[223] 16. On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Veḷuvagāmaka near Vesālī. Now on that occasion the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara had arrived at Pāṭaliputta on some business or other. Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara approached a certain bhikkhu at the Kukkuṭārāma and, having approached, said to that bhikkhu: "Where, venerable sir, is the Venerable Ānanda dwelling at present? For we wish to see the Venerable Ānanda." "Householder, the Venerable Ānanda is dwelling at Veḷuvagāmaka near Vesālī."
Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara, having concluded that business at Pāṭaliputta, approached the Venerable Ānanda at Veḷuvagāmaka near Vesālī; having approached, he paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable Ānanda, is there one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent (ātāpī), and resolute, the unliberated mind (citta) comes to be liberated, the taints (āsava) not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained?"
"There is, householder, one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained."
"But what, Venerable Ānanda, is that one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained?"
"Here, householder, a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. He reflects thus: 'This first jhāna is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation (nirodha)'—thus he understands. Standing firm in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then through that very lust for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one of spontaneous rebirth, due to attain final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This, householder, is one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained.
"Again, householder, with the stilling of thought and examination, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and without examination, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration (samādhi) … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna. He reflects thus: 'This fourth jhāna too is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation'—thus he understands. Standing firm in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then through that very lust for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one of spontaneous rebirth, due to attain final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This too, householder, is one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained.
"Again, householder, a bhikkhu dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness—abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. He reflects thus: 'This deliverance of mind by loving-kindness too is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation'—thus he understands. Standing firm in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then through that very lust for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one of spontaneous rebirth, due to attain final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This too, householder, is one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained.
"Again, householder, a bhikkhu … with a mind imbued with compassion … with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity—abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. He reflects thus: 'This deliverance of mind by equanimity too is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation'—thus he understands. Standing firm in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then through that very lust for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one of spontaneous rebirth, due to attain final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This too, householder, is one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained.
"Again, householder, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the sphere of infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana). He reflects thus: 'This attainment of the sphere of infinity of space too is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation'—thus he understands. Standing firm in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then through that very lust for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one of spontaneous rebirth, due to attain final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This too, householder, is one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained.
"Again, householder, by completely transcending the sphere of infinity of space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the sphere of infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana); by completely transcending the sphere of infinity of consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' he enters and dwells in the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana). He reflects thus: 'This attainment of the sphere of nothingness too is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation'—thus he understands. Standing firm in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then through that very lust for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one of spontaneous rebirth, due to attain final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This too, householder, is one dhamma rightly proclaimed by that Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the unliberated mind comes to be liberated, the taints not yet destroyed come to destruction, and he progressively attains the unsurpassed security from bondage not yet attained."
When this was said, the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable Ānanda, just as a man seeking one entrance to hidden treasure might come at once upon eleven entrances to hidden treasure, even so, venerable sir, while seeking one door to the Deathless, I have gained at once the hearing of eleven doors to the Deathless. Just as, venerable sir, a man's house might have eleven doors, and when that house was on fire he could bring himself to safety through any single one of those doors, even so, venerable sir, I shall be able to bring myself to safety through any single one of these eleven doors to the Deathless. Venerable sir, these very followers of other sects will seek out a teacher's fee for their teacher; why then should I not make an offering to the Venerable Ānanda?" Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara, having caused the Saṅgha of bhikkhus of Vesālī and of Pāṭaliputta to assemble, with his own hand served and satisfied them with excellent hard and soft food; he presented each individual bhikkhu with a pair of cloths, and the Venerable Ānanda with a triple robe; and he had a dwelling worth five hundred built for the Venerable Ānanda.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.