Dīgha Nikāya

The Longs Basket

Sutta 33

Saṇgīti Suttantaṃ

The Compilation

Eights

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

There are, friends, eight-part Dhammas consummately taught by the Bhagavā, that #1-Consummately-Awakened-One, an Aristocrat who knows and sees.

In this situation, let us all gather together as one, undivided, so that this best of lives will stay on track and stand for a long time as a benefit to the many, as a pleasure for the many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit and pleasure of gods and man.

What are these eights?

[8.01][pts][wlsh] Eight Mistakes:^[1]

Mistaken view,
mistaken principles,
mistaken speech,
mistaken works,
mistaken lifestyle,
mistaken self-control,
mistaken mind,
mistaken serenity/(getting high).

[8.02][pts][wlsh] Eight Consummates:^[2]

Consummate view,
consummate principles,
consummate speech,
consummate works,
consummate lifestyle,
consummate self-control,
consummate mind,
consummate serenity/(getting high).

[8.03][pts][wlsh] Eight individuals worthy of receivings:^[3]

The Streamwinner,
and the one who has taken on the job of seeing the benefits of Streamwinning for himself;
the Once-returner
and the one who has taken on the job of seeing the benefits of Once-returning for himself;
the Non-returner
and the one who has taken on the job of seeing the benefits of Non-returning for himself;
the Arahant
and the one who has taken on the job of seeing the benefits of Arahantship for himself.

[8.04][pts][wlsh] Eight foundations of laziness:^[4]

Here friends, a beggar has some work that needs to be done.

In this case he thinks:

'There is some work that needs to be done by me, but this work surely will result in a body get'n tired.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

So lying down, he does not energize get-up-and-go for the attaining of the unattained, for the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, for the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the first foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has finished some work.

In this case he thinks:

'I have finished this work, this work sure has resulted in a body get'n tired.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the second foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has some Way to go.

In this case he thinks:

'I have some ways to go, this Way surely will result in a body get'n tired.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the third foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has gone some ways.

In this case he thinks:

'I have come some ways, this Way sure has resulted in a body get'n tired.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the fourth foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar walking his beggar's rounds in village or market town does not get either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill his needs.

In this case he thinks:

'I have walked my beggar's rounds in village and market town and have not got either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill my needs, this surely has got'n a body tired and unfit for work.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the fifth foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar walking his beggar's rounds in village or market town does get either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill his needs.

In this case he thinks:

'I have walked my beggar's rounds in village and market town and have got either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill my needs, thus my belly has become heavy like the sixth month, methinks.

This surely has got'n a body tired and unfit for work.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the sixth foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is experiencing some slight sickness.

In this case he thinks:

'Some slight sickness has arisen in me, this being the case, it is proper that I lie down.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the seventh foundation of laziness.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has recovered from sickness, has been recovered from that sickness for a while.

In this case he thinks:

'I have recovered from sickness, have recovered from sickness recently, this being the case a body is debilitated and unfit for work.

Well then!

I will just lie down.'

This is the eighth foundation of laziness.

[8.05][pts][wlsh] Eight foundations for get-up-and-go:^[5]

Here friends, a beggar has some work that needs to be done.

In this case he thinks:

'There is some work that needs to be done by me, and this will not make it easy to investigate the Buddha's system.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the first foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has finished some work.

In this case he thinks:

'I have finished this work, but because of this work I could not investigate the Buddha's system.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the second foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has some way to go.

In this case he thinks:

'I have some trip to make, this trip will not make it easy to investigate the Buddha's system.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the third foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has made some trip.

In this case he thinks:

'I have made this trip and because of this trip I could not investigate the Buddha's system.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the fourth foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar walking his beggar's rounds in village or market town does not get either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill his needs.

In this case he thinks:

'I have walked my beggar's rounds in village and market town and have not got either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill my needs, this body surely has got'n light and fit for work.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the fifth foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar walking his beggar's rounds in village or market town does get either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill his needs.

In this case he thinks:

'I have walked my beggar's rounds in village and market town and have got either rough or excellent food sufficient to fulfill my needs, thus a body has become powerful and fit for work.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the sixth foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is experiencing some slight sickness.

In this case he thinks:

'Some slight sickness has arisen in me and I know if it gets established it might get worse.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the seventh foundation for get-up-and-go.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar has recovered from sickness, has been recovered from that sickness for a while.

