Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha traveled to Vaiśālī and stayed near the tall pagoda on the bank of the *Markaṭa River.
Many famous, elder, and senior great disciples were there: Cāla, Upacāla, *Aryabhadra, *Aryariṣṭa, Ariṣṭa, Yaśas, and *Yaśottara. Thus were the names of the virtuous, elder, and senior great disciples who also traveled to Vaiśālī and stayed near the tall pagoda on the bank of the Markaṭa River. They had all gathered together by the side of the Buddha’s leaf hut.
The Licchavis of Vaiśālī heard that the Bhagavān had traveled to Vaiśālī to stay near the tall pagoda on the bank of the Markaṭa River. They then thought, “We’d better use great spiritual abilities and the authority of the king to make an announcement: ‘Let’s leave Vaiśālī and go to the Bhagavān to offer support and pay homage to him.’”
Those famous, elder, and senior great disciples heard those Licchavis of Vaiśālī use great spiritual abilities and the authority of the king to make an announcement: ‘Let’s leave Vaiśālī and go to the Bhagavān to offer support and pay homage to him.’ The disciples thought, “Sound is the thorn for dhyāna. The Bhagavān also says that sound is the thorn for dhyāna. We ought to go to the Gośṛṅga Sal Grove and stay where there aren’t any disturbances. We’ll be secluded and alone there, staying in a quiet abode in a peaceful place, sitting in repose, and reflecting.”
Thereupon, those famous, elder, and senior great disciples went to Gośṛṅga Sal Grove and stayed where there weren’t any disturbances. They were secluded and alone, staying in a quiet abode in a peaceful place, sitting in repose, and reflecting.
It was then that a crowd of Licchavis from Vaiśālī had used great spiritual abilities and the authority of the king to make an announcement: ‘Let’s leave Vaiśālī and go to the Bhagavān to offer support and pay homage to him.’ Some of the Licchavis bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet and withdrew to sit at one side. Others exchanged greetings and inquiries with the Buddha and then withdraw to sit at one side. Some saluted the Buddha with their palms together and withdrew to sit at one side. Others quietly looked at the Buddha from afar and sat down.
Once that crowd of Licchavis was seated, they settled down. The Bhagavān taught them Dharma, encouraging, rousing, and making them rejoice. After using measureless methods to teach them Dharma that encouraged, roused, and made them rejoice, he fell silent and waited.
Once the Bhagavān had taught Dharma for that crowd of Licchavis and encouraged, roused, and made them rejoice, they rose from their seats, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circled him three times, and departed.
Not long after those Licchavis had departed, the Bhagavān asked the monks, “Where did the elder and senior great disciples go?”
The monks said, “Bhagavān, the elder and senior great disciples heard those Licchavis use great spiritual abilities and the authority of the king to make an announcement: ‘Let’s leave Vaiśālī and go to the Buddha to offer support and pay homage to him.’ They thought, ‘Sound is the thorn for dhyāna. The Bhagavān also says that sound is the thorn for dhyāna. We ought to go to the Gośṛṅga Sal Grove and stay where there aren’t any disturbances. We’ll be secluded and alone there, staying in a quiet abode in a peaceful place, sitting in repose, and reflecting.’ Bhagavān, the elder and senior great disciples went there together.”
The Bhagavān sighed in admiration upon hearing this and said, “Good, good! Those elder and senior great disciples should say, ‘Sound is the thorn for dhyāna. The Bhagavān also says that sound is the thorn for dhyāna.’ Why is that?
“I really do say that dhyāna has this thorn. For someone observing precepts, violating a precept is a thorn. For someone guarding their faculties, an adorned body is a thorn. For someone contemplating the foul discharges, cleanliness is a thorn. For someone cultivating kindness, anger is a thorn. For someone avoiding alcohol, drinking liquor is a thorn. For someone practicing celebacy, a woman’s form is a thorn.
“For someone entering the first dhyāna, sound is a thorn. For someone entering the second dhyāna, perception and examination are thorns. For someone entering the third dhyāna, joy is a thorn. For someone entering the fourth dhyāna, breathing in and out is a thorn.
“For someone entering the abode of space, perception of form is a thorn. For someone entering the abode of consciousness, perception of the abode of space is a thorn. For someone entering the abode of nothingness, perception of the abode of consciousness is a thorn. For someone entering the abode of no perception, perception of the abode of nothingness is a thorn. For someone entering the cessation of perceptions and experience samādhi, perceptions and experience are thorns.
“There are another three thorns: The thorn of desire, thorn of anger, and thorn of delusion. These three thorns have been eliminated by an arhat who has ended the contaminants. They’ve been recognized and their roots completely pulled out. They’ve been destroyed, never to grow again. This is the arhat’s lack of thorns, the arhat’s freedom from thorns, and the arhat’s lack of thorns and freedom from thorns.”
The Buddha spoke thus. Those monks who heard what the Buddha had taught rejoiced and approved.