Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Sāriputta robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then it occurred to him, “It’s too early to wander for alms in Sāvatthī. Why don’t I visit the monastery for the wanderers of other religions?” Then he went to the monastery for the wanderers of other religions and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side.

Now at that time while those wanderers of other religions were sitting together this discussion came up among them: “Reverends, no one who dies with residue is exempt from hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm. They’re not exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld.” Sāriputta neither approved nor rejected that statement of the wanderers of other religions. He rose from his seat, thinking, “I will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself.” Then Sāriputta wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

“Sāriputta, these foolish, incompetent wanderers following other religions: who are they to know whether someone has residue or not?

There are these nine individuals who, dying with residue, are exempt from hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld. What nine? There’s an individual who has fulfilled ethics and immersion, but has limited wisdom. With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next. This is the first individual …

Furthermore, there’s an individual who has fulfilled ethics and immersion, but has limited wisdom. With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing. This is the second individual … With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort. This is the third individual … With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort. This is the fourth individual … With the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm. This is the fifth individual …

Furthermore, there’s an individual who has fulfilled ethics, but has limited immersion and wisdom. With the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, they’re a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering. This is the sixth individual …

Furthermore, there’s an individual who has fulfilled ethics, but has limited immersion and wisdom. With the ending of three fetters, they’re a one-seeder. They will be reborn just one time in a human existence, then make an end of suffering. This is the seventh individual …

Furthermore, there’s an individual who has fulfilled ethics, but has limited immersion and wisdom. With the ending of three fetters, they go from family to family. They will transmigrate between two or three families and then make an end of suffering. This is the eighth individual …

Furthermore, there’s an individual who has fulfilled ethics, but has limited immersion and wisdom. With the ending of three fetters, they have at most seven rebirths. They will transmigrate at most seven times among gods and humans and then make an end of suffering. This is the ninth individual …

These foolish, incompetent wanderers following other religions: who are they to know whether someone has residue or not? These are the nine individuals who, dying with residue, are exempt from hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld. Up until now, Sāriputta, I have not felt the need to give this exposition of the teaching to the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Why is that? For I didn’t want those who heard it to introduce negligence. However, I have spoken it in order to answer your question.”

Then Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita went up to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Sāriputta: “Reverend Sāriputta, is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced in this life be experienced by me in lives to come’?” “Certainly not, reverend.”

“Then is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced in lives to come be experienced by me in this life’?” “Certainly not.”

“Is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced as pleasant be experienced by me as painful’?” “Certainly not.”

“Then is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced as painful be experienced by me as pleasant’?” “Certainly not.”

“Is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced when ripe be experienced by me when unripe’?” “Certainly not.”

“Then is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced when unripe be experienced by me when ripe’?” “Certainly not.”

“Is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced a lot be experienced by me a little’?” “Certainly not.”

“Then is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced a little be experienced by me a lot’?” “Certainly not.”

“Is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds to be experienced by me be not experienced’?” “Certainly not.”

“Then is the spiritual life led under the Buddha for this goal: ‘May deeds not to be experienced be experienced’?” “Certainly not.”

“Reverend Sāriputta, when you were asked whether the spiritual life was lived under the Buddha so that deeds to be experienced in this life are experienced in lives to come, you said, ‘Certainly not’.

When you were asked whether the spiritual life was lived under the Buddha so that deeds to be experienced in lives to come are experienced in this life …

deeds to be experienced as pleasant are experienced as painful …

deeds to be experienced as painful are experienced as pleasant …

deeds to be experienced when ripe are experienced when unripe …

deeds to be experienced when unripe are experienced when ripe …

deeds to be experienced a lot are experienced a little …

deeds to be experienced a little are experienced a lot …

deeds to be experienced are not experienced …

When you were asked whether the spiritual life was lived under the Buddha so that deeds not to be experienced are experienced, you said, ‘Certainly not.’ Then what exactly is the goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha?”

“Reverend, the spiritual life is lived under the Buddha to know, see, attain, realize, and comprehend that which is unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized, and uncomprehended.” “But what is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized, and uncomprehended?” “‘This is suffering.’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ … This is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized, and uncomprehended. The spiritual life is lived under the Buddha to know, see, attain, realize, and comprehend this.”