In this case he thinks:

'I have recovered from sickness, have recovered from sickness recently, and I know this sickness might return.

Well then!

Let me energize get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with my own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes!'

So he energizes get-up-and-go for the attainment of the unattained, the accomplishment of what should be accomplished, the seeing with his own eyes what can be seen with one's own eyes.

This is the eighth foundation for get-up-and-go.

[8.06][pts][wlsh] Eight foundations for giving:^[6]

One gives when approached.

One gives when afraid.

One gives thinking:
'He gave to me.'

One gives thinking:
'He will give to me.'

One gives thinking:
'Giving is something that is well done.'

One gives thinking:
'I cook, they don't cook, it is not proper that one who cooks not give to one who does not cook.'

One gives thinking:
'Because of this gift I will get an excellent reputation throughout the land.'

One gives to prepare, nourish and equip the heart.

[8.07][pts][wlsh] Eight rebirths from gifts:^[7]

Here, friends, someone gives a Shaman or Brahmān eats or vestments or vehicle or garlands, scents, and ointments, bedding and habitat, lamps and wicks and oil and such; this done with a mind to a return.

He sees a Khattiya of great store or a Brahmān of great store or a householder of great store living well-endowed, surrounded by and enjoying the five strings of sense-pleasure.

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among Khattiyas of great store or Brahmāns of great store or householders of great store!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

Again, additionally friends, here someone gives a Shaman or Brahmān eats or vestments or vehicle or garlands, scents, and ointments, bedding and habitat, lamps and wicks and oil and such; this done with a mind to a return.

He hears something like:

'The deities of The Four Great Kings are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The deities of The Four Great Kings!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

He hears something like:

'The deities of The Thirty-and-Three are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The deities of The Thirty-and-Three!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

He hears something like:

'The Yama deities are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The Yama deities!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

He hears something like:

'The deities of Delight are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The deities of Delight!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

He hears something like:

'The deities of Creation are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The deities of Creation!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

He hears something like:

'The deities of with Power over Other's Creations are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The deities with Power over Other's Creations!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

He hears something like:

'The deities of the Brahmā World are long-lived, distinguished, and have much pleasure.'

In this case he thinks:

'O! If only at the breakup of the body at death I might arise reborn among The deities of The Brahmā World!'

And he sets his heart on, fixes his mind on, and develops his mind for that.

Thus with his mind let loose on the low, not being developed further, just there is where he returns to rebirth.

This I say of the ethical not of the unethical;
the aspirations of the ethical, friends
are successful because of their clarity.

[8.08][pts][wlsh] Eight Assemblies:^[8]

Assemblies of Nobles,
assemblies of Brahmāns,
assemblies of householders,
assemblies of shaman,
assemblies of The Four Great Kings,
assemblies of the Three and Thirty,
assemblies of Mara,
assemblies of Brahmās.

[8.09][pts][wlsh] Eight Worldly Dhammas:^[9]

Gain and loss,
honor and dishonor,
praise and blame,
pleasure and pain.

[8.10][pts][wlsh] Eight Areas of Mastery:^[10]

Perceiving personal form one sees external forms as limited,^[11] whether beautiful or ugly.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal form one sees external forms as unbounded whether beautiful or ugly.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal formlessness one sees external forms as limited, whether beautiful or ugly.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal formlessness one sees external form as unbounded whether beautiful or ugly.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal formlessness one sees external forms as blue, blue-colored, characterized by blue, having a blue luster —
in the same way as the so-called flax flower is blue, blue-colored, characterized by blue, having a blue luster —
in the same way as Benares muslin burnished on both sides is blue, blue-colored, characterized by blue, having a blue luster -
even so one perceives personal formlessness and sees external forms as blue, blue-colored, characterized by blue.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal formlessness one sees external forms as golden, golden-colored, characterized by a golden color, having a golden luster —
in the same way as the so-called kanikara-flower^[12] is golden, golden-colored, characterized by a golden color, having a golden luster —
in the same way as Benares muslin burnished on both sides is golden, golden-colored, characterized by a golden color, having a golden luster -
even so one perceives personal formlessness and sees external forms as golden, golden-colored, characterized by a golden color, having a golden luster.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal formlessness one sees external forms as blood-red, blood-red-colored, characterized by blood-redness, having a blood-red luster —
in the same way as the so-called Midday-Flower^[13] is blood-red, blood-red colored, characterized by blood-redness, having a blood-red luster —
in the same way as Benares muslin burnished on both sides is blood-red, blood-red-colored, characterized by blood-redness, having a blood-red luster.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

Perceiving personal formlessness one sees external forms as white, white-colored, characterized by whiteness, having a white luster —
in the same way as the so-called healing star is white, white-colored, characterized by whiteness, having a white luster -
in the same way as Benares muslin burnished on both sides is white, white colored, characterized by whiteness, having a white luster.

