21. On an Even Mind （二一）等心经

equanimity, attainment of precepts, knowledge, lion, water simile, goṇi, dhāraṇī, brahmanic
teaching, illness, kṣudraka, elephant-track simile, analysis of the four noble truths last

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, Venerable Śāriputra was with a group of bhikṣus in the Dharma hall at night, discussing internal and external bonds, explaining their meaning to the bhikṣus: "Virtuous ones! There are indeed two kinds of people in the world. What are the two? There are those with internal bonds who are anāgāmins, not returning to this world, and those with external bonds who are not anāgāmins, returning to this world. Virtuous ones! How are those with internal bonds anāgāmins, not returning to this world? If there is a person who cultivates precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped. Because of cultivating precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped, they further study to be disgusted with desire, desireless, and cut off desire. Because of studying to be disgusted with desire, desireless, and cut off desire, they attain tranquility and liberation of the mind. Having attained it, they cherish it in pleasure and do not part from it. In this present life, they do not attain ultimate knowledge. When their body perishes and life ends, they transcend the heavens of material food and are reborn in other heavens of mental food. Having been reborn there, they think: 'When I was a human, I cultivated precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped. Because of cultivating precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped, I further studied to be disgusted with desire, desireless, and cut off desire. Because of studying to be disgusted with desire, desireless, and cut off desire, I attained tranquility and liberation of the mind. Having attained it, I cherished it in pleasure and did not part from it. In this present life, I did not attain ultimate knowledge. When my body perished and life ended, I transcended the heavens of material food and was reborn in other heavens of mental food. I am here now.'

Virtuous ones! There is also a person who cultivates precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped. Because of cultivating precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped, they further study to cut off form, desire, and karma, and study to abandon desire. Because of studying to cut off form, desire, and karma, and studying to abandon desire, they attain tranquility and liberation of the mind. Having attained it, they cherish it in pleasure and do not part from it. In this present life, they do not attain ultimate knowledge. When their body perishes and life ends, they transcend the heavens of material food and are reborn in other heavens of mental food. Having been reborn there, they think: 'When I was a human, I cultivated precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped. Because of cultivating precepts, without holes, without flaws, without defilement, without turbidity, with many difficulties, praised by the sages, well cultivated and well equipped, I further studied to cut off form, desire, and karma, and studied to abandon desire. Because of studying to cut off form, desire, and karma, and studying to abandon desire, I attained tranquility and liberation of the mind. Having attained it, I cherished it in pleasure and did not part from it. In this present life, I did not attain ultimate knowledge. When my body perished and life ended, I transcended the heavens of material food and was reborn in other heavens of mental food. I am here now.' Virtuous ones! This is called a person with internal bonds who is anāgāmin, not returning to this world.

"Virtuous ones! There is also a person who cultivates precepts, guards from liberation, and also well restrains deportment and etiquette. Seeing even the slightest fault, they always have fear and uphold the precepts. Virtuous ones! This is called a person with external bonds who is not anāgāmin, returning to this world."

Then, many gods of the equal-minded heaven, majestic in appearance and radiant, came to the Buddha at dawn, bowed their heads at his feet, stood to one side, and said, "World-Honored One! Last night Venerable Sāriputta was with the assembly of monks in the lecture hall, discussing the meaning of internal and external bonds, saying, 'Virtuous ones! There are indeed two kinds of people in the world, those with internal bonds and those with external bonds.' World-Honored One! The assembly was delighted. May the World-Honored One, out of compassion, please go to the lecture hall." At that time, the World-Honored One silently consented to the gods of the equal-minded heaven. The gods of the equal-minded heaven, knowing the World-Honored One's silent consent, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three times, and then disappeared on the spot.

Not long after the gods of the equal-minded heaven left, the World-Honored One went to the lecture hall, sat before the assembly of monks, and spread his seat. Having sat down, the World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Sāriputta! You are extremely good. Why is that? Last night you were with the assembly of monks in the lecture hall, discussing the meaning of internal and external bonds, saying, 'Virtuous ones! There are indeed two kinds of people in the world, those with internal bonds and those with external bonds.' Sāriputta! At dawn, the gods of the equal-minded heaven came to me, bowed their heads at my feet, stood to one side, and said to me, 'World-Honored One! Last night Venerable Sāriputta was with the assembly of monks in the lecture hall, discussing the meaning of internal and external bonds, saying, "Virtuous ones! There are indeed two kinds of people in the world, those with internal bonds and those with external bonds." World-Honored One! The assembly was delighted. May the World-Honored One, out of compassion, please go to the lecture hall.' Sāriputta! I then silently consented to those gods of the equal-minded heaven. The gods of the equal-minded heaven, knowing my silent consent, bowed their heads at my feet, circumambulated me three times, and then disappeared on the spot.

"Sāriputta! The gods of the equal-minded heaven may live together in the space of a needle tip, each not obstructing the other. Sāriputta! It is not that the gods of the equal-minded heaven, having been born there, only recently cultivated good minds, which are extremely vast and great, causing the gods of the equal-minded heaven to live together in the space of a needle tip, each not obstructing the other. Sāriputta! The gods of the equal-minded heaven, when they were human beings, had already cultivated good minds, which are extremely vast and great. Because of this, the gods of the equal-minded heaven may live together in the space of a needle tip, each not obstructing the other. Therefore, Sāriputta! One should study tranquility, with tranquil faculties, tranquil mind and thoughts, tranquil bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and approach the World-Honored One and the wise ones who practice the holy life. Sāriputta! The false non-Buddhist practitioners will decline and lose out for a long time. Why is that? It is because they do not get to hear such wonderful teachings."

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