Brāhmaṇavagga, Uposathasutta

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, at the palace of Migāra's mother.

On that occasion, the Blessed One was sitting surrounded by the community of disciples on the observance day.

Then, the Blessed One, after surveying the silent assembly of disciples, addressed them:

This assembly is without idle chatter, this assembly is pure and established in the essence.

Such is this community of disciples, such is this assembly, disciples.

Assemblies like this are rare to see in the world, such is this community of disciples, such is this assembly, disciples.

Assemblies like this are worthy of offerings, hospitality, gifts, and reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Such is this community of disciples, such is this assembly, disciples.

In assemblies like this, a small gift becomes much, and a large gift becomes even greater. Such is this community of disciples, such is this assembly, disciples.

For assemblies like this, it is worth traveling even a yojana to see, even with a bundle on one's back. Such is this community of disciples, such is this assembly, disciples.

There are those in this community who dwell having attained the state of a deva; there are those in this community who dwell having attained the state of a brahma; there are those in this community who dwell having attained the state of imperturbability; there are those in this community who dwell having attained the state of a noble one.

And how does a disciple attain the state of a deva?

Here a disciple, secluded from sensual pleasures...

enters and dwells in the first jhāna; with the subsiding of directed and sustained attention...

enters and dwells in the second jhāna...

the third jhāna...

the fourth jhāna.

Thus a disciple attains the state of a deva.

And how does a disciple attain the state of a brahma?

Here a disciple pervades one quarter with a mind imbued with goodwill, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth.

Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to himself, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with goodwill, vast, exalted, measureless, free from enmity and ill-will.

With compassion...

with sympathetic joy...

with equanimity, he pervades one quarter, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth.

Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to himself, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, free from enmity and ill-will.

Thus a disciple attains the state of Brahma.

And how does a disciple attain the state of imperturbability?

Here a disciple, having completely transcended perceptions of form, the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not attending to perceptions of diversity, enters and dwells in the realm of infinite space, thinking, Infinite space.

Having completely transcended the realm of infinite space, he enters and dwells in the realm of infinite consciousness, thinking, Infinite consciousness.

Having completely transcended the realm of infinite consciousness, he enters and dwells in the realm of nothingness, thinking, There is nothing.

Having completely transcended the realm of nothingness, he enters and dwells in the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

Thus a disciple attains the state of imperturbability.

And how does a disciple attain the state of the noble ones?

Here a disciple knows as it truly is: This is suffering...

This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering as it truly is.

Thus a disciple attains the state of the noble ones.

This is the tenth.

The fourth chapter of the Brāhmaṇa section.

Summary: The warrior, the promise, the hearing, Fearlessness, the truth of the Brahmin, the fifth; The path of the flood, Upaka, the realization, and the observance.