Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Navaka Nipāta
III. Satt'Āvāsa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Nines
Chapter III: Spheres of Beings
Sutta 31
Anupubba-Nirodha Suttaṃ
Gradual Endings
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Savatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park
there the Exalted One said this to the Monks:
[2][than][olds] "Monks, there are these nine gradual endings.[1]
What nine?
On the attainment of the first musing,
sense desires end;
■
on the attainment of the second musing,
applied and sustained thoughts end;
■
on the attainment of the third musing,
zest ends;
■
on the attainment of the fourth musing,
respiration ends;
■
on the attainment of the sphere of infinite space,
the perception of form ends;
■
on the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness,
the perception of the sphere of infinite space ends;
■
on the attainment of the sphere of nothingness,
the perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness ends;
■
on the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception,
the perception of the sphere of nothingness ends;
■
on the attainment of the ending of perception and feeling, perception and feeling end.
Verily, monks, these are the nine gradual endings.'
[1] Cf. D. iii, 266, 290; on Jhāna practice see Mrs. Rh. D's Buddh. Psychology, 1st ed., 107 ff.; DhS. trsl, § 167 ff.; E. J. Thomas's Life, 180 ff.
