Translating Classical Buddhism to Modern English

The Medium Discourses

Chapter 15: Pairs

（一九〇） 中阿含 雙品 小空經第四 (第五後誦) 190. The Smaller Emptiness
我聞如是： 一時，佛遊舍衛國，在於東園、鹿子母堂。 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and stayed at the Hall of Mṛgāra’s Mother in the Eastern Park.2
爾時，尊者阿難則於晡時從燕坐起，往詣佛所。 稽首佛足，却住一面，白曰： 「世尊一時遊行釋中，城名『釋都邑』。 我於爾時從世尊聞說如是義： 『阿難，我多行空。』 彼世尊所說，我善知、善受，為善持耶？」 2. It was then that Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat of repose and went to the Buddha in the afternoon. He bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew to sit at one side, and said, “One time, the Bhagavān was wandering among the Śākyans in a city named ‘Śākya City.’3 On that occasion, I heard the Bhagavān say something to this effect: ‘Ānanda, I often practice emptiness.’ Did I perceive well, receive well, and retain well what the Bhagavān said?”
爾時，世尊答曰： 「阿難，彼我所說，汝實善知、善受、善持。 所以者何？ 我從爾時及至於今，多行空也。 The Bhagavān then replied, “Ānanda, you truly perceived well, received well, and retained well what I taught. Why is that? From that time until now, I’ve often practiced emptiness.
「阿難，如此鹿子母堂空無象、馬、牛、羊、財物、穀米、奴婢。 然有不空，唯比丘眾。 是為，阿難：若此中無者，以此故我見是空。 若此有餘者，我見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 3. “Ānanda, it’s like this Hall of Migara’s Mother which is empty of elephants, horses, cows, sheep, valuables, grain, or bondservants. But it isn’t empty in that there’s only this assembly of monks. It’s this, Ānanda: If something is absent here, I therefore see it as emptiness. If something remains here, I see it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called that practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.4
「阿難，比丘若欲多行空者，彼比丘莫念村想，莫念人想。 當數念一無事想。 彼如是知： 『空於村想，空於人想。 然有不空，唯一無事想。 若有疲勞因村想故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因人想故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因一無事想故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 4. “Ānanda, if a monk wants to often practice emptiness, he should not attend to perceptions of a village nor to the perceptions of people. He should frequently attend solely to the perception of remoteness. In this way, he knows: ‘I’m empty of perceptions of a village and empty of perceptions of people. But I’m not empty in having only the sole perception of remoteness. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of a village, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of people, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due solely to the perception of remoteness.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.5
「復次，阿難，比丘若欲多行空者，彼比丘莫念人想，莫念無事想。 當數念一地想。 彼比丘若見此地有高下，有蛇聚，有棘刺叢，有沙，有石、山嶮、深河，莫念彼也。 若見此地平正如掌，觀望處好。 當數念彼。 5. “Furthermore, Ānanda, if a monk wants to often practice emptiness, he should not attend to perceptions of people nor to perceptions of remoteness. He should frequently attend solely to the perception of the landscape. If a monk sees the landscape with its high and low points, its masses of snakes, its thickets of thorns, its sand and rocks, and its lofty peaks and deep rivers, he doesn’t attend to those things. If he sees the landscape where it’s flat as the palm of his hand, he regards that as good. He should frequently attend to that.
「阿難，猶如牛皮以百釘張。 極張挓已，無皺無縮。 若見此地有高下，有蛇聚，有棘刺叢，有沙，有石、山嶮、深河，莫念彼也。 若見此地平正如掌，觀望處好。 當數念彼。 6. “Ānanda, it’s just like cowhide stretched out with a hundred nails. Once it’s fully taut, it has no wrinkles or shrinkage. If a monk sees the landscape with its high and low points, its masses of snakes, its thickets of thorns, its sand and rocks, and its lofty peaks and deep rivers, he doesn’t attend to those things. If he sees the landscape where it’s flat as the palm of his hand, he regards that as good. He should frequently attend to that.
