長阿含經 9

English (machine translation) 9

Language: English

9.1

9. The Saṅgīti Sūtra, the Fifth, in the Second Section of the Long Āgama Taught by the Buddha

9.3

At one time, the Buddha was wandering among the Mallas together with twelve hundred and fifty bhikṣus, gradually arriving at the Jambu-āmrāvana in the city of Pāvā.

At that time, on the fifteenth day at the full moon, the Bhagavat was seated in the open air, surrounded before and behind by the saṅgha of bhikṣus. After the Bhagavat had taught the Dharma for much of the night, he said to Śāriputra: "Now the bhikṣus from the four directions are gathered together, all practicing diligently and abandoning sleep. My back aches, and I wish to rest for a while; you may now preach the Dharma to the bhikṣus."

9.5

He replied: "Indeed, I shall do as the Holy One instructs."

9.6

Then the Bhagavat folded his saṅghāṭī into four layers, lay on his right side like a lion, and reposed with one foot placed upon the other.

9.7

Then Śāriputra said to the bhikṣus: "Now in this city of Pāvā, Nirgrantha Jñātaputra has not long passed away. After his death, his disciples split into two factions, constantly disputing and searching for each other's faults, reviling one another, and finding fault with each other: 'I know this doctrine, you do not know this; you hold wrong views, while I abide in the right doctrine. Your words are confused and disordered, lacking beginning and end.' Each proclaimed his own words to be true and correct: 'What I say is victorious, what you say is defeated; I am now capable of being the master of debate—if you have any question, you may come and ask me.'"

9.8

"Bhikṣus! At that time, the people of the country who venerated the Nirgrantha became weary and disgusted with the contentious voices of these people, all because their doctrine was not true and correct. If a doctrine is not true and correct, there is no way to attain liberation—just as a decaying stupa can no longer be plastered. This was not taught by a samyaksaṃbuddha. Bhikṣus! Only the Dharma of our Śākya, the Anuttara, is the most true and correct, through which liberation can be attained—just as a new stupa can easily be adorned. This is what was taught by a samyaksaṃbuddha. Bhikṣus! We today ought to collect the Dharma and Vinaya to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may endure for a long time, bringing great benefit and peace to devas and humans. Bhikṣus! The Tathāgata has taught one true doctrine: all sentient beings depend on food to survive. The Tathāgata has taught yet another doctrine: all sentient beings exist conditioned by formations. These are the single doctrines taught by the Tathāgata; we should collect them together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may endure for a long time, bringing great benefit and peace to devas and humans."

9.9

"Bhikṣus! The Tathāgata has taught two true doctrines: first, name; second, form. There are another two doctrines: first, ignorance; second, craving. There are another two doctrines: the view of existence and the view of non-existence. There are another two doctrines: first, lack of shame; second, lack of conscience. There are another two doctrines: first, having shame; second, having conscience. There are another two doctrines: first, the knowledge of destruction; second, the knowledge of non-arising. There are another two doctrines, two causes and two conditions that give rise to sensual desire: first, attractive forms; second, inappropriate attention. There are another two doctrines, two causes and two conditions that give rise to ill will: first, resentment; second, inappropriate attention. There are another two doctrines, two causes and two conditions that give rise to wrong view: first, hearing from another; second, improper reflection. There are another two doctrines, two causes and two conditions that give rise to right view: first, hearing from another; second, proper reflection. There are another two doctrines, two causes and two conditions: first, the liberation of a trainee; second, the liberation of a non-trainee. There are another two doctrines, two causes and two conditions: first, the conditioned realm; second, the unconditioned realm. Bhikṣus! These were taught by the Tathāgata; we should compile and collect them together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may endure for a long time, bringing great benefit and peace to devas and humans."

