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- Majjhima Nikaya 121
- Cula-Suññata Sutta
- The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
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 & mares, empty of gold & silver, empty of assemblies of women & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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 & hollows, the river ravines,
the tracts of stumps & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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, &
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, & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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,
& 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, & indulges in its
theme-less concentration of awareness.
"He discerns that 'This theme-less concentration of awareness is fabricated &
mentally fashioned.' And he discerns that 'Whatever is fabricated & mentally fashioned
is inconstant & 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 &
unsurpassed.
"Ananda, whatever contemplatives and priests who in the past entered &
remained in an emptiness that was pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all entered
& remained in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed.
Whatever contemplatives and priests who in the future will enter & remain in an
emptiness that will be pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all will enter & remain
in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed. Whatever
contemplatives and priests who at present enter & remain in an emptiness that is pure,
superior, & unsurpassed, they all enter & remain in this very same emptiness that
is pure, superior, & unsurpassed.
"Therefore, Ananda, you should train yourselves: 'We will enter & remain in
the emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed.'"
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Ananda delighted in the Blessed
One's words.