「彼如是知： 『空於人想，空無事想。 然有不空，唯一地想。 若有疲勞因人想故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因無事想故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因一地想故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 7. “In this way, he knows: ‘I’m empty of perceptions of people and empty of perceptions of remoteness. But I’m not empty in having only the sole perception of the landscape. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of people, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of remoteness, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due solely to the perception of the landscape.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.
「復次，阿難，比丘若欲多行空者，彼比丘莫念無事想，莫念地想。 當數念一無量空處想。 彼如是知： 『空無事想，空於地想。 然有不空，唯一無量空處想。 若有疲勞因無事想故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因地想故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因一無量空處想故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 8. “Furthermore, Ānanda, if a monk wants to often practice emptiness, he doesn’t attend to perceptions of remoteness nor to perceptions of the landscape. He should frequently attend solely to the perception of the abode of measureless space. In this way, he knows: ‘I’m empty of perceptions of remoteness and empty of perceptions of the landscape. But I’m not empty in having only the sole perception of the abode of measureless space. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of remoteness, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the landscape, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due solely to the perception of the abode of measureless space.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.
「復次，阿難，比丘若欲多行空者，彼比丘莫念地想，莫念無量空處想。 當數念一無量識處想。 彼如是知： 『空於地想，空無量空處想。 然有不空，唯一無量識處想。 若有疲勞因地想故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因無量空處想故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因一無量識處想故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 9. “Furthermore, Ānanda, if a monk want to often practice emptiness, he doesn’t attend to perceptions of the landscape nor to perceptions of the abode of measureless space. He should frequently attend solely to the perception of the abode of measureless awareness. In this way, they know: ‘I’m empty of perceptions of the landscape and empty of perceptions of the abode of measureless space. But I’m not empty in having only the sole perception of the abode of measureless awareness. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the land, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the abode of measureless space, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due solely to the perception of the abode of measureless awareness.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.
「復次，阿難，比丘若欲多行空者，彼比丘莫念無量空處想，莫念無量識處想。 當數念一無所有處想。 彼如是知： 『空無量空處想，空無量識處想。 然有不空，唯一無所有處想。 若有疲勞因無量空處想故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因無量識處想故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因一無所有處想故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 10. “Furthermore, Ānanda, if a monk wants to often practice emptiness, he doesn’t attend to perceptions of the abode of measureless space nor to perceptions of the abode of measureless awareness. He should frequently attend solely to the perception of the abode of nothingness. In this way, he knows: ‘I’m empty of perceptions of the abode of measureless space and empty of perceptions of the abode of measureless awareness. But I’m not empty in having only the sole perception of the abode of nothingness. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the abode of measureless space, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the abode of measureless awareness, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due solely to the perception of the abode of nothingness.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.