9.10

"Bhikṣus! The Tathāgata spoke of three correct teachings, namely the three unwholesome roots: first, greed; second, ill will; third, delusion. There are another three teachings, namely the three wholesome roots: first, non-greed; second, non-ill will; third, non-delusion. There are another three teachings, namely the three unwholesome actions: first, unwholesome bodily action; second, unwholesome verbal action; third, unwholesome mental action. There are another three teachings, namely the three unwholesome actions: bodily unwholesome action, verbal unwholesome action, and mental unwholesome action. There are another three teachings, namely the three evil conducts: evil bodily conduct, evil verbal conduct, and evil mental conduct. There are another three teachings, namely the three good conducts: good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, and good mental conduct. There are another three teachings, namely the three unwholesome perceptions: perception of sensual desire, perception of ill will, and perception of harmfulness. There are another three teachings, namely the three wholesome perceptions: perception of non-desire, perception of non-ill will, and perception of non-harmfulness. There are another three teachings, namely the three unwholesome thoughts: thought of sensual desire, thought of ill will, and thought of harmfulness. There are another three teachings, namely the three wholesome thoughts: thought of non-desire, thought of non-ill will, and thought of non-harmfulness.

9.11

"There are another three teachings, namely the three bases of meritorious action: action of giving, action of impartiality, and action of cultivation. There are another three teachings, namely the three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. There are another three teachings, namely the three cravings: craving for sensual pleasure, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence. There are another three teachings, namely the three taints: taint of sensuality, taint of existence, and taint of ignorance. There are another three teachings, namely the three fires: fire of sensual desire, fire of ill will, and fire of delusion. There are another three teachings, namely the three quests: quest for sensual desires, quest for existence, and quest for the holy life. There are another three teachings, namely the three predominances: self-predominance, world-predominance, and Dharma-predominance. There are another three teachings, namely the three elements: element of sensual desire, element of ill will, and element of harmfulness. There are another three teachings, namely the three elements: element of renunciation, element of non-ill will, and element of non-harmfulness. There are another three teachings, namely the three realms: form realm, formless realm, and realm of cessation. There are another three teachings, namely the three aggregates: aggregate of morality, aggregate of concentration, and aggregate of wisdom. There are another three teachings, namely the three trainings: higher morality, higher mind, and higher wisdom.

9.12

"There are another three teachings, namely the three samādhis: emptiness samādhi, wishlessness samādhi, and signlessness samādhi. There are another three teachings, namely the three characteristics: characteristic of stillness, characteristic of energetic exertion, and characteristic of equanimity. There are another three teachings, namely the three knowledges: knowledge of recollecting one's past lives, knowledge of the divine eye, and knowledge of the destruction of the taints. There are another three teachings, namely the three kinds of supernormal manifestations: first, supernormal manifestation of psychic powers; second, preaching the Dharma according to others' minds by knowing them; third, manifestation of instruction. There are another three teachings, namely the three origins of rebirth in the sensual realm: first, being born among humans or devas on account of present sensual desires; second, being born among the Nirmāṇarati devas on account of created sensual desires; third, being born among the Paranirmitavaśavartin devas on account of sensual desires created by others. There are another three teachings, namely the three productions of pleasure: first, sentient beings whose aims are spontaneously accomplished and in whom joyful minds arise, like the devas of the Brahmā-Ābhāsvara heaven when they are first born; second, sentient beings who take mindfulness as pleasure, exclaiming 'Sadhu!', like the devas of Ābhāsvara; third, those who attain the pleasure of stillness, like the devas of Śubhakṛtsna.

9.13

"There are another three teachings, namely the three sufferings: suffering of conditioned existence, suffering of pain, and suffering of change. There are another three teachings, namely the three faculties: faculty of 'I shall understand what is not yet understood', faculty of understanding, and faculty of having understood. There are another three teachings, namely the three halls: hall of noble ones, hall of devas, and hall of Brahmā. There are another three teachings, namely the three grounds for charges: grounds based on seeing, grounds based on hearing, and grounds based on suspicion. There are another three teachings, namely the three discourses: there being such matters in the past, there is such discourse; there being such matters in the future, there is such discourse; there being such matters in the present, there is such discourse. There are another three teachings, namely the three groups of beings: group assured of rightness, group assured of wrongness, and group not assured. There are another three teachings, namely the three griefs: bodily grief, verbal grief, and mental grief. There are another three teachings, namely the three kinds of elders: elder by age, elder by Dharma, and elder by appointment. There are another three teachings, namely the three eyes: physical eye, divine eye, and wisdom eye. Bhikṣus! These are the correct teachings spoken by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the holy life may long endure, bringing much benefit and securing peace for devas and humans.

