168. （一六八）意行经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus, saying, "I will now teach you the Dharma. The beginning is wonderful, the middle is wonderful, and the end is also wonderful. It has meaning and text, is complete and pure, and fully reveals the holy life. It is called the Sūtra on Distinguishing Mental Activities, which arises from mental activities. Listen attentively, listen attentively, and consider it well." At that time, the bhikṣus accepted the teaching and listened.

The Buddha said, "How does mental activity arise? If a bhikṣu, having separated from desires, separated from evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, attains the joy and bliss born of separation, and abides in the first dhyāna, having accomplished it, he wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the Brahmakāyika gods. Those Brahmakāyika gods, having been born there and abiding there, experience the joy and bliss born of separation. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, enters the first dhyāna and experiences the joy and bliss born of separation. These two joys and bliss born of separation are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the Brahmakāyika gods. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having stilled initial and sustained thought, with inner tranquility and one-pointedness of mind, without initial thought and sustained thought, gives rise to concentration, experiences joy and bliss, and abides in the second dhyāna, having accomplished it. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the Ābhāsvara gods. Those Ābhāsvara gods, having been born there and abiding there, experience the joy and bliss born of concentration. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, enters the second dhyāna and experiences the joy and bliss born of concentration. These two joys and bliss born of concentration are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the Ābhāsvara gods. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having separated from the desire for joy, dwells without desire, with equanimity, mindful, and fully aware, experiencing bliss with the body, and attains the third dhyāna, which the noble ones proclaim, dwells in, and enjoys. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the Śubhakṛtsna gods. Those Śubhakṛtsna gods, having been born there and abiding there, experience the bliss without joy. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, enters the third dhyāna and experiences the bliss without joy. These two blisses without joy are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the Śubhakṛtsna gods. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having stilled pleasure and pain, and having previously removed joy and sorrow, without pleasure or pain, and with equanimity and mindfulness, attains the fourth dhyāna, which the noble ones proclaim, dwell in, and enjoy. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the Bṛhatphala gods. Those Bṛhatphala gods, having been born there and abiding there, experience the bliss of equanimity and mindfulness. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, enters the fourth dhyāna and experiences the bliss of equanimity and mindfulness. These two blisses of equanimity and mindfulness are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the Bṛhatphala gods. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having transcended all perceptions of form, having abandoned perceptions of obstruction, not paying attention to perceptions of discrimination, attains the sphere of infinite space, and dwells having accomplished and abided in it. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the gods of the sphere of infinite space. Those gods of the sphere of infinite space, having been born there and abiding there, experience the perception of the sphere of infinite space. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, experiences the perception of the sphere of infinite space. These two perceptions of the sphere of infinite space are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the gods of the sphere of infinite space. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having transcended the sphere of infinite space, attains the sphere of infinite consciousness, and dwells having accomplished and abided in it. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the gods of the sphere of infinite consciousness. Those gods of the sphere of infinite consciousness, having been born there and abiding there, experience the perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, experiences the perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness. These two perceptions of the sphere of infinite consciousness are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the gods of the sphere of infinite consciousness. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having transcended the sphere of infinite consciousness, attains the sphere of nothingness, and dwells having accomplished and abided in it. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the gods of the sphere of nothingness. Those gods of the sphere of nothingness, having been born there and abiding there, experience the perception of the sphere of nothingness. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, experiences the perception of the sphere of nothingness. These two perceptions of the sphere of nothingness are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the gods of the sphere of nothingness. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having transcended the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, attains the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and dwells having accomplished and abided in it. He wishes to abide in that samādhi bliss. Having wished to abide in that samādhi bliss, there is a place where he abides in that bliss and, having died there, is reborn among the gods of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Those gods of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, having been born there and abiding there, experience the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. And the bhikṣu, abiding here, experiences the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. These two perceptions of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception are without distinction, both being equal. Why is that? Because he first practiced samādhi here and then was reborn there. That samādhi is practiced, cultivated, and widely practiced like this, and one is reborn among the gods of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. This is how mental activity arises.

Furthermore, the bhikṣu, having transcended the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, attains the cessation of perception and feeling, and dwells having accomplished and abided in it. With wisdom, he sees the exhaustion of the taints, and attains the knowledge of their exhaustion. Among those samādhis, this samādhi is said to be the foremost, the greatest, the highest, the most excellent, and the most sublime. Just as from a cow comes milk, from milk comes curd, from curd comes butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes the essence of ghee, and the essence of ghee is said to be the foremost, the greatest, the highest, the most excellent, and the most sublime. In the same way, among those samādhis, this samādhi is said to be the foremost, the greatest, the highest, the most excellent, and the most sublime. Having attained this samādhi, relying on this samādhi, abiding in this samādhi, one no longer experiences the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death. This is said to be the end of suffering.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.