SN41.6 — Dutiyakāmabhūsutta

At one time, Venerable Kāmabhū was staying in the Ambātaka Forest in Macchikāsaṇḍa.

Then, householder Citta approached Venerable Kāmabhū; having approached, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, householder Citta said to Venerable Kāmabhū:

Venerable sir, how many formations are there?

There are three formations, householder: the bodily formation, the verbal formation, and the mental formation.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, what is the bodily formation, what is the verbal formation, and what is the mental formation?

In-breathing and out-breathing are the bodily formation; initial and sustained thought are the verbal formation; perception and feeling are the mental formation.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, why are in-breathing and out-breathing the bodily formation, why are initial and sustained thought the verbal formation, and why are perception and feeling the mental formation?

In-breathing and out-breathing are bodily. These phenomena are bound up with the body, therefore in-breathing and out-breathing are the bodily formation.

Previously having thought and pondered, one breaks into speech, therefore initial and sustained thought are the verbal formation.

Perception and feeling are mental. These phenomena are bound up with the mind, therefore perception and feeling are the mental formation.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, how does the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling come about?

It is not that a disciple who is attaining the cessation of perception and feeling thinks:

I will attain the cessation of perception and feeling, or I am attaining the cessation of perception and feeling, or I have attained the cessation of perception and feeling.

But rather, his mind has been previously developed in such a way that it leads him to that state.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, for a disciple who is attaining the cessation of perception and feeling, which phenomena cease first, whether the bodily formation, the verbal formation, or the mental formation?

For a disciple who is attaining the cessation of perception and feeling the verbal formation ceases first, then the bodily formation, then the mental formation.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

Venerable sir, what is the difference between one who is dead and has passed away, and a disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling?

Householder, for one who is dead and has passed away, the bodily formation has ceased and subsided, the verbal formation has ceased and subsided, the mental formation has ceased and subsided, life has ended, heat has dissipated, and the faculties are broken up.

But for a disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, the bodily formation has ceased and subsided, the verbal formation has ceased and subsided, the mental formation has ceased and subsided, life has not ended, heat has not dissipated, and the faculties are clear.

This is the difference between one who is dead and has passed away, and a disciple who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, how does the emergence from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling come about?

It is not that a disciple who is emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling thinks:

I will emerge from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, or I am emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, or I have emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling.

But rather, his mind has been previously developed in such a way that it leads him to that state.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, for a disciple who is emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, which phenomena arise first, whether the bodily formation, the verbal formation, or the mental formation?

For a disciple who is emerging from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling the mental formation arises first, then the bodily formation, then the verbal formation.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, how many contacts touch a disciple who has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling?

Householder, three contacts touch a disciple who has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling: the contact of emptiness, the contact of the signless, and the contact of the undirected.

Good, venerable sir, householder Citta rejoiced and approved of Venerable Kāmabhūs words, and then asked another question:

But, venerable sir, for a disciple who has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, where is his mind inclined, where is it directed, where is it leaning?

For a disciple who has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling his mind is inclined towards...

The mind inclined towards seclusion becomes seclusion-oriented and leans towards seclusion.

Good, venerable sir, said the householder Citta, rejoicing and approving of what the venerable Kāmabhū had said, and then he asked the venerable Kāmabhū another question:

But, venerable sir, how many factors are greatly helpful for the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling?

Indeed you are asking what should be asked first.

However, I will explain it to you.

For the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling two factors are greatly helpful: calm and insight.

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