10.
The Discourse on Anuruddha's Great Thoughts
30.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas at Suṃsumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, in the Deer Park.
Now at that time the Venerable Anuruddha was dwelling among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove.
Then, when the Venerable Anuruddha had gone to a private place and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind:
"This Teaching is for one of few wishes, this Teaching is not for one of many wishes.
This Teaching is for one who is content, this Teaching is not for one who is discontent.
This Teaching is for one who is secluded, this Teaching is not for one who delights in company.
This Teaching is for one of aroused energy, this Teaching is not for one who is lazy.
This Teaching is for one with established mindfulness, this Teaching is not for one who is unmindful.
This Teaching is for one who is concentrated, this Teaching is not for one who is unconcentrated.
This Teaching is for one who is wise, this Teaching is not for one who is unwise."
Then the Blessed One, having known with his mind the reflection in the mind of the Venerable Anuruddha - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm; even so - having vanished from the Bhesakaḷā Grove in the Deer Park at Suṃsumāragira among the Bhaggas, he appeared before the Venerable Anuruddha in the Eastern Bamboo Grove among the Cetis. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. The Venerable Anuruddha also paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To one side
To the Venerable Anuruddha seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Good, good, Anuruddha! Good indeed that you, Anuruddha, reflected: 'This Teaching is for one of few wishes, this Teaching is not for one of many wishes. This Teaching is for one who is content, this Teaching is not for one who is discontent. This Teaching is for one who is secluded, this Teaching is not for one who delights in company. This Teaching is for one of aroused energy, this Teaching is not for one who is lazy. This Teaching is for one with established mindfulness, this Teaching is not for one who is unmindful. This Teaching is for one who is concentrated, this Teaching is not for one who is unconcentrated. This Teaching is for one who is wise, this Teaching is not for one who is unwise.' Well then, Anuruddha, reflect also on this eighth thought of a great man: 'This Teaching is for one who delights in the absence of obsession and takes pleasure in the absence of obsession, this Teaching is not for one who delights in obsession and takes pleasure in obsession.'"
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, whenever you wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, having attained, you will dwell in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, whenever you wish, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, having attained, you will dwell in the second meditative absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of concentration.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, whenever you wish, with the fading away of rapture, you will dwell equanimous, mindful and fully aware, and you will experience happiness with the body - that which the noble ones declare: 'One who is equanimous and mindful, one who dwells in happiness' - having attained, you will dwell in the third meditative absorption.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, then, Anuruddha, whenever you wish, with the abandoning of pleasure and with the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and displeasure, having attained, you will dwell in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, and you will become one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, these four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son might have a clothes-chest full of cloths of various colours; so too, for you dwelling contented, the rag-robe will seem agreeable, for delight, for freedom from agitation, for comfortable abiding, for entry into Nibbāna.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, and you will become one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, these four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son might have rice with the dark grains picked out, with various curries and various vegetables; so too, for you dwelling contented, the meal consisting of mouthfuls of almsfood will seem agreeable, for delight, for freedom from agitation, for comfortable abiding, for entry into Nibbāna.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, and you will become one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, these four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son might have a pinnacle chamber, plastered inside and out, sheltered from the wind, with bolts fastened and windows closed; so too, for you dwelling contented, the lodging at the root of a tree will seem agreeable, for delight, for freedom from agitation, for comfortable abiding, for entry into Nibbāna.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, and you will become one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, these four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son might have a divan spread with a long-fleeced woollen cover, spread with a white woollen cover, spread with a woollen cover embroidered with flowers, with an excellent antelope-hide spread, with a canopy above and red cushions at both ends; so too, for you dwelling contented, the bed and seat spread with grass will seem agreeable, for delight, for freedom from agitation, for comfortable abiding, for entry into Nibbāna.
