1.
The Discourse on Confinement
42.
On one occasion the venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park.
Then the venerable Udāyī approached the venerable Ānanda;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the venerable Ānanda.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the venerable Udāyī said this to the venerable Ānanda -
"This was said, friend, by the young god Pañcālacaṇḍa -
He who awakened to meditative absorption, the Buddha, the withdrawn bull among sages."
"What, friend, is confinement, and what is the achievement of opportunity in confinement spoken of by the Blessed One?" "These five types of sensual pleasure, friend, are confinement spoken of by the Blessed One. Which five? Visible forms cognisable by the eye that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing; sounds cognisable by the ear... etc. odours cognisable by the nose... flavours cognisable by the tongue... Tangibles cognisable by the body that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing. These, friend, are the five types of sensual pleasure that are confinement spoken of by the Blessed One.
"Here, friends, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... etc. he enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that applied and sustained thought have not ceased there - this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friends, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a monk... etc. he enters upon and dwells in the second meditative absorption. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that rapture has not ceased there - this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friends, with the fading away of rapture, a monk... etc. he enters upon and dwells in the third meditative absorption. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that equanimity and happiness have not ceased there - this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friends, with the abandoning of bliss, a monk... etc. he enters upon and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that perception of material form has not ceased there, this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friends, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of fine-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 upon and dwells in the plane of infinite space. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that perception of the plane of infinite space has not ceased there, this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friend, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' a monk enters upon and dwells in the plane of infinite consciousness. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that perception of the plane of infinite consciousness has not ceased there, this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friend, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' a monk enters upon and dwells in the plane of nothingness. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that perception of the plane of nothingness has not ceased there, this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friends, a monk, having completely transcended the plane of nothingness, enters upon and dwells in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. To this extent too, friend, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One by way of method. Yet there is still confinement there. And what is the confinement there? Just that perception of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception has not ceased there, this is the confinement here.
"Furthermore, friends, a monk, having completely transcended the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, enters upon and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling, and having seen with wisdom, his mental corruptions are utterly eliminated. To this extent too, friends, the achievement of opportunity in confinement has been spoken of by the Blessed One without qualification." The first.