[257] "But, dear sir, practicing in what way is a bhikkhu one who is practicing the way of practice that is fitting and leads to the cessation of the reckonings born of proliferated perception (papañcasaññāsaṅkhā)?"
"Lord of gods, I say that joy (somanassa) is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued. And I say that grief (domanassa) is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued. And I say that equanimity (upekkhā) is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued.
"I say that joy is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued. So indeed this was said; and with reference to what was it said? Herein, whatever joy one would know: 'When I pursue this joy, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — joy of such a kind should not be pursued. Herein, whatever joy one would know: 'When I pursue this joy, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — joy of such a kind should be pursued. And herein, of that which is with thought (vitakka) and with examination (vicāra), and that which is without thought and without examination, those without thought and without examination are the more excellent. When I said, 'Lord of gods, I say that joy is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued' — it was with reference to this that it was said.
"I say that grief is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued. So indeed this was said; and with reference to what was it said? Herein, whatever grief one would know: 'When I pursue this grief, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — grief of such a kind should not be pursued. Herein, whatever grief one would know: 'When I pursue this grief, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — grief of such a kind should be pursued. And herein, of that which is with thought and with examination, and that which is without thought and without examination, those without thought and without examination are the more excellent. When I said, 'Lord of gods, I say that grief is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued' — it was with reference to this that it was said.
"I say that equanimity is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued. So indeed this was said; and with reference to what was it said? Herein, whatever equanimity one would know: 'When I pursue this equanimity, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — equanimity of such a kind should not be pursued. Herein, whatever equanimity one would know: 'When I pursue this equanimity, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — equanimity of such a kind should be pursued. And herein, of that which is with thought and with examination, and that which is without thought and without examination, those without thought and without examination are the more excellent. When I said, 'Lord of gods, I say that equanimity is of two kinds: that which should be pursued and that which should not be pursued' — it was with reference to this that it was said.
"Practicing in this way, lord of gods, a bhikkhu is one who is practicing the way of practice that is fitting and leads to the cessation of the reckonings born of proliferated perception."
Thus, when asked the question by Sakka, lord of gods, the Blessed One answered it.
Delighted, Sakka, lord of gods, rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One's words: "So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One (Sugata)! Having heard the Blessed One's answering of the question, I have herein crossed over doubt; my perplexity has departed."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.