Aṇguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
II. Anussati Vagga
The Book of Elevens
Sutta 22
Catuttha Samādhi Suttaṃ
Serenity (4)
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time, Old Man Sāriputta,
Sāvatthi-town residing:[1]
There then many beggars
went to where Old Man Sāriputta was located,
drew near and
having drawn near Old Man Sāriputta,
having given salutation,
took seats to one side.
Having taken seats to one side then,
Old Man Sāriputta
said this to them:
"Now is it, then, friends beggars
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?"
■
"We would make a long trip, friend,
to come into the presence
of Old Man Sāriputta,
so as to gain an understanding
of this that has been said.
It would be well
if the meaning of that which was said
by Sāriputta
would occur to him.
That which is said
by Old Man Sāriputta
will be held in memory by the beggars."
■
"It is, friends beggars,
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."
■
"But just how, Friend Sāriputta, 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?"
■
"Here beggars, 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, beggars,
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] The Nidana for this sutta is simply: "Sāvatthi."
