Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

6: The Book of the Sixes

25. Recollection

1"Bhikkhus, there are these six subjects of recollection. [n.1292] Mp glosses anussatiṭṭhānāni with anussatikāraṇāni, "causes of recollection," on which Mp-ṭ says: "The recollections are themselves ‘causes of recollection’ in that they function as the cause (hetubhāvato) for the welfare and happiness pertaining to this present life and the future life." What six?

(1) "Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight. He has departed from greed, freed himself from it, emerged from it. ‘Greed,’ bhikkhus, is a designation for the five objects of sensual pleasure. Having made this a basis, [n.1293] Idampi kho bhikkhave ārammaṇaṁ karitvā. In the Nikāyas the word ārammaṇa does not yet mean "object of consciousness" in the general sense, as it does in the Abhidhamma and commentaries. Occasionally in the Nikāyas ārammaṇa may signify an object of meditation, but this role is usually taken by nimitta, which does not necessarily mean the "counterpart sign" as it does in the commentaries. I do not interpret the present text to be saying that one takes the recollection of the Buddha as an object, but that one makes it a basis, or starting point, for departing from greed. For this, I draw support from Mp-ṭ, which glosses ārammaṇaṁ karitvā thus: "Having made it a condition, having made it a foundation" (paccayaṁ karitvā pādakaṁ katvā). Mp-ṭ takes "this" (idam) in the lemma above to be the access concentration (upacārajjhāna) obtained by recollection of the Buddha. Mp explains "are purified" (visujjhanti) to mean "they attain final nibbāna, the supreme purity." some beings here are purified in such a way.

2(2) "Again, a noble disciple recollects the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Dhamma, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight. He has departed from greed … some beings here are purified in such a way.

3(3) "Again, a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha thus: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the straight way, practicing the true way, practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’ When a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight. He has departed from greed … some beings here are purified in such a way.


4(4) "Again, a noble disciple recollects his own virtuous behavior as unbroken, flawless, unblemished, unblotched, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration. When a noble disciple recollects his virtuous behavior, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight. He has departed from greed … some beings here are purified in such a way.


5(5) "Again, a noble disciple recollects his own generosity thus: ‘It is truly my good fortune and gain that in a population obsessed by the stain of miserliness, I dwell with a mind devoid of the stain of miserliness, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.’ When a noble disciple recollects his generosity, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight. He has departed from greed … some beings here are purified in such a way.


6(6) "Again, a noble disciple recollects the deities thus: ‘There are devas ruled by the four great kings, Tāvatiṁsa devas, Yāma devas, Tusita devas, devas who delight in creation, devas who control what is created by others, devas of Brahmā's company, and devas still higher than these. I too have such faith as those deities possessed, because of which, when they passed away here, they were reborn there; I too have such virtuous behavior … such learning … such generosity … such wisdom as those deities possessed, because of which, when they passed away here, they were reborn there.’

7When a noble disciple recollects the faith, virtuous behavior, learning, generosity, and wisdom in himself and in those deities, on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight. He has departed from greed, freed himself from it, emerged from it. ‘Greed,’ bhikkhus, is a designation for the five objects of sensual pleasure. Having made this a basis, too, some beings here are purified in such a way.


8"These, bhikkhus, are the six subjects of recollection."

1"Chayimāni, bhikkhave, anussatiṭṭhānāni. Katamāni cha?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tathāgataṁ anussarati: ‘itipi so bhagavā … pe … satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṁ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā. ‘Gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti. (1)

2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhammaṁ anussarati: ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo … pe … paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako dhammaṁ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā. ‘Gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti. (2)

3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ anussarati: ‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho … pe … anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā. ‘Gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti. (3)


4Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako attano sīlāni anussarati akhaṇḍāni … pe … samādhisaṁvattanikāni. Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako sīlaṁ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā. ‘Gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti. (4)


5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako attano cāgaṁ anussarati: ‘lābhā vata me. Suladdhaṁ vata me … pe … yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato’ti. … pe … Evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti. (5)


6Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako devatā anussarati: ‘santi devā cātumahārājikā, santi devā tāvatiṁsā, santi devā yāmā, santi devā tusitā, santi devā nimmānaratino, santi devā paranimmitavasavattino, santi devā brahmakāyikā, santi devā tatuttari. Yathārūpāya saddhāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā saddhā saṁvijjati. Yathārūpena sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā paññā saṁvijjatī’ti.

7Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako attano ca tāsañca devatānaṁ saddhañca sīlañca sutañca cāgañca paññañca anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā. ‘Gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti. (6)


8Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cha anussatiṭṭhānānī"ti.


Pañcamaṁ.

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