The Medium Discourses

Chapter 7: King Dīrghāyu

75. The Pure Way to the Imperturbable

1. Thus have I heard:[1] One time, the Buddha traveled to Kuru and stayed at the Kuru town of Kalmāṣadamya.

2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Desires are impermanent, fake, and false. These falsehoods then are illusory, deceptive, and foolish. Whether it’s desires in the present life, desires in the afterlife, forms in the present life, or forms in the afterlife, they are all the domain of Māra. They are Māra’s bait. As a result of them, the mind is affected by measureless bad and unskillful things like longing, anger, and fighting, which become obstacles when the noble disciple trains.

3. “The well-versed noble disciple will perform this contemplation about what the Bhagavān has taught: ‘Desires are impermanent, fake, and false. These falsehoods then are illusory, deceptive, and foolish. Whether it’s desires in the present life, desires in the afterlife, forms in the present life, or forms in the afterlife, they are all the domain of Māra. They are Māra’s bait. As a result of them, the mind is affected by measureless bad and unskillful things, such as longing, anger, and fighting, which become obstacles when the noble disciple trains.’

4. “He thinks, ‘I could accomplish and dwell in a great mental state by shutting out the world and collecting my mind. If I accomplish and dwell in a great mental state by shutting out the worldly and collecting my mind, such a mental state won’t readily produce the measureless bad and unskillful things such as longing, anger, and fighting, which become obstacles when the noble disciple trains.’

5. “With that practice and that training, he thus cultivates and expands his mind, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. Attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry into the imperturbable right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the imperturbable as a result of that previous mentality. This is the first description of the pure way to the imperturbable.

6. “Furthermore, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘Whatever has form, all of four elements and what’s made of the four elements, those four elements are impermanent things. They are painful and ceasing.’ Practicing and training in this way, he cultivates and expands, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. After attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry to the imperturbable right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the imperturbable as a result of that previous mentality. This is the second description of the pure way to the imperturbable.

7. “Furthermore, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘Whether it’s desires in the present life, desires in the afterlife, forms in present life, forms in the afterlife, notions of desire in the present life, or notions of desire in the afterlife, all those notions are impermanent things. They are painful and ceasing.’ At that point, he’ll surely attain a conception of the imperturbable. Practicing and training in this way, he thus cultivates and expands, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. After attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry into the imperturbable right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the imperturbable as a result of that previous mentality. This is the third description of the pure way to the imperturbable.

8. “Furthermore, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘Whether it’s notions of desire in the present life, notions of desire in the afterlife, notions of form in the present life, or notions of form in the afterlife, all those notions are impermanent things. They are painful and ceasing.’ At that point, he’ll attain a conception of the abode of nothingness. Practicing and training in this way, he thus cultivates and expands, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. After attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry into the imperturbable right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the imperturbable as a result of that previous mentality. This is the first description of the pure way to the abode of nothingness.

9. “Furthermore, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘This world is empty, empty of spirit and what belongs to spirit, empty of the permanent, empty of the eternal, empty of the enduring, and empty of the unchanging.’ Practicing and training in this way, he thus cultivates and expands, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. After attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry into the abode of nothingness right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the abode of nothingness as a result of that previous mentality. This is the second description of the pure way to the abode of nothingness.

10. “Furthermore, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘I’m not subject to others or anything belonging to them, nor are they subject to me or anything belonging to me.’ Practicing and training in this way, he thus cultivates and expands, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. After attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry into the abode of nothingness right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the abode of nothingness as a result of that previous mentality. This is the third description of the pure way to the abode of nothingness.

11. “Furthermore, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘Whether it’s desires in the present life, desires in the afterlife, forms in the present life, forms in the afterlife, notions of desire in the present life, notions of desire in the afterlife, notions of form in the present life, notions of form in the afterlife, a conception of the imperturbable, or a conception of the abode of nothingness, all those notions are impermanent things. They are painful and ceasing.’ At that point, he’ll attain the absence of conceptions. Practicing and training in this way, he thus cultivates and expands, readily attaining mental purity in that abode. After attaining mental purity in that abode, the monk might attain entry into the absence of conceptions right there, or wisdom may be his release. Later, when his body breaks up and his life ends, he’ll surely arrive at the abode without conceptions as a result of that previous mentality. This is the description of the pure way to the absence of conceptions.”

