Born of SeclusionVivekajasutta

At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. He wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Dark Forest for the day’s meditation,Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya. plunged deep into it, and sat at the root of a tree to meditate.Andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.

Then in the late afternoon, Sāriputta came out of retreat and went to Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo tenupasaṅkami. Venerable Ānanda saw him coming off in the distance,Addasā kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. and said to him:Disvāna āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright.“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. What meditation were you practicing today?”Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?

“Reverend, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. But it didn’t occur to me:Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘I am entering the first absorption’ or ‘I have entered the first absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the first absorption’.”‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.

“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit.Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. That’s why it didn’t occur to you:Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘I am entering the first absorption’ or ‘I have entered the first absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the first absorption’.”“‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.