Saṃyutta Nikāya,
V: Mahā-Vagga
46. Bojjhanga Saṃyutta
I. Pabbata-Vagga
Sayings Related to
The Dimensions of Awakening
Sutta 4
Vatta Suttaṃ
In Practice
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
[1][pts][bodh][than] I Hear Tell:
Once upon a time the Venerable Sāriputta was revisiting Sāvatthi,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jeta Grove.|| ||
There, to the beggars gathered round he said:
"Beggars, my friends!"
And the beggars responding, "Friend!"
Sāriputta said:
"Friends! There are these seven dimensions of awakening.
What seven?
The mind dimension of self-awakening,
the Dhamma study[1] dimension of self-awakening,
the energy dimension of self-awakening,
the enthusiasm dimension of self-awakening,
the impassivity dimension of self-awakening,
the serenity dimension of self-awakening,
the detachment dimension of self-awakening.
These are the seven dimensions of awakening.
■
In whatever dimension of self-awakening
I want to spend my morning,
in that dimension of self-awakening
I am able to spend my morning.
In whatever dimension of self-awakening
I want to spend my mid-day,
in that dimension of self-awakening
I am able to spend my mid-day.
In whatever dimension of self-awakening
I want to spend my evening,
in that dimension of self-awakening
I am able to spend my evening.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is mind,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is Dhamma investigation,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is energy,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is enthusiasm,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is impassivity,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is serenity,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is detachment,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
In the same way
that the wardrobe of a King or Great Noble
is full of various colored clothes,
and in whatever set of clothes
he wants to spend the morning,
in that set of clothes
he is able to spend his morning,
in whatever set of clothes
he wants to spend the mid-day,
in that set of clothes
he is able to spend his mid-day,
in whatever set of clothes
he wants to spend the evening,
in that set of clothes
he is able to spend his evening,
in the same way,
in whatever dimension of self-awakening
I want to spend my morning,
in that dimension of self-awakening
I am able to spend my morning.
In whatever dimension of self-awakening
I want to spend my mid-day,
in that dimension of self-awakening
I am able to spend my mid-day.
In whatever dimension of self-awakening
I want to spend my evening,
in that dimension of self-awakening
I am able to spend my evening.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is mind,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is Dhamma investigation,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is energy,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is enthusiasm,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is impassivity,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is serenity,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.
■
If I wish to spend my time
in the dimension of self-awakening that is detachment,
I am clearly conscious
that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.
And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that."
[1] 'Dhamma-vicaya' is really research into 'things', not necessarily 'The Dhamma', but I have chosen to leave 'Dhamma' untranslated with the purposeful intent to point the reader to the study of The Dhamma, which is the aspect of 'things' which is the ultimate point of this research.