"When, Anuruddha, you will reflect on these eight thoughts of a great man, and you will become one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, these four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life, then for you, Anuruddha, just as a householder or a householder's son might have various medicines, as follows - ghee, butter, oil, honey, molasses; so too, for you dwelling contented, the medicine of fermented urine will seem agreeable, for delight, for freedom from agitation, for comfortable abiding, for entry into Nibbāna. Well then, Anuruddha, you should dwell right here among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove for the future rains residence too." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Anuruddha assented to the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One, having exhorted the Venerable Anuruddha with this exhortation - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the Eastern Bamboo Grove among the Cetis, appeared among the Bhaggas at Suṃsumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, in the Deer Park. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the monks: "I will teach you, monks, the eight thoughts of a great man. Listen to that, etc. And which, monks, are the eight thoughts of a great man? This Teaching, monks, is for one of few wishes, this Teaching is not for one of many wishes; this Teaching, monks, is for one who is content, this Teaching is not for one who is discontent; this Teaching, monks, is for one who is secluded, this Teaching is not for one who delights in company; this Teaching, monks, is for one of aroused energy, this Teaching is not for one who is lazy; this Teaching, monks, is for one with established mindfulness, this Teaching is not for one who is unmindful; this Teaching, monks, is for one who is concentrated, this Teaching is not for one who is unconcentrated; this Teaching, monks, is for one who is wise, this Teaching is not for one who is unwise; this Teaching, monks, is for one who delights in the absence of obsession, who takes pleasure in the absence of obsession, this Teaching is not for one who delights in obsession, who takes pleasure in obsession."
"'This Teaching is for one of few wishes, this Teaching is not for one who is greedy' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk being of few wishes does not wish 'May they know me as one of few wishes'; being content does not wish 'May they know me as content'; being secluded does not wish 'May they know me as secluded'; putting forth strenuous energy does not wish 'May they know me as one who has aroused energy'; being mindful does not wish 'May they know me as mindful'; being concentrated does not wish 'May they know me as concentrated'; being wise does not wish 'May they know me as wise'; delighting in the absence of obsession does not wish 'May they know me as one who delights in the absence of obsession'. 'This Teaching is for one of few wishes, this Teaching is not for one who is greedy' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one who is content, this Teaching is not for one who is discontent' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk is content with any requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. 'This Teaching is for one who is content, this Teaching is not for one who is discontent' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one who is secluded, this Teaching is not for one who delights in company' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, for a monk dwelling secluded, there are those who approach - monks, nuns, male lay followers, female lay followers, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians. There the monk, with a mind slanting towards seclusion, sloping towards seclusion, inclining towards seclusion, established in seclusion, delighting in renunciation, speaks only talk connected with dismissal. 'This Teaching is for one who is secluded, this Teaching is not for one who delights in company' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one of aroused energy, this Teaching is not for one who is lazy' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. 'This Teaching is for one of aroused energy, this Teaching is not for one who is lazy' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one who is mindful, this Teaching is not for one who is unmindful' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk is mindful, endowed with the highest mindfulness and discretion, remembering and recollecting what was done long ago and what was said long ago. 'This Teaching is for one who is mindful, this Teaching is not for one who is unmindful' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one who is concentrated, this Teaching is not for one who is unconcentrated' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. 'This Teaching is for one who is concentrated, this Teaching is not for one who is unconcentrated' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one who is wise, this Teaching is not for one who lacks wisdom' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk is wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading rightly to the complete elimination of suffering. 'This Teaching is for one who is wise, this Teaching is not for one who lacks wisdom' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'This Teaching is for one who delights in the absence of obsession and takes pleasure in the absence of obsession, this Teaching is not for one who delights in obsession and takes pleasure in obsession' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, for a monk, the mind springs forward towards the cessation of obsession, becomes clear, becomes settled, becomes liberated. 'This Teaching is for one who delights in the absence of obsession and takes pleasure in the absence of obsession, this Teaching is not for one who delights in obsession and takes pleasure in obsession' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that."
Then the Venerable Anuruddha dwelt for the future rains residence right there among the Cetis in the Eastern Bamboo Grove. Then dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Anuruddha soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And the Venerable Anuruddha became one of the Worthy Ones. Then the Venerable Anuruddha, having attained arahantship, at that time spoke these verses -
With a mind-made body, approached by supernormal power.
The Buddha, delighting in the absence of obsession, taught the absence of obsession.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled." The tenth.