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an.4.94 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Concentration (Tranquillity and Insight)

“Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case of the individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness, but not insight into phenomena through heightened discernment. Then there is the case of the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, but not internal tranquillity of awareness. Then there is the case of the individual who has attained neither internal tranquillity of awareness nor insight into phenomena through heightened discernment. And then there is the case of the individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“The individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness, but not insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, should approach an individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment and ask him: ‘How should fabrications be regarded? How should they be investigated? How should they be seen with insight?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: ‘Fabrications should be regarded in this way. Fabrications should be investigated in this way. Fabrications should be seen in this way with insight.’ Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“As for the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, but not internal tranquillity of awareness, he should approach an individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness… and ask him, ‘How should the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How should it be concentrated?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: ‘The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind should be made to settle down in this way. The mind should be unified in this way. The mind should be concentrated in this way.’ Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“As for the individual who has attained neither internal tranquillity of awareness nor insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, he should approach an individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment… and ask him, ‘How should the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How should it be concentrated? How should fabrications be regarded? How should they be investigated? How should they be seen with insight?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: ‘The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind should be made to settle down in this way. The mind should be unified in this way. The mind should be concentrated in this way. Fabrications should be regarded in this way. Fabrications should be investigated in this way. Fabrications should be seen in this way with insight.’ Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“As for the individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, his duty is to make an effort in establishing (’tuning’) those very same skillful qualities to a higher degree for the ending of the (mental) fermentations.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

Immersion (3rd)

“Mendicants, these four people are found in the world.
What four?
One person has internal serenity of heart, but not the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.
One person has the higher wisdom of discernment of principles, but not internal serenity of heart.
One person has neither internal serenity of heart, nor the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.
One person has both internal serenity of heart, and the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.
As for the person who has serenity but not discernment: they should approach someone who has discernment and ask:
‘Reverend, how should conditions be seen?
How should they be comprehended?
How should they be discerned?’
That person would answer from their own experience:
‘This is how conditions should be seen, comprehended, and discerned.’
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
As for the person who has discernment but not serenity: they should approach someone who has serenity and ask:
‘Reverend, how should the mind be stilled?
How should it be settled?
How should it be unified?
How should it be immersed in samādhi?’
That person would answer from their own experience:
‘Reverend, this is how the mind should be stilled, settled, unified, and immersed in samādhi.’
After some time they have both discernment and serenity.
As for the person who has neither serenity nor discernment: they should approach someone who has serenity and discernment and ask:
‘Reverend, how should the mind be stilled?
How should it be settled?
How should it be unified?
How should it be immersed in samādhi?’
How should conditions be seen?
How should they be comprehended?
How should they be discerned?’
That person would answer as they’ve seen and known:
‘Reverend, this is how the mind should be stilled, settled, unified, and immersed in samādhi. And this is how conditions should be seen, comprehended, and discerned.’
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
As for the person who has both serenity and discernment: grounded on those skillful qualities, they should practice meditation further to end the defilements.
These are the four people found in the world.”