Having so perceived, this is mastered thinking:

'I know, I see.'

[8.11][pts][wlsh] Eight Releases:^[14]

Seeing the formed nature of forms.

This is the first release.

Perceiving the personally formless one sees external forms.

This is the second release.

Thinking "How pure!" he is intent on that.

This is the third release.

Elevating himself above all perceptions of form, allowing perceptions of resistance to subside, not scrutinizing perceptions of diversity, thinking:
'Un-ending is space'
he enters into and makes a habitat of the Dimension of Space.

This is the fourth release.

Elevating himself completely above the Dimension of Space, thinking:
'Un-ending is re-knowing-knowing-knowledge'
he enters into and makes a habitat of the Dimension of re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.

This is the fifth release.

Elevating himself completely above the Dimension of re-knowing-knowing-knowledge, thinking:
'There is nothing'
he enters into and makes a habitat of the Dimension of No Things to be Had There.

This is the sixth release.

Elevating himself completely above the Dimension of No Things to be Had There he enters into and makes a habitat of the Dimension of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

This is the seventh release.

Elevating himself completely above the Dimension of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
he enters into and makes a habitat of
the ending of perception and sense-experience.

This is the eighth release.

These then, friends, are those eight-part Dhammas consummately taught by the Bhagavā, that #1-Consummately-Awakened-One, an Aristocrat who knows and sees.

^[1] Aṭṭha micchattā:

Micchā-diṭṭhi,
micchā-saṃkappo,
miccā-vācā,
micchā-kammanto,
micchā-ājīvo,
micchā-vāyāmo,
micchā-sati,
micchā-samādhi.

To this point I have used "Contrary or Low" as my translation for "miccha." Today [Friday, March 17, 2023 6:35 AM] I am using "misguided" which does not work in this case. It, like many other "Pāḷi" words, means all of these and more. "Wrong" has always been wrong in my view, for the same reasons that I have always considered "right" for sammā to be incorrect in that it is clearly not the case that these things described as "miccha" are being considered completely wrong any more than those things considered "sammā" are being considered completely right. Things that are "miccha" are wrong relative to the "sammā" the "consummate" position pointed out by the Buddha, which is the "best" but which is, itself, to be let go. With the clear relation of "miccha" to the English prefix "mis-" pointed out in the PED, I think I have found in "mistaken" a much more satisfactory term. A good second might be "misconceived," considering the strong relationship of miccha to sexual intercourse. Probably the closest real term we have would be "matched" going to "mis-matched" but that would not work where no "match" is clear.
See also: The Eighth Lesson, (especially the top of the page "Note on Terminology") The Tenth Lesson, Glossology: Atthangika Magga

Micchatta item of wrong, wrongness. There are eight items of wrong, viz. the eight wrong qualities as enumd under (an-) ariya-magga, forming the contrary to the sammatta or righteousness of the Ariyan Path. Besides these there is a set of ten, consisting of the above eight plus micchā-ñāṇa and -vimutti wrong knowledge and wrong emancipation.

Micchā [Sk. mithyā, cp. Vedic mithah. interchanging, separate, opposite, contrary (opp. saṇyak together: see sammā); mithū wrongly; see also mithu] wrongly, in a wrong way, wrong-, false. -micchā- often in same combns as sammā-, with which contrasted, e.g. with the eight parts of (an-) ariya-magga. -ka one who holds wrong views; -sankappa aspiration; -vācā speech (ibid.); -kammanta conduct; -ājīva living; -vāyāma effort; -sati mindfulness; -samādhi concentration:
-gahaṇa wrong conception, mistake. -cāra wrong behaviour. -paṭipadā wrong path (of life): -paṭipanna, living wrongly. -paṇihita (citta) wrongly directed mind. -patha wrong road, wrong course.

