Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
21. Bhikkhu Saṃyutta
Sutta 1
Kolita [Moggallāna] Suttaṃ
Kolita
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time Bhagava,
roun-Sāvatthi revisiting,
Jeta-woods,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
[2][rhyc][than][bodh] There then Old Man Mahā-Moggallāna said this to the beggars:
"Beggars, my friends!"
Then the beggars responding "Friend!" to Old Man Mahā-Moggallāna
[3][rhyc][than] Old Man Mahā-Moggallāna said this:
"Here, friends, to me,
having attained to solitude,
reflecting to myself therein,
this subject of thought[1] arose in my heart:
'"The becoming silent of the aristocrat.
The becoming silent of the aristocrat."
What then is this 'becoming silent of the aristocrat?'
[4][rhyc][than] At this, friends, it came to me thus:
'Here a beggar,
with the fading away of re-thinking, re-pondering,
internally impassive,
become at one with heart,
without re-thinking, without re-pondering,
enters into and inhabits
the sweet enthusiasm born of serenity
of the second knowing.
This is what is said to be "the becoming silent of the aristocrat."'
[5][rhyc][than] So then, friends, I,
with the fading away of re-thinking, re-pondering
internally impassive,
become whole-heartedly single-minded,
without re-thinking, without re-pondering,
entered into and inhabited
the sweet enthusiasm born of serenity
of the second knowing.
However, friends,
while inhabiting this abiding,
engagement with this attainment
was overpowered by thought
connected with perception and examination.[2]
[6][rhyc][than] There then, friends, The Lucky Man,
appearing through magic power,
said this to me:
'Moggallāna! Moggallāna!
Do not, Brahmin, be careless
in the becoming silent of the aristocrat!
Settle your heart
in the becoming silent of the aristocrat.
Become one with your heart
in the becoming silent of the aristocrat.
Make serene your heart
in the becoming silent of the aristocrat.'
[7][rhyc][than] So then, friends, after a time,
with the fading away of re-thinking, re-pondering
internally impassive,
become at one with heart,
without re-thinking, without re-pondering,
I entered into and inhabited
the sweet enthusiasm born of serenity
of the second knowing.
Whoever, friends,
speaking rightly,
would say:
'The Master enabled
this disciple's attainment
of great-superknowledge.'
Speaking rightly could say of me:
'The Master enabled
this disciple's attainment
of great-superknowledge.'"
[1] Pari-vitakko. Pari = pa = pass ari = around; encompassing. PED: reflection, meditation, thought, consideration. Vitakko: thinking. > curi > curriculum: subject.
[2] Saññā and manasikārā. Both Bhk. Thanissaro and Mrs. Rhys Davids lump these in with vitakka-sahagatā as part of the problem faced here by Mahā-Moggallāna, but both are attributes of jhāna which are found on up to the 4th jhāna. See: MN 111 §6-10:
And whatever there be that's a thing of the second brilliant knowing
— inward tranquillity and enthusiasm
and pleasure and concentration,
contact, sensation, perception [saññā],
intent, emotion, wanting,
undertaking, energy, memory,
detachment, study [Manasikārā.] —
... and so forth with changes for the third and fourth jhānas. The interpretation here is saying that it is 'thinking' arising off these things that is the problem, not those things themselves — that 'thinking' has overcome the attainment of the second jhāna.
