Aṅguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
III. Mahā Vagga
The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
X. The Book of the Tens
III. The Great Chapter
Sutta 26
Kāḷī Suttaɱ
Kāḷī
Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
© 2012 Bhikkhu Bodhi
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[1][pts] On one occasion the Venerable Mahā Kaccāna was dwelling among the people of Avantī on Mount Pavatta at Kuraraghara.
Then the female lay follower Kāḷī of Kuraraghara approached him, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"Bhante, this was said by the Blessed One in 'The Maidens' Questions':
'Having conquered the army of the pleasant and agreeable, meditating alone, I discovered bliss, the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart.
Therefore I don't form intimate ties with people, nor does intimacy with anyone get a chance with me.'
[47] "How, bhante, is the meaning of this statement that the Blessed One had spoken in brief to be seen in detail."
"Some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the earth kasiṇa is supreme, generated it as their goal.
The Blessed One directly knew to what extent the attainment of the earth kasiṇa is supreme.
Having directly known this, he saw the beginning, the danger, and the escape, and he saw the knowledge and vision of the path and the non-path.
By seeing the beginning, the danger, and the escape, and by seeing the knowledge and vision of the path and the non-path, he knew the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart.
"Some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the water kasiṇa ... the fire kasiṇa ...
the air kasiṇa ... the blue kasiṇa ...
the yellow kasiṇa ... the red kasiṇa ...
the white kasiṇa ...
the space kasiṇa ...
the consciousness kasiṇa is supreme, generated it as their goal.
The Blessed One directly knew to what extent the attainment of the consciousness kasiṇa is supreme.
Having directly known this, he saw the beginning, the danger, and the escape, and he saw the knowledge and vision of the path and the non-path.
By seeing the beginning, the danger, and the escape, and by seeing the knowledge and vision of the path and the non-path, he knew the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart.
"Thus, sister, when the Blessed One said in 'The Maidens' Questions':
'Having conquered the army of the pleasant and agreeable, meditating alone, I discovered bliss, the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart.
[48] Therefore I don't form intimate ties with people, nor does intimacy with anyone succeed in my case' —
it is in such a way that the meaning of this statement that he spoke in brief should be seen in detail."
