[284] Bhikkhus, there are these six elements (dhātu) of escape. What six?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: "The deliverance of mind (cetovimutti) by loving-kindness has indeed been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet ill will still invades my mind and remains." 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 occasion, that when the deliverance of mind by loving-kindness has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, ill will could still invade one's mind and remain — this is impossible. For this, friend, is the escape from ill will, namely, the deliverance of mind by loving-kindness."
Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: "The deliverance of mind by compassion has indeed been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet harming (vihesā) still invades my mind and remains." 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 occasion, that when the deliverance of mind by compassion has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, harming could still invade one's mind and remain — this is impossible. For this, friend, is the escape from harming, namely, the deliverance of mind by compassion."
Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: "The deliverance of mind by altruistic joy has indeed been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet discontent (arati) still invades my mind and remains." 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 occasion, that when the deliverance of mind by altruistic joy has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, discontent could still invade one's mind and remain — this is impossible. For this, friend, is the escape from discontent, namely, the deliverance of mind by altruistic joy."
Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: "The deliverance of mind by equanimity has indeed been developed by me, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken; and yet lust (rāga) still invades my mind and remains." 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 occasion, that when the deliverance of mind by equanimity has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, lust could still invade one's mind and remain — this is impossible. For this, friend, is the escape from lust, namely, the deliverance of mind by equanimity."
Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: "The signless deliverance of mind (animittā cetovimutti) has indeed 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 (nimitta)." 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 occasion, that when the signless deliverance of mind has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, carried out, consolidated, and well undertaken, one's consciousness could still follow after signs — this is impossible. For this, friend, is the escape from all signs, namely, the signless deliverance of mind."
Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: "The [notion] 'I am' has vanished for me, and I do not regard [anything as] 'This I am'; and yet the dart of doubt and perplexity still invades my mind and remains." 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 occasion, that when the [notion] 'I am' has vanished, and one does not regard [anything as] 'This I am', the dart of doubt and perplexity could still invade one's mind and remain — this is impossible. For this, friend, is the escape from the dart of doubt and perplexity, namely, the uprooting of the conceit 'I am' (asmīti māna)."
These, bhikkhus, are the six elements of escape.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.