The Nine Progressive Meditative AttainmentsAnupubbavihārasamāpattisutta

“Mendicants, I will teach you the nine progressive meditative attainments …“Navayimā, bhikkhave, anupubbavihārasamāpattiyo desessāmi, taṁ suṇātha …pe… And what are the nine progressive meditative attainments?katamā ca, bhikkhave, nava anupubbavihārasamāpattiyo?

Where sensual pleasures cease, and those who have thoroughly ended sensual pleasures meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha kāmā nirujjhanti, ye ca kāme nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where sensual pleasures cease’,‘Kattha kāmā nirujjhanti, ke ca kāme nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘Reverend, it’s when 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.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s where sensual pleasures cease.’Ettha kāmā nirujjhanti, te ca kāme nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where the placing of the mind and keeping it connected cease, and those who have thoroughly ended the placing of the mind and keeping it connected meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha vitakkavicārā nirujjhanti, ye ca vitakkavicāre nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the placing of the mind and keeping it connected cease’,‘Kattha vitakkavicārā nirujjhanti, ke ca vitakkavicāre nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains 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.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; That’s where the placing of the mind and keeping it connected cease.’ettha vitakkavicārā nirujjhanti, te ca vitakkavicāre nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where rapture ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended rapture meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha pīti nirujjhati, ye ca pītiṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where rapture ceases’,‘Kattha pīti nirujjhati, ke ca pītiṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, “Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss”.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; That’s where rapture ceases.’ettha pīti nirujjhati, te ca pītiṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where bliss with equanimity ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended bliss with equanimity meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha upekkhāsukhaṁ nirujjhati, ye ca upekkhāsukhaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where bliss with equanimity ceases’,‘Kattha upekkhāsukhaṁ nirujjhati, ke ca upekkhāsukhaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; That’s where bliss with equanimity ceases.’ettha upekkhāsukhaṁ nirujjhati, te ca upekkhāsukhaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where perceptions of form ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended perceptions of form meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha rūpasaññā nirujjhati, ye ca rūpasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where perceptions of form ceases’,‘Kattha rūpasaññā nirujjhati, ke ca rūpasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that “space is infinite”, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s where perceptions of form cease.’Ettha rūpasaññā nirujjhati, te ca rūpasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where the perception of the dimension of infinite space ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of infinite space meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha ākāsānañcāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ye ca ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of infinite space ceases’,‘Kattha ākāsānañcāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ke ca ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that “consciousness is infinite”, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma anantaṁ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s where the perception of the dimension of infinite space ceases.’Ettha ākāsānañcāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, te ca ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha viññāṇañcāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ye ca viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness ceases’,‘Kattha viññāṇañcāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ke ca viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that “there is nothing at all”, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma natthi kiñcīti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s where the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness ceases.’Ettha viññāṇañcāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, te ca viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where the perception of the dimension of nothingness ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of nothingness meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ye ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of nothingness ceases’,‘Kattha ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ke ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s where the perception of the dimension of nothingness ceases.’Ettha ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, te ca ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

Where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’Yattha nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ye ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti, ‘addhā te āyasmanto nicchātā nibbutā tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā tadaṅgenā’ti vadāmi. If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases’,‘Kattha nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, ke ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharanti— they should be told:ahametaṁ na jānāmi ahametaṁ na passāmī’ti, iti yo evaṁ vadeyya, so evamassa vacanīyo: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling.‘idhāvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases.’Ettha nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññā nirujjhati, te ca nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ nirodhetvā nirodhetvā viharantī’ti. Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement.Addhā, bhikkhave, asaṭho amāyāvī ‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinandeyya anumodeyya; They’d say ‘Good!’ and bowing down, they’d pay homage with cupped palms.‘sādhū’ti bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā namassamāno pañjaliko payirupāseyya.

These are the nine progressive meditative attainments.”Imā kho, bhikkhave, nava anupubbavihārasamāpattiyo”ti.