Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
43. Asaṅkhata Saṃyutta
1. Paṭhama Vagga

Sutta 4

Suññata-Samādhi Suttaṃ

Empty Serenity

Translated from the Pāḷi by Michael M. Olds

 

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[1][pts][bodh] I hear tell:

Once upon a time The Lucky Man,
Savatthi-town revisiting.

There then, The Lucky Man, said this to the beggars gathered round:

"Beggars!".

"Elder!"
said the beggars in response to The Lucky Man.

The Lucky Man said this to them:

"I will explain
the not own-made^[1] to you, beggars, and the Way to go to the not own-made.

Listen carefully!'

And what, beggars,
is the not own-made?

Whatever, beggars, is
lust's destruction,^[2]
anger's destruction,^[3]
confusion's destruction.^[4]

This, beggars,
is what is called
"the not own-made".

And what, beggars,
is the way to go
to the not own-made?

Empty^[6] serenity^[5]
signless^[7] serenity,
aimless^[8] serenity.

This is what is called
'the way to go
to the not own-made'.

This, then, beggars,
is my explanation to you of
the not own-made, and
the way to go to the not own-made.

Whatever, beggars,
ought to be done
for his students
by a kindly master,
out of compassion,
with compassion,
that I have done.

These, beggars,
are the roots of trees,
these are empty huts.

Meditate, beggars,
do not be careless,
do not provide grounds for later regret.

This then is my advice."

 

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^[1] Asaṅkhata. PED: "past participle of saṅkharoti;... (but see saṅkhāra] 1. put together, compound; conditioned, produced ..." But the PED definition neglects to point out that the making is the making of that which is later termed "Me" or "Mine". What saṅkhara is is the identification with that which is created by the individual through acts of thought, word and deed with the intent of creating sense experience for himself. Mistranslation of this term (and it is so mistranslated at this time (Thursday, April 16, 2026 8:09 AM) by virtually all the other translators) becomes of vital concern when it is given as "conditioned" because the Buddha tells us that Nibbāna is asaṅkhāra (not own-made, not unconditioned (paccaya)). Nibbāna is conditioned by following the Magga, but it is not own-made. Following the Magga is not-doing or letting go of that which prevents one from attaining it. Not-doing a wrong thing does not create anything. For more on this see "Is Nibbāna Conditioned?" in the Forum.

^[2] Rāga. Excitement, passion.

^[3] Dosa. Anger, ill-will, evil intention, wickedness, corruption, malice, hatred.

^[4] Moha. Stupidity, dullness of mind and soul, delusion, bewilderment, infatuation.

^[5] Samādhi. The ultimate meaning, and what PED is essentially saying is that this term encompases the state reached by following the Buddha's Dhamma from start to finish. It is variously defined as the four jhānas; a state empty of, without signs of, and without aims at acquisition of anything associated with lust, anger, and confusion. I think it is best understood as a dimension of awakening in The Seven Dimensions of Self-Awakining, where it follows impassivity and precedes detachment: the state of being on top of things (serenity), but not yet completely detached from them. If 'equanimity" were not always being used to translate upekkha, it would serve well here. Samādhi is also frequently described as a state of "hole-hearted single-mindedness" (ekodi-bhava) being completely focused on the Dhamma.

^[6] Suññata. Not a "void," bit empty of empty habits (lust, anger and confusion). For detailed discussion of the use of this idea see Cūḷa Suññata Suttaṃ A Little Spell of Emptiness and Mahā Suññata Suttaṃ A Great Spell of Emptiness.

^[7] Animitta. Without signs of lust, anger or confusion.

^[8] Appaṇihita. PED: "aimless, not bent on anything, free from desire, usually as neuter aimlessness." Without ambition for anything connected to lust, anger or confusion.