「復次，阿難，比丘若欲多行空者，彼比丘莫念無量識處想，莫念無所有處想。 當數念一無想心定。 彼如是知： 『空無量識處想，空無所有處想，然有不空，唯一無想心定。 若有疲勞因無量識處想故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因無所有處想故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因一無想心定故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 11. “Furthermore, Ānanda, if a monk wants to often practice emptiness, he doesn’t attend to perceptions of the abode of measureless awareness nor to perceptions of the abode of nothingness. He should frequently attend solely to the perception of the mental samādhi that’s without perception.6 In this way, they know: ‘I’m empty of perceptions of the abode of measureless awareness and empty of perceptions of the abode of nothingness. But I’m not empty in having only the mental samādhi that’s without perception. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the abode of measureless awareness, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to perceptions of the abode of nothingness, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due solely to the mental samādhi that’s without perception.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded.
「彼作是念： 『我本無想心定，本所行、本所思。 若本所行、本所思者，我不樂彼，不求彼，不應住彼。』 如是知、如是見，欲漏心解脫，有漏、無明漏心解脫。 解脫已，便知解脫。 『生已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦，不更受有，』知如真。 12. “The thought occurs to him: ‘My mental samādhi that’s without perception was rooted in past actions and past intentions. If something [is rooted in] past actions and past intentions, I don’t delight or seek that, and I shouldn’t abide there.’ Knowing and seeing in this way, his mind is liberated from the contaminants of desire and liberated from the contaminants of existence and ignorance.7 Being liberated, he then knows 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.’
「彼如是知： 『空欲漏，空有漏，空無明漏。 然有不空，唯此我身六處、命存。 若有疲勞因欲漏故，我無是也。 若有疲勞因有漏、無明漏故，我亦無是。 唯有疲勞因此我身六處、命存故。』 若彼中無者，以此故，彼見是空。 若彼有餘者，彼見真實有。 阿難，是謂行真實、空、不顛倒也。 謂漏盡、無漏、無為、心解脫。 13. “In this way, they know: ‘I’m empty of the contaminants of desire, empty of the contaminants of existence, and empty of the contaminants of ignorance. But I’m not empty in having only this body of mine with its six senses and continuing life. Whatever weariness there is due to contaminants of desire, I have none of that. Whatever weariness there is due to contaminants of existence and ignorance, I have none of that. The only weariness I have is due to this body of mine with its six senses and continuing life.’ If something is absent here, he therefore sees it as emptiness. If something remains here, he sees it as truly existent. Ānanda, this is called the practice that’s true, empty, and undeluded. This is also called the cessation of the contaminants and being uncontaminated, unconditioned, and liberated in mind.
「阿難，若過去諸如來、無所著、等正覺，彼一切行此真實、空、不顛倒，謂漏盡、無漏、無為、心解脫。 阿難，若當來諸如來、無所著、等正覺，彼一切行此真實、空、不顛倒，謂漏盡、無漏、無為、心解脫。 阿難，若今現在我如來、無所著、等正覺，我亦行此真實、空、不顛倒，謂漏盡、無漏、無為、心解脫。 阿難，汝當如是學： 『我亦行此真實、空、不顛倒，謂漏盡、無漏、無為、心解脫。』 是故，阿難，當學如是。」 14. “Ānanda, all the past Tathāgatas, the Arhats and Completely Awakened Ones, practiced what’s true, empty, and undeluded, which is called the cessation of the contaminants and being uncontaminated, unconditioned, and liberated in mind. Ānanda, all the future Tathāgatas, the Arhats and Completely Awakened Ones, will practice what’s true, empty, and undeluded, which is called the cessation of the contaminants and being uncontaminated, unconditioned, and liberated in mind. Ānanda, all the present Tathāgatas, the Arhats and Completely Awakened Ones, practice what’s true, empty, and undeluded, which is called the cessation of the contaminants and being uncontaminated, unconditioned, and liberated in mind. Ānanda, you should train in this way: ‘I will also practice what’s true, empty, and undeluded, which is called the cessation of the contaminants and being uncontaminated, unconditioned, and liberated in mind.’ Therefore, Ānanda, train yourself in this way.”
佛說如是。 尊者阿難及諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 15. This is what the Buddha said. Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

