11: The Book of the Elevens
16. Dasama
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was living at Beluvagāmaka near Vesālī. Now on that occasion the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanagara [n.2225] The householder is described as gahapati aṭṭhakanāgara, where –nāgara means "a citizen of (such and such) a city." The word for city itself is nagara. This is analogous to calling a person from New York a New Yorker, one from Paris a Parisian, etc. had arrived at Pāṭaliputta on a business matter.
2Then he approached a certain bhikkhu in the Cock's Park and asked him: "Bhante, where is the Venerable Ānanda staying now? I want to see him."
"He is staying at Beluvagāmaka near Vesālī, householder."
3When the householder Dasama had completed his business at Pāṭaliputta, he went to the Venerable Ānanda at Beluvagāmaka near Vesālī. He paid homage to the Venerable Ānanda, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Bhante Ānanda, is there any one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells diligent, ardent, and resolute in it, his unliberated mind is liberated, his undestroyed taints are destroyed, and he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage?"
"There is, householder."
4"And what is it?"
(1) "Here, householder, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which consists of rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by thought and examination. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This first jhāna is constructed and produced by volition. But whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is firm in this, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that lust for the Dhamma, because of that delight in the Dhamma, [n.2226] Ten’eva dhammarāgena dhammanandiyā. As at AN9.36; see AN9.36, n. 1917. Mp: "What is meant by this pair of terms is desire and lust for serenity and insight. For if one is able to exhaust all desire and lust for serenity and insight, one becomes an arahant. If one cannot do so, one becomes a non-returner. Because one has not abandoned desire and lust for serenity and insight, through the volition of the fourth jhāna one is reborn in the pure abodes. This is the general explanation among the teachers." then, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world.
"This is one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells in it diligent, ardent, and resolute, his unliberated mind is liberated, his undestroyed taints are destroyed, and he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
5(2) "Again, householder, with the subsiding of thought and examination a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna … (3) … the third jhāna … (4) … the fourth jhāna …. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This fourth jhāna is constructed and produced by volition. But whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is firm in this, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that lust for the Dhamma, because of that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world.
"This, too, is one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells in it … he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
6(5) "Again, householder, a bhikkhu dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This liberation of the mind by loving-kindness is constructed and produced by volition. But whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is firm in this, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that lust for the Dhamma, because of that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world.
"This, too, is one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells in it … he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
7(6) "Again, householder, a bhikkhu dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion … (7) … with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … (8) … with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This liberation of the mind by equanimity is constructed and produced by volition. But whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is firm in this, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that lust for the Dhamma, because of that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world.
"This, too, is one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells in it … he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
8(9) "Again, householder, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, (perceiving) ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the base of the infinity of space. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This attainment of the base of the infinity of space is constructed and produced by volition. But whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is firm in this, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that lust for the Dhamma, because of that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world.
"This, too, is one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells in it … he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
9(10) "Again, householder, by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of space, (perceiving) ‘consciousness is infinite,’ he enters and dwells in the base of the infinity of consciousness … (11) … by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of consciousness, (perceiving) ‘there is nothing,’ he enters and dwells in the base of nothingness. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This attainment of the base of nothingness is constructed and produced by volition. But whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is firm in this, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that lust for the Dhamma, because of that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world.
"This, too, is one thing properly expounded by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One who knows and sees, such that if a bhikkhu dwells in it diligent, ardent, and resolute, his unliberated mind is liberated, his undestroyed taints are destroyed, and he attains the as-yet-unattained unsurpassed security from bondage." [n.2227] The base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is not included because it is considered too subtle for its constituent factors to be used as objects of contemplation.
10When this was said, the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanagara said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Bhante Ānanda, just as if a man seeking one entrance to a hidden treasure all at once found eleven entrances to that treasure, so too, while I was seeking one door to the deathless, I have all at once gotten to hear eleven doors to the deathless. [n.2228] The eleven "doors to the deathless" are the four jhānas, the four immeasurables, and the lower three formless attainments. They are used as bases to develop insight and attain arahantship. Just as if a man had a house with eleven doors and when that house caught on fire, he could flee to safety through any of these eleven doors, so I can flee to safety through any of these eleven doors to the deathless. Bhante, these members of other sects seek a fee for their teachers, so why shouldn’t I make an offering to the Venerable Ānanda?"
11Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanagara assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus from Pāṭaliputta and Vesālī, and with his own hands he served and satisfied them with various kinds of good food. He presented a pair of cloths to each bhikkhu and a set of three robes to the Venerable Ānanda. And he had a dwelling worth five hundred [n.2229] That is, five hundred kahāpaṇas. built for the Venerable Ānanda.
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando vesāliyaṁ viharati beluvagāmake. Tena kho pana samayena dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputtaṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena.
2Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro yena kukkuṭārāmo yena aññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: "kahaṁ nu kho, bhante, āyasmā ānando etarahi viharati? Dassanakāmā hi mayaṁ, bhante, āyasmantaṁ ānandan"ti.
"Eso, gahapati, āyasmā ānando vesāliyaṁ viharati beluvagāmake"ti.
3Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputte taṁ karaṇīyaṁ tīretvā yena vesālī beluvagāmako yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:
"Atthi nu kho, bhante ānanda, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo sammadakkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā vā āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti?
"Atthi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo sammadakkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā vā āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti.
4"Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo sammadakkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā vā āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti?
"Idha, gahapati, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘idampi kho paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ, tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo sammadakkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā vā āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.
5Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘idampi kho catutthaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo sammadakkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuccati aparikkhīṇā vā āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.
6Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho mettā cetovimutti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā … pe … ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.
7Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe … muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho upekkhācetovimutti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā … pe … ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.
8Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho ākāsānañcāyatanasamāpatti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā … pe … ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.
9Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati … pe … sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘Natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho ākiñcaññāyatanasamāpatti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti; no ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.
Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā … pe … ananuppattaṁ vā anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti.
10Evaṁ vutte dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "Seyyathāpi, bhante ānanda, puriso ekaṁ nidhimukhaṁ gavesanto sakideva ekādasa nidhimukhāni adhigaccheyya; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, ekaṁ amatadvāraṁ gavesanto sakideva ekādasa amatadvārāni alatthaṁ sevanāya. Seyyathāpi, bhante, purisassa agāraṁ ekādasa dvāraṁ. So tasmiṁ agāre āditte ekamekenapi dvārena sakkuṇeyya attānaṁ sotthiṁ kātuṁ; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, imesaṁ ekādasannaṁ amatadvārānaṁ ekamekenapi amatadvārena sakkuṇissāmi attānaṁ sotthiṁ kātuṁ. Ime hi nāma, bhante, aññatitthiyā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesissanti. Kiṁ panāhaṁ āyasmato ānandassa pūjaṁ na karissāmī"ti.
11Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro vesālikañca pāṭaliputtakañca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātāpetvā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. Ekamekañca bhikkhuṁ paccekaṁ dussayugena acchādesi, āyasmantañca ānandaṁ ticīvarena. Āyasmato ānandassa pañcasataṁ vihāraṁ kārāpesīti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.