Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.34
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 9.34
4. Mahāvagga
4. The Great Chapter
Nibbānasukhasutta
Extinguishment is Bliss
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:
There he addressed the mendicants:
“sukhamidaṁ, āvuso, nibbānaṁ.
“Reverends, extinguishment is bliss!
Sukhamidaṁ, āvuso, nibbānan”ti.
Extinguishment is bliss!”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him,
“kiṁ panettha, āvuso sāriputta, sukhaṁ yadettha natthi vedayitan”ti?
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what’s blissful about it, since nothing is felt?”
“Etadeva khvettha, āvuso, sukhaṁ yadettha natthi vedayitaṁ.
“The fact that nothing is felt is precisely what’s blissful about it.
Pañcime, āvuso, kāmaguṇā.
Reverend, there are these five kinds of sensual stimulation.
Katame pañca?
What five?
Cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā,
Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
sotaviññeyyā saddā …pe…
Sounds known by the ear …
ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …
Smells known by the nose …
jivhāviññeyyā rasā …
Tastes known by the tongue …
kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā—
Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
ime kho, āvuso, pañca kāmaguṇā.
These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
Yaṁ kho, āvuso, ime pañca kāmaguṇe paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, idaṁ vuccatāvuso, kāmasukhaṁ.
The pleasure and happiness that arise from these five kinds of sensual stimulation is called sensual pleasure.
Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
First, take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato kāmasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by sensual pleasures beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te kāmasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by sensual pleasures beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That’s the way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato vitakkasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by placing of the mind beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te vitakkasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by placing of the mind beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato pītisahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by rapture beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te pītisahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by rapture beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth absorption.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato upekkhāsahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by bliss with equanimity beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te upekkhāsahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by bliss with equanimity beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato rūpasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by form beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te rūpasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by form beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma anantaṁ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato ākāsānañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of infinite space beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te ākāsānañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of infinite space beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma, natthi kiñcīti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato viññāṇañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of infinite consciousness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te viññāṇañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of infinite consciousness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
Tassa ce, āvuso, bhikkhuno iminā vihārena viharato ākiñcaññāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti, svassa hoti ābādho.
While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of nothingness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sukhino dukkhaṁ uppajjeyya yāvadeva ābādhāya;
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
evamevassa te ākiñcaññāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti. Svassa hoti ābādho.
In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of nothingness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Yo kho panāvuso, ābādho dukkhametaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānaṁ.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end.
Imināpi kho etaṁ, āvuso, pariyāyena veditabbaṁ yathā sukhaṁ nibbānan”ti.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.”
Tatiyaṁ.