6.
The Discourse on the Way to the Imperturbable
66. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kurus, where there was a market town of the Kurus named Kammāsadhamma. There the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this - "Sensual pleasures, monks, are impermanent, hollow, false, having the nature of deception. They are conjured by illusion, monks, the prattle of fools. Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life - both of these are the realm of Māra, the domain of Māra, the fodder of Māra, the resort of Māra. Here these evil unwholesome mental states lead to covetousness, anger, and rivalry. These become obstacles for a noble disciple training here. Therein, monks, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life - both of these are the realm of Māra, the domain of Māra, the fodder of Māra, the resort of Māra. Here these evil unwholesome mental states lead to covetousness, anger, and rivalry; these become obstacles for a noble disciple training here. What if I were to dwell with an extensive, exalted mind, having overcome the world, having determined with the mind. For when I dwell with an extensive, exalted mind, having overcome the world, having determined with the mind, those evil unwholesome mental states - covetousness, anger, and rivalry - will not exist. With their abandoning, my mind will become unlimited, immeasurable, well-developed.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the imperturbable, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the imperturbable. This, monks, is declared to be the first practice suitable for the imperturbable."
67. "Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life; whatever materiality, the four primary elements and the materiality derived from the four primary elements.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the imperturbable, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the imperturbable. This, monks, is declared to be the second practice suitable for the imperturbable.
"Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life; both material phenomena pertaining to the present life and material phenomena pertaining to the future life; both perception of material form pertaining to the present life and perception of material form pertaining to the future life - both of these are impermanent. What is impermanent is not fit to be delighted in, not fit to be asserted, not fit to be clung to.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the imperturbable, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the imperturbable. This, monks, is declared to be the third practice suitable for the imperturbable.
68. "Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life; both material phenomena pertaining to the present life and material phenomena pertaining to the future life; both perception of material form pertaining to the present life and perception of material form pertaining to the future life; and perception of the imperturbable - all are perceptions. Where these cease without remainder, this is peaceful, this is sublime - that is to say, the plane of nothingness.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the plane of nothingness, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the plane of nothingness. This, monks, is declared to be the first practice suitable for the plane of nothingness.
69. "Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, considers thus: 'This is empty of a self or of what belongs to a self.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the plane of nothingness, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the plane of nothingness. This, monks, is declared to be the second practice suitable for the plane of nothingness.
70. "Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple considers thus: 'I am not anywhere a possession of anyone, nor is there anywhere in anything a possession of mine.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the plane of nothingness, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the plane of nothingness. This, monks, is declared to be the third practice suitable for the plane of nothingness.
"Furthermore, monks, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life; both material phenomena pertaining to the present life and material phenomena pertaining to the future life; both perception of material form pertaining to the present life and perception of material form pertaining to the future life; and perception of the imperturbable, and perception of the plane of nothingness - all are perceptions. Where these cease without remainder, this is peaceful, this is sublime - that is to say, the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.' For one thus practising, dwelling much in that, the mind becomes confident in that plane. When there is confidence, either now he attains the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, or he resolves upon it with wisdom, upon the body's collapse at death. This possibility exists that his consciousness leading to rebirth would be reaching to the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This, monks, is declared to be the practice suitable for the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception."
71. When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "Here, venerable sir, a monk is practising thus - 'It would not be, and it would not be mine; it will not be, it will not be mine; whatever there is, what has come to be - that I abandon.' Thus he obtains equanimity. Would that monk, venerable sir, attain final nibbāna or would he not attain final nibbāna?" "Here, Ānanda, a certain monk would attain final nibbāna, a certain monk would not attain final nibbāna." "What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, by which here a certain monk would attain final nibbāna, a certain monk would not attain final nibbāna?" "Here, Ānanda, a monk is practising thus - 'It would not be, and it would not be mine; it will not be, it will not be mine; whatever there is, what has come to be - that I abandon.' Thus he obtains equanimity. He delights in that equanimity, asserts it, and remains grasping it. For him delighting in that equanimity, asserting it, remaining grasping it, consciousness becomes dependent on that, clinging to that. A monk with clinging, Ānanda, does not attain final nibbāna." "But where, venerable sir, does that monk, clinging, cling?" "The plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, Ānanda." "So then, venerable sir, that monk, clinging, clings to the foremost clinging?" "That monk, Ānanda, clinging, clings to the foremost clinging. For this is the foremost clinging, Ānanda, that is to say - the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception."
72. "Here, Ānanda, a monk is practising thus - 'It would not be, and it would not be mine; it will not be, it will not be mine; whatever there is, what has come to be - that I abandon.' Thus he obtains equanimity. He does not delight in that equanimity, does not assert it, and does not remain grasping it. For him not delighting in that equanimity, not asserting it, not remaining grasping it, consciousness does not become dependent on that, does not cling to that. A monk without clinging, Ānanda, attains final nibbāna."
73. "Wonderful, venerable sir, marvellous, venerable sir! Indeed, venerable sir, the crossing over the flood has been declared by the Blessed One in dependence upon each successive stage. But what, venerable sir, is the noble deliverance?" "Here, Ānanda, a monk who is a noble disciple considers thus: 'Both sensual pleasures pertaining to the present life and sensual pleasures pertaining to the future life; both perception of sensuality pertaining to the present life and perception of sensuality pertaining to the future life; both material phenomena pertaining to the present life and material phenomena pertaining to the future life; both perception of material form pertaining to the present life and perception of material form pertaining to the future life; and perception of the imperturbable, and perception of the plane of nothingness, and perception of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception - this is identity as far as identity extends. This is the Deathless, namely the deliverance of the mind through non-clinging.' Thus indeed, Ānanda, the practice suitable for the imperturbable has been taught by me, the practice suitable for the plane of nothingness has been taught, the practice suitable for the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception has been taught, the crossing over the flood in dependence upon each successive stage has been taught, the noble deliverance has been taught. Whatever, Ānanda, is to be done by a Teacher for disciples, seeking their welfare, compassionate, out of compassion, that has been done by me for you. These, Ānanda, are tree-roots, these are empty houses. Meditate, Ānanda, do not be negligent, do not be remorseful afterwards. This is our instruction to you."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the Venerable Ānanda rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on What is Suitable for Imperturbability is concluded as sixth.