an.6.55 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

About Sona

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha, on Vulture Peak Mountain. And on that occasion Ven. Sona was staying near Rajagaha in the Cool Wood. Then, as Ven. Sona was meditating in seclusion [after doing walking meditation until the skin of his soles was split & bleeding], this train of thought arose in his awareness: “Of the Blessed One’s disciples who have aroused their persistence, I am one, but my mind is not released from the fermentations through lack of clinging/sustenance. Now, my family has enough wealth that it would be possible to enjoy wealth & make merit. What if I were to disavow the training, return to the lower life, enjoy wealth, & make merit?”

Then the Blessed One, as soon as he perceived with his awareness the train of thought in Ven. Sona’s awareness—as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or bend his outstretched arm—disappeared from Vulture Peak Mountain, appeared in the Cool Wood right in front of Ven. Sona, and sat down on a prepared seat. Ven. Sona, after bowing down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Just now, as you were meditating in seclusion, didn’t this train of thought appear to your awareness: ‘Of the Blessed One’s disciples who have aroused their persistence, I am one, but my mind is not released from the fermentations… What if I were to disavow the training, return to the lower life, enjoy wealth, & make merit?’”

“Yes, lord.”

“Now what do you think, Sona. Before, when you were a house-dweller, were you skilled at playing the vina?”

“Yes, lord.”

“And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too taut, was your vina in tune & playable?”

“No, lord.”

“And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were too loose, was your vina in tune & playable?”

“No, lord.”

“And what do you think: when the strings of your vina were neither too taut nor too loose, but tuned to be right on pitch, was your vina in tune & playable?”

“Yes, lord.”

“In the same way, Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to restlessness, overly slack persistence leads to laziness. Thus you should determine the right pitch for your persistence, attunethe pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there pick up your theme.”

“Yes, lord,” Ven. Sona answered the Blessed One. Then, having given this exhortation to Ven. Sona, the Blessed One—as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or bend his outstretched arm—disappeared from the Cool Wood and appeared on Vulture Peak Mountain.

So after that, Ven. Sona determined the right pitch for his persistence, attuned the pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there picked up his theme. Dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute, he in no long time reached & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And thus Ven. Sona became another one of the arahants.

Then, on the attainment of arahantship, this thought occurred to Ven. Sona: “What if I were to go to the Blessed One and, on arrival, to declare gnosis in his presence?” So he then went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “When a monk is an arahant, his fermentations ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and is released through right gnosis, he is dedicated to six things: renunciation, seclusion, non-afflictiveness, the ending of craving, the ending of clinging/sustenance, & non-deludedness.

“Now it may occur to a certain venerable one to think, ‘Perhaps it is entirely dependent on conviction that this venerable one is dedicated to renunciation,’ but it should not be seen in that way. The monk whose fermentations are ended, having fulfilled [the holy life], does not see in himself anything further to do, or anything further to add to what he has done. It is because of the ending of passion, because of his being free of passion, that he is dedicated to renunciation. It is because of the ending of aversion, because of his being free of aversion, that he is dedicated to renunciation. It is because of the ending of delusion, because of his being free of delusion, that he is dedicated to renunciation.

“Now it may occur to a certain venerable one to think, ‘Perhaps it is because he desires gain, honor, & fame that this venerable one is dedicated to seclusion’ … ‘Perhaps it is because he falls back on attachment to precepts & practices as being essential that he is dedicated to non-afflictiveness,’ but it should not be seen in that way. The monk whose fermentations are ended, having fulfilled [the holy life], does not see in himself anything further to do, or anything further to add to what he has done. It is because of the ending of passion, because of his being free of passion, that he is dedicated to non-afflictiveness. It is because of the ending of aversion, because of his being free of aversion, that he is dedicated to non-afflictiveness. It is because of the ending of delusion, because of his being free of delusion, that he is dedicated to non-afflictiveness.

“It is because of the ending of passion, because of his being free of passion… because of the ending of aversion, because of his being free of aversion… because of the ending of delusion, because of his being free of delusion, that he is dedicated to the ending of craving… the ending of clinging/sustenance… non-deludedness.

“Even if powerful forms cognizable by the eye come into the visual range of a monk whose mind is thus rightly released, his mind is neither overpowered nor even engaged. Being still, having reached imperturbability, he focuses on their passing away. And even if powerful sounds… aromas… flavors… tactile sensations… Even if powerful ideas cognizable by the intellect come into the mental range of a monk whose mind is thus rightly released, his mind is neither overpowered nor even engaged. Being still, having reached imperturbability, he focuses on their passing away.

“Just as if there were a mountain of rock—without cracks, without fissures, one solid mass—and then from the east there were to come a powerful storm of wind & rain: the mountain would neither shiver nor quiver nor shake. And then from the west… the north… the south there were to come a powerful storm of wind & rain: the mountain would neither shiver nor quiver nor shake. In the same way, even if powerful forms cognizable by the eye come into the visual range of a monk whose mind is thus rightly released, his mind is neither overpowered nor even engaged. Being still, having reached imperturbability, he focuses on their passing away. And even if powerful sounds… aromas… flavors… tactile sensations… Even if powerful ideas cognizable by the intellect come into the mental range of a monk whose mind is thus rightly released, his mind is neither overpowered nor even engaged. Being still, having reached imperturbability, he focuses on their passing away.”

When one’s awareness is dedicated
to renunciation, seclusion,
non-afflictiveness, the ending of clinging,
the ending of craving, & non-deludedness,
seeing the arising of the sense media,
the mind is rightly released.
For that monk, rightly released,
his heart at peace,
there’s nothing to be done,
nothing to add
to what’s done.
As a single mass of rock isn’t moved by the wind,
even so all forms, flavors, sounds,
aromas, contacts,
ideas desirable & not,
have no effect on one who is Such.
The mind
—still, totally released—
focuses on
their passing away.

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

With Soṇa

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
Now at that time Venerable Soṇa was staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove.
Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,
“I am one of the Buddha’s most energetic disciples.
Yet my mind is not freed from defilements by not grasping. But my family has wealth. I could enjoy that wealth and make merit.
Why don’t I resign the training and return to a lesser life, so I can enjoy my wealth and make merit?”
Then the Buddha knew what Venerable Soṇa was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Vulture’s Peak and reappeared in the Cool Grove in front of Soṇa,
and sat on the seat spread out.
Soṇa bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.
The Buddha said to him,
“Soṇa, as you were in private retreat didn’t this thought come to your mind:
‘I am one of the Buddha’s most energetic disciples.
Yet my mind is not freed from defilements by not grasping. But my family has wealth. I could enjoy that wealth and make merit.
Why don’t I resign the training and return to a lesser life, so I can enjoy my wealth and make merit?’”
“Yes, sir.”
“What do you think, Soṇa?
When you were still a layman, weren’t you a good player of the arched harp?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When your harp’s strings were tuned too tight, was it resonant and playable?”
“No, sir.”
“When your harp’s strings were tuned too slack, was it resonant and playable?”
“No, sir.”
“But when your harp’s strings were tuned neither too tight nor too slack, but fixed at an even tension, was it resonant and playable?”
“Yes, sir.”
“In the same way, Soṇa, when energy is too forceful it leads to restlessness. When energy is too slack it leads to laziness.
So, Soṇa, you should apply yourself to energy and serenity, find a balance of the faculties, and learn the pattern of this situation.”
“Yes, sir,” Soṇa replied.
After advising Soṇa like this, the Buddha, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the Cool Grove and reappeared on the Vulture’s Peak.
After some time Soṇa applied himself to energy and serenity, found a balance of the faculties, and learned the pattern of this situation.
Then Soṇa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.”
And Venerable Soṇa became one of the perfected.
Then, when Soṇa had attained perfection, he thought,
“Why don’t I go to the Buddha and declare my enlightenment in his presence?”
Then Soṇa went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own true goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—is dedicated to six things.
They are dedicated to renunciation, seclusion, kindness, the ending of craving, the ending of grasping, and mental clarity.
It may be, sir, that one of the venerables here thinks:
‘Maybe this venerable is dedicated to renunciation solely out of mere faith.’
But it should not be seen like this.
A mendicant with defilements ended does not see in themselves anything more to do, or anything that needs improvement. They’re dedicated to renunciation because they’re free of greed, hate, and delusion with the end of greed, hate, and delusion.
It may be, sir, that one of the venerables here thinks:
‘Maybe this venerable is dedicated to seclusion because they enjoy possessions, honor, and popularity.’
But it should not be seen like this. …

It may be, sir, that one of the venerables here thinks:
‘Maybe this venerable is dedicated to kindness because they believe that adhering to precepts and observances is the most important thing.’
But it should not be seen like this. …

They’re dedicated to the ending of craving because they’re free of greed, hate, and delusion with the end of greed, hate, and delusion.
They’re dedicated to the ending of grasping because they’re free of greed, hate, and delusion with the end of greed, hate, and delusion.
They’re dedicated to clarity of mind because they’re free of greed, hate, and delusion with the end of greed, hate, and delusion.
When a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t overcome their mind.
The mind remains unaffected. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.
Even if compelling sounds …
smells …
tastes …
touches …
and thoughts come into the range of the mind they don’t overcome the mind.
The mind remains unaffected. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.
Suppose there was a mountain that was one solid mass of rock, without cracks or holes.
Even if violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south,

they couldn’t make it shake or rock or tremble.
In the same way, when a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t overcome their mind. …

The mind remains unaffected. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.
When you’re dedicated to renunciation
and seclusion of the heart;
when you’re dedicated to kindness
and the end of grasping;
when you’re dedicated to the ending of craving
and clarity of heart;
and you’ve seen the arising of the senses,
your mind is rightly freed.
For that one, rightly freed,
a mendicant with peaceful mind,
there’s nothing to be improved,
and nothing more to do.
As the wind cannot stir
a solid mass of rock,
so too sights, tastes, sounds,
smells, and touches—the lot—
and thoughts, whether liked or disliked,
don’t disturb the poised one.
Their mind is steady and free
as they observe disappearance.”