9.
The First Discourse on Kosala
29.
"As far as, monks, Kāsi and Kosala extend, as far as the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala, King Pasenadi of Kosala is declared the foremost there.
Yet even for King Pasenadi of Kosala, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change.
Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that.
Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"As far as, monks, the moon and sun revolve, shining and illuminating the directions, so far extends the thousandfold world. In that thousandfold world there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sineru kings of mountains, a thousand Jambudīpas, a thousand Aparagoyānas, a thousand Uttarakurus, a thousand Pubbavidehas, four thousand great oceans, four thousand great kings, a thousand realms of the gods ruled by the four great kings, a thousand realms of the Thirty-three gods, a thousand realms of the Yāma gods, a thousand realms of the Tusita gods, a thousand realms of the gods who delight in creation, a thousand realms of the gods who control what is created by others, a thousand Brahma worlds. As far as, monks, the thousandfold world system extends, the Great Brahmā is declared the foremost there. Yet even for the Great Brahmā, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There comes a time, monks, when this world contracts. When the world is contracting, monks, beings for the most part are reborn in the Radiant realm. There they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, remaining in glory, and they continue thus for a very long time. When the world is contracting, monks, the Radiant gods are declared the foremost. Yet even for the Radiant gods, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There are, monks, these ten kasiṇa bases. What are the ten? One perceives the earth kasiṇa, above, below, across, non-dual, limitless; One perceives the water kasiṇa. Etc. One perceives the fire kasiṇa. One perceives the air kasiṇa. One perceives the blue kasiṇa. One perceives the yellow kasiṇa. One perceives the red kasiṇa. One perceives the white kasiṇa. One perceives the space kasiṇa. One perceives the consciousness kasiṇa, above, below, across, non-dual, limitless. These, monks, are the ten kasiṇa bases.
"This is the foremost, monks, of these ten kasiṇa bases, namely that one perceives the consciousness kasiṇa, above, below, across, non-dual, limitless. There are indeed, monks, beings with such perception. For beings with such perception too, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There are, monks, these eight bases of overcoming. What are the eight? Perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, limited, beautiful or ugly; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the first basis of overcoming.
"Perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, immeasurable, beautiful or ugly; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the second basis of overcoming.
"Not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, limited, beautiful or ugly; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the third basis of overcoming.
"Not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, immeasurable, beautiful or ugly; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the fourth basis of overcoming.
"Not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, blue, of blue colour, of blue appearance, of blue lustre. Just as a flax flower is blue, of blue colour, of blue appearance, of blue lustre, or just as that Benares cloth, smoothed on both sides, is blue, of blue colour, of blue appearance, of blue lustre; so too, not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, blue, of blue colour, of blue appearance, of blue lustre; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the fifth basis of overcoming.
"Not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, yellow, of yellow colour, of yellow appearance, of yellow lustre. Just as a kaṇikāra flower is yellow, of yellow colour, of yellow appearance, of yellow lustre, or just as that Benares cloth, smoothed on both sides, is yellow, of yellow colour, of yellow appearance, of yellow lustre; so too, not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, yellow, of yellow colour, of yellow appearance, of yellow lustre; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the sixth basis of overcoming.
"Not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, red, of red colour, of red appearance, of red lustre. Just as a bandhujīvaka flower is red, of red colour, of red appearance, of red lustre, or just as that Benares cloth, smoothed on both sides, is red, of red colour, of red appearance, of red lustre; so too, not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, red, of red colour, of red appearance, of red lustre; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the seventh basis of overcoming.
"Not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, white, of white colour, of white appearance, of white lustre. Just as the morning star is white, of white colour, of white appearance, of white lustre, or just as that Benares cloth, smoothed on both sides, is white, of white colour, of white appearance, of white lustre; so too, not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, white, of white colour, of white appearance, of white lustre; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. This is the eighth basis of overcoming. These, monks, are the eight bases of overcoming.
"This is the foremost of these eight bases of overcoming, monks, that is to say, not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally, white, of white colour, of white appearance, of white lustre; 'Having overcome them, I know, I see' - one has this perception. There are indeed, monks, beings with such perception. But even for beings with such perception, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There are, monks, these four practices. What are the four? The difficult practice with sluggish direct knowledge, the difficult practice with quick direct knowledge, the easy practice with sluggish direct knowledge, the easy practice with quick direct knowledge - these, monks, are the four practices.
"This is the foremost of these four practices, monks, that is to say, the easy practice with quick direct knowledge. There are indeed, monks, beings practising thus. For beings practising thus too, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There are, monks, these four perceptions. What are the four? One perceives the limited, one perceives the exalted, one perceives the limitless, one perceives the plane of nothingness as 'there is nothing' - these, monks, are the four perceptions.
"This is the foremost of these four perceptions, monks, that is to say, one perceives the plane of nothingness as 'there is nothing.' There are indeed, monks, beings with such perception. For beings with such perception too, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"This is the foremost, monks, of external wrong views, namely: 'It would not be, and it would not be mine; it will not be, it will not be mine.' For one holding such a view, monks, this is to be expected: 'Whatever non-loathsomeness towards existence there is, that would not be for him; whatever loathsomeness towards the cessation of existence there is, that would not be for him.' There are indeed, monks, beings who hold such a view. But even for beings who hold such a view, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmins who declare supreme purification of meaning. This is the foremost, monks, of those who declare supreme purification of meaning, namely: with the complete transcendence of the plane of nothingness, one enters and dwells in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. They expound the Teaching for the direct knowledge of that, for the realisation of that. There are indeed, monks, beings who speak thus. For beings who speak thus too, monks, there is indeed alteration, there is change. Seeing thus, monks, a learned noble disciple becomes disenchanted even with that. Being disenchanted with that, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, how much more towards the inferior.
"There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmins who declare supreme Nibbāna in this present life. This is the foremost, monks, of those who declare supreme Nibbāna in this present life, namely: having understood as it really is the origin, passing away, gratification, danger, and escape regarding the six sense bases of contact, deliverance through non-clinging. Though I speak thus and explain thus, monks, some ascetics and brahmins accuse me with what is untrue, hollow, false, and not factual - 'The ascetic Gotama does not declare the full understanding of sensual pleasures, does not declare the full understanding of material forms, does not declare the full understanding of feelings.' But I, monks, do declare the full understanding of sensual pleasures, I do declare the full understanding of material forms, I do declare the full understanding of feelings, I declare final Nibbāna without clinging - without hunger, quenched, become cool - in this very life." The ninth.