MN122 — The Longer Discourse on Emptiness.
Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Grove. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the morning and taking his bowl and robe, entered Kapilavatthu for alms.
After wandering for alms in Kapilavatthu, he returned from his alms round and went to the residence of Kālākhemaka, where he was to spend the day.
Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: There are indeed many resting places established in the residence of Kālākhemaka. Are there many disciples residing here?
Indeed, Venerable Sir, there are many resting places established in the residence of Kālākhemaka. Many disciples are residing here. The time for making robes is not being observed, Venerable Sir.
Ānanda. A disciple does not shine when he is attached to gathering, when he is engaged in gathering, when he is inclined to gathering, when he is caught up in gathering.
But that disciple, Ānanda, who is detached from gathering, who dwells alone, will have the happiness of renunciation, the happiness of solitude, the happiness of peace, the happiness of enlightenment; that happiness will be without any hindrance, without any obstruction: this is a place for him.
Thus, Ānanda, the disciple who is attached to gathering, engaged in gathering, inclined to gathering, caught up in gathering, will dwell in the state that is either collective or individual, this is not a place for him.
Indeed, Ananda, a disciple who is secluded from the crowd, will dwell with the desire for the attainment of mental liberation, whether in a communal setting or in solitude, this is a place that exists. I do not see a single form, Ananda, where the form of one who is attached to the pleasures of the night would not arise, due to the transformation of that form, as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.
This, Ananda, is the dwelling that has been fully awakened by the Tathagata, where one can dwell in internal emptiness, free from all signs. ...
Therefore, Ananda, if a disciple wishes to dwell in internal emptiness, then, Ananda, the disciple must establish the mind internally, must settle it, must unify it, and must gather it.
How, Ananda, does a disciple establish the mind internally, settle it, unify it, and gather it? Here, Ananda, a disciple, having separated himself from sensual pleasures, having separated himself from unwholesome dhammas... he enters and dwells in the first jhana... the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth jhana.
Thus, Ananda, a disciple establishes the mind internally, settles it, unifies it, and gathers it. He contemplates internal emptiness. When he contemplates internal emptiness, the mind does not wander, does not become agitated, does not remain, and becomes liberated.
Thus, Ananda, a disciple understands: When I contemplate internal emptiness, the mind does not wander, does not become agitated, does not remain, and becomes liberated.
In this way, he is mindful there. He contemplates external emptiness... he contemplates both internal and external emptiness... he contemplates the state of non-attachment.
When he contemplates the state of non-attachment, the mind does not wander, does not become agitated, does not remain, and becomes liberated.
Thus, Ananda, a disciple understands.
When I place my mind on the unshakable, my mind does not waver, does not become agitated, does not settle, becomes liberated. Thus, one should be mindful there.
Therefore, Ananda, the disciple should establish the mind internally, should concentrate it, should unify it, should gather it. He contemplates the internal emptiness. When he contemplates the internal emptiness, his mind becomes unshakable, becomes tranquil, settles, and becomes liberated.
Thus, this is understood by the disciple, Ananda: When I place my mind on the internal emptiness, my mind becomes unshakable, becomes tranquil, settles, and becomes liberated. Thus, one should be mindful there.
He contemplates the emptiness externally... he contemplates the emptiness both internally and externally... he contemplates the unshakable. When he places attention on the unshakable, his mind becomes unshakable, becomes tranquil, settles, and becomes liberated.
Thus, this is understood by the disciple, Ananda: When I place my mind on the unshakable, my mind becomes unshakable, becomes tranquil, settles, and becomes liberated. Thus, one should be mindful there.
If a disciple dwells in this way, and his mind becomes calm while walking, and while he walks, no unwholesome states of mind arise in him. Thus, one should be mindful there.
If a disciple dwells in this way, and his mind becomes calm while standing, and while he stands, no unwholesome states of mind arise in him. Thus, one should be mindful there.
If a disciple dwells in this way, and his mind becomes calm while sitting, and while he sits, no unwholesome states of mind arise in him. Thus, one should be mindful there.