Mithu (adv.) [cp. Vedic mithū and P. micchā; mith, cp. mithah. alternately, Av. miqo wrongly; Goth. misso one another, missa-leiks different; Ger. E. prefix mis- i.e. wrongly: Ger. missetat wrong doing = misdeed; Lat. mūto to change, mutuus reciprocal; Goth. maipms present = Ags. mapum; mith in Vedic Sk. is "to be opposed to each other," whereas in Vedic mithuna the notion of "pair" prevails. See also methuna] opposite, reciprocally, contrary Sn 825, 882 (taken by Nd1 163 and 290, on both passages identically, as n. pl. of adj. instead of adv., and expld by "dve janā dve kalaha-kāraka" etc.).
-bheda [evidently in meaning of mitta-bheda "break of friendship," although mithu means "adversary," thus perhaps "breaking, so as to cause opposition"] breaking of alliance, enmity.
Methuna (adj.-nt.) [fr. Vedic mithuna pair, der. fr. mithu. Cp. micchā] 1. (adj.) relating to sexual intercourse, sexual, usually with dhamma, sex intercourse, in phrase -ṃ dhammaṃ paṭisevati to cohabit. - (m.) an associate. - 2. (nt.) sexual intercourse [Vedic maithuna].

^[2] Aṭṭha sammattā:

Sammā-diṭṭhi,
sammā-saṃkappo,
sammā-vācā,
sammā-kammanto,
sammā-ājīvo,
sammā-vāyāmo,
sammā-sati,
sammā-samādhi.

^[3] Aṭṭha puggalā dakkhiṇeyyā:
Sotāpanno, sotāpatti-phala-sacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, sakad-āgāmī, sakadāgāmi-phala-sacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, anāgāmī, anāgāmi-phala-sacchikiriyāya paṭipanno, arahā, arahatta-phala-sacchikiriyāya paṭipanno.
See also 7s #11 and The Four Pairs of Very Powerful Individuals

^[4] Aṭṭha kusīta-vatthūni.

^[5] Aṭṭha ārambha-vatthūni.

^[6] Aṭṭha dāna-vatthūni:
Āsajja dānaṃ deti.
Bhayā dānaṃ deti.
'Adāsi me' ti dānaṃ deti.
'Dassati me' ti dānaṃ deti.
'Sāhu dānan' ti dānaṃ deti.
'Ahaṃ pacāmi, ime na pacanti, nārahāmi pacanto apacantānaṃ na dātu'n' ti dānaṃ deti.
'Imaṃ me dānaṃ dadato kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchatī' ti dānaṃ deti.
Cittālaṇkāra-cittaparikkhāratthaṃ dānaṃ deti.
See also: Dana

^[7] Aṭṭha dānū-upapattiyo.
Note that rebirth among the deities of the Brahmā world is here described as attainable through ethical culture and giving; not, as it is usually stated, dependant on the first jhāna.

See also: The 10th Question: The Realms of the Imagination
and "Appendixes: Sorts of Sabbath: Lifespan" (for the lifespans of these gods and what is considered a "long life" and what is considered here as a "low" rebirth.)

See 4s#39 for ways to make the deed itself potent for such outcomes.
And on the subject of "cast", see Ambattha Sutta

^[8] Aṭṭha parisā:
Khattiya-parisā, Brāhmaṇa-parisā, gahapati-parisā, Samaṇa-parisā, Cātummahārājika-parisā, Tāvatiṃsa-parisā, Māra-parisā, Brahmā-parisā.

Parisā (cp. Vedic paris. ad; in R. V. also pariṣad as adj. surrounding, lit. "sitting round," fr. pari + sad) surrounding people, group, collection, company, assembly, association, multitude. Var. typical sets of assemblies ... eight assemblies ... the assemblies of nobles, Brahmins, householders, wanderers, of the angel hosts of the Guardian Kings, of the Great Thirty-Three, of the Māras, and of the Brahmās ... four assemblies (the first four of the above) ... other four, representing the Buddha's Order (bhikkhu-, bhikkhunī-, upāsaka-, upāsikā-, or the ass. of bhikkhus, nuns, laymen and female devotees ... two assemblies (viz. Brahmā-, Māra-) ... allegorically two groups of people (viz. sāratta-rattā and a-sāratta-rattā (Ed.: driven, passionate and not))... - Note. The form of parisā as first part of a cpd. is parisa- (= °parisad, which later is restored in cpd. parisa-g-gata = °parisad-gata). - See also pārisagga. -antare: within the assembly
-a-vacara one who moves in the society, i.e. the Brotherhood of the Bhikkhus
-gata (g-gata) having entered a company
-ññū knowing the assembly
-dussana defilement of the Assembly
-pariyanta the outer circle of the congregation
-majjhe in the midst of the assembly
-sārajja being afraid of the a.

