1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was living at Beluvagāmaka near Vesālī. Now on that occasion the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara had arrived at Pāṭaliputta for some business or other.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​ ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando vesāliyaṁ viharati beluvagāmake. Tena kho pana samayena dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputtaṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena.

2Then he went to a certain bhikkhu in Kukkuṭa's Park, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side and asked him: "Where does the venerable Ānanda live now, venerable sir? I wish to see the venerable Ānanda." "The venerable Ānanda is living at Beluvagāmaka near Vesālī, householder."

2Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro yena kukkuṭārāmo yena aññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca: "kahaṁ nu kho, bhante, āyasmā ānando etarahi viharati? Dassanakāmā hi mayaṁ taṁ āyasmantaṁ ānandan"ti. "Eso, gahapati, āyasmā ānando vesāliyaṁ viharati beluvagāmake"ti.

3When the householder Dasama had completed his business at Pāṭaliputta, he went to the venerable Ānanda at Beluvagāmaka near Vesālī. After paying homage to him, he sat down at one side and asked him:

3Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputte taṁ karaṇīyaṁ tīretvā yena vesālī yena beluvagāmako yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

4"Venerable Ānanda, has any one thing been proclaimed by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened, wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute, his unliberated mind comes to be liberated, his undestroyed taints come to be destroyed, and he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before?"[n.550] All these expressions are descriptive of arahantship.

4Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "atthi nu kho, bhante ānanda, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti?

5"There is, householder, indeed one such thing proclaimed by the Blessed One."

5"Atthi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti.

6"What is that one thing, venerable Ānanda?"

6"Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti?

7"Here, householder, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This first jhāna is conditioned and volitionally produced.[n.551] Abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ. The two terms are frequently used in conjunction to indicate a conditioned state in which volition (cetanā) is the most prominent conditioning factor. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints.[n.552] This passage explains a method for developing "insight preceded by serenity" (samathapubbaṅgamā vipassanā; see AN 4:170/ ii.157). Having first attained a jhāna, the meditator emerges from it and contemplates that state as brought into being by conditions, particularly volition. On the basis of this, he ascertains its impermanence, and then contemplates the jhāna with insight into the three marks of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. See also MN 64.9–15 for a somewhat different approach to developing insight on the basis of the jhānas. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma,[n.553] Dhammarāgena dhammanandiyā. MA: These two terms signify desire and attachment (chandarāga) with respect to serenity and insight. If one is able to discard all desire and attachment concerning serenity and insight, one becomes an arahant; if one cannot discard them, one becomes a non-returner and is reborn in the Pure Abodes. then with the destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously.

7"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.

"This is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened, wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute, his unliberated mind comes to be liberated, his undestroyed taints come to be destroyed, and he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (1)

8“Again, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the second jhāna … He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This second jhāna is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints…without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

8Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ … pe … dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘idampi kho dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (2)

9"Again, with the fading away as well of rapture, a bhikkhu … enters upon and abides in the third jhāna … He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This third jhāna is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

9Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā … pe … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘idampi kho tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (3)

10"Again, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain … a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna … He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This fourth jhāna is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

10Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘idampi kho catutthaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (4)

11"Again, a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This deliverance of mind through loving-kindness is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

11Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho mettācetovimutti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā. Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (5)

12"Again, a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion … without ill will. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This deliverance of mind through compassion is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

12Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe …

"Again, a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … without ill will. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This deliverance of mind through altruistic joy is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe …

"Again, a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity … without ill will. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This deliverance of mind through equanimity is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.

"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

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 abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho upekkhācetovimutti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā. Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (6–8.)

13"Again, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite space. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This attainment of the base of infinite space is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.

"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

13Puna 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 … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (9)

14"Again, by completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite consciousness. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This attainment of the base of infinite consciousness is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints … without ever returning from that world.
"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One … wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute … he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before.

14Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘ayampi kho viññāṇañcāyatanasamāpatti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā. Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. So tattha ṭhito … pe … anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti. (10)

15"Again, by completely surmounting the base of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of nothingness. He considers this and understands it thus: ‘This attainment of the base of nothingness is conditioned and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Bodes and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.

15Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu 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.

"This too is one thing proclaimed by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened, wherein if a bhikkhu abides diligent, ardent, and resolute, his unliberated mind comes to be liberated, his undestroyed taints come to be destroyed, and he attains the supreme security from bondage that he had not attained before."[n.554] The base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is not mentioned because it is too subtle a state for its constituent factors to be used as objects of insight contemplation.

Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī"ti. (11)

16When venerable Ānanda had spoken, the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara said to him: "Venerable Ānanda, just as if a man seeking one entrance to a hidden treasure came all at once upon eleven entrances to a hidden treasure, so too, while I was seeking one door to the Deathless, I have come all at once to hear of eleven doors to the Deathless.[n.555] The eleven "doors to the Deathless" are the four jhānas, the four brahmavihāras, and the first three immaterial attainments used as bases for the development of insight and attainment of arahantship. Just as if a man had a house with eleven doors and when that house caught on fire, he could flee to safety by any one of these eleven doors, so I can flee to safety by any one of these eleven doors to the Deathless. Venerable sir, these sectarians will even seek a teacher's fee for their teacher; why shouldn’t I make an offering to the venerable Ānanda?"

16Evaṁ vutte, dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: "Seyyathāpi, bhante ānanda, puriso ekaṁva nidhimukhaṁ gavesanto sakideva ekādasa nidhimukhāni adhigaccheyya; evameva kho ahaṁ, bhante, ekaṁ amatadvāraṁ gavesanto sakideva ekādasa amatadvārāni alatthaṁ bhāvanāya. Seyyathāpi, bhante, purisassa agāraṁ ekādasadvāraṁ, so tasmiṁ agāre āditte ekamekenapi dvārena sakkuṇeyya attānaṁ sotthiṁ kātuṁ; evameva kho ahaṁ, bhante, imesaṁ ekādasannaṁ amatadvārānaṁ ekamekenapi amatadvārena sakkuṇissāmi attānaṁ sotthiṁ kātuṁ. Imehi nāma, bhante, aññatitthiyā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesissanti, kimaṅgaṁ panāhaṁ āyasmato ānandassa pūjaṁ na karissāmī"ti.

17Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhakanāgara 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 he presented a triple robe to the venerable Ānanda, and he had a dwelling worth five hundred[n.556] This would be five hundred kahāpaṇas, the latter being the standard monetary unit of the time. built for the venerable Ānanda.

17Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputtakañca vesālikañca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātetvā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi, ekamekañca bhikkhuṁ paccekaṁ dussayugena acchādesi, āyasmantañca ānandaṁ ticīvarena acchādesi, āyasmato ca ānandassa pañcasatavihāraṁ kārāpesīti.

Aṭṭhakanāgarasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.