1"Bhikkhus, there are these six elements of escape. [n.1263] Nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo. Compare AN5.200, which describes a different set of "elements of escape." What six?

(1) "Here, a bhikkhu might say thus: ‘I have developed and cultivated the liberation of the mind by loving-kindness, made it my vehicle and basis, carried it out, consolidated it, and properly undertaken it, yet ill will still obsesses my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Not so! Do not speak thus. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would certainly not speak in such a way. It is impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the liberation of the mind by loving-kindness, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet ill will could still obsess one's mind. There is no such possibility. For this, friend, is the escape from ill will, namely, the liberation of the mind by loving-kindness.’

2(2) "Then, a bhikkhu might say thus: ‘I have developed and cultivated the liberation of the mind by compassion, made it my vehicle and basis, carried it out, consolidated it, and properly undertaken it, yet the thought of harming still obsesses my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Not so! Do not speak thus. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would certainly not speak in such a way. It is impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the liberation of the mind by compassion, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet the thought of harming could still obsess one's mind. There is no such possibility. For this, friend, is the escape from the thought of harming, namely, the liberation of the mind by compassion.’

3(3) "Then, a bhikkhu might say thus: ‘I have developed and cultivated the liberation of the mind by altruistic joy, made it my vehicle and basis, carried it out, consolidated it, and properly undertaken it, yet discontent still obsesses my mind.’ [n.1264] Arati. This word usually signifies dissatisfaction with the life of renunciation. He should be told: ‘Not so! Do not speak thus. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would certainly not speak in such a way. It is impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the liberation of the mind by altruistic joy, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet discontent could still obsess one's mind. There is no such possibility. For this, friend, is the escape from discontent, namely, the liberation of the mind by altruistic joy.’

4(4) "Then, a bhikkhu might say thus: ‘I have developed and cultivated the liberation of the mind by equanimity, made it my vehicle and basis, carried it out, consolidated it, and properly undertaken it, yet lust still obsesses my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Not so! Do not speak thus. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would certainly not speak in such a way. It is impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the liberation of the mind by equanimity, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet lust could still obsess one's mind. There is no such possibility. For this, friend, is the escape from lust, namely, the liberation of the mind by equanimity.’ [n.1265] This text uses the word rāga, which in this context probably means personal bias rather than sensual desire. Interestingly, at MN I 424,33–34, upekkhā is opposed to paṭigha, aversion, the polar opposite of rāga. Given that upekkhā is a state of inner poise beyond both attraction and repulsion, it is not surprising to find it offered as the antidote to the two opposed qualities.

5(5) "Then, a bhikkhu might say thus: ‘I have developed and cultivated the markless liberation of the mind, [n.1266] Animittā cetovimutti. Mp: "The markless liberation of mind: strong insight (balavavipassanā). But the reciters of the Dīgha Nikāya say it is the meditative attainment of the fruit of arahantship (arahattaphalasamāpattī); for that is said to be markless because it lacks the marks of lust, etc., the marks of form, etc., and the marks of permanence, etc. (sā hi rāganimittādīnañc’eva rūpanimittādīnañca niccanimittādīnañca abhāvā animittā ti vuttā). made it my vehicle and basis, carried it out, consolidated it, and properly undertaken it, yet my consciousness still follows after marks.’ [n.1267] Nimittānusārī. Mp: "Follows after marks: follows along with the aforesaid marks." The "aforesaid marks" are those mentioned in the preceding note. He should be told: ‘Not so! Do not speak thus. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would certainly not speak in such a way. It is impossible and inconceivable, friend, that one might develop and cultivate the markless liberation of the mind, make it one's vehicle and basis, carry it out, consolidate it, and properly undertake it, yet one's consciousness could still follow after marks. There is no such possibility. For this, friend, is the escape from all marks, namely, the markless liberation of the mind.’

6(6) "Then, a bhikkhu might say: ‘I have discarded (the notion) "I am," and I do not regard anything as "This I am," yet the dart of doubt and bewilderment still obsesses my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Not so! Do not speak thus. Do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would certainly not speak in such a way. It is impossible and inconceivable, friend, that when the notion "I am" has been discarded, and one does not regard anything as "This I am," the dart of doubt and bewilderment could still obsess one's mind. There is no such possibility. For this, friend, is the escape from the dart of doubt and bewilderment, namely, the uprooting of the conceit "I am."’ [n.1268] In the standard correlation between stages of attainment and removal of defilements, doubt and bewilderment along with the view "This I am" are eliminated with the attainment of stream-entry, and the conceit "I am" with the attainment of arahantship (see SN 22:89, III 126–32). In the present passage, the persistence of doubt is taken as a criterion for determining that someone has not removed the conceit "I am."

7"These, bhikkhus, are the six elements of escape."

1"Chayimā, bhikkhave, nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo. Katamā cha?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘mettā hi kho me cetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā; atha ca pana me byāpādo cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhatī’ti. So ‘mā hevan’tissa vacanīyo: ‘māyasmā evaṁ avaca; mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi, na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ, na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso yaṁ mettāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya; atha ca panassa byāpādo cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇañhetaṁ, āvuso, byāpādassa yadidaṁ mettācetovimuttī’ti. (1)

2Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘karuṇā hi kho me cetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā; atha ca pana me vihesā cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhatī’ti. So ‘mā hevan’tissa vacanīyo: ‘māyasmā evaṁ avaca; mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi, na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ, na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso yaṁ karuṇāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya; atha ca panassa vihesā cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇañhetaṁ, āvuso, vihesāya yadidaṁ karuṇācetovimuttī’ti. (2)

3Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘muditā hi kho me cetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā; atha ca pana me arati cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhatī’ti. So ‘mā hevan’tissa vacanīyo: ‘māyasmā evaṁ avaca; mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi, na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ, na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso yaṁ muditāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya; atha ca panassa arati cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇañhetaṁ, āvuso, aratiyā yadidaṁ muditācetovimuttī’ti. (3)

4Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘upekkhā hi kho me cetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā; atha ca pana me rāgo cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhatī’ti. So ‘mā hevan’tissa vacanīyo: ‘māyasmā evaṁ avaca; mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi, na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ, na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso yaṁ upekkhāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya; atha ca panassa rāgo cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇañhetaṁ, āvuso, rāgassa yadidaṁ upekkhācetovimuttī’ti. (4)

5Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘animittā hi kho me cetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā; atha ca pana me nimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ hotī’ti. So ‘mā hevan’tissa vacanīyo: ‘māyasmā evaṁ avaca; mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi, na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ, na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso yaṁ animittāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya; atha ca panassa nimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ bhavissati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇañhetaṁ, āvuso, sabbanimittānaṁ yadidaṁ animittācetovimuttī’ti. (5)

6Idha pana bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asmīti kho me vigataṁ, ayamahamasmīti ca na samanupassāmi; atha ca pana me vicikicchākathaṅkathāsallaṁ cittaṁ pariyādāya tiṭṭhatī’ti. So ‘mā hevan’tissa vacanīyo: ‘māyasmā evaṁ avaca; mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi, na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ, na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, āvuso, anavakāso yaṁ asmīti vigate ayamahamasmīti ca na samanupassato; atha ca panassa vicikicchākathaṅkathāsallaṁ cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassati, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Nissaraṇañhetaṁ, āvuso, vicikicchākathaṅkathāsallassa yadidaṁ asmīti mānasamugghāto’ti. (6)

7Imā kho, bhikkhave, cha nissāraṇīyā dhātuyo"ti.

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Tatiyaṁ.