SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 40 Connected Discourses with Moggallāna – Moggallānasaṁyutta > SN 40.9 A Question About the Signless

Linked Discourses 40.9 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 40.9

1. By Moggallāna – 1. Moggallānavagga

SN 40.9 A Question About the Signless – Animittapañhāsutta

“They speak of this thing called the ‘signless samādhi of the heart’.

“‘Animitto cetosamādhi, animitto cetosamādhī’ti vuccati.

What is the signless samādhi of the heart?

Katamo nu kho animitto cetosamādhīti?

It occurred to me:

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi:

‘It’s when a bhikkhu, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless samādhi of the heart.

‘idha bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.

This is called the signless samādhi of the heart.’

Ayaṁ vuccati animitto cetosamādhī’ti.

And so … I was entering and remaining in the signless samādhi of the heart.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

While I was in that meditation, my consciousness followed after signs.

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato nimittānusāri viññāṇaṁ hoti.

Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said,

Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna!

‘moggallāna, moggallāna.

Don’t neglect the signless samādhi of the heart, brahmin! Settle your mind in the signless samādhi of the heart; unify your mind and immerse it in the signless samādhi of the heart.’

Mā, brāhmaṇa, animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ pamādo, animitte cetosamādhismiṁ cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, animitte cetosamādhismiṁ cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi, animitte cetosamādhismiṁ cittaṁ samādahā’ti.

And so, after some time … I entered and remained in the signless samādhi of the heart.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.

So if anyone should be rightly called

Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”

‘satthārānuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’ti, mamaṁ taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

‘satthārānuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’”ti.