[297] There the Venerable Mahākaccāna addressed the bhikkhus: "Friends, bhikkhus!" "Friend," those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Mahākaccāna. The Venerable Mahākaccāna said this: "It is wonderful, friends, it is marvellous, friends, how the attainment of an opening amid confinement has been discovered by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One — for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of suffering (dukkha) and grief, for the attainment of the true way (ñāya), for the realization of Nibbāna — that is, the six subjects of recollection (anussatiṭṭhāna). What six?
"Here, friends, a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata: 'Thus indeed is that Blessed One … the teacher of devas and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' On whatever occasion, friends, a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata, on that occasion his mind (citta) is not obsessed by lust, not obsessed by hatred, not obsessed by delusion; on that occasion his mind has become simply straight — gone forth, released, risen up from greed (gedha). 'Greed,' friends, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇa). That noble disciple, friends, dwells in every way with a mind like space: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Having made this his object, some beings here become of a nature to be purified in this way.
"Again, friends, a noble disciple recollects the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One … to be known individually by the wise.' On whatever occasion, friends, a noble disciple recollects the Dhamma, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, not obsessed by hatred, not obsessed by delusion; on that occasion his mind has become simply straight — gone forth, released, risen up from greed. 'Greed,' friends, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. That noble disciple, friends, dwells in every way with a mind like space: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Having made this his object, some beings here become of a nature to be purified in this way.
"Again, friends, a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha: 'The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well … the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' On whatever occasion a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, not obsessed by hatred, not obsessed by delusion; on that occasion his mind has become simply straight — gone forth, released, risen up from greed. 'Greed,' friends, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. That noble disciple, friends, dwells in every way with a mind like space: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Having made this his object, some beings here become of a nature to be purified in this way.
"Again, friends, a noble disciple recollects his own virtues: 'unbroken … conducive to concentration (samādhi).' On whatever occasion, friends, a noble disciple recollects his virtue, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, not obsessed by hatred, not obsessed by delusion; on that occasion his mind has become simply straight — gone forth, released, risen up from greed. 'Greed,' friends, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. That noble disciple, friends, dwells in every way with a mind like space: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Having made this his object, some beings here become of a nature to be purified in this way.
"Again, friends, a noble disciple recollects his own generosity (cāga): 'It is a gain for me, it is well gained by me, that I … am devoted to giving when asked, delighting in giving and sharing.' On whatever occasion, friends, a noble disciple recollects generosity, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, not obsessed by hatred, not obsessed by delusion; on that occasion his mind has become simply straight — gone forth, released, risen up from greed. 'Greed,' friends, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. That noble disciple, friends, dwells in every way with a mind like space: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Having made this his object, some beings here become of a nature to be purified in this way.
"Again, friends, a noble disciple recollects the deities: 'There are the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings (Cātummahārājikā) … there are devas higher than these. Those deities, endowed with faith of such a kind, having passed away from here, were reborn there; faith of such a kind is found in me too. Those deities, endowed with virtue of such a kind … with learning, with generosity, with wisdom, having passed away from here, were reborn there; wisdom of such a kind is found in me too.' On whatever occasion, friends, a noble disciple recollects the faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom both of himself and of those deities, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, not obsessed by hatred, not obsessed by delusion; on that occasion his mind has become simply straight — gone forth, released, risen up from greed. 'Greed,' friends, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure. That noble disciple, friends, dwells in every way with a mind like space: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Having made this his object, some beings here become of a nature to be purified in this way.
"It is wonderful, friends, it is marvellous, friends, how the attainment of an opening amid confinement has been discovered by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One — for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of suffering and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbāna — that is, these six subjects of recollection."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.