[245] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Mallas, at a town of the Mallas named Uruvelakappa. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Uruvelakappa for alms. Having walked for alms in Uruvelakappa and returned from the alms round after the meal, he addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "You stay right here, Ānanda, while I plunge into the Great Wood for the day's abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One plunged into the Great Wood and sat down at the root of a certain tree for the day's abiding.
Then Tapussa the householder approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Tapussa the householder said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable Ānanda, we are householders who enjoy sensual pleasures, who delight in sensual pleasures, take pleasure in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures. For us householders, venerable sir — who enjoy sensual pleasures, delight in sensual pleasures, take pleasure in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures — renunciation (nekkhamma) seems like a precipice. Yet I have heard, venerable sir, that in this Dhamma and Discipline the minds (citta) of the very young bhikkhus leap forward into renunciation, gain confidence, become settled, and are liberated, as they see it thus: 'This is peaceful.' So this, venerable sir — namely renunciation — is the very point at which the bhikkhus in this Dhamma and Discipline diverge from the great mass of people."
"Householder, this is a topic of talk that calls for seeing the Blessed One. Come, householder, let us go to the Blessed One; having approached, we shall report this matter to him. As the Blessed One answers us, so shall we act." "Yes, venerable sir," Tapussa the householder replied to the Venerable Ānanda. Then the Venerable Ānanda, together with Tapussa the householder, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, this householder Tapussa says thus: 'Venerable Ānanda, we are householders who enjoy sensual pleasures, who delight in sensual pleasures, take pleasure in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures. For us householders, venerable sir — who enjoy sensual pleasures, delight in sensual pleasures, take pleasure in sensual pleasures, and rejoice in sensual pleasures — renunciation seems like a precipice. Yet I have heard, venerable sir, that in this Dhamma and Discipline the minds of the very young bhikkhus leap forward into renunciation, gain confidence, become settled, and are liberated, as they see it thus: "This is peaceful." So this, venerable sir — namely renunciation — is the very point at which the bhikkhus in this Dhamma and Discipline diverge from the great mass of people.'"
"So it is, Ānanda! So it is, Ānanda! Before my awakening, Ānanda, while I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, it occurred to me too: 'Good is renunciation, good is seclusion.' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into renunciation, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into renunciation, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in sensual pleasures has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of renunciation has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into renunciation, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in sensual pleasures, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of renunciation, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into renunciation, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in sensual pleasures, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of renunciation, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into renunciation, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered and dwelt in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture (pīti) and happiness born of seclusion. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with sensual pleasures beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with sensual pleasures beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the stilling of thought and examination … I were to enter and dwell in the second jhāna.' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the thought-free state, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the thought-free state, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in thought has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the thought-free state has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the thought-free state, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in thought, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the thought-free state, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the thought-free state, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in thought, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the thought-free state, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the thought-free state, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the stilling of thought and examination … I entered and dwelt in the second jhāna. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with thought beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with thought beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the fading away of rapture, I were to dwell equanimous and, with mindfulness and clear comprehension, were to experience happiness with the body, and were to enter and dwell in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare: "He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily."' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the rapture-free state, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the rapture-free state, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in rapture has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the rapture-free state has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the rapture-free state, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in rapture, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the rapture-free state, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the rapture-free state, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in rapture, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the rapture-free state, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the rapture-free state, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the fading away of rapture … I entered and dwelt in the third jhāna. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with rapture beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with rapture beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, I were to enter and dwell in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and has purity of mindfulness through equanimity.' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in the happiness of equanimity has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the neither-painful-nor-pleasant has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in the happiness of equanimity, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in the happiness of equanimity, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the neither-painful-nor-pleasant, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, with the abandoning of pleasure … I entered and dwelt in the fourth jhāna. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with equanimity beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with equanimity beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, [aware that] "space is infinite," I were to enter and dwell in the base of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana).' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the base of the infinity of space, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the base of the infinity of space, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in forms has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the base of the infinity of space has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the base of the infinity of space, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in forms, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the base of the infinity of space, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the base of the infinity of space, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in forms, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the base of the infinity of space, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the base of the infinity of space, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, [aware that] 'space is infinite,' I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of space. