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Middle Discourses · MN 111

  • Middle Discourses 111Majjhima Nikāya 111

One by OneAnupadasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Mendicants!”“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Sāriputta is astute, mendicants.“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, sāriputto; He has great wisdom,mahāpañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto; widespread wisdom,puthupañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto; laughing wisdom,hāsapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto; swift wisdom,javanapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto; sharp wisdom,tikkhapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto; and penetrating wisdom.nibbedhikapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto; For a fortnight he practiced discernment of phenomena one by one.sāriputto, bhikkhave, aḍḍhamāsaṁ anupadadhammavipassanaṁ vipassati. And this is how he did it.Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputtassa anupadadhammavipassanāya hoti.

Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.Idha, bhikkhave, sāriputto vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. And he distinguished the phenomena of the first absorption one by one: placing and keeping and rapture and bliss and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca paṭhame jhāne dhammā vitakko ca vicāro ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, he entered and remained 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.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the second absorption one by one: internal confidence and rapture and bliss and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca dutiye jhāne dhammā—ajjhattaṁ sampasādo ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, he entered and remained in the third absorption, where he meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti. Yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the third absorption one by one: bliss and mindfulness and awareness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca tatiye jhāne dhammā—sukhañca sati ca sampajaññañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro— He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti, tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, with the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, he entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the fourth absorption one by one: equanimity and neutral feeling and mental unconcern due to tranquility and pure mindfulness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca catutthe jhāne dhammā—upekkhā adukkhamasukhā vedanā passaddhattā cetaso anābhogo satipārisuddhi cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind without boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, he entered and remained in the dimension of infinite space.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the dimension of infinite space one by one: the perception of the dimension of infinite space and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca ākāsānañcāyatane dhammā—ākāsānañcāyatanasaññā ca cittekaggatā ca phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, he entered and remained in the dimension of infinite consciousness.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the dimension of infinite consciousness one by one: the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca viññāṇañcāyatane dhammā—viññāṇañcāyatanasaññā ca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind free of limits.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, he entered and remained in the dimension of nothingness.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the dimension of nothingness one by one: the perception of the dimension of nothingness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.Ye ca ākiñcaññāyatane dhammā—ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā ca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. He understood:So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, he entered and remained in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he emerged from that attainment with mindfulness.So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahati. Then he contemplated the phenomena of that attainment that had passed, ceased, and perished:So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahitvā ye dhammā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā te dhamme samanupassati: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind without boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he entered and remained in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, his defilements came to an end.Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati. Paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.

And he emerged from that attainment with mindfulness.So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahati. Then he contemplated the phenomena of that attainment that had passed, ceased, and perished:So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahitvā ye dhammā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā te dhamme samanupassati: ‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti. Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati. He understood: ‘There is no escape beyond.’So ‘natthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti. By cultivating that he confirmed that there is not.Tabbahulīkārā natthi tvevassa hoti.

And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said thatYaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: they have attained mastery and perfection in noble ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom, it’s Sāriputta.‘vasippatto pāramippatto ariyasmiṁ sīlasmiṁ, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyasmiṁ samādhismiṁ, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyāya paññāya, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyāya vimuttiyā’ti, sāriputtameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said thatYaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: they’re the Buddha’s bosom son, born from his mouth, born of the teaching, created by the teaching, heir in the teaching, not in things of the flesh, it’s Sāriputta.‘bhagavato putto oraso mukhato jāto dhammajo dhammanimmito dhammadāyādo no āmisadāyādo’ti, sāriputtameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

Sāriputta rightly keeps rolling the supreme Wheel of Dhamma that was rolled forth by the Realized One.”Sāriputto, bhikkhave, tathāgatena anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ sammadeva anuppavattetī”ti.

That is what the Buddha said.Idamavoca bhagavā. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Similar passages elsewhere

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

  1. MN 31 The Shorter Discourse at Gosiṅga 0.66near 12.6This is another superhuman distinction that we have achieved for going beyond and stilling that meditation.” “Good, good! But have you achieved any other superhuman distinction for going beyond and stilling that meditati…
  2. SN 45.8 Analysis 0.63near 4.6As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing t…
  3. AN 9.35 The Simile of the Cow 0.63near 12.6Without charging at the dimension of infinite consciousness, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. They cultivate, develop, and make much of that basis, ensuring that it’s properly stabilized.…
  4. MN 19 Two Kinds of Thought 0.63near 4.6My energy was roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness was established and lucid, my body was tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind was immersed and unified in samādhi. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded fro…
  5. AN 9.33 The Nine Progressive Meditative Attainments 0.62near 12.6Where 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 desirel…
  6. AN 9.41 With the Householder Tapussa 0.62near 12.6Then I thought, ‘I haven’t seen the drawbacks of the dimension of infinite consciousness, and so I haven’t cultivated that. I haven’t realized the benefits of the dimension of nothingness, and so I haven’t developed that…
  7. SN 36.11 In Private 0.62near 12.6For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite consciousness, the perception of the dimension of infinite space has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of nothingness, the perception of the dimensi…
  8. DN 33 Reciting in Concert 0.59near 4.6As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing t…