- Linked Discourses 43.12Saṁyutta Nikāya 43.12
- Chapter Two2. Dutiyavagga
The UnconditionedAsaṅkhatasutta
“Mendicants, I will teach you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned.“Asaṅkhatañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi asaṅkhatagāmiñca maggaṁ. Listen …Taṁ suṇātha.
And what is the unconditioned?Katamañca, bhikkhave, asaṅkhataṁ? The ending of greed, hate, and delusion.Yo, bhikkhave, rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo— This is called the unconditioned.idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhataṁ.
And what is the path that leads to the unconditioned?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo? Serenity.Samatho. This is called the path that leads to the unconditioned.Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo.
So, mendicants, I’ve taught you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned.Iti kho, bhikkhave, desitaṁ vo mayā asaṅkhataṁ, desito asaṅkhatagāmimaggo.
Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.Yaṁ, bhikkhave, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicants! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”Etāni, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyatha, bhikkhave, mā pamādattha; mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanīti.
“Mendicants, I will teach you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned.Asaṅkhatañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi asaṅkhatagāmiñca maggaṁ. Listen …Taṁ suṇātha.
And what is the unconditioned?Katamañca, bhikkhave, asaṅkhataṁ? The ending of greed, hate, and delusion.Yo, bhikkhave, rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo— This is called the unconditioned.idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhataṁ.
And what is the path that leads to the unconditioned?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo? Discernment.Vipassanā. This is called the path that leads to the unconditioned. …”Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo.
“And what is the path that leads to the unconditioned?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo?
Immersion with placing the mind and keeping it connected. …Savitakko savicāro samādhi. Immersion without placing the mind, merely keeping it connected. …Avitakko vicāramatto samādhi. Immersion without placing the mind or keeping it connected. …Avitakko avicāro samādhi. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe….
Emptiness immersion. …Suññato samādhi. Signless immersion. …Animitto samādhi. Undirected immersion. …Appaṇihito samādhi. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of feelings …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …pe… A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the mind …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu citte cittānupassī viharati …pe… A mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of principles …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati …pe… ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities are given up. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that skillful qualities arise. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fully developed. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti. A mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vīriyasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti. immersion due to mental development …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cittasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti. immersion due to inquiry, and active effort. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vīmaṁsasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant develops the faculty of faith, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhindriyaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. A mendicant develops the faculty of energy …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vīriyindriyaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… mindfulness …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satindriyaṁ bhāveti …pe… immersion …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samādhindriyaṁ bhāveti …pe… wisdom, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paññindriyaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant develops the power of faith …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhābalaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… energy …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vīriyabalaṁ bhāveti …pe… mindfulness …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satibalaṁ bhāveti …pe… immersion …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu samādhibalaṁ bhāveti …pe… wisdom, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paññābalaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant develops the awakening factor of mindfulness …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …pe… investigation of principles …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe… energy …vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe… rapture …pītisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe… tranquility …passaddhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe… immersion …samādhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe… equanimity, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go. …upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo …pe…. A mendicant develops right view …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ. right purpose …Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāveti …pe… right speech …sammāvācaṁ bhāveti …pe… right action …sammākammantaṁ bhāveti …pe… right livelihood …sammāājīvaṁ bhāveti …pe… right effort …sammāvāyāmaṁ bhāveti …pe… right mindfulness …sammāsatiṁ bhāveti …pe… right immersion, which relies on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripens as letting go.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.This is called the path that leads to the unconditioned.Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaṅkhatagāmimaggo.
So, mendicants, I’ve taught you the unconditioned and the path that leads to the unconditioned.Iti kho, bhikkhave, desitaṁ vo mayā asaṅkhataṁ, desito asaṅkhatagāmimaggo.
Out of sympathy, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.Yaṁ, bhikkhave, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicants! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”Etāni, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyatha, bhikkhave, mā pamādattha; mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī”ti.