Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
40. Moggallāna Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
IV. Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-fold Sphere'
Chapter 40: Kindred Sayings about Moggallāna
Sutta 2
A-Vitakka Suttaṃ
Without re-thinking
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time Old Man Moggallāna The Great,
Sāvatthī-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There then Old Man Moggallāna The Great addressed the beggars:
"Beggars, my friends!"
"Friend!" the beggars responded to Moggallāna.
Old Man Moggallāna The Great said to them:
"Here, friends,
as I had retreated into solitude
there arose in my heart
this train of thought:
'"The Second Kenning!
The Second Kenning!"
so they say.
Now what then is The Second Kenning?'
So then it recurred to me, friends:
'Here a beggar,
by the passing off of re-thinking and re-examination,
internally impassive,
become one with the heart,
without re-thinking,
without re-examination
in the pleasant enjoyment
born of serenity,[1]
abides getting a grip
on The Second Kenning."
This is what they call The Second Kenning.'
Then I, friends,
by the passing off of re-thinking and re-examination,
internally impassive,
become one with the heart,
without re-thinking,
without re-examination
in the pleasant enjoyment
born of serenity,
abided getting a grip
on The Second Kenning.
But then, friends,
as I abided in this abiding,
there arose and came about me
attention of mind to
perceptions connected to re-thinking.
There then, friends,
The Lucky man, through his majesty,
approached me and said:
'Moggallāna!
Moggallāna!
Do not, Brahmin,
be careless with The Second Kenning!
Set your heart on The Second Kenning!
Make one with your heart The Second Kenning.
Steady your heart in The Second Kenning!'
So then I, friends
after a time,
by the passing off of re-thinking and re-examination,
internally impassive,
become one with the heart,
without re-thinking,
without re-examination,
in the pleasant enjoyment
born of serenity,
abided getting a grip
on The Second Kenning.
He who would,
speaking highly of one,
friends,
say:
'The Master brought the student
to attainment of great higher knowledge,'
would, speaking highly of me, say:
'The Master brought the student
to attainment of great higher knowledge.'"
[1] Samādhi. Not just concentration, it is the serene state of one who has developed the whole spectrum of attainments from giving to ethical conduct to self-control to development of mind and the factors as described within the jhānas, and characterized by the individual having no ambitions, having no sign of lust, hate or ignorance, and being empty of lust, hate and ignorance.