If a disciple dwells in this way, and his mind becomes calm while lying down, and while he lies down, no unwholesome states of mind arise in him. Thus, one should be mindful there.
If a disciple dwells in this way, and his mind becomes calm while talking, and he hears lowly, mundane, unworthy talk, that does not lead to dispassion, does not lead to cessation, does not lead to peace, does not lead to knowing, does not lead to awakening, does not lead to Nibbana, such as talk of royals, talk of thieves, talk of ministers, talk of army, talk of fear, talk of war, talk of food, talk of drink, talk of clothing, talk of sleep, talk of fragrances, talk about relatives, vehicles, village, town, city, country, talk of women, drink, talk about the past, talk of worldly matters, and so on. He thinks, how could I speak such things? Thus, one should be mindful there.
Thus, there, one is mindful. And this, Ananda, is the discourse that leads to the abandonment of the hindrances, to the complete dispassion, to the cessation, to the peace, to the higher knowing, to the awakening, and to Nibbana. Why is that? It is the discourse on non-attachment, the discourse on contentment, the discourse on seclusion, the discourse on non-attachment, the discourse on energy, the discourse on virtue, the discourse on concentration, the discourse on wisdom, the discourse on liberation, and the discourse on the knowing of liberation. Thus, there, one is mindful.
If, Ananda, a disciple dwells in this monastery and his mind is inclined towards thoughts that are lowly, worldly, unwholesome, and do not lead to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to higher knowing, to awakening, or to Nibbana. If they are thoughts of sensual desire, thoughts of ill will, thoughts of harming, and such thoughts, they should not be thought. Thus, there, one is mindful.
But those thoughts, Ananda, that are noble, lead to liberation from suffering. What are those? They are thoughts of renunciation, thoughts of non-ill will, thoughts of non-harming. Thus, there, one is mindful.
There are five sensual pleasures, Ananda. What are the five? They are forms that are seen by the eye, pleasing, desirable, agreeable, and delightful; sounds that are heard by the ear; scents that are smelled by the nose; tastes that are savored by the tongue; and tactile objects that are felt by the body, pleasing, desirable, agreeable, and delightful. These, Ananda, are the five sensual pleasures.
Where a disciple should frequently reflect, Is there any mental activity arising in me regarding any one of these five sensual pleasures? If a disciple reflects and understands, There is indeed a mental activity arising in me regarding any one of these five sensual pleasures, then he knows, This is indeed the case; the desire for these five sensual pleasures has not been abandoned by me. Thus, there, one is mindful.
But if, Ananda, a disciple reflects and understands, There is not any mental activity arising in me regarding any one of these five sensual pleasures, then he knows, This is indeed the case; the desire for these five sensual pleasures has been abandoned by me. Thus, there, one is mindful.
There are five aggregates of clinging, Ananda, where a disciple should dwell contemplating the arising and passing away. This is form, this is the arising of form, this is the cessation of form; this is feeling, this is the arising of feeling, this is the cessation of feeling; this is perception, this is the arising of perception, this is the cessation of perception; this is mental formations, this is the arising of mental formations, this is the cessation of mental formations; this is consciousness, this is the arising of consciousness, this is the cessation of consciousness.
Thus, when one dwells contemplating the arising and passing away in these five aggregates of clinging, one who is attached to these five aggregates of clinging is released.
These, Ananda, are the teachings that are entirely wholesome, leading to the wholesome, noble, transcendent, and unconditioned, free from evil.
What do you think, Ananda, which of these teachings are worthy of a disciple to follow the teacher?
The teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, venerable sir, the teachings are the guide of the Blessed One, the teachings are the refuge of the Blessed One. It is good, venerable sir, that the Blessed One should explain the meaning of what has been said. Hearing this, the disciples will be inspired.
...
Thus spoke the Blessed One.
The venerable Ānanda was pleased with the Blessed One's words.
The discourse on the Great Emptiness has been completed.