Then Venerable Samiddhi went up to Venerable Sāriputta, bowed, and sat to one side. Venerable Sāriputta said to him:

“Samiddhi, based on what do thoughts arise in a person?” “Based on name and form, sir.”

“Where do they become diversified?” “In the elements.”

“What is their origin?” “Contact is their origin.”

“What is their meeting place?” “Feeling is their meeting place.”

“What is their chief?” “Immersion is their chief.”

“What is their ruler?” “Mindfulness is their ruler.”

“What is their overseer?” “Wisdom is their overseer.”

“What is their core?” “Freedom is their core.”

“What is their objective?” “Their objective is freedom from death.”

“Samiddhi, when you were asked what is the basis on which thoughts arise in a person, you answered ‘name and form’. When you were asked … what is their objective, you answered ‘freedom from death’. Good, good, Samiddhi! It’s good that you answered each question. But don’t get conceited because of that.”

“Mendicants, suppose there was a boil that was many years old. And that boil had nine orifices that were continually open wounds. Whatever oozed out of them would be filthy, stinking, and disgusting. Whatever exuded from them would be filthy, stinking, and disgusting.

‘Boil’ is a term for this body made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. And that boil has nine orifices that are continually open wounds. Whatever oozes out of them is filthy, stinking, and disgusting. Whatever exudes from them is filthy, stinking, and disgusting. So, mendicants, have no illusion about this body.”

“Mendicants, these nine perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are very fruitful and beneficial. Their objective and culmination is freedom from death. What nine? The perceptions of ugliness, death, repulsiveness of food, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, not-self in suffering, giving up, and fading away. These nine perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are very fruitful and beneficial. Their objective and culmination is freedom from death.”

“Mendicants, visiting a family with nine factors is not worthwhile, or if you’ve already arrived, sitting down is not worthwhile. What nine? They don’t politely rise, bow, or offer a seat. They hide what they have. Even when they have much they give little. Even when they have fine things they give coarse things. They give carelessly, not carefully. They don’t sit nearby to listen to the teachings. When you’re speaking, they don’t listen well. Visiting a family with these nine factors is not worthwhile, or if you’ve already arrived, sitting down is not worthwhile.

Visiting a family with nine factors is worthwhile, or if you’ve already arrived, sitting down is worthwhile. What nine? They politely rise, bow, and offer a seat. They don’t hide what they have. When they have much they give much. When they have refined things they give refined things. They give carefully, not carelessly. They sit nearby to listen to the teachings. When you’re speaking, they listen well. Visiting a family with these nine factors is worthwhile, or if you’ve already arrived, sitting down is worthwhile.”

“Mendicants, the observance of the sabbath with its nine factors is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful. And how should it be observed? It’s when a noble disciple reflects: ‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They are scrupulous and kind, and live full of sympathy for all living beings. I, too, for this day and night will give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. I’ll be scrupulous and kind, and live full of sympathy for all living beings. I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’ This is its first factor. …

‘As long as they live, the perfected ones give up high and luxurious beds. They sleep in a low place, either a cot or a grass mat. I, too, for this day and night will give up high and luxurious beds. I’ll sleep in a low place, either a cot or a grass mat. I will observe the sabbath by doing as the perfected ones do in this respect.’ This is its eighth factor.

They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. This is its ninth factor.

The observance of the sabbath with its nine factors in this way is very fruitful and beneficial and brilliant and bountiful.”

“Mendicants, tonight, several glorious deities, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, came to me, bowed, stood to one side, and said to me: ‘Sir, formerly when we were human beings, renunciates came to our homes. We politely rose for them, but we didn’t bow. And so, having not fulfilled our duty, full of remorse and regret, we were reborn in a lesser realm.’

Then several other deities came to me and said: ‘Sir, formerly when we were human beings, renunciates came to our homes. We politely rose for them and bowed, but we didn’t offer a seat. And so, having not fulfilled our duty, full of remorse and regret, we were reborn in a lesser realm.’

Then several other deities came to me and said: ‘Sir, formerly when we were human beings, renunciates came to our homes. We politely rose for them, bowed, and offered a seat, but we didn’t share as best we could. …’ ‘… we didn’t sit nearby to listen to the teachings. …’ ‘… we didn’t actively listen to the teachings. …’ ‘… we didn’t memorize the teachings. …’ ‘… we didn’t examine the meaning of teachings we’d memorized. …’ ‘… not having understood the meaning and the teaching, we didn’t practice in line with the teaching. And so, having not fulfilled our duty, full of remorse and regret, we were reborn in a lesser realm.’

