Majjhima Nikāya 106

Translators: sujato

Middle Discourses 106

Āneñjasappāyasutta

Conducive to the Imperturbable

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kurūsu viharati kammāsadhammaṁ nāma kurūnaṁ nigamo.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kurus, near the Kuru town named Kammāsadamma.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Aniccā, bhikkhave, kāmā tucchā musā mosadhammā.
“Mendicants, sensual pleasures are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive,

Māyākatametaṁ, bhikkhave, bālalāpanaṁ.
made by illusion, cooed over by fools.

Ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā—
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come;

ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro.
both of these are Māra’s domain, Māra’s realm, and Māra’s territory.

Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti.
They conduce to bad, unskillful qualities such as desire, ill will, and aggression.

Teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti.
And they create an obstacle for a noble disciple training here.

Tatra, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
A noble disciple reflects on this:

‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā—
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come;

ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ, mārassesa visayo, mārassesa nivāpo, mārassesa gocaro.
both of these are Māra’s domain, Māra’s realm, and Māra’s territory.

Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti,
They conduce to bad, unskillful qualities such as desire, ill will, and aggression.

teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti.
And they create an obstacle for a noble disciple training here.

Yannūnāhaṁ vipulena mahaggatena cetasā vihareyyaṁ abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā.
Why don’t I meditate with an abundant, expansive heart, having mastered the world and stabilized the mind?

Vipulena hi me mahaggatena cetasā viharato abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā ye pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi byāpādāpi sārambhāpi te na bhavissanti.
Then I will have no more bad, unskillful qualities such as desire, ill will, and aggression.

Tesaṁ pahānā aparittañca me cittaṁ bhavissati appamāṇaṁ subhāvitan’ti.
And by giving them up my mind, no longer limited, will become limitless and well developed.’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā.
Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom.

Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa āneñjūpagaṁ.
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the imperturbable.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.
This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā;
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come;

yaṁ kiñci rūpaṁ sabbaṁ rūpaṁ cattāri ca mahābhūtāni, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṁ upādāyarūpan’ti.
whatever is form, all form is the four primary elements, or form derived from the four primary elements.’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā.
Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.
This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā;
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come,

ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā;
visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā—
perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come;

ubhayametaṁ aniccaṁ.
all of these are impermanent.

Yadaniccaṁ taṁ nālaṁ abhinandituṁ, nālaṁ abhivadituṁ, nālaṁ ajjhositun’ti.
And what’s impermanent is not worth approving, welcoming, or clinging to.’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā.
Being confident, they either attain the imperturbable now, or are freed by wisdom.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyā āneñjasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.
This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the imperturbable.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā;
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come,

ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā;
visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā;
perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca āneñjasaññā—
and perceptions of the imperturbable;

sabbā saññā.
all are perceptions.

Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ—
Where they cease without anything left over, that is peaceful, that is sublime,

yadidaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanan’ti.
namely the dimension of nothingness.’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Sampasāde sati etarahi vā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā.
Being confident, they either attain the dimension of nothingness now, or are freed by wisdom.

Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa ākiñcaññāyatanūpagaṁ.
When their body breaks up, after death, it’s possible that the consciousness headed that way will be reborn in the dimension of nothingness.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.
This is said to be the first way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple has gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, and reflects like this:

‘suññamidaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā’ti.
‘This is empty of a self or what belongs to a self.’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.
This is said to be the second way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘nāhaṁ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasmiṁ, na ca mama kvacani kismiñci kiñcanaṁ natthī’ti.
‘I don’t belong to anyone anywhere! And nothing belongs to me anywhere!’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyā ākiñcaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyati.
This is said to be the third way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of nothingness.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:

‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā;
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come,

ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā;
visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā;
perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā—
perceptions of the imperturbable, and perceptions of the dimension of nothingness;

sabbā saññā.
all are perceptions.