9.14

"Bhikṣus! The Tathāgata spoke of four correct teachings, namely the four evil verbal actions: first, false speech; second, divisive speech; third, harsh speech; fourth, frivolous speech. There are another four teachings, namely the four wholesome verbal actions: first, truthful speech; second, gentle speech; third, non-frivolous speech; fourth, non-divisive speech.

9.15

"There are another four teachings, namely the four ignoble speeches: saying one has seen when one has not seen, saying one has heard when one has not heard, saying one has sensed when one has not sensed, and saying one has known when one has not known. There are another four teachings, namely the four noble speeches: saying one has seen when one has seen, saying one has heard when one has heard, saying one has sensed when one has sensed, and saying one has known when one has known. There are another four teachings, namely the four kinds of nutriment: edible nutriment, contactual nutriment, mental-volitional nutriment, and consciousness nutriment. There are another four teachings, namely the four experiences [of karma]: there is practicing painful asceticism in the present and later experiencing a painful retribution; there is practicing painful asceticism in the present and later experiencing a pleasant retribution; there is practicing pleasant conduct in the present and later experiencing a painful retribution; there is practicing pleasant conduct in the present and later experiencing a pleasant retribution. There are another four teachings, namely the four clingings: clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to self, clinging to rules and vows, and clinging to views. There are another four teachings, namely the four bodily knots: bodily knot of covetousness, bodily knot of ill will, bodily knot of attachment to rules and vows, and bodily knot of holding to views of a self.

9.16

"There are another four teachings, namely the four thorns: thorn of sensual desire, thorn of ill will, thorn of views, and thorn of conceit. There are another four teachings, namely the four modes of birth: egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, and spontaneously born. There are another four teachings, namely the four foundations of mindfulness; herein, a bhikṣu contemplates the body internally, energetic and unflagging, mindful and unforgetful, putting away covetousness and grief regarding the world; contemplates the body externally, energetic and unflagging, mindful and unforgetful, putting away covetousness and grief regarding the world; contemplates the body internally and externally, energetic and unflagging, mindful and unforgetful, putting away covetousness and grief regarding the world. Contemplating feelings, mind, and phenomena is likewise. There are another four teachings, namely the four right efforts; herein, a bhikṣu brings about the non-arising of unarisen evil states by skillful means; brings about the abandoning of arisen evil states by skillful means; brings about the arising of unarisen wholesome states by skillful means; and, by skillful means, contemplates arisen wholesome states so that they increase and expand.

9.17

"There are another four teachings, namely the four bases of psychic power; herein, a bhikṣu accomplishes the concentration of desire accompanied by the effort of cessation; concentration of energy, concentration of mind, and concentration of investigation are likewise. There are another four teachings, namely the four dhyānas; herein, a bhikṣu, secluded from sensual desires and unwholesome states, with coarse and subtle mental application, born of seclusion, accompanied by joy and pleasure, enters the first dhyāna. With the cessation of coarse and subtle mental application, with inner confidence and unified mind, free from coarse and subtle mental application, born of concentration, accompanied by joy and pleasure, he enters the second dhyāna. With the fading away of joy, he abides in equanimity, mindful and alert, personally experiencing that pleasure of which the noble ones say, 'mindful, equanimous, abiding in pleasure', and enters the third dhyāna. With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the prior fading away of mental joy and grief, neither-painful-nor-pleasant, purified by equanimity and mindfulness, he enters the fourth dhyāna. There are another four teachings, namely the four Brahmā-abodes: first, loving-kindness; second, compassion; third, sympathetic joy; fourth, equanimity. There are another four teachings, namely the four formless attainments; herein, a bhikṣu surpasses all perceptions of form, first ends perceptions of ill will, does not attend to perceptions of diversity, contemplates the boundless space, and having abandoned the sphere of boundless space enters the sphere of consciousness; having abandoned the sphere of consciousness enters the sphere of nothingness; and having abandoned the sphere of nothingness enters the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

