[320] Six elements of escape (nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo):
1. Friends, a bhikkhu here might say: 'The liberation of mind (cetovimutti) through loving-kindness (mettā) has been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet ill will (byāpāda) still persists, overwhelming my mind (citta).' He should be told: 'Not so! Let the venerable one not speak thus. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, there is no chance, that when the liberation of mind through loving-kindness has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, ill will should still persist, overwhelming the mind — this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from ill will, namely, the liberation of mind through loving-kindness.'
2. Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu here might say: 'The liberation of mind through compassion (karuṇā) has been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet harming (vihesā) still persists, overwhelming my mind.' He should be told: 'Not so! Let the venerable one not speak thus. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, there is no chance, that when the liberation of mind through compassion has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, harming should still persist, overwhelming the mind — this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from harming, namely, the liberation of mind through compassion.'
3. Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu here might say: 'The liberation of mind through altruistic joy (muditā) has been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet discontent (arati) still persists, overwhelming my mind.' He should be told: 'Not so! Let the venerable one not speak thus. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, there is no chance, that when the liberation of mind through altruistic joy has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, discontent should still persist, overwhelming the mind — this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from discontent, namely, the liberation of mind through altruistic joy.'
4. Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu here might say: 'The liberation of mind through equanimity (upekkhā) has been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet lust (rāga) still persists, overwhelming my mind.' He should be told: 'Not so! Let the venerable one not speak thus. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, there is no chance, that when the liberation of mind through equanimity has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, lust should still persist, overwhelming the mind — this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from lust, namely, the liberation of mind through equanimity.'
5. Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu here might say: 'The signless liberation of mind (animittā cetovimutti) has been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet my consciousness still follows after signs (nimittānusāri viññāṇaṃ).' He should be told: 'Not so! Let the venerable one not speak thus. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, there is no chance, that when the signless liberation of mind has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, consciousness should still follow after signs — this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from all signs, namely, the signless liberation of mind.'
6. Furthermore, friends, a bhikkhu here might say: 'The conceit "I am" has vanished for me, and I do not regard anything as "this I am"; and yet the dart of doubt (vicikicchā) and perplexity still persists, overwhelming my mind.' He should be told: 'Not so! Let the venerable one not speak thus. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, there is no chance, that when the conceit "I am" has vanished, and one does not regard anything as "this I am", the dart of doubt and perplexity should still persist, overwhelming the mind — this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from the dart of doubt and perplexity, namely, the uprooting of the conceit "I am".'
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.