Aṇguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
I. Nissāya Vagga
The Book of Elevens
Sutta 7
Saññā-Manasikārā Suttaṃ
A Study in Perception
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time, The Lucky man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anathapiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.[1]
There then Old-man[2] Ānanda came to Bhagava,
drawing near.
Drawing near and giving salutation,
he took a seat to one side.
Having taken a seat to one side
he asked this of The Lucky Man:
"Now is it, then, bhante,
that a beggar acquires
such a form of focus —
that he is not,
even in the midst of earth,
percipient of earth,
nor is he,
in the midst of water,
percipient of water,
nor in the midst of firelight,
percipient of firelight,
nor in the midst of wind,
percipient of wind,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Space,
percipient of The Realm of Space,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Consciousness,
percipient of The Realm of Consciousness,
nor in the midst of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
percipient of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
percipient of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
nor in the midst of this world,
percipient of this world,
nor in the midst of the world beyond,
percipient of the world beyond,
nor in the midst of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
percipient of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
nor in the midst of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind,
percipient of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind
— that of such he has no perception
and yet he is perceiving?"
[2] [pts] "It is, Ānanda,
that a beggar acquires such a form of focus —
that he is not,
even in the midst of earth,
percipient of earth,
nor is he,
in the midst of water,
percipient of water,
nor in the midst of firelight,
percipient of firelight,
nor in the midst of wind,
percipient of wind,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Space,
percipient of The Realm of Space,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Consciousness,
percipient of The Realm of Consciousness,
nor in the midst of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
percipient of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
percipient of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
nor in the midst of this world,
percipient of this world,
nor in the midst of the world beyond,
percipient of the world beyond,
nor in the midst of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
percipient of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
nor in the midst of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind,
percipient of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind
— that of such he has no perception
and yet he is perceiving."
[3] [pts] "But just how, bhante, is it
that a beggar acquires such a form of focus —
that he is not,
even in the midst of earth,
percipient of earth,
nor is he,
in the midst of water,
percipient of water,
nor in the midst of firelight,
percipient of firelight,
nor in the midst of wind,
percipient of wind,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Space,
percipient of The Realm of Space,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Consciousness,
percipient of The Realm of Consciousness,
nor in the midst of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
percipient of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
percipient of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
nor in the midst of this world,
percipient of this world,
nor in the midst of the world beyond,
percipient of the world beyond,
nor in the midst of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
percipient of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
nor in the midst of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind,
percipient of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind
— that of such he has no perception
and yet he is perceiving?"
[4] [pts] "Here Ānanda, a beggar has this perception:
'This is it!
This is the culmination!
That is, the calming of all own-making,
the resolution of all involvements,
the withering away of thirst,
dispassion,
extinction,
Nibbāna.'
It is thus, Ānanda,
that a beggar acquires such a form of focus —
that he is not,
even in the midst of earth,
percipient of earth,
nor is he,
in the midst of water,
percipient of water,
nor in the midst of firelight,
percipient of firelight,
nor in the midst of wind,
percipient of wind,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Space,
percipient of The Realm of Space,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Consciousness,
percipient of The Realm of Consciousness,
nor in the midst of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
percipient of The Realm of No-Things-to-be-Had-There,
nor in the midst of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
percipient of The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception,
nor in the midst of this world,
percipient of this world,
nor in the midst of the world beyond,
percipient of the world beyond,
nor in the midst of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
percipient of the seen, heard, sensed, known,
nor in the midst of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind,
percipient of the attained,
the saught-after,
the explored in mind
— that of such he has no perception
and yet he is perceiving."
[1] No Nidana in text, but text beginning "there then" I am taking the reference as pointing to the first sutta of this chapter.
[2] Āyasmā. PED: Āyasmant (adj.) ... lit. old, i.e. venerable; used, either as adj. or absolute as a respectful appellation of a bhikkhu of some standing (cp. the semantically identical thera). ... See also āvuso. [friend]