Then several other deities came to me and said: ‘Sir, formerly when we were human beings, renunciates came to our homes. We politely rose, bowed, and offered them a seat. We shared as best we could. We sat nearby to listen to the teachings, lent an ear, memorized them, and examined their meaning. Understanding the teaching and the meaning we practiced in line with the teaching. And so, having fulfilled our duty, free of remorse and regret, we were reborn in a superior realm.’ Here, mendicants, are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, mendicants! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later, like those former deities.”

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“Householder, I wonder whether your family gives gifts?” “It does, sir. But only coarse sour gruel with false black pepper.” “Householder, someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine. But they give it carelessly, thoughtlessly, not with their own hand. They give the dregs, and they give without consideration for consequences. Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind doesn’t incline toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation. And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers don’t want to listen to them. They don’t actively listen or try to understand. Why is that? Because that is the result of deeds done carelessly.

Someone might give a gift that’s either coarse or fine. And they give it carefully, thoughtfully, with their own hand. They don’t give the dregs, and they give with consideration for consequences. Then wherever the result of any such gift manifests, their mind inclines toward enjoyment of nice food, clothes, vehicles, or the five refined kinds of sensual stimulation. And their children, wives, bondservants, servants, and workers want to listen. They actively listen and try to understand. Why is that? Because that is the result of deeds done carefully.

Once upon a time, householder, there was a brahmin named Velāma. He gave the following gift, a great offering. 84,000 gold cups filled with silver. 84,000 silver cups filled with gold. 84,000 bronze cups filled with gold coins. 84,000 elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 chariots upholstered with the hide of lions, tigers, and leopards, and cream rugs, with gold adornments and banners, covered with snow gold netting. 84,000 milk cows with muslin halter and bronze pails. 84,000 maidens bedecked with jeweled earrings. 84,000 couches spread with woolen covers—shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with canopies above and red pillows at both ends. 8,400,000,000 cloths of delicate linen, cotton, silk, and wool. And who can say how much food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages? It seemed like an overflowing river.

Householder, you might think: ‘Surely the brahmin Velāma must have been someone else at that time?’ But you should not see it like this. I myself was the brahmin Velāma at that time. I gave that gift, a great offering. But at that event there was no one worthy of a religious donation, and no one to purify the religious donation.

It would be more fruitful to feed one individual accomplished in view than that great offering of Velāma.

It would be more fruitful to feed one once-returner than a hundred of those accomplished in view.

It would be more fruitful to feed one non-returner than a hundred once-returners. It would be more fruitful to feed one perfected one than a hundred non-returners. It would be more fruitful to feed one independent Buddha than a hundred perfected ones. It would be more fruitful to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha than a hundred independent Buddhas. It would be more fruitful to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha than to feed one Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. It would be more fruitful to build a dwelling especially for the Saṅgha of the four quarters than to feed the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha. It would be more fruitful to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart than to build a dwelling for the Saṅgha of the four quarters. It would be more fruitful to undertake the training rules—not to kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor—than to go for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha with a confident heart. It would be more fruitful to develop a heart of love—even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder—than to undertake the training rules.

It would be more fruitful to develop the perception of impermanence—even as long as a finger-snap—than to do all of these things, including developing a heart of love for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder.”

“The humans of the land north of Kuru surpass the gods of the thirty-three and the humans of the Black Plum Tree Land in three particulars. What three? They’re selfless and not possessive. They have a fixed lifespan. They have a distinctive nature. The humans of the land north of Kuru surpass the gods of the thirty-three and the humans of the Black Plum Tree Land in these three particulars.

The gods of the thirty-three surpass the humans of the land north of Kuru and the Black Plum Tree Land in three particulars. What three? Heavenly lifespan, beauty, and happiness. The gods of the thirty-three surpass the humans of the land north of Kuru and the Black Plum Tree Land in these three particulars.

The humans of the Black Plum Tree Land surpass the humans of the land north of Kuru and the gods of the thirty-three in three particulars. What three? Bravery, mindfulness, and the spiritual life is lived here. The humans of the Black Plum Tree Land surpass the humans of the land north of Kuru and the gods of the thirty-three in these three particulars.”

