5.
The Discourse on Meditative Absorption
36.
"I say, monks, in dependence on the first meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the second meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the third meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the fourth meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the plane of infinite space, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the plane of infinite consciousness, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the plane of nothingness, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the elimination of mental corruptions;
I say, monks, in dependence on the cessation of perception and feeling, the elimination of mental corruptions.
'I say, monks, in dependence on the first meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions' - 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 first meditative absorption. Whatever is there pertaining to matter, pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to activities, pertaining to consciousness - he regards those mental states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. He turns away the mind from those mental states. Having turned away the mind from those mental states, he focuses the mind on the deathless element - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' He, steady in that, attains the elimination of mental corruptions. If he does not attain the elimination of mental corruptions, then by that very lust for mental states, by that delight in mental states, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world.
"Just as, monks, an archer or an archer's apprentice, having practised on a straw figure or a heap of clay, at a later time becomes one who shoots far, one who shoots as quickly as lightning, and one who breaks open a great body; so too, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. he enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption. Whatever is there pertaining to matter, pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to activities, pertaining to consciousness - he regards those mental states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. He turns away the mind from those mental states. Having turned away the mind from those mental states, he focuses the mind on the deathless element - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' He, steady in that, attains the elimination of mental corruptions. If he does not attain the elimination of mental corruptions, then by that very lust for mental states, by that delight in mental states, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world. 'I say, monks, in dependence on the first meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"I say, monks, in dependence on the second meditative absorption... etc. I say, monks, in dependence on the third meditative absorption... 'I say, monks, in dependence on the fourth meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, with the abandoning of pleasure and with the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and displeasure, a monk enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. Whatever is there pertaining to matter, pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to activities, pertaining to consciousness - he regards those mental states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. He turns away the mind from those mental states. Having turned away the mind from those mental states, he focuses the mind on the deathless element - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' He, steady in that, attains the elimination of mental corruptions. If he does not attain the elimination of mental corruptions, then by that very lust for mental states, by that delight in mental states, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world.
"Just as, monks, an archer or an archer's apprentice, having practised on a straw figure or a heap of clay, at a later time becomes one who shoots far, one who shoots as quickly as lightning, and one who breaks open a great body; so too, monks, with the abandoning of pleasure and with the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and displeasure, a monk enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. Whatever is there pertaining to matter, pertaining to feeling... etc. not subject to return from that world. 'I say, monks, in dependence on the fourth meditative absorption, the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'I say, monks, in dependence on the plane of infinite space, the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with inattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of infinite space. Whatever is there pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to activities, pertaining to consciousness - he regards those mental states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. He turns away the mind from those mental states. Having turned away the mind from those mental states, he focuses the mind on the deathless element - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' He, steady in that, attains the elimination of mental corruptions. If he does not attain the elimination of mental corruptions, then by that very lust for mental states, by that delight in mental states, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world.
"Just as, monks, an archer or an archer's apprentice, having practised on a straw figure or a heap of clay, at a later time becomes one who shoots far, one who shoots as quickly as lightning, and one who breaks open a great body; so too, monks, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with inattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of infinite space. Whatever is there pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception... etc. not subject to return from that world. 'I say, monks, in dependence on the plane of infinite space, the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'In dependence on the plane of infinite consciousness, monks, etc. In dependence on the plane of nothingness, monks, I speak of the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, monks, a monk, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' enters and dwells in the plane of nothingness. Whatever is there pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to activities, pertaining to consciousness - he regards those mental states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. He turns away the mind from those mental states. Having turned away the mind from those mental states, he focuses the mind on the deathless element - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' He, steady in that, attains the elimination of mental corruptions. If he does not attain the elimination of mental corruptions, then by that very lust for mental states, by that delight in mental states, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world.
"Just as, monks, an archer or an archer's apprentice, having practised on a straw figure or a heap of clay, at a later time becomes one who shoots far, one who shoots as quickly as lightning, and one who breaks open a great body; so too, monks, a monk, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' enters and dwells in the plane of nothingness. Whatever is there pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to activities, pertaining to consciousness - he regards those mental states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. He turns away the mind from those mental states. Having turned away the mind from those mental states, he focuses the mind on the deathless element - 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' He, steady in that, attains the elimination of mental corruptions. If he does not attain the elimination of mental corruptions, then by that very lust for mental states, by that delight in mental states, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, he becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world. 'In dependence on the plane of nothingness, I speak of the elimination of mental corruptions' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"Thus indeed, monks, as far as attainment with perception extends, so far extends the penetration of final knowledge. But these two planes, monks, in dependence on which - the attainment of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and the cessation of perception and feeling - these, monks, I say are to be rightly declared by meditators skilled in attainment and skilled in emergence from attainment, having attained and having emerged." The fifth.