AN 9 The Book of the Nines – Navakanipāta > AN 9.36 Depending on Absorption

Numbered Discourses 9.36 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.36

4. The Great Chapter – 4. Mahāvagga

AN 9.36 Depending on Absorption – Jhānasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, I say that the first absorption is a basis for ending the defilements.

“Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.2

The second absorption is also a basis for ending the defilements.

dutiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.3

The third absorption is also a basis for ending the defilements.

tatiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.4

The fourth absorption is also a basis for ending the defilements.

catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.5

The dimension of infinite space is also a basis for ending the defilements.

ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.6

The dimension of infinite consciousness is also a basis for ending the defilements.

viññāṇañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.7

The dimension of nothingness is also a basis for ending the defilements.

ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.8

The dimension of neither perception nor non-perception is also a basis for ending the defilements.

nevasaññānāsaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

1.9

The cessation of perception and feeling is also a basis for ending the defilements.

saññāvedayitanirodhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi.

2.1

‘The first absorption is a basis for ending the defilements.’

‘Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

2.2

That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

2.3

Take a bhikkhu who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

2.4

They contemplate the phenomena there—included in form, feeling, perception, saṅkhāra, and consciousness—as anicca, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

2.5

They turn their mind away from those things,

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

2.6

and apply it to the deathless:

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

2.7

‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.’

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

2.8

Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

2.9

If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

3.1

It’s like an archer or their apprentice who first practices on a straw man or a clay model. At a later time they become a long-distance shooter, a marksman, who shatters large objects.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso vā issāsantevāsī vā tiṇapurisarūpake vā mattikāpuñje vā yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā;

3.2

In the same way a noble disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, enters and remains in the first absorption.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

3.3

3.4

They turn their mind away from those things,

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

3.5

and apply it to the deathless:

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

3.6

‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.’

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

3.7

Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

3.8

3.9

‘The first absorption is a basis for ending the defilements.’

‘Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti,

3.10

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

4.1

‘The second absorption is also a basis for ending the defilements.’ …

Dutiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya …pe…

4.2

‘The third absorption is also a basis for ending the defilements.’ …

tatiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya …pe…

4.3

‘The fourth absorption is also a basis for ending the defilements.’ …

‘catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

4.4

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

4.5

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

4.6

4.7

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

4.8

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

4.9

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

4.10

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

4.11

5.1

5.2

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

5.3

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ …pe…

5.4

anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

5.5

‘Catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

6.1

‘The dimension of infinite space is also a basis for ending the defilements.’

‘Ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

6.2

That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

6.3

Take a bhikkhu who, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

6.4

They contemplate the phenomena there—included in feeling, perception, saṅkhāra, and consciousness—as anicca, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.

So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

6.5

They turn their mind away from those things,

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

6.6

and apply it to the deathless:

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

6.7

‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.’

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

6.8

Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

6.9

7.1

It’s like an archer or their apprentice who first practices on a straw man or a clay model. At a later time they become a long-distance shooter, a marksman, who shatters large objects.

7.2

In the same way, take a bhikkhu who enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. …

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

7.3

So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ …pe…

7.4

anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

7.5

‘The dimension of infinite space is a basis for ending the defilements.’

‘Ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti,

7.6

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

8.1

‘The dimension of infinite consciousness is a basis for ending the defilements.’ …

‘Viññāṇañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya …pe…

8.2

‘The dimension of nothingness is a basis for ending the defilements.’

ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

8.3

That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

8.4

Take a bhikkhu who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

8.5

8.6

They turn their mind away from those things,

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

8.7

and apply it to the deathless:

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

8.8

‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.’

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

8.9

Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

8.10

9.1

It’s like an archer or their apprentice who first practices on a straw man or a clay model. At a later time they become a long-distance shooter, a marksman, who shatters large objects.

9.2

In the same way, take a bhikkhu who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

9.3

9.4

They turn their mind away from those things,

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

9.5

and apply it to the deathless:

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

9.6

‘This is peaceful; this is sublime—that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.’

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

9.7

Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

9.8

9.9

‘The dimension of nothingness is a basis for ending the defilements.’

‘Ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti,

9.10

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

10.1

And so, bhikkhū, penetration to enlightenment extends as far as attainments with perception.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, yāvatā saññāsamāpatti tāvatā aññāpaṭivedho.

10.2

But the two dimensions that depend on these—

Yāni ca kho imāni, bhikkhave, nissāya dve āyatanāni—

10.3

the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, and the cessation of perception and feeling—are properly explained by bhikkhū who are skilled in these attainments and skilled in emerging from them, after they’ve entered them and emerged from them.”

nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasamāpatti ca saññāvedayitanirodho ca, jhāyīhete, bhikkhave, samāpattikusalehi samāpattivuṭṭhānakusalehi samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā sammā akkhātabbānīti vadāmī”ti.

10.4

Pañcamaṁ.