Sadisa: similar, like, equal

Parisaṇsibbita [pari + pp. of saṇsibbati] sewn together, entwined

Always back ultimately to sa = one, or "own", or with; so pari = all-around one, or all-round with.

Rhys Davids comments: There is no comment on the absence of parisā's in other worlds. Presumably it is because no such assemblies are recorded in the Suttas, nor mention of any hierarchy or government, as e.g., in Dial. I, 282; II, 242 f., 293 (21), etc.

Why are these important to know? Knowing about these will be sufficient for understanding any others. These are the assemblies that one is likely to encounter on this Way. It is important to be able to recognize the different assemblies to know the various forms of behavior that are expected (from those in the assembly, a beggars behavior is dictated by the Dhamma), to enter such assemblies without fear, with confidence, able to answer the questions that may come up concerning the Dhamma and one's own actions; things said and done long ago. This as a matter of showing the way.

^[9] Aṭṭha loka-dhammā:
Lābho ca, alābho ca, yaso ca, ayaso ca, nindā ca, pasaṃsā ca, sukhañ ca, dukkhañ ca.

Again note that this is not the first of the eights, or, (noting that there is no Eightfold Path, if there were an Eightfold Path, the second). So this sutta raises still another mystery: If, at the time of the composition of this sutta the Eightfold Path was not yet formalized into a "Dhamma" in and of itself then what is the relationship of this sutta in time to that of the Mahā Satipaṭṭhana and the other suttas that do include it? In other words: was this sutta, as it appears, composed after Sāriputta's death, but before the formalization (the making into a root doctrine) of the many suttas where we find the Eightfold Path? Could there have been several "tracks" of study of the system, some with and some without a formal Eightfold Path? Could this simply be a careless omission? If so, why wasn't it corrected by those who put the collection together? Remember that the time given for this sutta is at best days before the Buddha's own death. Curiouser and curiouser!
See also: The Eight Worldly Concerns

^[10] [Note: a more recent and somewhat different and I believe more accurate translation of this section has been made by me at AN 8.65. The significant difference is that there I have translated abhibhāya as 'mastery of fear' which solves the problem this footnote is struggling to deal with, which is "what is this mastery that is being spoken of?"]

Aṭṭha abhibhāyatanāni:
Ajjhattaṃ rūpa-saññi eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇa-dubbaṇṇāni, tāni abhibhuyya 'Jānāmi passāmī' ti evaṃ-saññī hoti. Idaṃ paṭhamaṃ abhibhāyatanaṃ.
Ajjhattaṃ rūpa-saññi eko bahiddhā rupāni passati appamāṇāni...
Abhibhāyatanāni: Rhys Davids: "positions of mastery" and notes: "The 'positions' refer to induction of the Jhāna re-knowing-knowing-knowledge." Walshe: "stages of mastery."

And see: Samyutta Nikaya, Salayatana-Samyutta, Sala Vaggo #96 Parihānam (excerpted on the forum as The Six Realms of Mastery)

PTS: Falling back, IV.45
WP: Decline, II.1178

Ajjhattaṃ and bahiddhā: Internal and external, inside and outside, subjective and objective, personal and belonging to others. The difficulty comes in when we mix up speaking conventionally and speaking precisely in terms of the Dhamma. Conventionally what we are talking about is that "ajjhattam" refers to whatsoever is considered "My self" (for some this may be virtually the whole world), and for bahiddha is whatever it may be that constitutes the world external to that which is considered "my self."

There is one sutta where Sāriputta describes the external and internal, describing the internal in terms unmistakably relating to what we know of as the human body. Again and again what I am suggesting we must do is translate to the lowest common denominator. Those at a higher level will be able to extrapolate, those at the entry level must be given an opportunity to see the point in terms they can relate to: Ajjhattam: personal; bahiddha: external or objective.

