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Majjhima Nikaya 121
1. Thus I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in the Eastern Park, the Palace of Migara's Mother.2. Then when it was evening, the venerable Ananda rose from retreat, and he went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side. When he had done so, he said to the Blessed One:
3. 'Venerable sir, once the Blessed One was living in the Sakyan country. There is a town of the Sakyans called Nagaraka; there I heard and learnt this from the Blessed One's own lips: "Now I abide much in the voiding, Ananda." Venerable sir, was this well heard by me, well apprehended, well attended to and well remembered?' 'Certainly, Ananda, that was well heard by you, well apprehended, well attended to and well remembered. As formerly, so now too, I abide much in the void abiding.
4. 'Ananda, just as the Palace of Migara's Mother is void of elephants, cattle, horses and mares, void of gold and silver, void of the forgathering of women and men, and there is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) the community of bhikkhus; so too, without giving attention to perception of village, without giving attention to perception of man, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of forest. His mind enters into that perception of forest and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of village are not present here, disturbances that would be present on perception of man are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of forest." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of village." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of man.", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of forest." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this has been for him an alighting upon voidness that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning and is pure.
5. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of man, without giving attention to perception of forest, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of earth. His mind enters into that perception of earth and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. Just as though a bull's hide were freed from folds by stretching it with a hundred pegs, so too, without giving attention to all the ridges and hollows, the river ravines, the tracts of stumps and thorns, the rocky inequalities, on this earth, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of earth. His mind enters into the perception of earth and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would have been present dependent on perception of man are not present here, disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of forest are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of earth." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of man." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of forest.", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of earth." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this too has been for him an alighting upon voidness, that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning, and is pure.
6. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of forest, without giving attention to perception of earth, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (on non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of infinite space. His mind enters into that perception of the base consisting of infinite space and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of forest are not present here, disturbances that would be present on perception of earth are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of infinite space." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of forest." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of earth." , (and he understands:) "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of infinite space." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this too has been for him an alighting upon voidness that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning and is pure.
7. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of earth, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of infinite space, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness. His mind enters into the perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of earth are not present here, disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of the base consisting of infinite space are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of earth." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of infinite space", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this too has been for him an alighting upon voidness that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning, and is pure.
8. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of infinite space, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of nothingness. His mind enters into the perception of the base consisting of nothingness and he acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of the base of infinite space are not present here, disturbances that would be present dependent on perception of the base of infinite consciousness are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of nothingness." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of infinite space.", and he understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness.", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of nothingness." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this too has been for him an alighting upon voidness that accords with what is, without perversion of meaning and is pure.
9. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of nothingness, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. His mind enters into the perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on the perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness are not present here, disturbances that would present dependent on the perception of the base consisting of nothingness are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of infinite consciousness." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of nothingness.", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this too has been for him an alighting upon voidness, that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning and is pure.
10. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of nothingness, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) the signless concentration of mind. His mind enters into the signless concentration of mind and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on the perception of the base consisting of nothingness are not present here, disturbances that would be present dependent on the perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, that (disturbance) which has life as its condition dependent on the presence of this body with its six bases." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of nothingness." He understands: "This field of perception is void of perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, that (non-voidness) with life as its condition dependent on this body with its six bases." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this too has been for him an alighting upon voidness, that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning and is pure.
11. 'Again, Ananda, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of nothingness, without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-voidness) dependent on (the presence of) the signless concentration of mind. His mind enters into the signless concentration of mind and acquires confidence, steadiness and decision. He understands thus: "This signless concentration of mind is conditioned and mentally produced." He understands: "Whatever is conditioned and mentally produced is impermanent and liable to cessation." When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, from the taint of ignorance. When liberated there comes the knowledge "It is liberated". He understands: "Birth is exhausted, the life divine has been lived out, what was to be done is done, there is no more of this to come."
12.He understands thus: "Disturbances that would be present dependent on the taint of sensual desire are not present here, disturbances that would be present dependent on the taint of being are not present here, disturbances that would be present dependent on the taint of ignorance are not present here, and only this measure of disturbance is present, that is to say, that (non-voidness) with life as its condition dependent on (the presence of) this body with its six bases." He understands: "This field of perception is void of the taint of sensual desire." He understands: "This field of perception is void of the taint of being." He understands: "This field of perception is void of the taint of ignorance.", (and he understands): "There is (present) only this non-voidness, that is to say, that (non-voidness) with life as its condition dependent on (the presence of) this body with its six bases." So he sees it as void of what is not there, but of what remains there he understands: "There is that still present there." Now this has been for him an alighting upon voidness that accords with what actually is, without perversion of meaning, is pure and is unsurpassed by any other.
13. 'Whatever monks or divines in the past have entered upon and abode in a voidness that was purified and unsurpassed by any other, they have all of them entered upon and abode in this voidness that is pure and unsurpassed by any other.