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with forms beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with forms beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the complete transcending of the base of the infinity of space, [aware that] "consciousness is infinite," I were to enter and dwell in the base of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana).' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the base of the infinity of consciousness, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the base of the infinity of consciousness, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in the base of the infinity of space has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the base of the infinity of consciousness has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the base of the infinity of consciousness, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in the base of the infinity of space, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the base of the infinity of consciousness, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the base of the infinity of consciousness, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in the base of the infinity of space, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the base of the infinity of consciousness, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the base of the infinity of consciousness, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the complete transcending of the base of the infinity of space, [aware that] 'consciousness is infinite,' I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of consciousness. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with the base of the infinity of space beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with the base of the infinity of space beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the complete transcending of the base of the infinity of consciousness, [aware that] "there is nothing," I were to enter and dwell in the base of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana).' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the base of nothingness, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the base of nothingness, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in the base of the infinity of consciousness has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the base of nothingness has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the base of nothingness, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in the base of the infinity of consciousness, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the base of nothingness, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the base of nothingness, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in the base of the infinity of consciousness, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the base of nothingness, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the base of nothingness, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the complete transcending of the base of the infinity of consciousness, [aware that] 'there is nothing,' I entered and dwelt in the base of nothingness. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with the base of the infinity of consciousness beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with the base of the infinity of consciousness beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, with the complete transcending of the base of nothingness, I were to enter and dwell in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana).' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in the base of nothingness has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in the base of nothingness, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in the base of nothingness, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the complete transcending of the base of nothingness, I entered and dwelt in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. But while I dwelt in this abiding, perceptions and attentions connected with the base of nothingness beset me, and that was an affliction for me. Just as, Ānanda, pain might arise for one who is happy only so far as to afflict him, even so perceptions and attentions connected with the base of nothingness beset me, and that was an affliction for me.
"Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'Suppose that, transcending the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I were to enter and dwell in the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha).' Yet, Ānanda, my mind did not leap forward into the cessation of perception and feeling, did not gain confidence, did not become settled, and was not liberated, though I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'What now is the cause, what is the reason, why my mind does not leap forward into the cessation of perception and feeling, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful"?' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'The danger in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception has not been seen by me, nor have I cultivated that; the benefit of the cessation of perception and feeling has not been attained by me, nor have I pursued it. Therefore my mind does not leap forward into the cessation of perception and feeling, does not gain confidence, does not become settled, and is not liberated, though I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, it occurred to me: 'If, having seen the danger in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I were to cultivate that, and, having attained the benefit of the cessation of perception and feeling, I were to pursue it, then it is possible that my mind would leap forward into the cessation of perception and feeling, gain confidence, become settled, and be liberated, as I see it thus: "This is peaceful."' Then, Ānanda, at a later time, having seen the danger in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I cultivated that; having attained the benefit of the cessation of perception and feeling, I pursued it. Then, Ānanda, my mind leapt forward into the cessation of perception and feeling, gained confidence, became settled, and was liberated, as I saw it thus: 'This is peaceful.' Then, Ānanda, with the complete transcending of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I entered and dwelt in the cessation of perception and feeling; and, having seen with wisdom, my taints (āsava) came to utter destruction.
"So long, Ānanda, as I did not attain to and emerge from these nine successive abiding attainments (anupubbavihārasamāpatti) in forward and reverse order in this way, so long, Ānanda, did I not claim to have fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect awakening in this world with its devas, its Māra, and its Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and human beings. But when, Ānanda, I attained to and emerged from these nine successive abiding attainments in forward and reverse order in this way, then, Ānanda, I claimed to have fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect awakening in this world with its devas, its Māra, and its Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and human beings. And the knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision arose in me: 'Unshakable is my liberation of mind (cetovimutti); this is my last birth; now there is no renewed existence.'"
The Great Chapter, the Fourth.
Its summary:
Two on abidings, and Nibbāna; the cow, with jhāna as the fifth;
Ānanda, the brahmin, the devas; with the nāga, and with Tapussa.
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The Fifth Chapter: the Pañcāla Chapter
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.