Saŋyutta Nikaya
Nidāna Vagga
14. Dhatusaɱyutta
Sutta 11
Sattadhatu Sutta
These Seven
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthi at the Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
'Brethren.'
'Yes, lord,' they replied, and the Exalted One said:
There are these seven elements, brethren — which seven?
The radiance-element,
the beauty-element,
the space-infinity-element,
the consciousness-infinity-element,
the nothingness-sphere-element,
the neither perception-nor-non-perception-sphere-element,
the perception-and-feeling-cessation-element
— these are the seven.[1]
When he had so said, a certain brother said this to him: —
'Because of what, lord, are these seven elements revealed?'
That radiance-element, brother, is revealed through darkness.
That beauty-element is revealed through ugliness.
That space-infinity-element is revealed through visible object.
That consciousness-infinity-element is revealed through space-infinity-element.
And similarly each of the remaining three is revealed through the element named previously.
And how, lord, can there be attainment of each of these seven elements?
The radiance, beauty, space-infinity, consciousness-infinity-sphere and nothingness-sphere-elements are to be won by attainment in perception.
The neither-perception-nor-non-perception-sphere-element is to be won by attainment in the remaning activities of mind.
The perception and feeling cessation-element is to be won by attainment of cessation.
[1] All — so the Comy. — the first two included, are modes of Jhāna. Cf. Dialogues, i, 249-51; ii, 119; Bud. Psych. Ethics, 72, 182, 204. Bud. Psychology, 105 f.