#1. Rhys Davids: "When anyone pictures to himself some material feature of his person and sees (corresponding) features in others, lovely or ugly, as small, transcending this (object) he is aware of doing so, (thinks) "I know, I see."
Walshe (For Walshe's translation of this see LDB (DN), sutta #16.3.25): "Perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms, limited and beautiful or ugly, and in mastering these, one is aware that one knows and sees them."

Rhys Davids has editorialized considerably in his translation.

The problem here is in seeing these as different ways of having mastered the complete story, but what we are talking about here are generic perceptions, and these terms describe how one knows when one has "got that much" — perceiving this you have mastered this type of perceiving. This first stage puts aside insight into the personal, but has mastered the external by seeing it as limited whatsoever its degree of attractiveness. (The presence or absence of the judgment "beautiful or ugly" is the clue; present it indicates that one is not yet perceiving directly; but is perceiving through the filter of sensation and re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.) What remains is to make the perception conscious by the thought: "I know, I see." Without this thought, doubt remains and one has not mastered this far even though one may have precisely the same perception as one who has mastered. Much of this system is of the same nature; that is, that the difference between one who knows and one who does not know is only in the knowing that one knows. ... but don't think you can fake it or bluff your way around one who knows. Not knowing, one does not know where what one does know stops and where what one does not know starts (one value of this set), and one is liable to be tripped up in a debate on the matter.

^[11] What is the point of the "... whether beautiful or ugly"? (Why this set of judgments over any other?) Again because they are generic, rock bottom fundamental, and because the tendency in these situations is to see the one or the other as representing mastery; being "the right way of perceiving," (the tendency as a Buddhist, for example might be that it is only when perceiving everything external as ugly, that one had mastered it; the tendency of most other systems would be to think of only the beautiful perception as the one representing mastery) whereas that aspect of what one is perceiving is not significant.

^[12] Kaṇikāra Pterospermum acerifolium. Grown for shade and timber. Bright yellow flowers.

SRH writes in this comment: Traditionally Pterospermum acerifolium. has been placed in the family Sterculiaceae, related to the mallows. Plants in that family include the Indian Almond and African Star Chestnut (Sterculia species), Kola (Cola species) and Cocao (Theobroma species). However recent classifications subsume Sterculiaceae in the mallow family Malvaceae, and break it up into several sections. Pterospermum falls into subfamily Dombeyoideae, of which the best known plants are Dombeyas, which are ornamental shrubs from Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarenes.

^[13] Pentapetes phoenicea.
The plant from which Phonecian Red Dye is extracted, Purple-red. Considered a weed of rice.

^[14] Aṭṭha vimokkhā.

Vimokkha (and Vimokha) [fr. vi + muc, cp. mokkha¹] deliverance, release, emancipation, dissociation from the things of the world, Aristocrat-ship D II.70, 111); III.34, 35, 230, 288; M I.196 (samaya- and asamaya-); S I.159 (cetaso v.); II.53, 123; III.121; IV.33; A II.87; IV.316; V.11; Vin V.164 (cittassa). The three vimokkhas are: suññato v., animitto v., appaṇihito v. Ps II.35; Vism 658. The eight vimokkhas or stages of emancipation, are: the condition of rūpī, arūpa-saññī, recognition of subha, realization of ākāsa-nañcāyatana, of viññāṇ'a-nañcāyatana, ākiñcaññāyatana, n'eva-saññā-n'a-saññāyatana, saññāvedayita-nirodha D III.262 (cp. Dial. III.242), A I.40; IV.306. [cp. BSk. aṣṭau vimokśāh., e.g. AvSH II.69, 153.] - In sequence jhāna vimokkha samādhi samāpatti (magga phala) at Vin I.97, 104; III.91; IV.25; A III.417, 419; V.34, 38. - See also jhāna.

Mokkha¹ [late Vedic and Epic Sk. mokṣa, fr. muc, see muñcati.] 1. (lit.) release, freedom from, in bandhanā m. D I.73 = M I.276. - 2. (fig.) release, deliverance, salvation (jarā-maraṇa- from old age and death); (-magga + sagga-magga, the way to heaven and salvation), 89, 90 (-Dhamma = salvation). - 3. (lit.) (act.) letting loose, emission, uttering (of speech).

See also: The Seven Types of Individuals (about midway through)
4s #7: The A-rūpa-jhānas

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