  1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.736c27-8a2. Direct parallels to this sūtra include MN 121 in Pali and Toh 290 in Tibetan.

    The only significant difference between this version and MN 121 is that the abode that’s neither with nor without conception is missing here. Instead, the text proceeds to the samādhi that’s without perception from the abode of nothingness. Beyond this, however, the two sūtras are nearly identical if we overlook the usual minor differences in wording and the placement of metaphors in the narrative. [back]

  2. Hall of Mṛgāra’s Mother. C. 鹿子母堂, P. migāramātupāsāda, S. mṛgāramātuḥ prāsāda. This was a meeting hall donated to the saṅgha by the laywoman Viśākhā (P. Visākhā). She was given the epithet “Mṛgāra’s Mother” because her husband Mṛgāra took to calling her “mother” after she introduced him to the Buddha’s teaching. Her husband’s name, Mṛgāra, is derived from the root mṛga, which means “animal” or “deer.” This is the reason his name was translated to C. as “young deer” (鹿子). [back]

  3. Śākya City. C. 釋都邑, P. sakyānaṁ nigamo. This cryptic place name might be intended to refer to Kapilavastu (P. kapilavatthu). The C. term 都邑 usually refers to a large regional or capitol city. The land of the Śākyans was a small hinterland affiliated with Kosala, and Kapilavastu was not likely to be a very large city. This would explain why it was called a “town” in Pali. [back]

  4. This is an important point to understand about the Buddhist concept of emptiness. Emptiness is not itself a self-existent abstraction, but a way of describing the absence of one thing in another. This is true of other uses of emptiness in Buddhist texts, such as SĀ 1.48 (265), where metaphors of emptiness are used to describe the insubstantial nature of the five aggregates. Later Prajñāpāramitā-inspired works referred to emptiness much more broadly and abstractly, but it still meant the absence of an intrinsic essence in things, not to a self-existent vacuum or nothingness. Here, the point is made that something (like the Hall of Mṛgāra’s Mother) can be empty of one thing (elephants and horses) but still contain something else (the assembly of monks). [back]

  5. The parallel for C. 疲勞 (“weary, exhausted”) is P. darathā (“stress, anxiety”), which would confirm that the weariness is psychological rather than physical.

    The remainder of this discourse describes a practice of emptying one’s mind of the weariness caused by experiences (specifically, conceptualizations or perceptions). It begins by emptying oneself of the weariness caused by human society and progresses with a gradual reduction of conceptual experience to increasingly subtle levels until all concepts are stopped in a samādhi without perceptions.

    This idea of gradually reducing conceptualization appears roughly equivalent to the framework of meditative attainment that extended the four meditations with four formless samādhis. The more common version of this framework culminates with the cessation of conceptualization and experience (P. saññāvedayitanirodha) or a samādhi of complete cessation (C. 滅盡定). This sūtra seems to be an alternate version of that framework, which might explain why the initial steps involve seclusion from human society and the natural world outside of it. They would refer to practicing the four meditations in seclusion before attaining the formless samādhis. [back]

  6. mental samādhi that’s without perception. C. 無想心定, P/S. animitta cetosamādhi. It’s possible that 想 here was confused with 相, as the two words are homophones and close in meaning (相 means “sign, appearance” and 想 means “idea, notion, concept”) There is therefore a strong temptation to correct the C. reading of 無想 (“without perceptions”) to 無相 (“without signs”). This is because the parallels in P. sources (e.g., MN 121), later C. Abhidharma sources (e.g., the Mahāvibhāṣā), and the Saṃyukta Āgama all agree that this meditative state was animitta cetosamādhi. But there are a couple problems that stop me from amending the word in my translation here.

    First, MĀ was not in the same canonical tradition as SĀ or Xuanzang’s translations. It’s parallel passages often disagree with those Sarvāstivāda texts, so I’ve come to resist reflexively correcting it to reflect those readings.

    The second problem is that there is a fair amount of inconsistency regarding the fourth of the formless samādhis in MĀ. Sometimes, the abode neither with nor without conception (非有想非無想處) is missing, and instead we see something else where we would expect it (cf. MĀ 75, MĀ 82, and MĀ 190). We should also notice the different ways this formless abode was translated in other C. sources: “abode with and without conception” (DĀ and EĀ: 有想無想處), “abode without conception” (MĀ: 無想處), and the more familiar “neither conception nor not conception” (SĀ and MĀ: 非想非非想). Given this inconsistency across many sources, it seems irresponsible to amend passages that may indicate the evolution of this concept in early Buddhist texts. I have therefore left the reading stand as it is. [back]

  7. This passage appears to make the samādhi that’s without perception equivalent to the fourth formless abode that is usually called “neither with nor without conception (or perception).” Here, it must be discarded to attain liberation from rebirth, so it couldn’t be equivalent to nirvāṇa. [back]

Translator: Dōgen Sīṁsāpa (draft) and Charles Patton (editor)

Last Revised: 27 March 2025

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