Aṅguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
II. Anussati Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Elevens
II. Recollection

Sutta 22

Catuttha Samādhi Suttaɱ

Concentration (f)

Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.

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[228]

[1] Now the venerable Sāriputta, addressed the monks:

"May it be the case, monks,
that a monk's winning of concentration is of such a sort that
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time he may be aware?"

■

"We would come a long way, your reverence,
to learn the meaning of this saying
from the venerable Sāriputta.
Well for us, sir, if the meaning of this saying
were to occur to the venerable Sāriputta.
Hearing it from the venerable Sāriputta
the monks would bear it in mind."

■

"It may be the case, monks,
that a monk's winning of concentration is of such a sort that
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time is aware."

■

Pray, Sāriputta, your reverence, in what way may it be that a monk's winning of concentration
is of such a sort that
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time is aware?"

■

"Herein, monks, a monk is conscious thus:

'This is the real,
this is the best
— namely, the calming of all activities,
the rejection of all substrate,
the ending of craving,
the fading of interest,
stopping,
Nibbāna.'

In such a way a monk's winning of concentration
may be of such a sort that
in earth he is unaware of earth,
in water unaware of water,
in heat unaware of heat,
in air unaware of it,
in the sphere of unbounded space unaware of it,
in the sphere of infinite intellection unaware of it,
in the sphere of nothingness unaware of it,
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception unaware of it;
that in this world he is unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it,
in whatsoever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
unaware of the seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, searched into, pondered over by mind
and yet at the same time is aware."