Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhikkhus!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. “Bhante,” they replied. Bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said this:
“Sampannasīlā, bhikkhave, viharatha sampannapātimokkhā; pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvino; samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesu. “Bhikkhus, live fulfilling virtue and the training rules. Live restrained by the code of conduct, endowed with proper behavior and a suitable environment. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, train in the training rules.
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘sabrahmacārīnaṁ piyo ca assaṁ manāpo ca garu ca bhāvanīyo cā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I be liked and approved by my fellow renunciates, respected and admired.’ So let him fulfill the precepts, be committed to internal calm of mind, not neglect jhāna, be endowed with insight, and frequent empty dwellings. * _Jhāna_ means “contemplation; reflection”, never “absorption” or anything along those lines. The word “meditation”, which derives from the Latin _meditari_, would in its original usage have been a good translation for _jhāna_. But the term has in modern times taken on a significance that is alien to the teachings found in the Suttas, and so I have chosen to leave it untranslated. The other somewhat accurate alternatives “contemplation, reflection” or similar may be misinterpreted as denoting simply abstract thinking and philosophizing. _Jhāna_ is the middle way between the one extreme popular today of absorbing oneself in the “present moment”, and the other extreme of abstract meandering divorced from one’s concrete present situation. Thus, _jhāna_ can be said to be about “concrete reflection”, and this would apply for all the _jhānas_ and even formless attainments, as evidenced by “reflection”(_paccavekkhanā_) in MN 106 being that which leads to every single successive stage of _samādhi_. See [this essay](https://www.hillsidehermitage.org/what-the-jhanas-actually-are/) for more on the subject of _jhāna_ and the fallacies in the contemporary understanding of it.
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘lābhī assaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.’ So let him fulfill the precepts, be committed to internal calm of mind, not neglect jhāna, be endowed with insight, and frequent empty dwellings. * _ajjhattaṃ cetosamatha_ > internal calm of mind: The root √sam simply denotes “peace; calm”. “Stillness” can at times accompany peace, but they are by no means the same (AN 3.63), and motionlessness, whether of body or of mind, can well be underlain by defilements, and delusion chiefly. In _samatha_, the mind would be able to remain at peace internally even when there is activity and movement as long as it's not of an unwholesome kind. That is why it trains the mind in the permanent surmounting of suffering, as opposed to only providing a “break” from it.
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘yesāhaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjāmi tesaṁ te kārā mahapphalā assu mahānisaṁsā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May the services of those whose robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick I enjoy be very fruitful and beneficial for them.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘ye maṁ ñātī sālohitā petā kālaṅkatā pasannacittā anussaranti tesaṁ taṁ mahapphalaṁ assa mahānisaṁsan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘When deceased family and relatives who have passed away recollect me with a confident mind, may this be very fruitful and beneficial for them.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘aratiratisaho assaṁ, na ca maṁ arati saheyya, uppannaṁ aratiṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I prevail over desire and discontent, and may desire and discontent not prevail over me. May I live having conquered desire and discontent whenever they arose.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘bhayabheravasaho assaṁ, na ca maṁ bhayabheravaṁ saheyya, uppannaṁ bhayabheravaṁ abhibhuyya abhibhuyya vihareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I prevail over fear and dread, and may fear and dread not prevail over me. May I live having conquered fear and dread whenever they arose.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī assaṁ akicchalābhī akasiralābhī’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I get the four jhānas—comfortable abidings in the present experience that involve an elevated mind—when I want, without trouble or difficulty.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘ye te santā vimokkhā atikkamma rūpe āruppā, te kāyena phusitvā vihareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I experience with the body the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno assaṁ avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I, with the complete destruction of three fetters, become a stream-enterer, not liable to the underworld, bound for awakening.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī assaṁ sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ kareyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I, with the complete destruction of three fetters, and the weakening of passion, aversion, and muddledness, become a once-returner, coming back to this world once only, then making an end of suffering.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko assaṁ tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, reappear spontaneously and become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhaveyyaṁ—ekopi hutvā bahudhā assaṁ, bahudhāpi hutvā eko assaṁ; āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gaccheyyaṁ, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ kareyyaṁ, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gaccheyyaṁ, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kameyyaṁ, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parāmaseyyaṁ parimajjeyyaṁ; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteyyan’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; appearing and disappearing; going unimpeded through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with my hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇeyyaṁ—dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā’ti, sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. A bhikkhu might wish: ‘With the divine ear element that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.’ So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajāneyyaṁ—A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with my mind. sarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ sarāgaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, May I understand mind with passion as ‘mind with passion’, vītarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ vītarāgaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and mind without passion as ‘mind without passion’; sadosaṁ vā cittaṁ sadosaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, mind with aversion as “mind with aversion”, vītadosaṁ vā cittaṁ vītadosaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and mind without aversion as “mind without aversion”; samohaṁ vā cittaṁ samohaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, mind with muddledness as “mind with muddledness”, vītamohaṁ vā cittaṁ vītamohaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and mind without muddledness as “mind without muddledness”; saṅkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ saṅkhittaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, constricted mind as “constricted mind”, vikkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ vikkhittaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and scattered mind as “scattered mind”; mahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ mahaggataṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, expansive mind as “expansive mind”, amahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ amahaggataṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”; sauttaraṁ vā cittaṁ sauttaraṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”, anuttaraṁ vā cittaṁ anuttaraṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”; samāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ samāhitaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, mind composed as “mind composed”, asamāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ asamāhitaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ; and mind not composed as “mind not composed”; vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ, liberated mind as “liberated mind”, avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ avimuttaṁ cittanti pajāneyyan’ti, and unliberated mind as “unliberated mind”.’ sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussareyyaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jāti satasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe—amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapannoti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussareyyan’ti, A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand births; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. May I remember: “There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and displeasure, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place, I reappeared somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and displeasure, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I reappeared here.” May I thus recollect my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.’ sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī …pe… brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passeyyaṁ cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajāneyyaṁ—ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā; ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannāti, iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passeyyaṁ cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajāneyyan’ti, A bhikkhu might wish: ‘With the divine eye that is purified and superhuman, may I see beings passing away and reappearing—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place—and understand how beings reappear according to their actions: “These dear beings engaged in misconduct by way of body, speech, and thought. They found fault with the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they reappear in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and thought. They did not find fault with the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they reappear in a good place, a heavenly realm.” And so, with the divine eye that is purified and superhuman, may I see beings passing away and reappearing—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. And may I understand how beings reappear according to their actions.’ sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. So let him fulfill the precepts …
Ākaṅkheyya ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu: ‘āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti, A bhikkhu might wish: ‘May I, with the destruction of the influxes, abide having entered upon the liberation by mind and liberation by understanding that is devoid of influxes, having for myself comprehended and realized it right in the present experience.’ sīlesvevassa paripūrakārī ajjhattaṁ cetosamathamanuyutto anirākatajjhāno vipassanāya samannāgato brūhetā suññāgārānaṁ. So let him fulfill the precepts, be committed to internal calm of mind, not neglect jhāna, be endowed with insight, and frequent emptybings.
‘Sampannasīlā, bhikkhave, viharatha sampannapātimokkhā; pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvino; samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesū’ti—‘Bhikkhus, live fulfilling virtue and the training rules. Live restrained by the code of conduct, endowed with proper behavior and a suitable environment. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, train in the training rules.’ iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti. That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. That is what the Buddha said. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. Pleased, the bhikkhus delighted in what the Buddha said.
Ākaṅkheyyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn6