Santatara Sutta

So said the Awakened One,

the Arahant, as I heard it:

“Monks,

Formlessness is more peaceful than forms,

and cessation is more peaceful than formlessness. [1]

This is what the Awakened One said.

Then he explained further:

Those who, attached,

latch onto form

and those who settle for the formless,

Without experiencing cessation,

They are propelled into future rebirth. [2]

Those who completely understand form

and do not rest content with formlessness

Liberated in cessation,

they shake off even death. [3]

Having attained to the deathless element

that is without clinging,

Having realized the freedom from attachments

rid of mental flaws,

The rightly all awakened Buddha teaches

That sorrowless, stainless state. [4]

This is what the Awakened One said, as I heard it.

[1] “Rūpehi, bhikkhave, arūpā santatarā, arūpehi nirodho santataro”ti.

[2] “Ye ca rūpūpagā sattā, ye ca arūpaṭṭhāyino; Nirodhaṁ appajānantā, āgantāro punabbhavaṁ.

[3] Ye ca rūpe pariññāya, arūpesu asaṇṭhitā; Nirodhe ye vimuccanti, te janā maccuhāyino.

[4] Kāyena amatadhātuṁ, phusayitvā nirūpadhiṁ; Upadhippaṭinissaggaṁ, sacchikatvā anāsavo; Deseti sammāsambuddho, asokaṁ virajaṁ padan”ti.