75. （七五）净不动道经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in the country of Kuru, staying at the city of Kumbhahattha.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the monks, saying, "Desire is impermanent, false, and deceptive. This deceptive Dharma is illusory, deceptive, and foolish. Whether desire in this world or desire in the next world, whether form in this world or form in the next world, all of that is the realm of Mara, the bait of Mara. It causes the mind to generate immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas, such as craving, anger, and disputes, which obstruct the learning of noble disciples. The well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: The World-Honored One has said that desire is impermanent, false, and deceptive. This deceptive Dharma is illusory, deceptive, and foolish. Whether desire in this world or desire in the next world, whether form in this world or form in the next world, all of that is the realm of Mara, the bait of Mara. It causes the mind to generate immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas, such as craving, anger, and disputes, which obstruct the learning of noble disciples. They think: 'I can attain the great mind, subdue the world, and control my mind. If I can attain the great mind, subdue the world, and control my mind, then such a mind will not generate immeasurable evil and unwholesome dharmas, such as craving, anger, and disputes, which obstruct the learning of noble disciples.' They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the unshakable state in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the unshakable state. This is called the first teaching of the path to the unshakable state of purity.

Furthermore, the well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: If there is form, all of it is the four great elements and what is derived from the four great elements. The four great elements are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the unshakable state in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the unshakable state. This is called the second teaching of the path to the unshakable state of purity.

Furthermore, the well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: Whether desire in this world or desire in the next world, whether form in this world or form in the next world, whether desire-thought in this world or desire-thought in the next world, whether form-thought in this world or form-thought in the next world, all of those thoughts are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the unshakable state in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the unshakable state. This is called the third teaching of the path to the unshakable state of purity.

Furthermore, the well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: Whether desire-thought in this world or desire-thought in the next world, whether form-thought in this world or form-thought in the next world, and the thought of the unshakable state; all of those thoughts are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the unshakable state in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the unshakable state. This is called the first teaching of the path to the state of purity without anything.

Furthermore, the well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: This world is empty, empty of self and what belongs to self, empty of permanence, empty of constancy, empty of enduring, empty of not changing. They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the state without anything in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the state without anything. This is called the second teaching of the path to the state of purity without anything.

Furthermore, the well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: I do not act for others, nor do I act for myself. They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the state without anything in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the state without anything. This is called the third teaching of the path to the state of purity without anything.

Furthermore, the well-learned noble disciples contemplate thus: Whether it is desire in the present world or desire in the next world, whether it is form in the present world or form in the next world, whether it is the thought of desire in the present world or the thought of desire in the next world, whether it is the thought of form in the present world or the thought of form in the next world, as well as the thought of the immovable and the thought of the state of nothing, all those thoughts are impermanent phenomena, they are suffering, they are cessation. At that time, they attain the state without thought. They practice and study in this way, cultivating and spreading it, and then attain mental purity in that place. Having attained mental purity in that place, the monk either attains the state without thought in that place or attains liberation through wisdom. Later, when their body perishes and life ends, due to their original intention, they will definitely reach the state without thought. This is called the teaching of the path to the state of purity without thought.

At that time, Venerable Ānanda was holding a whisk and attending to the Buddha. Then Venerable Ānanda joined his palms towards the Buddha and said, "World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu practices in this way, without self and without possessions, I will not have self and I will not have possessions. If I have had them, I will completely let go of them. World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu practices in this way, will he completely attain parinirvāṇa?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! This matter is uncertain, some may attain it, some may not attain it."

Venerable Ānanda said, "World-Honored One! How does a bhikṣu practice and not attain parinirvāṇa?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! If a bhikṣu practices thus, without self, without possessions, I will not exist, my possessions will not exist. If they existed before, they will be completely abandoned. Ānanda! If a bhikṣu delights in that abandonment, clings to that abandonment, abides in that abandonment, Ānanda! A bhikṣu practicing thus will definitely not attain parinirvāṇa."

Venerable Ānanda said, "World-Honored One! Does a bhikṣu not attain parinirvāṇa if he has something to accept?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! If a bhikṣu has something to accept, he will definitely not attain parinirvāṇa."

Venerable Ānanda said, "World-Honored One! What does that bhikṣu accept?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! There are other things in existence, namely the realms of neither perception nor non-perception. Among existences, it is the best. That bhikṣu accepts it."

Venerable Ānanda said, "World-Honored One! Does that bhikṣu accept other things in existence?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! That bhikṣu accepts other things in existence."

Venerable Ānanda said, "World-Honored One! How does a bhikṣu practice to attain parinirvāṇa?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! If a bhikṣu practices thus, without self, without what belongs to self, without future self, without future what belongs to self, if what was previously had is completely abandoned, Ānanda! If a bhikṣu does not delight in that abandonment, does not cling to that abandonment, does not abide in that abandonment, Ānanda! A bhikṣu practicing thus will definitely attain parinirvāṇa."

Venerable Ānanda said, "World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu has nothing to receive, will he definitely attain parinirvāṇa?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! If a bhikṣu has nothing to receive, he will definitely attain parinirvāṇa."

At that time, Venerable Ānanda joined his palms towards the Buddha and said, "The World-Honored One has already spoken of the path of purity and immovability, the path of purity and the sphere of nothingness, the path of purity and the state of no-thought, and the nirvāṇa without remainder. World-Honored One! What is the noble liberation?"

The World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! The well-versed noble disciple contemplates thus: 'Whether it is desire in the present world or desire in the future world, whether it is form in the present world or form in the future world, whether it is the thought of desire in the present world or the thought of desire in the future world, whether it is the thought of form in the present world or the thought of form in the future world, as well as the thought of the immovable, the thought of the sphere of nothingness, and the thought of the state of no-thought, all those thoughts are impermanent phenomena, they are suffering, they are cessation.' This is called one's own existence. If there is one's own existence, then there is birth, aging, sickness, and death. Ānanda! If there are these phenomena, and they all completely cease without remainder, then there is no birth, no aging, sickness, and death. The noble ones contemplate thus: 'If there is existence, it must be the Dharma of liberation. If there is nirvāṇa without remainder, that is called immortality.' They contemplate and see thus, and they will definitely attain liberation of the mind from the taints of desire, existence, and ignorance. Having attained liberation, they will know liberation, the end of birth, the establishment of the holy life, the completion of what was to be done, and the cessation of future existence, knowing it as it really is.

"Ānanda! I have now spoken to you about the path of purity and immovability, the path of purity and the sphere of nothingness, the path of purity and the state of no-thought, the nirvāṇa without remainder, and the noble liberation. As a teacher does for his disciples, I have given rise to great compassion, pity, and concern, seeking what is beneficial and advantageous, seeking peace and happiness. I have now done this for you. You should also do it yourselves. Go to places free from affairs, to the foot of trees, to empty and quiet places, and sit in meditation. Do not be negligent, but strive with diligence, so as not to regret it later. This is my instruction and admonition."

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