“Mendicants, I will teach you about three wild colts and three wild people; three excellent horses and three excellent people; and three fine thoroughbred horses and three fine thoroughbred people. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.

And what are the three wild colts? One wild colt is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another wild colt is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another wild colt is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three wild colts.

And what are the three wild people? One wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

And how is a wild person fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned? It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. But when asked a question about the teaching or training, they falter without answering. This is how they’re not beautiful, I say. And they don’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned.

And how is a wild person fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned? They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. But they don’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned.

And how is a wild person fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three wild people.

And what are the three excellent horses? One excellent horse … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three excellent horses.

What are the three excellent people? One excellent person … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

And how is an excellent person … fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It’s when a mendicant, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously. They’re extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how an excellent person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three excellent people.

And what are the three fine thoroughbred horses? One fine thoroughbred horse … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three fine thoroughbred horses.

And what are the three fine thoroughbred people? One fine thoroughbred person … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

And how is a fine thoroughbred person … fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It’s a mendicant who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how a fine thoroughbred person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three fine thoroughbred people.”

“Mendicants, I will teach you about nine things rooted in craving. And what are the nine things rooted in craving? Craving gives rise to searching. Searching gives rise to gaining material things. Gaining material things gives rise to evaluation. Evaluation gives rise to desire and lust. Desire and lust gives rise to attachment. Attachment gives rise to ownership. Ownership gives rise to stinginess. Stinginess gives rise to safeguarding. Owing to safeguarding, many bad, unskillful things come to be: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, and disputes, accusations, backbiting, and lies. These are the nine things rooted in craving.”

“Mendicants, there are nine abodes of sentient beings. What nine? There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as human beings, some gods, and some beings in the underworld. This is the first abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and unified in perception, such as the gods reborn in the Divinity’s host through the first absorption. This is the second abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that are unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the gods of sublime luminosity. This is the third abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that are unified in body and unified in perception, such as the gods of universal beauty. This is the fourth abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that are non-percipient and do not experience anything, such as the gods who are non-percipient beings. This is the fifth abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they have been reborn in the dimension of infinite space. This is the sixth abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they have been reborn in the dimension of infinite consciousness. This is the seventh abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they have been reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is the eighth abode of sentient beings.

There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. They have been reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the ninth abode of sentient beings.

These are the nine abodes of sentient beings.”

“Mendicants, when a mendicant’s mind has been well consolidated with wisdom it’s appropriate for them to say: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’

And how is a mendicant’s mind well consolidated with wisdom? The mind is well consolidated with wisdom when they know: ‘My mind is without greed.’ … ‘My mind is without hate.’ … ‘My mind is without delusion.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become greedy.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become hateful.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become deluded.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the sensual realm.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the realm of luminous form.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the formless realm.’ When a mendicant’s mind has been well consolidated with wisdom it’s appropriate for them to say: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’”

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. There Venerable Candikāputta addressed the mendicants, “Reverends, Devadatta teaches the mendicants like this: ‘When a mendicant’s mind is solidified by heart, it’s appropriate for them to say: “I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”’”

When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to him, “Reverend Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the mendicants like that. He teaches like this: ‘When a mendicant’s mind is well consolidated by heart, it’s appropriate for them to say: “I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”’”

For a second time …

And for a third time Venerable Candikāputta addressed the mendicants … And for a third time, Sāriputta said to him, “Reverend Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the mendicants like that. He teaches like this: ‘When a mendicant’s mind is well consolidated by heart, it’s appropriate for them to say: “I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”’

And how is a mendicant’s mind well consolidated by heart? The mind is well consolidated by heart when they know: ‘My mind is without greed.’ … ‘My mind is without hate.’ … ‘My mind is without delusion.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become greedy.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become hateful.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become deluded.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the sensual realm.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the realm of luminous form.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the formless realm.’ When a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t occupy their mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.

Suppose there was a stone post, sixteen feet long. Eight feet were buried underground, and eight above ground. And violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south. They couldn’t make it tremor and tremble and quake. Why is that? It’s because that stone post is firmly embedded, with deep foundations. 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 occupy their mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.

If even compelling sounds … smells … tastes … touches … and ideas come into the range of the mind they don’t occupy the mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.”

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: