7: The Book of the Sevens
95. Contemplating Impermanence in the Eye
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?
(1) "Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
2(2) "Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. For him the exhaustion of the taints and the exhaustion of life occur simultaneously. This is the second kind of person worthy of gifts ….
3(3) "Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval. This is the third kind of person worthy of gifts ….
(4) "Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna upon landing. This is the fourth kind of person worthy of gifts ….
(5) "Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna without exertion. This is the fifth kind of person worthy of gifts ….
(6) "Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna through exertion. This is the sixth kind of person worthy of gifts ….
(7) "Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in the eye, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one bound upstream, heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. This is the seventh kind of person worthy of gifts ….
"These, bhikkhus, are the seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
1"Sattime, bhikkhave, puggalā āhuneyyā … pe … dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. Katame satta?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo cakkhusmiṁ aniccānupassī viharati aniccasaññī aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paṭhamo puggalo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo … pe … anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.
2Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo cakkhusmiṁ aniccānupassī viharati aniccasaññī aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. Tassa apubbaṁ acarimaṁ āsavapariyādānañca hoti jīvitapariyādānañca. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo puggalo āhuneyyo … pe … anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.
3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo cakkhusmiṁ aniccānupassī viharati aniccasaññī aniccapaṭisaṁvedī satataṁ samitaṁ abbokiṇṇaṁ cetasā adhimuccamāno paññāya pariyogāhamāno. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti … pe … upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti … pe … asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti … pe … sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti … pe … uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo puggalo āhuneyyo … pe … anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta puggalā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā"ti.