Yatthetā aparisesā nirujjhanti etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ—
Where they cease without anything left over, that is peaceful, that is sublime,

yadidaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanan’ti.
namely the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’

Tassa evaṁpaṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati.
Practicing in this way and meditating on it often their mind becomes confident in this dimension.

Sampasāde sati etarahi vā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā.
Being confident, they either attain the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception now, or are freed by wisdom.

Ṭhānametaṁ vijjati yaṁ taṁsaṁvattanikaṁ viññāṇaṁ assa nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagaṁ.
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.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasappāyā paṭipadā akkhāyatī”ti.
This is said to be the way of practice suitable for attaining the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

“idha, bhante, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
“Sir, take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi yaṁ, bhūtaṁ—taṁ pajahāmī’ti.
‘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.’

Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati.
In this way they gain equanimity.

Parinibbāyeyya nu kho so, bhante, bhikkhu na vā parinibbāyeyyā”ti?
Would that mendicant become extinguished or not?”

“Apetthekacco, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā”ti.
“One such mendicant might become extinguished, Ānanda, while another might not.”

“Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yenapetthekacco bhikkhu parinibbāyeyya, apetthekacco bhikkhu na parinibbāyeyyā”ti?
“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for this?”

“Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
“Ānanda, take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa, no ca me siyā; na bhavissati, na me bhavissati; yadatthi, yaṁ bhūtaṁ—taṁ pajahāmī’ti.
‘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.’

Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati.
In this way they gain equanimity.

So taṁ upekkhaṁ abhinandati, abhivadati, ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to that equanimity.

Tassa taṁ upekkhaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato tannissitaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ tadupādānaṁ.
Their consciousness relies on that and grasps it.

Saupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu na parinibbāyatī”ti.
A mendicant with grasping does not become extinguished.”

“Kahaṁ pana so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī”ti?
“But sir, what is that mendicant grasping?”

“Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ, ānandā”ti.
“The dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

“Upādānaseṭṭhaṁ kira so, bhante, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyatī”ti?
“Sir, it seems that mendicant is grasping the best thing to grasp!”

“Upādānaseṭṭhañhi so, ānanda, bhikkhu upādiyamāno upādiyati.
“Indeed, Ānanda.

Upādānaseṭṭhañhetaṁ, ānanda, yadidaṁ—
For the best thing to grasp is

nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ.
the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

Evaṁ upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati.
In this way they gain equanimity.

So taṁ upekkhaṁ nābhinandati, nābhivadati, na ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to that equanimity.

Tassa taṁ upekkhaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato na tannissitaṁ hoti viññāṇaṁ na tadupādānaṁ.
So their consciousness doesn’t rely on that and grasp it.

Anupādāno, ānanda, bhikkhu parinibbāyatī”ti.
A mendicant free of grasping becomes extinguished.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Nissāya nissāya kira no, bhante, bhagavatā oghassa nittharaṇā akkhātā.
The Buddha has explained to us how to cross over the flood by relying on one support or the other.

Katamo pana, bhante, ariyo vimokkho”ti?
But sir, what is noble liberation?”

“Idhānanda, bhikkhu ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
“Ananda, it’s when a noble disciple reflects like this:

‘ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā, ye ca samparāyikā kāmā;
‘Sensual pleasures in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā;
sensual perceptions in this life and in lives to come,

ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpā, ye ca samparāyikā rūpā;
visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā rūpasaññā, yā ca samparāyikā rūpasaññā;
perceptions of visions in this life and in lives to come,

yā ca āneñjasaññā, yā ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā, yā ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā—
perceptions of the imperturbable, perceptions of the dimension of nothingness, perceptions of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception;

esa sakkāyo yāvatā sakkāyo.
that is substantial reality as far as substantial reality extends.

Etaṁ amataṁ yadidaṁ anupādā cittassa vimokkho.
This is freedom from death, namely the liberation of the mind through not grasping.

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

Yaṁ kho, ānanda, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā.
Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.

Etāni, ānanda, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyathānanda, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī’”ti.
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.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.

Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda was happy with what the Buddha said.

Āneñjasappāyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.