SA 931（九三一） 住处

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying in the NiKuLa grove in the country of Kapilavastu.

At that time, Śākya Mahānāma came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. He said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu is on the path of learning, seeking what has not yet been attained, ascending to the path of the noble ones, and peacefully entering nirvāṇa, World-Honored One! How should he cultivate and dwell in much cultivation, so that in this Dharma and Vinaya he can exhaust all taints, attain liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom without taints, and in this very life know and realize for himself: 'My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future lives'?"

The Buddha told Mahānāma, "If a bhikṣu is on the path of learning, seeking what has not yet been attained, ascending to the path of the noble ones, and peacefully entering nirvāṇa, then at that time he should cultivate the six recollections, and so forth, until he attains nirvāṇa. It is like a hungry person whose body is emaciated. If he obtains delicious food, his body will become plump and lustrous. In the same way, a bhikṣu who abides on the path of learning, seeking what has not yet been attained, ascending to the path of the noble ones, and peacefully entering nirvāṇa, cultivates the six recollections, and so forth, until he quickly attains peaceful nirvāṇa.

What are the six recollections? They are: the noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata: 'The Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Trainer of those who can be trained, Teacher of gods and men, Buddha, Bhagavān.' When the noble disciple recollects in this way, he does not give rise to the fetters of greed, anger, or delusion, but his mind becomes upright. He attains the meaning of the Tathāgata, attains the true Dharma of the Tathāgata, and gives rise to a mind of joy towards the true Dharma of the Tathāgata and towards the Tathāgata. Having given rise to a mind of joy, he becomes delighted; having become delighted, his body becomes tranquil; having become tranquil, he experiences bliss; having experienced bliss, his mind becomes concentrated; having a concentrated mind, that noble disciple, among the fierce and dangerous beings, has no hindrances, enters the stream of the Dharma, and proceeds to nirvāṇa.

Furthermore, the noble disciple recollects the Dharma: 'The World-Honored One's Dharma and Vinaya can presently liberate from the burning of birth and death, not waiting for a time, and can be realized in the present life, relying on personal realization.' When the noble disciple recollects the Dharma in this way, he does not give rise to greed, anger, or delusion, and so forth, up to being perfumed by recollecting the Dharma, progressing to nirvāṇa.

Furthermore, the noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha: 'The World-Honored One's disciples are well-inclined, rightly-inclined, straight-inclined, sincerely-inclined, practicing in accordance with the Dharma, heading towards the stream-enterer, attaining the stream-enterer, heading towards the once-returner, attaining the once-returner, heading towards the non-returner, attaining the non-returner, heading towards the arhat, attaining the arhat. This is the noble Saṅgha of four pairs, eight individuals. This is called the noble Saṅgha of the World-Honored One's disciples, who are fully endowed with pure precepts, fully endowed with concentration, fully endowed with wisdom, fully endowed with liberation, fully endowed with the knowledge and vision of liberation, worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of salutations, the unsurpassed field of merit in the world. When the noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha in this way, he does not give rise to greed, anger, or delusion, and so forth, up to being perfumed by recollecting the Saṅgha, progressing to nirvāṇa.

Furthermore, the noble disciple recollects his own pure precepts: 'My precepts are unbroken, unflawed, unstained, unadulterated, not taken from others, well-guarded, praised by the wise, not despised by the wise.' When the noble disciple recollects his precepts in this way, he does not give rise to greed, anger, or delusion, and so forth, up to being perfumed by recollecting the precepts, progressing to nirvāṇa.

Furthermore, the noble disciple recollects his own giving: 'I have obtained a good benefit, for among those beings who are defiled by stinginess, I have attained a place free from the defilement of stinginess. I practice giving with a mind of non-householder, giving with my own hands, delighting in the practice of giving, and giving equally. When the noble disciple recollects his giving in this way, he does not give rise to greed, anger, or delusion, and so forth, up to being perfumed by recollecting giving, progressing to nirvāṇa.

Furthermore, the noble disciple recollects the affairs of the gods: 'There are the Four Great Heavenly Kings, the Thirty-three Gods, the Yāma Gods, the Tuṣita Gods, the Nirmāṇarati Gods, and the Paranirmitavaśavartin Gods. If there are those with right faith, upon the end of their lives here, they are reborn among those gods. I too should practice this right faith; they attain pure precepts, giving, learning, renunciation, and wisdom, and upon the end of their lives here, they are reborn among those gods. I too should now practice these precepts, giving, learning, and wisdom.' When the noble disciple recollects the affairs of the gods in this way, he does not give rise to greed, anger, or delusion, his mind is upright, and he contemplates those gods. That noble disciple, with such an upright mind, attains the profound benefits of the Dharma, attains the profound benefits of the meaning, and attains the benefit of those gods rejoicing in his following. Having rejoiced, he gives rise to joy; having given rise to joy, his body becomes tranquil; having become tranquil, he experiences the bliss of awareness; having experienced the bliss of awareness, he attains mental concentration; having attained mental concentration, that noble disciple, among the masses of fierce beings, is without obstruction, and enters the stream of the Dharma. Being perfumed by recollecting the gods, he progresses to nirvāṇa.

"Mahānāma, if a monk dwells on the stage of training, wishing to ascend to the bliss of nirvāṇa, and cultivates this much, quickly attaining nirvāṇa, he will quickly exhaust the contaminants in the true Dharma and Vinaya, attain the liberation of the mind and liberation by wisdom without contaminants, and in this very life, know and realize for himself: 'My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I will not experience another existence after this one.'"

At that time, Mahānāma of the Śākya clan, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and followed it. He rose from his seat, bowed, and departed.