Aṇguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
II. Anussati Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Elevens
II. Recollection

Sutta 20

Dutiya Samādhi Suttaṃ

Concentration (d)

Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.

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[227]

[1][olds] Thereupon the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks!"

"Yes, sir," replied those monks to the Exalted One, who said this:

"May it be, monks, that a monk's winning of concentration is of such a sort that [355]
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time he may be aware?"

■

"Sir, for us things are rooted in the Exalted One;
they have the Exalted One for guide,
the Exalted One for resort.

Well for us, sir,
if the meaning of this saying
were to occur to the Exalted One.

Hearing it from the Exalted One,
the monks will bear it in mind."

■

"Then, monks, do ye listen.
Pay attention carefully
and I will speak."

"We will, sir,"
replied those monks to the Exalted One
who said this:

[228] "It may be the case, monks,
that a monk's winning of concentration is of such a sort that
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time is aware.

■

"But, sir, in what way
may a monk's winning of concentration
be of such a sort
that in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time he may perceive?"

■

Herein, monks, a monk is conscious thus:

'This is the real,
this is the best
— namely, the calming of all activities,
the rejection of all substrate,
the ending of craving,
the fading of interest,
stopping,
Nibbāna.'

■

In such a way a monk's winning of concentration
may be of such a sort that
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time is aware."