Ānanda Sutta
Then, the Elder Ānanda went to see the Awakened One,
Having approached and paid loving respects,
he sat down beside him and asked:
[Ānanda]
“Bhante, could a monk reach such a state of meditation where:
(1) There would not be any conception of
“I am this” or
“This is mine” or
Any inclination to pride in regards to this body
animated by consciousness; [1]
(2) There would not be any conception of
“I am this” or
“This is mine” or
Any inclination to pride
In regards to all external things; [2]
(3) And that he could understand and abide in
The Unbinding of the mind,
the Unbinding by Discernment, [3]
Freed from the conception:
“I am this” or
“this is mine” or
Any inclination to pride;
And he would thus live Unbinded in mind
and unbinded by discernment?
[The Buddha]
“A monk could, Ānanda,
reach such a state of meditation that:
(1) There would not be any conception of
“I am this” or
“This is mine” or
Any inclination to pride in regards to this body
animated by consciousness; [4]
(2) There would not be any conception of
“I am this” or
“This is mine” or
Any inclination to pride
In regards to all external things; [5]
(3) And that he could understand and abide in
The Unbinding of the mind,
the Unbinding by Discernment, [6]
Freed from the conception:
“I am this” or
“this is mine” or
Any inclination to pride;
And he would thus live unbinded in mind
and unbinded by discernment.”
[Ānanda]
“Pray Bhante, how could a monk
reach such a state of meditation as this?”
[The Buddha]
Here Ānanda, a monk knows:
“This is peaceful, this is sublime, [7]
That is, the appeasement of all mental activities [8]
The giving up of all mental limitations, [9]
The complete calming of tension,
unclenching, release,
Nibbāna.”[10]
“It is in this way Ānanda,
That a monk could reach such a state of meditation that:
(1) There would not be any conception of
“I am this” or
“This is mine” or
Any inclination to pride in regards to this body
animated by consciousness; [11]
(2) There would not be any conception of
“I am this” or
“This is mine” or
Any inclination to pride in regards to all external things; [12]
(3) And that he could understand and abide in
The Unbinding of the mind,
the Unbinding by Discernment, [13]
Freed from the conception:
“I am this” or
“this is mine” or
any inclination to pride
and he would thus live unbinded in mind
and unbinded by discernment.
[Pārāyana]
“It is in this regard that I have said Ānanda,
In the Pārāyana, the Question to Puṇṇaka:
Knowing this world’s low and beyond, [14]
Unstirred by worldly things,
Serene and clear, untroubled and desireless, [15]
He has transcended aging and death I say. [16]
[1] Yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu.
[2] Bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu.
[3] Yañca cetovimuttiṃ paññāvimuttiṃ upasampajja viharato.
[4] Yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu.
[5] Bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu.
[6] Yañca cetovimuttiṃ paññāvimuttiṃ upasampajja viharato.
[7] ‘Etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ
[8] Yadidaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho
[9] Sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo: Upadhi: Skt: “Imposition” Indian phil.: concept of adventitious limiting conditions.
[10] Taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. Nibbāna: Salvation, quenching out, the blowing out, the putting out.
[11] Yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu.
[12] Bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu.
[13] Yañca cetovimuttiṃ paññāvimuttiṃ upasampajja viharato.
[14] Saṅkhāya lokasmiṃ paroparāni.
[15] Santo vidhūmo anīgho nirāso.
[16] Atāri so jātijaranti brūmī’”ti.
