
The lifespan of the gods of abundant fruit is five hundred eons.
Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.
An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.
Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati.
But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is spent, then they’re extinguished in that very life.
Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.
This is the difference between a learned noble disciple and an unlearned ordinary person, that is, when there is a place of rebirth.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
These are the four people found in the world.”
Tatiyaṁ.