9.18

"There are another four teachings, namely the four footprints of the Dharma: the footprint of the Dharma of non-greed, the footprint of the Dharma of non-ill will, the footprint of the Dharma of right mindfulness, and the footprint of the Dharma of right concentration. There are another four teachings, namely the four noble lineages; herein, a bhikṣu is content with robes: he is not joyful when obtaining good ones, nor grieved when encountering poor ones, unstained and unattached, knowing the restraints, knowing the path of escape, being energetic and unflagging in this Dharma, accomplishing his practice without omission or reduction, and is also able to instruct others to accomplish this practice—this is the first dwelling in contentment within the noble lineage. From the past until now, it has never been disturbed, and cannot be reviled by devas, Māra, Brahmā, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, gods, or worldly people; being content with food, bedding, and medicine for illness is likewise. There are another four teachings, namely the four means of gathering: giving, kind words, beneficial action, and common cause. There are another four teachings, namely the four factors of stream-entry: a bhikṣu attains unwavering confidence in the Buddha, unwavering confidence in the Dharma, in the Saṅgha, and in morality. There are another four teachings, namely the four realizations: experiencing realization by seeing form, experiencing realization by bodily cessation, realization by recollecting past lives, and realization by knowing the destruction of the taints. There are another four teachings, namely the four paths: painful practice with sluggish progress, painful practice with swift progress, pleasant practice with sluggish progress, and pleasant practice with swift progress.

9.19

"There are another four teachings, namely the four noble truths: the noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, and the noble truth of the path of escape from suffering. There are another four teachings, namely the four fruits of asceticism: the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arhatship. There are another four teachings, namely the four stations: the station of truth, the station of generosity, the station of wisdom, and the station of stillness. There are another four teachings, namely the four knowledges: knowledge of phenomena, knowledge of what is not yet known, conventional knowledge, and knowledge of the minds of others. There are another four teachings, namely the four special analytical knowledges: analytical knowledge of teachings, analytical knowledge of meanings, analytical knowledge of languages, and analytical knowledge of inspired speech. There are another four teachings, namely the four stations of consciousness: consciousness stationed in form, conditioned by form, dwelling in form, increasing together with craving; it likewise dwells in feeling, perception, and formations. There are another four teachings, namely the four yokes: the yoke of sensual desire, the yoke of existence, the yoke of views, and the yoke of ignorance. There are another four teachings, namely the four unyokings: unyoking from sensual desire, unyoking from existence, unyoking from views, and unyoking from ignorance.

9.20

"There are another four teachings, namely the four purifications: purification of morality, purification of mind, purification of view, and purification by overcoming doubt. There are another four teachings, namely the four knowledges: knowing what to accept when it should be accepted, knowing what to practice when it should be practiced, knowing what to delight in when it should be delighted in, and knowing what to abandon when it should be abandoned. There are another four teachings, namely the four postures: knowing when walking is to be done, knowing when standing is to be done, knowing when sitting is to be done, and knowing when lying down is to be done. There are another four teachings, namely the four kinds of thought: limited thought, extensive thought, boundless thought, and thought of nothingness. There are another four teachings, namely the four ways of answering questions: answering definitively, answering analytically, answering with a counter-question, and setting aside [without answering]. There are another four teachings, namely the four unguardables of a Buddha: the Tathāgata's bodily actions are pure, without defect, such that he has nothing to guard against; his verbal actions are pure, mental actions are pure, and livelihood is pure, which are likewise. These are the correct teachings spoken by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the holy life may long endure, bringing much benefit and securing peace for devas and humans."

