Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
VII. Bhūmi-Cāla Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter VII: On Earthquakes

Sutta 65

Mastery

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

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[202]

[1][olds] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these eight spheres of mastery.^[1]

What eight?

When, personally conscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
whether limited,
lovely or ugly,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the first sphere of mastery.

■

When, personally conscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
whether boundless,
lovely or ugly,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the second sphere of mastery.

■

[203] When, personally unconscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
whether limited,
lovely or ugly,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the third sphere of mastery.

■

When, personally unconscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
whether boundless,
lovely or ugly,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the fourth sphere of mastery.

■

When, personally unconscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
blue,
blue in colour,
blue in appearance,
reflecting blue,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the fifth sphere of mastery.

■

When, personally unconscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
yellow,
yellow in colour,
yellow in appearance,
reflecting yellow,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the sixth sphere of mastery.

■

When, personally unconscious of body, anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
red,
red in colour,
red in appearance,
reflecting red,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the seventh sphere of mastery.

■

When, personally unconscious of body,
anyone sees forms exterior to himself,
white,
white in colour,
white in appearance,
reflecting white,
he is thus conscious:

'Having mastered them,
I know,
I see them.'

This is the eighth sphere of mastery.^[2]

Monks, these are the eight spheres of mastery."

 

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^[1] See DhS. trsl., § 204; Dial. ii, 118; iii, 241; A. i, 40; v, 61; M. ii, 13; below VIII, Chap. X, § 2, p. 229.

^[2] See above, p. 175, for experiences with coloured devatā.