Saṁyutta Nikāya 46.54

Translators: sujato

Linked Discourses 46.54

6. Sākacchavagga
6. Discussion

Mettāsahagatasutta

Full of Love

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā koliyesu viharati haliddavasanaṁ nāma koliyānaṁ nigamo.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Koliyans, where they have a town called Haliddavasana.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya haliddavasanaṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Haliddavasana for alms.

Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi:
Then it occurred to them,

“atippago kho tāva haliddavasane piṇḍāya carituṁ.
“It’s too early to wander for alms in Haliddavasana.

Yannūna mayaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyāmā”ti.
Why don’t we visit the monastery of the wanderers of other religions?”

Atha kho te bhikkhū yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā tehi aññatitthiyehi paribbājakehi saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.
Then they went to the monastery of the wanderers of other religions and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te bhikkhū aññatitthiyā paribbājakā etadavocuṁ:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. The wanderers said to them:

“Samaṇo, āvuso, gotamo sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:
“Reverends, the ascetic Gotama teaches his disciples like this:

‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharatha.
‘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.

Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ karuṇāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharatha.
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.

Muditāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ muditāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharatha.
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.

Upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharathā’ti.
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.’

Mayampi kho, āvuso, sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desema:
We too teach our disciples in just the same way.

‘etha tumhe, āvuso, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha …pe…

karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …

muditāsahagatena cetasā …

upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ;

iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharathā’ti.

Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso, ko adhippayāso, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ samaṇassa vā gotamassa amhākaṁ vā, yadidaṁ—dhammadesanāya vā dhammadesanaṁ, anusāsaniyā vā anusāsanin”ti?
What, then, is the difference between the ascetic Gotama’s teaching and instruction and ours?”

Atha kho te bhikkhū tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandiṁsu nappaṭikkosiṁsu.
Those mendicants neither approved nor dismissed that statement of the wanderers of other religions.

Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu:
They got up from their seat, thinking:

“bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmā”ti.
“We will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself.”

Atha kho te bhikkhū haliddavasane piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

“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. Atha 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:

‘Samaṇo, āvuso, gotamo sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:

“etha tumhe, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha …pe…

karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ; iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharathā’ti.

Mayampi kho, āvuso, sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desema:

‘etha tumhe, āvuso, pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha …pe…

karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…

Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso, ko adhippayāso, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ samaṇassa vā gotamassa amhākaṁ vā, yadidaṁ, dhammadesanāya vā dhammadesanaṁ, anusāsaniyā vā anusāsaninti?

Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandimha nappaṭikkosimha, anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamimha:

‘bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmā’”ti.

“Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā:
“Mendicants, when wanderers of other religions say this, you should say to them:

‘kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, mettācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
‘But reverends, how is the heart’s release by love developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and culmination?

Kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, karuṇācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
How is the heart’s release by compassion developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?

Kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, muditācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
How is the heart’s release by rejoicing developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?

Kathaṁ bhāvitā panāvuso, upekkhācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā’ti?
How is the heart’s release by equanimity developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?’

Evaṁ puṭṭhā, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā na ceva sampāyissanti, uttariñca vighātaṁ āpajjissanti.
Questioned like this, the wanderers of other religions would be stumped, and, in addition, would get frustrated.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Yathā taṁ, bhikkhave, avisayasmiṁ.
Because they’re out of their element.

Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo imesaṁ pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena cittaṁ ārādheyya, aññatra tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā ito vā pana sutvā.
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.

Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, mettācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
And how is the heart’s release by love developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe…
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,

mettāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

So sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako ca tattha viharati sato sampajāno, subhaṁ vā kho pana vimokkhaṁ upasampajja viharati.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Subhaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, mettācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.
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.

Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, karuṇācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
And how is the heart’s release by compassion developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu karuṇāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe…
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,

karuṇāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

So sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati …pe…
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. …

sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sabbaso vā pana rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
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.

Ākāsānañcāyatanaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, karuṇācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.
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.

Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, muditācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
And how is the heart’s release by rejoicing developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu muditāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe…
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,

muditāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

Sabbaso vā pana ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
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.

Viññāṇañcāyatanaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, muditācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.
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.

Kathaṁ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, upekkhācetovimutti, kiṅgatikā hoti, kiṁparamā, kiṁphalā, kiṁpariyosānā?
And how is the heart’s release by equanimity developed? What is its destination, apex, fruit, and end?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu upekkhāsahagataṁ satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ …pe…
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,

upekkhāsahagataṁ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

Sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.

Sabbaso vā pana viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
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.

Ākiñcaññāyatanaparamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, upekkhācetovimuttiṁ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato”ti.
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.”

Catutthaṁ.