Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
43. Asaṅkhata Saṃyutta
2. Dutiya Vagga

Sutta 21

Apalokita Suttaṃ

The Beyond the Worldly

Translated from the Pāḷi by Michael M. Olds

 

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Translator's Introduction

This sutta, in the Pāḷi presents each angle of each Dhamma with the same introductory and terminal wording. I have included only the first and the last and the important statement given for each that it is one means for attaining The Beyond the Worldly.

The interesting thing to think about with these suttas is the fact that each of these "angles" is by this stated to be a full path to the end of lust, anger and delusion (in other words, arahantship). Then further, suttas 12—44 present this same structure for 34 different names for the goal of the system.

By itself this is not easy to see, but if you go into the details of each you will see that there are conditions: most will require that for this one dimension to be a full path it must be based on solitude, dispassion, ending, and culminate in letting go or in some way ropes in the other dimensions of that unit of Dhamma. Footnotes for these important terms are given for my translation of Sutta 12: The Not-Ownmade.

The Woodward, Bhikkhu Bodhi and the BJT Pāḷi all have the various Dhammas given a heading. Headings were not given at the time these suttas were originally taught and I think here they defeat the idea that each angle can be taken as a full path in itself

 

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[1][pts][bodh] I hear tell:

Once upon a time The Lucky Man,
Savatthi-town revisiting.

There then, The Lucky Man, said this to the beggars gathered round:

"Beggars!".

"Elder!"
said the beggars in response to The Lucky Man.

The Lucky Man said this to them:

"I will explain
The Beyond the Worldly^[1] to you, beggars, and
the ways to go to The Beyond the Worldly.

Listen carefully!'

And what, beggars,
is The Beyond the Worldly?

Whatever, beggars, is
lust's destruction,
anger's destruction,
confusion's destruction.

This, beggars,
is what is called
"The Beyond the Worldly".

And what, beggars,
are the ways to go
to The Beyond the Worldly?

Calm

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Insight.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Serenity with thought and pondering.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Serenity without thought and just a measure of pondering.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Serenity without thought or pondering.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Empty Serenity

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Signless Serenity

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Aimless Serenity

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Minding the Body
seeing how it comes to be,
seeing how it burns out,
living above it all,
careful (Appamāda,)
insightful and calmed down,
overcoming any hunger and thirst that may appear,
downbound to nothing at all in the world.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Minding sense experience
seeing how it comes to be,
seeing how it burns out,
living above it all,
careful (Appamāda,)
insightful and calmed down,
overcoming any hunger and thirst that may appear,
downbound to nothing at all in the world.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Minding the heart
seeing how it comes to be,
seeing how it burns out,
living above it all,
careful (Appamāda,)
insightful and calmed down,
overcoming any hunger and thirst that may appear,
downbound to nothing at all in the world.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Minding Dhamma
seeing how it comes to be,
seeing how it burns out,
living above it all,
careful (Appamāda,)
insightful and calmed down,
overcoming any hunger and thirst that may appear,
downbound to nothing at all in the world.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Effort to remove bad conditions.
Here beggars,
a beggar intends to struggle
to create and exert energy,
to take a stand against,
set his mind on
and strive after
getting rid of arisen bad
unskillful things.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Effort to prevent the arising
of bad conditions.
a beggar intends to struggle
to create and exert energy,
to take a stand against,
set his mind on
and strive after
the non-arising
of unarisen bad,
unskillful things.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Effort to attain good conditions.
Here beggars,
a beggar intends to struggle
to create and exert energy,
to take a stand against,
set his mind on
and strive after
the arising of
unarisen skillful things.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Effort to preserve good conditions.
Here beggars,
a beggar intends to struggle
to create and exert energy,
to take a stand against,
set his mind on
and strive after
the establishment,
clarification,
greater development,
fruitful development
and perfection of
arisen skillful things.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here beggars, a beggar develops
the power-path
that is wish-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here beggars, a beggar develops
the power-path
that is energy-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here beggars, a beggar develops
the power-path
that is heart-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making,

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here beggars, a beggar develops
the power-path
that is investigation-serenity-connected-exertion-own-making.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the force of faith
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the force of fear of blame
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the force of sense of shame
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the force of energy
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the force of wisdom
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the power of faith
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the power of fear of blame
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the power of sense of shame
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the power of energy
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here, beggars, a beggar has
the power of wisdom
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending,
culminating in giving up.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is minding
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is Dhamma research,
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is energy building,
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is enthusiasm,
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is impassivity,
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is serenity,
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar develops
the dimension of self-awakening
that is detachment,
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate working hypothesis
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate principles
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate speech
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate works
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate lifestyle
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate self-control
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate mind
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Here a beggar has consummate serenity
seated on solitude,
seated on dispassion,
seated on ending
culminating in letting go.

This, beggars,
is what is called
a way to The Beyond the Worldly.

Whatever, beggars,
ought to be done
for his students
by a kindly master,
out of compassion,
with compassion,
that I have done.

These, beggars,
are the roots of trees,
these are empty huts.

Meditate, beggars,
do not be careless,
do not provide grounds for later regret.

This then is my advice."

 

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^[1] Apalokita. PED: "past participle of apaloketi Apaloketi 1. to look ahead, to look before, to be cautious, to look after." Woodward: "The Undecaying"; Bhikkhu Bodhi: "the undisintegrating"
There is some sort of problem here. The PTS, BJT and CSCD all have 'Apalokita'. PTS defines this as "asking permission." Woodward objects and uses apalokina apparently following the Commentary. Bhk. Bodhi follows either Woodward or the Commentary without making a comment. Childers has a secondary definition "the unseen", which has the advantage of being the word as given and making sense. I think this was 'beyond the worldly' apa = up past + lokita = this world; but that is not in the dictionaries.
This is the point: However this word is to be translated, it must here come to a simile for Nibbāna. Both Woodward and Bhikkhu Bodhi have words that do that and are words that are not definitions as given in the dictionaries. So I am taking the liberty of doing the same.