215. （二一五）第一得经

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: "If there is a realm of King Prasenajit of Kośala, where his teachings reach, King Prasenajit of Kośala is the foremost there. King Prasenajit of Kośala undergoes changes and differences. The well-versed noble disciple, observing thus, becomes disenchanted with that. Having become disenchanted, he does not even desire the foremost, let alone the inferior. Namely, the realm of the sun and moon, where their light shines. The directions illuminated are the thousand worlds. This thousand worlds has a thousand suns, a thousand moons, a thousand Uttarakurus, a thousand Jambudvīpas, a thousand Pūrvavidehas, a thousand Avaragodānīyas, a thousand Sumerus, a thousand Cāturmahārājakāyikas, a thousand Cāturmahārājakāyika princes, a thousand Trāyastriṃśas, a thousand Śakras, a thousand Yāmas, a thousand Yāma princes, a thousand Tuṣitas, a thousand Tuṣita princes, a thousand Nirmāṇaratis, a thousand Nirmāṇarati princes, a thousand Paranirmitavaśavartins, a thousand Paranirmitavaśavartin princes, a thousand Brahmā worlds and a thousand separate Brahmas. Among them, there is one great Brahmā, the honored creator, the father of beings, who has been, will be, and is. That great Brahmā undergoes changes and differences. The well-versed noble disciple, observing thus, becomes disenchanted with that. Having become disenchanted, he does not even desire the foremost, let alone the inferior. Later, this world decays and is destroyed. When this world decays and is destroyed, beings are born in the Ābhāsvara heaven. There, they have form, are born from the mind, are complete in all limbs and joints, with no deficiencies in the faculties. They subsist on joy, have pure physical appearance, and their own light illuminates. They fly through the sky, abiding there for a long time. The Ābhāsvara heaven undergoes changes and differences. The well-versed noble disciple, observing thus, becomes disenchanted with that. Having become disenchanted, he does not even desire the foremost, let alone the inferior.

"Furthermore, there are four kinds of thoughts. A bhikṣu thinks small, thinks large, thinks immeasurable, and thinks of nothing. Sentient beings delight in such thoughts and understanding. Those who undergo changes and differences, the well-versed noble disciple, observing thus, becomes disenchanted with that. Having become disenchanted, he does not even desire the foremost, let alone the inferior. "Furthermore, there are eight kinds of elimination. What are the eight? A bhikṣu, having internal form-perception, externally observes form, both good and bad form, in small quantity. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the first kind of elimination.' Furthermore, a bhikṣu, having internal form-perception, externally observes form, both good and bad form, in immeasurable quantity. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the second kind of elimination.' Furthermore, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, both good and bad form, in small quantity. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the third kind of elimination.' Furthermore, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, both good and bad form, in immeasurable quantity. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the fourth kind of elimination.'

"Furthermore, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, blue in color, blue in appearance, and blue in radiance. Like blue lotus flowers, blue in color, blue in appearance, and blue in radiance. Like well-polished and lustrous cloth made of cotton, blue in color, blue in appearance, and blue in radiance. In this way, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, blue in color, blue in appearance, and blue in radiance, immeasurable and immeasurable, with a pure mind, a moist mind, delighting in it and not disliking it. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the fifth kind of elimination.' "Furthermore, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, yellow in color, yellow in appearance, and yellow in radiance. Like the flowers of the pinda-gālava tree, yellow in color, yellow in appearance, and yellow in radiance. Like well-polished and lustrous cloth made of cotton, yellow in color, yellow in appearance, and yellow in radiance. In this way, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, yellow in color, yellow in appearance, and yellow in radiance, immeasurable and immeasurable, with a pure mind, a moist mind, delighting in it and not disliking it. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the sixth kind of elimination.'