9.21

"Furthermore, monks, the Tathāgata has taught five right dharmas, namely the five sense bases: eye and forms, ear and sounds, nose and odours, tongue and flavours, body and tangibles. There are another five dharmas, namely the five aggregates of clinging: the aggregate of clinging to form, and the aggregates of clinging to feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. There are another five dharmas, namely the five hindrances: the hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hindrance of torpor and sleep, the hindrance of restlessness and worry, and the hindrance of doubt. There are another five dharmas, namely the five lower fetters: the fetter of identity view, the fetter of attachment to rules and vows, the fetter of doubt, the fetter of sensual desire, and the fetter of ill will. There are another five dharmas, namely the five higher fetters: desire for form, desire for the formless, ignorance, conceit, and restlessness. There are another five dharmas, namely the five faculties: the faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, and the faculty of wisdom. There are another five dharmas, namely the five powers: the power of faith, the power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, and the power of wisdom.

9.22

"There are another five dharmas, namely the factors of cessation: first, a monk has faith in the Buddha, the Tathāgata, the arhat, the samyaksaṃbuddha, fully endowed with the ten epithets; second, the monk is free from illness, with his body constantly at ease; third, he is straightforward and devoid of deceit—to one who can be so, the Tathāgata shows the path to nirvāṇa; fourth, he concentrates his own mind, keeping it from confusion, remembering and retaining without forgetting what he previously recited; fifth, he is skilled in contemplating the arising and ceasing of dharmas, bringing an end to the root of suffering through noble practice. There are another five dharmas, namely the five [ways of] speaking: speaking unseasonably, speaking falsely, speaking unbeneficially, speaking vain words, and speaking without benevolence. There are another five dharmas, namely the five good [ways of] speaking: speaking seasonably, speaking truthfully, speaking beneficially, speaking gentle words, and speaking with a benevolent mind. There are another five dharmas, namely the five jealousies: jealousy regarding dwellings, jealousy regarding donors, jealousy regarding gain, jealousy regarding appearance, and jealousy regarding the Dharma.

9.23

"There are another five dharmas, namely the five perceptions leading to liberation: first, the perception of the foulness of the body; second, the perception of the foulness of food; third, the perception of the impermanence of all conditioned things; fourth, the perception of the unwholesomeness of all the world; fifth, the perception of death. There are another five dharmas, namely the five elements of escape: first, a monk finds no pleasure in desires, is unmoved by them, and does not draw near them, but only contemplates the escape [from them], delights in seclusion, draws near it without indolence, with his mind pliant, escaping and leaving desires behind; and those taints and entanglements that arise on account of desires are also completely abandoned and eliminated, so that he attains liberation—this is the escape from desires. The escape from ill will, the escape from jealousy, the escape from form, and the escape from identity view are also like this.

9.24

"There are another five dharmas, namely the five bases of joyful liberation. If a monk is energetic without negligence, delights in quiet and secluded places, is single-minded with focused mindfulness, what is not yet liberated attains liberation, what is not yet exhausted attains exhaustion, and what is not yet at ease attains ease. What are the five? Here, a monk hears the Tathāgata preach the Dharma, or hears a fellow practitioner of the brahmacarya preach it, or hears a teacher or elder preach the Dharma; he reflects and contemplates, distinguishing the meaning of the Dharma, and his mind attains joy; having attained joy, he attains love for the Dharma; having attained love for the Dharma, his body and mind are at ease; his body and mind being at ease, he then attains meditative concentration; having attained meditative concentration, he attains true knowledge and vision—this is the first base of liberation. Here, a monk, having rejoiced at hearing the Dharma, upholds and recites it, and also rejoices; preaches it to others, and also rejoices; reflects on and distinguishes it, and also rejoices; and attains concentration upon the Dharma, which is also like this. There are another five dharmas, namely the five persons: one who attains parinirvāṇa in the intermediate state, one who attains parinirvāṇa upon arising, one who attains parinirvāṇa without effort, one who attains parinirvāṇa with effort, and one who goes upstream to Akaniṣṭha. Monks, these are the right dharmas taught by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may long endure, bringing great benefit and bringing peace to devas and humans.

