MN106 — Āneñjasappāyasutta
Thus have I heard: At one time, the Blessed One was staying among the Kurus at a town of the Kurus named Kammāsadhamma.
There the Blessed One addressed the disciples:
Disciples.
Venerable Sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
Disciples, sensual pleasures are impermanent, empty, false, deceitful by nature.
This is a creation of illusion, a babble of fools.
Both the sensual pleasures of this life and those of the next life; both the perception of sensual pleasures in this life and the perception of sensual pleasures in the next life: both are the domain of Māra, Māras territory, Māras bait, Māras hunting ground.
It is here that evil, unwholesome mental states of covetousness, ill will, and contention arise.
These are obstacles for a noble disciple who is training here.
Therefore a noble disciple reflects thus: Both the sensual pleasures of this life and those of the next life; both the perception of sensual pleasures in this life and the perception of sensual pleasures in the next life: both are the domain of Māra, Māras territory, Māras bait, Māras hunting ground.
It is here that evil, unwholesome mental states of covetousness, ill will, and contention arise, and these are obstacles for a noble disciple who is training here.
What if I were to dwell with a mind that is vast, exalted, and overcoming the world, established in mindfulness?
For while I dwell with a mind that is vast, exalted, and overcoming the world, established in mindfulness, those evil, unwholesome mental states of covetousness, ill will, and contention will not exist.
With their abandonment, my mind will be unlimited, immeasurable, and well developed.
For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in this state, the mind becomes confident.
With confidence, one either attains the imperturbable here and now or is resolved upon wisdom.
Upon the breakup of the body, after death, it is possible that the consciousness that leads to the imperturbable will arise.
This is called the first path conducive to the imperturbable.
Again a noble disciple reflects thus:
Both the sensual pleasures of this life and those of the next life;
both the perception of sensual pleasures in this life and the perception of sensual pleasures in the next life; whatever form there is, all form, the four great elements, and the form derived from the four great elements.
For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in this state, the mind becomes confident.
With confidence, one either attains the imperturbable here and now or is resolved upon wisdom.
Upon the breakup of the body, after death, it is possible that the consciousness that leads to the imperturbable will arise.
This is called the second path conducive to the imperturbable.
Again a noble disciple reflects thus:
Both the sensual pleasures of this life and those of the next life;
both the perception of sensual pleasures in this life and the perception of sensual pleasures in the next life; both the forms of this life and the forms of the next life;
both the perception of forms in this life and the perception of forms in the next life:
both are impermanent.
What is impermanent is not worth rejoicing in, not worth welcoming, not worth clinging to.
For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in this state, the mind becomes confident.
With confidence, one either attains the imperturbable here and now or is resolved upon wisdom.
Upon the breakup of the body, after death, it is possible that the consciousness that leads to the imperturbable will arise.
This is called the third path conducive to the imperturbable.
Again a noble disciple reflects thus:
Both the sensual pleasures of this life and those of the next life;
both the perception of sensual pleasures in this life and the perception of sensual pleasures in the next life; both the forms of this life and the forms of the next life;
both the perception of forms in this life and the perception of forms in the next life;
both the perception of the imperturbable: all perceptions.
Where these perceptions cease without remainder, that is peaceful, that is excellent: namely, the base of nothingness.
For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in this state, the mind becomes confident.
With confidence, one either attains the base of nothingness here and now or is resolved upon wisdom.
Upon the breakup of the body, after death, it is possible that the consciousness that leads to the base of nothingness will arise.
This is called the first path conducive to the base of nothingness.
Again a noble disciple who has gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut reflects thus:
This is empty of self or what belongs to self.
For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in this state, the mind becomes confident.
With confidence, one either attains the base of nothingness here and now or is resolved upon wisdom.
Upon the breakup of the body, after death, it is possible that the consciousness that leads to the base of nothingness will arise.
This is called the second path conducive to the base of nothingness.
