SA 568（五六八） 迦摩

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the mango grove of Ambapālī's grove, together with a group of senior bhikṣus.

At that time, the elder Citta went to the senior bhikṣus, paid homage to the senior bhikṣus, and then went to Venerable Gamā Bhikṣu. He bowed his head at Gamā Bhikṣu's feet, withdrew to sit to one side, and said to Venerable Gamā Bhikṣu, "What is meant by 'practicing'?"

Gamā Bhikṣu said, "Practicing means the three practices: bodily practice, verbal practice, and mental practice."

He further asked, "What is bodily practice? What is verbal practice? What is mental practice?"

He replied, "Householder! Exhalation and inhalation are called bodily practice. Perception and contemplation are called verbal practice. Conception and intention are called mental practice."

He further asked, "Why are exhalation and inhalation called bodily practice? Why are perception and contemplation called verbal practice? Why are conception and intention called mental practice?"

He replied, "Householder! Exhalation and inhalation are bodily dharmas, based on the body, belonging to the body, and turning based on the body. Therefore, exhalation and inhalation are called bodily practice. Because there is perception and contemplation, there is verbal expression. Therefore, perception and contemplation are verbal practice. Conception and intention are mental practice, based on the mind, belonging to the mind, and turning based on the mind. Therefore, conception and intention are mental practice."

He further asked, "Venerable One! After perception and contemplation, one utters words. Are perception and contemplation called verbal practice? Conception and intention are mental factors, based on the mind, belonging to the mind, and turning based on the mind. Therefore, conception and intention are called mental practice."

He further asked, "Venerable One! How many dharmas are there?"

When a person abandons the body, the corpse lies on the
ground, discarded in the charnel ground, without mind, like wood or stone.

He replied, "Householder! "

Life, warmth, and consciousness, when abandoning the body, are abandoned together. That body is discarded in the charnel ground, without mind, like wood or stone.

He further asked, "Venerable One! Is there a difference between death and entering the cessation of perception and feeling?"

He replied, "Abandoning life and warmth, all faculties are destroyed, and body and life are separated. This is called death. In the cessation of perception and feeling, bodily, verbal, and mental activities cease, but life is not abandoned, warmth is not separated, faculties are not destroyed, and body and life are connected. This is the difference between death and entering the cessation of perception and feeling."

He further asked, "Venerable One! How does one enter the cessation of perception and feeling?"

He replied, "Householder! Entering the cessation of perception and feeling is not saying, 'I enter the cessation of perception and feeling, I will enter the cessation of perception and feeling.' Rather, one first makes gradual preparations, as one did before, and then enters concentration.

He further asked, "Venerable One! When entering the cessation of perception and feeling, which dharmas are extinguished first? Are they bodily actions, verbal actions, or mental actions?"

He replied, "Householder! One who enters the cessation of perception and feeling first extinguishes verbal actions, then bodily actions, and then mental actions."

He further asked, "Venerable One! How does one emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling?"

He replied, "Householder! One who emerges from the cessation of perception and feeling also does not think, 'I am now emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling, I shall emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.' Rather, one first makes a preparatory mental resolve, and then arises according to that previous resolve."

He further asked, "Venerable One! When one arises from the cessation of perception and feeling, which comes first - bodily action, verbal action, or mental action?"

He replied, "Householder! When one arises from the cessation of perception and feeling, mental action arises first, then bodily action, and lastly verbal action."

He further asked, "Venerable One! When entering the cessation of perception and feeling, how does it flow, stream, and pour?"

He replied, "Householder! When entering the cessation of perception and feeling, it flows towards detachment, streams towards detachment, and pours towards detachment. It flows towards emergence, streams towards emergence, and pours towards emergence. It flows towards nirvāṇa, streams towards nirvāṇa, and pours towards nirvāṇa."

He further asked, "Venerable One! When abiding in the cessation of perception and feeling, how many contacts are experienced?"

He replied, "Householder! The contact is unmoving, the contact is signless, the contact is insubstantial."

He further asked, "Venerable One! When entering the cessation of perception and feeling, how many dharmas are practiced?"

He replied, "Householder! This should have been asked first, why are you asking now? But I will explain it to you. A bhikṣu who enters the cessation of perception and feeling practices two dharmas: tranquility and insight."

At that time, the householder Jīvaka heard what Venerable Kāma said, and joyfully followed his words, paid homage, and departed.