9.25

"Furthermore, monks, the Tathāgata has taught six right dharmas, namely the six internal sense bases: the eye base, the ear base, the nose base, the tongue base, the body base, and the mind base. There are another six dharmas, namely the six external sense bases: the form base, the sound base, the odour base, the flavour base, the tangible base, and the mental-object base. There are another six dharmas, namely the six classes of consciousness: the class of eye-consciousness, and the classes of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-consciousness. There are another six dharmas, namely the six classes of contact: the class of eye-contact, and the classes of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-contact. There are another six dharmas, namely the six classes of feeling: the class of eye-feeling, and the classes of ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-feeling. There are another six dharmas, namely the six classes of perception: perception of forms, perception of sounds, perception of odours, perception of flavours, perception of tangibles, and perception of mental objects. There are another six dharmas, namely the six classes of intention: intention regarding forms, intention regarding sounds, intention regarding odours, intention regarding flavours, intention regarding tangibles, and intention regarding mental objects. There are another six dharmas, namely the six classes of craving: the class of craving for forms, and the classes of craving for sounds, odours, flavours, tangibles, and mental objects. There are another six dharmas, namely the six roots of dispute: if a monk is prone to anger without letting it go, neither respects the Tathāgata, nor respects the Dharma, nor respects the Saṅgha, violates the precepts, defiling them impurely, and is prone to causing many disputes within the Saṅgha, being despised by others, troubling the pure assembly, and bringing unrest to devas and humans. Monks, you should examine yourselves internally: if there is anger and resentment such as would trouble [the Saṅgha], you should assemble the harmonious Saṅgha and extensively employ skillful means to uproot this root of dispute; you should also attentively examine yourselves, and if the knots of resentment have already been extinguished, you should further use skillful means to restrain the mind, not letting them arise again. Monks, being stubborn and dishonest, stingy and jealous, deceitful and hypocritical, attached to one's own views, grasping errors without letting go, deluded by wrong views, and aligned with extreme views, are also like this. There are another six dharmas, namely the six elements: the earth element, the fire element, the water element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element. There are another six dharmas, namely the six modes of investigation: the eye investigates forms, the ear sounds, the nose odours, the tongue flavours, the body tangibles, and the mind investigates mental objects.

9.26

"There are another six dharmas, namely the six elements of escape. If a monk speaks thus: 'I cultivate a mind of benevolence, yet ill will arises again'; other monks should say to him: 'Do not speak thus; do not slander the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata did not say this: that one who cultivates the liberation of benevolence should have thoughts of ill will arise again is impossible. The Buddha said: having eliminated ill will, one only then attains benevolence.' If a monk says: 'I practice the liberation of compassion, yet a mind of jealousy arises; I practice the liberation of sympathetic joy, yet a mind of sorrow arises; I practice the liberation of equanimity, yet a mind of attachment and aversion arises; I practice the practice of non-self, yet a mind of doubt arises; I practice the practice of signlessness, yet manifold confused perceptions arise'—this is also like this. There are another six dharmas, namely the six unsurpassed things: the unsurpassed seeing, the unsurpassed hearing, the unsurpassed gain, the unsurpassed training, the unsurpassed service, and the unsurpassed recollection. There are another six dharmas, namely the six recollections: recollection of the Buddha, recollection of the Dharma, recollection of the Saṅgha, recollection of the precepts, recollection of giving, and recollection of the devas. These are the right dharmas taught by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may long endure, bringing great benefit and bringing peace to devas and humans.

9.27

"Monks, the Tathāgata has taught seven right dharmas, namely the seven unwholesome dharmas: lack of faith, lack of shame, lack of conscience, having heard little, indolence, much forgetfulness, and lack of wisdom. There are another seven dharmas, namely the seven wholesome dharmas: having faith, having shame, having conscience, having heard much, energy, retention, and great wisdom. There are another seven dharmas, namely the seven stations of consciousness: there are beings diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as devas and humans—this is the first station of consciousness; there are beings diverse in body but unified in perception, such as the devas of the Brahmā-Ābhāsvara heavens when first reborn—this is the second station of consciousness; there are beings unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the devas of the Ābhāsvara heaven—this is the third station of consciousness; there are beings unified in body and unified in perception, such as the devas of the Śubhakṛtsna heaven—this is the fourth station of consciousness; and there are beings abiding in the base of infinite space, abiding in the base of infinite consciousness, and abiding in the base of nothingness.

