Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.29

Numbered Discourses 10.29

3. Mahāvagga

3. The Great Chapter

Paṭhamakosalasutta

Kosala (1st)

“Yāvatā, bhikkhave, kāsikosalā, yāvatā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa vijitaṁ, rājā tattha pasenadi kosalo aggamakkhāyati. Raññopi kho, bhikkhave, pasenadissa kosalassa attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

“As far as Kāsi and Kosala extend, and as far as the dominion of King Pasenadi of Kosala extends, King Pasenadi is said to be the foremost. But even King Pasenadi decays and perishes.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Yāvatā, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā pariharanti disā bhanti virocamānā, tāva sahassadhā loko. Tasmiṁ sahassadhā loke sahassaṁ candānaṁ sahassaṁ sūriyānaṁ¹ sahassaṁ sinerupabbatarājānaṁ sahassaṁ jambudīpānaṁ sahassaṁ aparagoyānānaṁ sahassaṁ uttarakurūnaṁ sahassaṁ pubbavidehānaṁ cattāri mahāsamuddasahassāni cattāri mahārājasahassāni sahassaṁ cātumahārājikānaṁ sahassaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ sahassaṁ yāmānaṁ sahassaṁ tusitānaṁ sahassaṁ nimmānaratīnaṁ sahassaṁ paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ sahassaṁ brahmalokānaṁ. Yāvatā, bhikkhave, sahassī lokadhātu, mahābrahmā tattha aggamakkhāyati. Mahābrahmunopi kho, bhikkhave, attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

A galaxy extends a thousand times as far as the moon and sun revolve and the shining ones light up the quarters. In that galaxy there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sinerus king of mountains, a thousand Indias, a thousand Western Continents, a thousand Northern Continents, a thousand Eastern Continents, four thousand oceans, four thousand Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Gods of the Four Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Gods of the Thirty-Three, of the Gods of Yama, of the Joyful Gods, of the Gods who Love to Create, of the Gods who Control the Creations of Others, and a thousand Brahmā realms. As far as the galaxy extends, the Great Brahmā is said to be the foremost. But even the Great Brahmā decays and perishes.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Hoti so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ ayaṁ loko saṁvaṭṭati. Saṁvaṭṭamāne, bhikkhave, loke yebhuyyena sattā ābhassarasaṁvattanikā bhavanti. Te tattha honti manomayā pītibhakkhā sayaṁpabhā antalikkhecarā subhaṭṭhāyino ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭhanti. Saṁvaṭṭamāne, bhikkhave, loke ābhassarā devā aggamakkhāyanti. Ābhassarānampi kho, bhikkhave, devānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

There comes a time when this cosmos contracts. As it contracts, most sentient beings migrate to the realm of streaming radiance. There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the sky, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time. When the cosmos is contracting, the gods of streaming radiance are said to be the foremost. But even the gods of streaming radiance decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Dasayimāni, bhikkhave, kasiṇāyatanāni. Katamāni dasa? Pathavīkasiṇameko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ; āpokasiṇameko sañjānāti …pe… tejokasiṇameko sañjānāti … vāyokasiṇameko sañjānāti … nīlakasiṇameko sañjānāti … pītakasiṇameko sañjānāti … lohitakasiṇameko sañjānāti … odātakasiṇameko sañjānāti … ākāsakasiṇameko sañjānāti … viññāṇakasiṇameko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dasa kasiṇāyatanāni.

There are these ten universal dimensions of meditation. What ten? Someone perceives the meditation on universal earth above, below, across, undivided and limitless. They perceive the meditation on universal water … the meditation on universal fire … the meditation on universal air … the meditation on universal blue … the meditation on universal yellow … the meditation on universal red … the meditation on universal white … the meditation on universal space … They perceive the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless. These are the ten universal dimensions of meditation.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dasannaṁ kasiṇāyatanānaṁ yadidaṁ viññāṇakasiṇaṁ eko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ. Evaṁsaññinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā. Evaṁsaññīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

The best of these ten universal dimensions of meditation is when someone perceives the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless. Some sentient beings perceive like this. But even the sentient beings who perceive like this decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, abhibhāyatanāni. Katamāni aṭṭha? Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ paṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

There are these eight dimensions of mastery. What eight? Perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limited, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the first dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ dutiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

Perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the second dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ tatiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limited, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the third dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ catutthaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the fourth dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati nīlāni nīlavaṇṇāni nīlanidassanāni nīlanibhāsāni. Seyyathāpi nāma umāpupphaṁ nīlaṁ nīlavaṇṇaṁ nīlanidassanaṁ nīlanibhāsaṁ, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ nīlaṁ nīlavaṇṇaṁ nīlanidassanaṁ nīlanibhāsaṁ; evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati nīlāni nīlavaṇṇāni nīlanidassanāni nīlanibhāsāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ pañcamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint. They’re like a flax flower that’s blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the fifth dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati pītāni pītavaṇṇāni pītanidassanāni pītanibhāsāni. Seyyathāpi nāma kaṇikārapupphaṁ pītaṁ pītavaṇṇaṁ pītanidassanaṁ pītanibhāsaṁ, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ pītaṁ pītavaṇṇaṁ pītanidassanaṁ pītanibhāsaṁ; evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati pītāni pītavaṇṇāni pītanidassanāni pītanibhāsāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint. They’re like a champak flower that’s yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the sixth dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati lohitakāni lohitakavaṇṇāni lohitakanidassanāni lohitakanibhāsāni. Seyyathāpi nāma bandhujīvakapupphaṁ lohitakaṁ lohitakavaṇṇaṁ lohitakanidassanaṁ lohitakanibhāsaṁ, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ lohitakaṁ lohitakavaṇṇaṁ lohitakanidassanaṁ lohitakanibhāsaṁ; evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati lohitakāni lohitakavaṇṇāni lohitakanidassanāni lohitakanibhāsāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ sattamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.

Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, red, with red color, red hue, and red tint. They’re like a scarlet mallow flower that’s red, with red color, red hue, and red tint. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, red, with red color, red hue, and red tint. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, red, with red color, red hue, and red tint. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the seventh dimension of mastery.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni. Seyyathāpi nāma osadhitārakā odātā odātavaṇṇā odātanidassanā odātanibhāsā, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ odātaṁ odātavaṇṇaṁ odātanidassanaṁ odātanibhāsaṁ; evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Idaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha abhibhāyatanāni.

Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, white, with white color, white hue, and white tint. They’re like the morning star that’s white, with white color, white hue, and white tint. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, white, with white color, white hue, and white tint. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, white, with white color, white hue, and white tint. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ This is the eighth dimension of mastery. These are the eight dimensions of mastery.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ aṭṭhannaṁ abhibhāyatanānaṁ yadidaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni; ‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti. Evaṁsaññinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā. Evaṁsaññīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

The best of these dimensions of mastery is when someone, not perceiving form internally, sees visions externally, white, with white color, white hue, and white tint. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’ Some sentient beings perceive like this. But even the sentient beings who perceive like this decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā. Katamā catasso?

There are four ways of practice. What four?

Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,

Painful practice with slow insight,

dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,

painful practice with swift insight,

sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,

pleasant practice with slow insight, and

sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā—

pleasant practice with swift insight.

imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā.

These are the four ways of practice.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ paṭipadānaṁ yadidaṁ sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā. Evaṁpaṭipannāpi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā. Evaṁpaṭipannānampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

The best of these four ways of practice is the pleasant practice with swift insight. Some sentient beings practice like this. But even the sentient beings who practice like this decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Catasso imā, bhikkhave, saññā. Katamā catasso?

There are these four perceptions. What four?

Parittameko sañjānāti,

One person perceives the limited.

mahaggatameko sañjānāti,

One person perceives the expansive.

appamāṇameko sañjānāti,

One person perceives the limitless.

‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanameko sañjānāti—

One person, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, perceives the dimension of nothingness.

imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso saññā.

These are the four perceptions.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ saññānaṁ yadidaṁ ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanameko sañjānāti. Evaṁsaññinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā. Evaṁsaññīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

The best of these four perceptions is when a person, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, perceives the dimension of nothingness. Some sentient beings perceive like this. But even the sentient beings who perceive like this decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, bāhirakānaṁ diṭṭhigatānaṁ yadidaṁ ‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, na bhavissāmi, na me bhavissatī’ti. Evaṁdiṭṭhino, bhikkhave, etaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ: ‘yā cāyaṁ bhave appaṭikulyatā, sā cassa na bhavissati; yā cāyaṁ bhavanirodhe pāṭikulyatā, sā cassa na bhavissatī’ti. Evaṁdiṭṭhinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā. Evaṁdiṭṭhīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

This is the best of the convictions of outsiders, that is: ‘I might not be, and it might not be mine. I will not be, and it will not be mine.’ When someone has such a view, you can expect that they will be repulsed by continued existence, and they will not be repulsed by the cessation of continued existence. Some sentient beings have such a view. But even the sentient beings who have views like this decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paramatthavisuddhiṁ paññāpenti. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, paramatthavisuddhiṁ paññapentānaṁ yadidaṁ sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Te tadabhiññāya tassa sacchikiriyāya dhammaṁ desenti. Evaṁvādinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā. Evaṁvādīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who advocate the ultimate purity of the spirit. This is the best of the advocates of the ultimate purity of the spirit, that is, when someone, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They teach Dhamma in order to directly know and realize this. Some sentient beings have such a doctrine. But even the sentient beings who have such a doctrine decay and perish.

Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati. Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it. Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññāpenti. Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapentānaṁ yadidaṁ channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādā vimokkho. Evaṁvādiṁ kho maṁ, bhikkhave, evamakkhāyiṁ eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā asatā tucchā musā abhūtena abbhācikkhanti: ‘samaṇo gotamo na kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, na rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, na vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpetī’ti. Kāmānañcāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pariññaṁ paññāpemi, rūpānañca pariññaṁ paññāpemi, vedanānañca pariññaṁ paññāpemi, diṭṭheva dhamme nicchāto nibbuto sītibhūto anupādā parinibbānaṁ paññāpemī”ti.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who advocate ultimate Nibbana in this very life. This is the best of those who advocate Nibbana in this very life, that is, liberation by not grasping after truly understanding the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape of the six fields of contact. Though I speak and explain like this, certain ascetics and brahmins misrepresent me with the false, hollow, lying, untruthful claim: ‘The ascetic Gotama doesn’t advocate the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, sights, or feelings.’ But I do advocate the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, sights, and feelings. And I advocate complete Nibbana by not grasping in this very life, wishless, extinguished, and cooled.”

Navamaṁ.