Furthermore, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, red in color, red in appearance, and red in radiance. Like the flowers of the kanikara tree, red in color, red in appearance, and red in radiance. Like well-polished and lustrous cloth made of cotton, red in color, red in appearance, and red in radiance. In this way, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, red in color, red in appearance, and red in radiance, immeasurable and immeasurable, with a pure mind, a moist mind, delighting in it and not disliking it. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the seventh kind of elimination.' "Furthermore, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, white in color, white in appearance, and white in radiance. Like a great white cloud, white in color, white in appearance, and white in radiance. Like well-polished and lustrous cloth made of cotton, white in color, white in appearance, and white in radiance. In this way, a bhikṣu, without internal form-perception, externally observes form, white in color, white in appearance, and white in radiance, immeasurable and immeasurable, with a pure mind, a moist mind, delighting in it and not disliking it. Having eliminated them, he knows and sees. He thinks like this: 'This is called the eighth kind of elimination.' "Sentient beings delight in such elimination and understanding. Those who undergo changes and differences, the well-versed noble disciple, observing thus, becomes disenchanted with that. Having become disenchanted, he does not even desire the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Furthermore, there are ten all-encompassing realms. What are the ten? A bhikṣu cultivates one of the immeasurable earth realms, contemplating above, below, and in all directions without duality. The same for the immeasurable water realms, fire realms, wind realms, blue realms, yellow realms, red realms, white realms, space realms, and the tenth, the consciousness realms. He cultivates one, contemplating above, below, and in all directions without duality. Sentient beings delight in such all-encompassing realms and understanding. Those who undergo changes and differences, the well-versed noble disciple, observing thus, becomes disenchanted with that. Having become disenchanted, he does not even desire the foremost, let alone the inferior. This is called the foremost pure teaching, the foremost establishment, namely, the non-existence of self, the non-existence of mine, and the establishment of the path for the sake of realizing that. This is called the foremost external basis for views, the foremost basis for views, namely, transcending all perceptions of form, and attaining the realm of neither perception nor non-perception, dwelling in accomplishment. This is called the foremost in the present life, seeking to reach nirvāṇa, the foremost establishment of nirvāṇa in the present life, namely, the arising, cessation, taste, drawback, and purification of the six sense bases, and the true insight and knowledge of them, and the establishment of the path for the sake of realizing that.

"Furthermore, there are four kinds of cessation. What are the four? There is cessation with slow pleasure, cessation with quick pleasure, cessation with slow pain, and cessation with quick pain. Among them, if there is cessation with slow pleasure, it is called inferior because of the slowness of that pleasure. Among them, if there is cessation with the desire for pleasure, if a person practices this Dharma without ever being satisfied, if a person practices drinking alcohol without ever being satisfied, if a person practices sleeping without ever being satisfied, this is called a bhikṣu who, if a person practices these three dharmas, is never satisfied, and is also unable to reach the place of cessation. Therefore, bhikṣus should always abandon and distance themselves from these three dharmas. Thus should bhikṣus train." At that time, the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and received it respectfully.

worship, three wholesome roots, three kinds of pain, three kinds of open and
exposed, characteristics of dharmas, three kinds of ignorance, love and respect, being insatiable

The first part, the fourth chapter, is completed.

"If there is one who quickly abandons pleasure, because of quickly abandoning pleasure, that abandonment is also said to be inferior. Among them, if there is one who slowly abandons pain, because of slowly abandoning pain, that abandonment is also said to be inferior. Among them, if there is one who quickly abandons pain, because of quickly abandoning pain, that abandonment is not widely known, not spread, and even the gods and humans do not praise it as widely known. I say that my abandonment is widely known, spread, and even the gods and humans praise it as widely known. How is it that my abandonment is widely known, spread, and even the gods and humans praise it as widely known? It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called my abandonment that is widely known, spread, and even the gods and humans praise it as widely known. I say this, but those śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas falsely speak, unskillfully and untruthfully, falsely defaming me. They say that there are sentient beings who are annihilated and destroyed, but the śramaṇa Gautama does not say so. They say that there are sentient beings who are annihilated and destroyed. If this non-self were not taught like this, then the Tathāgata would have completely abandoned and known all in this very life, and attained cessation, tranquility, extinction, and nirvāṇa."