Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
40. Moggallāna Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
40. Kindred Sayings about Moggallāna
Sutta 9
A-Nimitta Suttaṃ
The Unconditioned[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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ONCE the venerable Moggallāna the Great was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great
addressed the brethren, saving:
"Brethren."
"Yes, brother," replied those brethren
to the venerable Moggallāna the Great.
"Friends, when I was meditating alone here,
this consideration arose in me:
'They say "The unconditioned heart's rapture,
the unconditioned heart's rapture!"
Now what is the unconditioned heart's rapture?'
Then, friends, this occurred to me:
'Herein a brother,
paying no attention to any or all distinguishing marks,
enters on and abides in
that rapture of heart which is without conditions.
This is called "the unconditioned heart's rapture.'
So I, friends,
paying no attention to any or all distinguishing marks,
entered on and abode in
that rapture of heart which is without conditions.
But when I had thus abode
(and had emerged from trance),
there came consciousness that followed after distinguishing marks.[2]
Thereupon, friends, the Exalted One
by magic power
came to me and said:
'Moggallāna,
Moggallāna,
be not remiss in the unconditioned heart's rapture, brahmin!
Make steadfast thy mind in the unconditioned heart's rapture.
In the unconditioned heart's rapture make the mind one-pointed.
In the unconditioned heart's rapture compose the mind.'
So after that, friends,
paying no attention to any or all distinguishing marks,
entered on and abode in
that rapture of heart which is without conditions.
Now, friends, if anyone would say rightly:
'Helped by the Master
the disciple won great super-knowledge,'
he would say of me:
'Helped by the Master
did the disciple win great super-knowledge.'"
[1] Animitta ceto-samādhi, 'without attributes or distinguishing mark.'
[2] Nimittānusāri-viññāṇaṃ - i.e. consciousness that was still tainted with rāgā-dosa-moha. Cf. Sn.A (Param. Jot., ii, 343).