The consciousness of one who has attained the sphere of nothingness. This is called the second path suitable for the sphere of nothingness. Again a noble disciple reflects thus: I am not anything anywhere to anyone, nor is there anything anywhere that is mine. For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in that state, the mind becomes serene in that sphere. When there is serenity, either he attains the sphere of nothingness here and now or he is inclined towards it through wisdom.
Upon the dissolution of the body, after death, there is a possibility that his consciousness will lead to the sphere of nothingness. This is called the third path suitable for the sphere of nothingness.
Again a noble disciple reflects thus: The sensual pleasures here and now, and those in the future; the perception of sensual pleasures here and now, and the perception of sensual pleasures in the future; the forms here and now, and the forms in the future; the perception of forms here and now, and the perception of forms in the future; the perception of the imperturbable, and the perception of the sphere of nothingness: all these perceptions.
Where these perceptions cease without remainder, that is peaceful, that is excellent: namely, the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. For one who practices in this way and frequently abides in that state, the mind becomes serene in that sphere. When there is serenity, either he attains the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception here and now or he is inclined towards it through wisdom. Upon the dissolution of the body, after death, there is a possibility that his consciousness will lead to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This is called the path suitable for the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: Here, venerable sir, a disciple practices thus: May it not be, may it not be mine; may it not become, may it not become mine; whatever is, whatever has come to be: that I abandon. In this way, he attains equanimity.
Would that disciple, venerable sir, attain final Nibbāna or not? Some, Ānanda, would attain final Nibbāna, and some would not. What is the reason, venerable sir, why some disciples would attain final Nibbāna and some would not? Here, Ānanda, a disciple practices thus: May it not be, may it not be mine; may it not become, may it not become mine; whatever is, whatever has come to be: that I abandon. In this way, he attains equanimity.
He delights in that equanimity, he approves of it, he clings to it. For one who delights in, approves of, and clings to that equanimity, consciousness is dependent on that, and it becomes an attachment. With attachment, Ānanda, a disciple does not attain final Nibbāna. Where, venerable sir, does that disciple who is attached, become attached? In the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, Ānanda. Is it the highest attachment, venerable sir, that the disciple becomes attached to? Indeed, Ānanda, it is the highest attachment that the disciple becomes attached to.
For the highest attachment, Ānanda, is the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Here, Ānanda, a disciple practices thus: May it not be, may it not be mine; may it not become, may it not become mine; whatever is, whatever has come to be: that I abandon. In this way, he attains equanimity. He does not delight in that equanimity, he does not approve of it, he does not cling to it.
For one who does not delight in, approve of, or cling to that equanimity, consciousness is not dependent on that, and it does not become an attachment. Without attachment, Ānanda, a disciple attains final Nibbāna. Wonderful, venerable sir, marvelous, venerable sir. Depending on, depending on, venerable sir, the Blessed One has declared the crossing over of the flood.
What, venerable sir, is the noble liberation? Here, Ānanda, a disciple, a noble disciple, reflects thus: The sensual pleasures here and now, and those in the future; the perception of sensual pleasures here and now, and the perception of sensual pleasures in the future; the forms here and now, and the forms in the future; the perception of forms here and now, and the perception of forms in the future; the perception of the imperturbable, the perception of the sphere of nothingness, the perception of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception: this is the self as far as it extends.
This is the deathless, namely, the liberation of the mind through non-attachment. Thus, Ānanda, I have taught the path suitable for the imperturbable, I have taught the path suitable for the sphere of nothingness, I have taught the path suitable for the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I have taught the crossing over of the flood depending on, depending on, I have taught the noble liberation. What, Ānanda, a teacher should do out of compassion for the welfare of his disciples, seeking their good, that I have done for you.
These, Ānanda, are the roots of trees, these are empty huts. Meditate, Ānanda, do not be negligent, do not regret it later. This is my instruction to you.
Thus spoke the Blessed One. The Venerable
He rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The discourse on the state conducive to imperturbability is finished.