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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.16

  • Numbered Discourses 4.16Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.16
  • 2. Walking2. Caravagga

SubtletySokhummasutta

“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of subtlety.“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, sokhummāni. What four?Katamāni cattāri?

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of form.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpasokhummena samannāgato hoti paramena; They don’t see any other subtlety of form that’s better or finer than that,tena ca rūpasokhummena aññaṁ rūpasokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na samanupassati; nor do they aim for it.tena ca rūpasokhummena aññaṁ rūpasokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of feeling.Vedanāsokhummena samannāgato hoti paramena; They don’t see any other subtlety of feeling that’s better or finer than that,tena ca vedanāsokhummena aññaṁ vedanāsokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na samanupassati; nor do they aim for it.tena ca vedanāsokhummena aññaṁ vedanāsokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of perception.Saññāsokhummena samannāgato hoti paramena; They don’t see any other subtlety of perception that’s better or finer than that,tena ca saññāsokhummena aññaṁ saññāsokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na samanupassati; nor do they aim for it.tena ca saññāsokhummena aññaṁ saññāsokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

A mendicant has ultimate subtlety of choices.Saṅkhārasokhummena samannāgato hoti paramena; They don’t see any other subtlety of choices that’s better or finer than that,tena ca saṅkhārasokhummena aññaṁ saṅkhārasokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na samanupassati; nor do they aim for it.tena ca saṅkhārasokhummena aññaṁ saṅkhārasokhummaṁ uttaritaraṁ vā paṇītataraṁ vā na pattheti.

These are the four kinds of subtlety.Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri sokhummānīti.

Knowing the subtlety of form,Rūpasokhummataṁ ñatvā, the cause of feelings,vedanānañca sambhavaṁ; where perception comes from,Saññā yato samudeti, and where it ends;atthaṁ gacchati yattha ca; and knowing choices as alien,Saṅkhāre parato ñatvā, as suffering and as not-self,dukkhato no ca attato.

that mendicant sees rightly,Sa ve sammaddaso bhikkhu, peaceful, in love with the state of peace.santo santipade rato; They bear their final body,Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ, having vanquished Māra with his legions.”jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. MN 33 The Longer Discourse on the Cowherd 0.53near 0.1And how does a mendicant not know form? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t truly understand that all form is the four principal states, or form derived from the four principal states. That’s how a mendicant doesn’t know form.…
  2. AN 4.200 Fondness 0.50near 0.1They regard perception as self, self as having perception, perception in self, or self in perception. They regard choices as self, self as having choices, choices in self, or self in choices. They regard consciousness as…
  3. AN 4.262 Wilderness 0.50near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.262 26. Insight Wilderness “Mendicants, when a mendicant has four qualities they’re not ready to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. What four? They have sensual, malicious, a…