Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
I. Ānisaṇsa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
I. Profit
Sutta 7
Dutiya Samādhi Suttaṃ
Concentration (b) (by Sāriputta).
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][bodh][olds] Now the venerable Ānanda went to see the Venerable Sāriputta,
and on coming to him
greeted him courteously, and after the exchange of greetings and reminiscent talk,
sat down at one side.
So seated the venerable Ānanda said this to the Venerable Sāriputta:
"Pray Sāriputta, your reverence, 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
and yet at the same time does perceive?"
■
[9] "Yes Ānanda, your reverence, 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
and yet at the same time he may perceive."
■
"Pray, Sāriputta, your reverence, in what way
may that be?"
■
"Once on a time, Ānanda, your reverence,
I myself was staying near this same Sāvatthī in Dark Wood,[1]
and on that occasion I attained to concentration of such a sort
that in earth I was 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 I was unaware of this world,
in the world beyond unaware of it
and yet at the same time I did perceive."
■
"Pray what did you perceive on that occasion, Sāriputta, your reverence?"
■
"One perception arose in me:
'To end becoming is nibbāna.'
Another perception faded out in me:
'To end becoming[2] is nibbāna.'
■
Just as, your reverence,
from a fire of splinters[3]
one spark arises
and another sprak fades out,
even so in me
one perception arose:
'To end becoming is nibbāna',
and another perception,
that to end becoming is nibbāna,
faded out in me.
Yet at the same time, your reverence,
I consciously perceived."
[1] Cf. Vin i, 298; A. iii, 359; K.S. i, 160 n.
[2] I.e. rebirth.
[3] Simile at M. i, 259.