9.28

"There are another seven dharmas, namely the seven diligent practices: first, a monk is diligent in the practice of the precepts; second, he is diligent in extinguishing sensual desire; third, he is diligent in destroying wrong views; fourth, he is diligent in hearing much; fifth, he is diligent in energy; sixth, he is diligent in right mindfulness; seventh, he is diligent in meditative concentration. There are another seven dharmas, namely the seven perceptions: the perception of foulness, the perception of the foulness of food, the perception of the unwholesomeness of all the world, the perception of signlessness, the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering in impermanence, and the perception of non-self in suffering. There are another seven dharmas, namely the seven requisites of samādhi: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness. There are another seven dharmas, namely the seven factors of awakening: the factor of awakening of mindfulness, the factor of awakening of investigation of dharmas, the factor of awakening of energy, the factor of awakening of joy, the factor of awakening of tranquility, the factor of awakening of concentration, and the factor of awakening of equanimity. These are the right dharmas taught by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may long endure, bringing great benefit and bringing peace to devas and humans.

9.29

"Monks, the Tathāgata has taught eight right dharmas, namely the eight worldly dharmas: gain, loss, disgrace, fame, praise, blame, suffering, and pleasure. There are another eight dharmas, namely the eight liberations: possessing form, one contemplates forms—the first liberation; internally without perception of form, one contemplates external forms—the second liberation; the liberation of the beautiful—the third liberation; transcending perceptions of form, extinguishing perceptions of resistance, one abides in the liberation of the base of infinite space—the fourth liberation; transcending the base of infinite space, one abides in the base of infinite consciousness—the fifth liberation; transcending the base of infinite consciousness, one abides in the base of nothingness—the sixth liberation; transcending the base of nothingness, one abides in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception—the seventh liberation; transcending the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one abides in the cessation of perception and feeling—the eighth liberation. There are another eight dharmas, namely the noble eightfold path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. There are another eight dharmas, namely the eight persons: the one practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, the stream-enterer; the one practicing for the realization of the fruit of once-returning, the once-returner; the one practicing for the realization of the fruit of non-returning, the non-returner; the one practicing for the realization of the fruit of arhatship, and the arhat. These are the right dharmas taught by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may long endure, bringing great benefit and bringing peace to devas and humans.

9.30

"Monks, the Tathāgata has taught nine right dharmas, namely the nine abodes of sentient beings: there are beings diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as devas and humans—this is the first abode of sentient beings; there are beings diverse in body but unified in perception, such as the devas of the Brahmā-Ābhāsvara heavens when first reborn—this is the second abode of sentient beings; there are beings unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the devas of the Ābhāsvara heaven—this is the third abode of sentient beings; there are beings unified in body and unified in perception, such as the devas of the Śubhakṛtsna heaven—this is the fourth abode of sentient beings; there are beings without perception and without sensation, such as the non-percipient devas—this is the fifth abode of sentient beings; there are beings abiding in the base of infinite space—this is the sixth abode of sentient beings; there are beings abiding in the base of infinite consciousness—this is the seventh abode of sentient beings; there are beings abiding in the base of nothingness—this is the eighth abode of sentient beings; there are beings abiding in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception—this is the ninth abode of sentient beings. These are the right dharmas taught by the Tathāgata, which you should compile together to prevent disputes, so that the brahmacarya may long endure, bringing great benefit and bringing peace to devas and humans."

9.31

"Bhikṣus! The Tathāgata has taught ten true dharmas, namely the ten dharmas of the adept beyond training: an adept's right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right mindfulness, right effort, right concentration, right knowledge, and right liberation. These are the true dharmas spoken by the Tathāgata, which should be compiled together to prevent disputation, so that the holy life may long endure, bringing great benefit and welfare to devas and humans."

9.32

At that time, the Bhagavat approved what Śāriputra had spoken. The bhikṣus, hearing Śāriputra's discourse, rejoiced and put it into practice.

9.33

The Long Āgama Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha, Fascicle Eight

Translations (1)

The Long Discourses (selected sūtras) — Charles Patton, English

Linked texts (1)

長阿含經 — Classical Chinese