an.9.34 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Unbinding

I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Sariputta was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Feeding Sanctuary. There he said to the monks, “This Unbinding is pleasant, friends. This Unbinding is pleasant.”

When this was said, Ven. Udayin said to Ven. Sariputta, “But what is the pleasure here, my friend, where there is nothing felt?”

“Just that is the pleasure here, my friend: where there is nothing felt. There are these five strings of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable via the eye—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing; sounds cognizable via the ear… smells cognizable via the nose… tastes cognizable via the tongue… tactile sensations cognizable via the body—agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Whatever pleasure or joy arises in dependence on these five strings of sensuality, that is sensual pleasure.

“Now there is the case where a monk—quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities—enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality, that is an affliction for him. Just as pain arises as an affliction in a healthy person for his affliction, even so the attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality that beset the monk is an affliction for him. Now, the Blessed One has said that whatever is an affliction is stress. So by this line of reasoning it may be known how Unbinding is pleasant.

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation—internal assurance. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with directed thought, that is an affliction for him…

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with rapture, that is an affliction for him…

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress—as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress—enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with equanimity, that is an affliction for him…

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, [perceiving,] ‘Infinite space,’ enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with form, that is an affliction for him…

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, [perceiving,] ‘Infinite consciousness,’ enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with the dimension of the infinitude of space, that is an affliction for him…

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, [perceiving,] ‘There is nothing,’ enters & remains in the dimension of nothingness. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, that is an affliction for him…

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with the dimension of nothingness, that is an affliction for him. Now, the Blessed One has said that whatever is an affliction is stress. So by this line of reasoning it may be known how pleasant Unbinding is.

“Furthermore, there is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling. And, having seen [that] with discernment, his mental fermentations are completely ended. So by this line of reasoning it may be known how Unbinding is pleasant.”

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

Extinguishment is Bliss

At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
There he addressed the mendicants:
“Reverends, extinguishment is bliss!
Extinguishment is bliss!”
When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him,
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what’s blissful about it, since nothing is felt?”
“The fact that nothing is felt is precisely what’s blissful about it.
Reverend, there are these five kinds of sensual stimulation.
What five?
Sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Sounds known by the ear …
Smells known by the nose …
Tastes known by the tongue …
Touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
The pleasure and happiness that arise from these five kinds of sensual stimulation is called sensual pleasure.
First, take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by sensual pleasures beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by sensual pleasures beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That’s the way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by placing of the mind and keeping it connected beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by placing of the mind and keeping it connected beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by rapture beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by rapture beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth absorption.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by equanimous bliss beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by equanimous bliss beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by form beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by form beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by the dimension of infinite space beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by the dimension of infinite space beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by the dimension of infinite consciousness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by the dimension of infinite consciousness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
While a mendicant is in such a meditation, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by the dimension of nothingness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them.
In the same way, should perceptions and attentions accompanied by the dimension of nothingness beset them, that’s an affliction for them.
And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end.
That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.”