12. At the time, Venerable Ānanda was holding a fan and attending to the Buddha. He saluted the Buddha with his hands together and said, “Bhagavān, suppose there’s a monk who thus practices: ‘There’s no “I” or “mine;” “I” won’t exist, and “mine” won’t exist.’ He readily ends what has existed in the past and attains equanimity. Bhagavān, will a monk who practices in this way reach his end and attain parinirvāṇa?”

The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, this is not something that’s certain. He might have that attainment, or he might not.”

13. Venerable Ānanda said, “Bhagavān, how does a monk practice who won’t attain parinirvāṇa?”

The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, suppose a monk practices in this way: ‘There’s no “I” and no “mine;” “I” won’t exist, and “mine” won’t exist.’ He readily ends what has existed in the past and attains equanimity. Ānanda, suppose a monk enjoys that equanimity, attaches to that equanimity, and abides in that equanimity. Ānanda, a monk who practices in this way surely won’t attain parinirvāṇa.”

14. Venerable Ānanda said, “Bhagavān, if a monk has something he accepts, he won’t attain parinirvāṇa?”

The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, if a monk has something he accepts, he surely won’t attain parinirvāṇa.”

15. Venerable Ānanda said, “But, Bhagavān, what does that monk accept?”

The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, there’s something remaining in his practice, which is the abode with and without conceptions, which is the best among existences. That monk will experience it.”

16. Venerable Ānanda said, “Bhagavān, that monk will undertake another practice?”

The Bhagavān told him, “So it is, Ānanda. That monk will undertake another practice.”

17. Venerable Ānanda said, “Bhagavān, what does a monk practice to surely attain parinirvāṇa?”

The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, suppose a monk practices in this way: ‘There’s no “I” and no “mine.” “I” won’t exist, and “mine” won’t exist.’ He readily ends what has existed in the past and attains equanimity. Ānanda, suppose that monk doesn’t enjoy equanimity, doesn’t attach to equanimity, and doesn’t abide in equanimity. Ānanda, practicing in this way, that monk will surely attain parinirvāṇa.”

18. Venerable Ānanda said, “Bhagavān, if a monk accepts nothing, will he surely attain parinirvāṇa?”

The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, if a monk accepts nothing, he’ll surely attain parinirvāṇa.”

19. It was then that Venerable Ānanda saluted the Bhagavān with his palms together and said, “The Bhagavān has described the pure way to the imperturbable. He has described the pure way to the abode of nothingness. He has described the pure way to no conceptions. He has described nirvāṇa without remainder. Bhagavān, what is the noble liberation?”

20. The Bhagavān told him, “Ānanda, the well-versed noble disciple performs this contemplation: ‘Whether it’s desires in the present life, desires in the afterlife, forms in the present life, forms in the afterlife, notions of desire in the present life, notions of desire in the afterlife, notions of form in the present life, notions of form in the afterlife, a conception of the imperturbable, a conception of the abode of nothingness, or a conception of no conception, all those notions are impermanent things. They are painful and ceasing.’ This is said to be self-existence. If a self exists, this is birth, old age, illness, and death.

21. “Ānanda, suppose he has this teaching: ‘Everything ends and ceases without remainder and never again exists. It then has no birth and no old age, illness, or death.’ The noble people thus contemplate. If he has that, it’s surely the teaching of liberation. Whether it’s nirvāṇa with or without remainder, it’s called immortality.

22. “Contemplating and seeing in this way, he’ll surely attain his mind’s liberation from the contaminants of desire and it’s liberation from the contaminants of existence and contaminants of ignorance. After being liberated, he readily knows that he is liberated. He truly knows: ‘Birth has been ended, the religious practice has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I will not again be subject to existence.’

23. “Ānanda, I’ve now described for you the pure way to the imperturbable, described the pure way to the abode of nothingness, described the pure way to no conceptions, described nirvāṇa without remainder, and described the noble liberation. As an honored teacher produces great sympathy, protective mindfulness, and pity, seeks meaning, benefit, well-being, and happiness for his disciples, I’ve done that now. You should go on to do this yourselves. Go somewhere there’s no worldly affairs and sit under a tree in a grove or in an empty and peaceful dwelling. Sitting in reflection, don’t become careless, but diligently apply effort. Don’t let yourself regret it later. This is my instruction. This is my admonition.”

24. The Buddha thus spoke. Venerable Ānanda and the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.542b3-3b28. The direct parallel for this sūtra is MN 106. [Back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 15 October 2024