Nirāmisa Sutta
(1) Monks, there is a kind of joy that is material, [1]
There is another kind of joy that is high-minded, [2]
And there is yet another kind of joy which is transcendent. [3]
(2) There is a kind of happiness that is material,
There is another kind of happiness that is high-minded,
And there is yet another kind of happiness which is transcendent.
(3) There is a kind of poise that is material,
There is another kind of poise that is high-minded,
And there is yet another kind of poise which is transcendent. [4]
(4) There is a kind of liberation that is material,
There is another kind of liberation that is high-minded,
And there is yet another kind of liberation which is transcendent.
1. Kinds of Joy
A. Material Joy
What is material joy?
Monks, there are these five kinds of sensory experiences.
What five?
Forms perceived by the eye
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting. [5]
Sounds perceived by the ear
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Odors perceived by the nose
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
mingled with desire and exciting.
Flavors perceived by the tongue
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Tangibles perceived by the body
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
These are the five kinds of sensory experiences.
The joy that arises because of any of those five kinds of sensory experiences,
That is called material joy.
B. High-Minded Joy
And what is high-minded joy?
Letting go of all sensory engagement,
letting go of unwholesome mental states,
still attended by thinking and reflection,
with the blissful happiness born of letting go,
One understands and abides
in the first level of meditation.
With the calming of thinking and reflection,
With inner tranquilization,
One’s mind becoming unified,
Without thinking and reflection,
With the blissful happiness born of mental stillness,
One understands and abides
in the second level of meditation.
That is called high-minded joy.
C. Transcendent Joy
What is transcendent joy?
The joy that arises when a monk who has gotten rid of all mental agitation,
looks back upon their own mind
and sees it cleansed of craving,
cleansed of anger
and cleansed of restlessness, [6]
that is called transcendent joy.
2. Kinds of Happiness
A. Material Happiness
What is material happiness?
Monks, there are these five kinds of sensory experiences.
What five?
Forms perceived by the eye
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Sounds perceived by the ear
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Odors perceived by the nose
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
mingled with desire and exciting.
Flavors perceived by the tongue
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Tangibles perceived by the body
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
These are the five kinds of sensory experiences.
The joy that arises because of any of those five kinds of sensory experiences,
That is called material happiness.
B. High-Minded Happiness
And what is the high-minded happiness?
Letting go of all sensory engagement,
letting go of unwholesome mental states,
still attended by thinking and reflection,
with the blissful happiness born of letting go,
One understands and abides
in the first level of meditation.
With the calming of thinking and reflection,
With inner tranquilization,
One’s mind becoming unified,
Without thinking and reflection,
With the blissful happiness born of mental stillness,
One understands and abides
in the second level of meditation.
With the calming of stronger joy,
Abiding in mental steadiness,
Present and fully aware,
Experiencing happiness within his body
That state, which the Ariyas describe as:
“Steady presence of mind:
This is a pleasant abiding.”
One understands and abides
in the third level of meditation.
This is called high-minded happiness.
C. Transcendent Happiness
What is transcendent happiness?
The happiness that arises when a monk who has gotten rid of all mental agitation,
looks back upon their own mind
and sees it cleansed of craving,
cleansed of anger
and cleansed of restlessness,
that is called transcendent happiness.
3. Kinds of Poise
A. Material Poise
What is material poise?
Monks, there are these five kinds of sensory experiences.
What five?
Forms perceived by the eye
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Sounds perceived by the ear
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Odors perceived by the nose
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
mingled with desire and exciting.
Flavors perceived by the tongue
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
Tangibles perceived by the body
which are desired and loved,
Seductive and enticing,
Mingled with desire and exciting.
These are the five kinds of sensory experiences.
The poise that arises because of any of those five kinds of sensory experiences,
That is called material poise.
B. High-Minded Poise
And what is the high-minded poise?
Unattached to pleasant experiences,
Unstirred by unpleasant ones,
As mental excitement and heaviness settle,
One’s mind is balanced,
Purified by unmoving presence,
One understands and abides
in the fourth level of meditation.
This is called high-minded poise.
C. Transcendent Poise
What is transcendent poise?
The poise that arises when a monk who has gotten rid of all mental agitation,
looks back upon their own mind
and sees it cleansed of craving,
cleansed of anger
and cleansed of restlessness,
that is called transcendent poise.
4. Kinds of Liberation
A. Material Liberation
What is material liberation?
The liberations of the mind still connected with matter,
This is called material liberation.[7]
B. High-Minded Liberation
And what is the high-minded liberation?
The liberations of the mind still connected with the formless states,
This is called high-minded liberation.[8]
C. Transcendent Liberation
What is transcendent liberation?
The liberation that arises when a monk who has gotten rid of all mental agitation,
looks back upon their own minds
and sees it cleansed of craving,
cleansed of anger
and cleansed of restlessness,
that is called transcendent liberation.
[1] Sāmisā pīti: Lit. Carnal, fleshy. Meaning : Worldly, mundane, materialistic, physical, corporeal, of the senses.
[2] Nirāmisā: Lit. Non-carnal. Meaning: Divine, spiritual, exalted, high-minded, of the higher-mind
[3] Nirāmisatarā: tara; Lit. traversing, crossing, passing over. Fig. transcending, going beyond. i.e taraṇa.
[4] noun: poise 1. graceful and elegant bearing in a person. 2. composure and dignity of manner. 3. ARCHAIC
balance; equilibrium. Oxford Languages ·
[5] Cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā
[6] Yā kho, bhikkhave, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno rāgā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ paccavekkhato, dosā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ paccavekkhato, mohā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ paccavekkhato uppajjati pīti…
[7] Rūpappaṭisaṁyutto vimokkho sāmiso vimokkho.
[8] Arūpappaṭisaṁyutto vimokkho nirāmiso vimokkho.