'Whatever monks and divines in the future will enter upon and abide in a voidness that will be purified and unsurpassed by any other, they will all of them enter upon and abide in this voidness that is pure and unsurpassed by any other.
'Whatever monks and divines in the present enter upon and abide in a voidness that is purified and unsurpassed by any other, they all of them will enter upon and abide in this voidness that is pure and unsurpassed by any other.
'Therefore, Ananda, you should train thus: "We will enter upon and abide in the voidness that is pure and unsurpassed by any other."'That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Ananda was satisfied, and he delighted in the Blessed One's words.
From: "A Treasury of the Buddha's Words" (Discourses from the Middle Collection); translated by Ven. Nyanamoli Thera; edited and arranged by Phra Khantipalo, Wat Bovoranives Vihara, Bangkok, Thailand
Mahamakut Rajavidyalaya Press; 287 Phra Sumeru Road; Bangkok 2, Thailand; 1977
Majjhima Nikaya 121
Cula-Sunnata Sutta
The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
translated by Bhikkhu Thanissaro
The Buddha instructs Ven. Ananda on the practice that leads to the "entry into emptiness," the doorway to liberation.
-oOo-
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother. Then in the evening, Ven. Ananda, coming out of seclusion, approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: "On one occasion, when the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans in a Sakyan town named Nagaraka, there -- face to face with the Blessed One -- I heard and learned this: 'I now often remain in an attitude of emptiness.' Did I hear that correctly, learn it correctly, attend to it correctly, remember it correctly?"
[The Buddha:] "Yes, Ananda, you heard that correctly, learned it correctly, attended to it correctly, remembered it correctly. Now, as well as before, I often remain in an attitude of emptiness. Just as this palace of Migara's mother is empty of elephants, cattle and mares, empty of gold and silver, empty of assemblies of women and men, and there is only this non-emptiness -- the singleness based on the community of monks; even so, Ananda, a monk -- not attending to the perception (mental note) of village, not attending to the perception of human being -- attends to the singleness based on the perception of forest. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its perception of forest.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of village are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of human being are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of forest.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of village. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of human being. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of forest.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(The Perception of Earth)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of human being, not attending to the perception of forest -- attends to the singleness based on the perception of earth. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its perception of earth. Just as a bull's hide is stretched free from wrinkles with a hundred stakes, even so -- without attending to all the ridges and hollows, the river ravines, the tracts of stumps and thorns, the craggy irregularities of this earth -- he attends to the singleness based on the perception of earth. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its perception of earth.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of human being are not present. Whatever disturbances would exist based on the perception of forest are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of earth.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of human being. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of forest. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of earth.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(The Infinitude of Space)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of forest, not attending to the perception of earth -- attends to the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of forest are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of earth are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of forest. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of earth. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(The Infinitude of Consciousness)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of earth, not attending to the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space -- attends to the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of earth are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of earth. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(Nothingness)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space, not attending to the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness -- attends to the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of nothingness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its perception of the sphere of nothingness.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of nothingness.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of the sphere of nothingness.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(Neither Perception nor Non-Perception)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness, not attending to the perception of the sphere of nothingness -- attends to the singleness based on the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the sphere of nothingness are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of nothingness. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(Theme-Less Concentration)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of the sphere of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception -- attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances would exist based on the perception of the sphere of nothingness are not present. Whatever disturbances would exist based on the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of nothingness. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. There is only this non-emptiness: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, and pure.
(Release)
"Further, Ananda, the monk -- not attending to the perception of the sphere of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception -- attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, and indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness.
"He discerns that 'This theme-less concentration of awareness is fabricated and mentally fashioned.' And he discerns that 'Whatever is fabricated and mentally fashioned is inconstant and subject to cessation.' For him -- thus knowing, thus seeing -- the mind is released from the effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances would exist based on the effluent of sensuality...the effluent of becoming...the effluent of ignorance, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the effluent of sensuality...becoming...ignorance. And there is just this non-emptiness: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, pure -- superior and unsurpassed.
"Ananda, whatever contemplatives and priests who in the past entered and remained in an emptiness that was pure, superior, and unsurpassed, they all entered and remained in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, and unsurpassed. Whatever contemplatives and priests who in the future will enter and remain in an emptiness that will be pure, superior, and unsurpassed, they all will enter and remain in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, and unsurpassed. Whatever contemplatives and priests who at present enter and remain in an emptiness that is pure, superior, and unsurpassed, they all enter and remain in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, and unsurpassed.
"Therefore, Ananda, you should train yourselves: 'We will enter and remain in the emptiness that is pure, superior, and unsurpassed.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Ananda delighted in the Blessed One's words.
(translated by Bhikkhu Thanissaro)
Source: Access-to-Insight, http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/majjhima/mn121.html