AN 9.32, AN 9.33 Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (1)&(2)

Where we gather to focus on a single discourse or thematic collection from the Sutta Piṭaka (new selection every two weeks)
Locked
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19941
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

AN 9.32, AN 9.33 Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (1)&(2)

Post by mikenz66 »

AN 9.32 PTS: A iv 410
Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (1)
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://dhammawheel.com/posting.php?mode=post&f=25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Monks, there are these nine step-by-step dwellings. Which nine? The first jhāna, the second jhāna, the third jhāna, the fourth jhāna, the dimension of the infinitude of space, the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, the dimension of nothingness, the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, the cessation of perception & feeling. These are the nine step-by-step dwellings." [1]


Note

1. This translation follows the Thai edition of the Pali Canon, which is identical with the Burmese edition here. The PTS edition, following the Sri Lankan edition, includes the standard formulae for the nine dwellings, as follows:

"Monks, there are these nine step-by-step dwellings. Which nine?

"There is the case where a monk, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental qualities, enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.

"With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance.

"With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.'

"With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of joy & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain.

"With the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, (perceiving,) 'Infinite space,' he enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space.

"With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, (perceiving,) 'Infinite consciousness,' he enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness.

"With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, (perceiving,) 'There is nothing,' he enters & remains in the dimension of nothingness.

"With the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, he enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

"With the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling.

"These are the nine step-by-step dwellings."

This longer version has the advantage of being more informative than the shorter version, but the shorter version fits better into the pattern of questions that frame this discourse and the following one, AN 9.33. The question there is, "And what, monks, are the nine step-by-step dwelling-attainments?" whereas the question here can be paraphrased as, "Which are the nine step-by-step dwellings?" In line with the fact that AN 9.33 focuses on the attainment of these dwellings — including the formulae for how they are attained — it makes sense that this discourse would simply list the dwellings without describing how they are attained.
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19941
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: AN 9.32, AN 9.33 Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (1)&(2)

Post by mikenz66 »

AN 9.33 PTS: A iv 410
Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (2)
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Monks, I will teach you the nine step-by-step dwelling-attainments. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said, "And what, monks, are the nine step-by-step dwelling-attainments?

[1] "Wherever sensual resolves cease and those who repeatedly are stopping sensual resolves dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where do sensual resolves cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping sensual resolves dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful mental qualities, enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. That is where sensual resolves cease, and where those who repeatedly are stopping sensual resolves dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[2] "Wherever directed thoughts & evaluations cease and those who repeatedly are stopping directed thoughts & evaluations dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where do directed thoughts & evaluations cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping directed thoughts & evaluations dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. That is where directed thoughts & evaluations cease, and where those who repeatedly are stopping directed thoughts & evaluations dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[3] "Wherever rapture ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping rapture dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does rapture cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping rapture dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, with the fading of rapture, remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, "Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding." That is where rapture ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping rapture dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[4] "Wherever the pleasure of equanimity[1] ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping the pleasure of equanimity dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does the pleasure of equanimity cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping the pleasure of equanimity dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of joy & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. That is where the pleasure of equanimity ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping the pleasure of equanimity dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[5] "Wherever the perception of form ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of form dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does the perception of form cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of form dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, with the complete transcending of perceptions of 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. That is where the perception of form ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of form dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[6] "Wherever the perception of the infinitude of space ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the infinitude of space dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does the perception of the infinitude of space cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the infinitude of space dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, 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. That is where the perception of the infinitude of space ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the infinitude of space dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[7] "Wherever the perception of the infinitude of consciousness ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the infinitude of consciousness dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does the perception of the infinitude of consciousness cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the infinitude of consciousness dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, 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. That is where the perception of the infinitude of consciousness ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the infinitude of consciousness dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[8] "Wherever the perception of nothingness ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of nothingness dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does the perception of nothingness cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of nothingness dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. That is where the perception of nothingness ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of nothingness dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

[9] "Wherever the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases and those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception dwell: Surely, I tell you, by that factor those venerable ones are free from hunger, unbound, having crossed over & gone to the far shore.

"Now if someone should say, 'Where does the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception cease? And where do those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception dwell? I don't know that; I don't see that,' he should be told, 'There is the case, friend, where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling.[2] That is where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases, and where those who repeatedly are stopping the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception dwell.' Surely, a person without guile or deceit, (saying,) 'Very good,' would delight in & approve of that statement. Delighting in & approving of that statement, paying homage & raising his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he would honor it.

"These, monks, are the nine step-by-step dwelling-attainments."


Note

1. In AN 9.34, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the "affliction" of the third jhāna that is abandoned in the fourth jhāna is said to be equanimity. However, the fourth jhāna also contains equanimity. Thus the statement in this sutta — that the pleasure of equanimity is abandoned in the fourth jhāna — seems more consistent with the fourth jhāna as described in the standard formula. AN 9.42 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is in agreement with this sutta on this point.

2. Notice that this description of the cessation of perception & feeling lacks the statement often added in passages where this attainment is described: "and, having seen [that] with discernment, his effluents are completely ended."
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19941
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: AN 9.32, AN 9.33 Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (1)&(2)

Post by mikenz66 »

AN 9.33 Vihāra Sutta
Translated by Sister Uppalavanna


http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pit ... ggo-e.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2. Anupubbavihàrasamàpattisutta The successive abidings in ascending order

004.02. ßBhikkhus, I will tell these nine successive abidings in ascending order, listen and attend carefully. What are the successive abidings in ascending order?

When sensuality ceases and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of sensuality, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how does sensuality cease and who abides in the cessation of sensuality. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, secluding the mind from sensual desires and demeritorious thoughts, abides in the first higher state of the mind, with thoughts and discursive thoughts. Then sensuality ceases and he abides in the cessation of sensuality'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When thoughts and discursive thoughts cease and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of thoughts and discursive thoughts, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how do thoughts and discursive thoughts cease and who abides in the cessation of thoughts and discursive thoughts. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, overcoming thoughts and discursive thoughts ... re ... abides in the second higher state of the mind, then thoughts and discursive thoughts cease and he abides in the cessation of thoughts and discursive thoughts.'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When joy ceases and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of joy, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how does joy cease and who abides in the cessation of joy. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, with equanimity to joy and disenchantment ... re ... abides in the third higher state of the mind, then joy ceases and he abides in the cessation of joy.'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When the pleasantness of equanimity ceases and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of the pleasantness of equanimity, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how does the pleasantness of equanimity cease and who abides in the cessation of the pleasantness of equanimity. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, dispelling pleasantness and unpleasantness abides in the fourth higher state of the mind, then the pleasantness of equanimity ceases and he abides in the cessation of the pleasantness of equanimity'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When perceptions of matter cease and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of perceptions of matter, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how do the perceptions of matter cease and who abides in the cessation of perceptions of matter. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, overcoming all perceptions of matter, all perceptions of aversion, and not attending to various perceptions, with space is boundless abides in the sphere of space, then perceptions of matter cease and he abides in the cessation of perceptions of matter.' Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When perceptions of the sphere of space cease and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of the perceptions of space, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how do the perceptions of space cease and who abides in the cessation of the perceptions of space. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, having overcome all the perceptions of space, with consciousness is boundless, abides in the sphere of consciousness, then the perceptions of space cease and he abides in the cessation of the perceptions of space'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When perceptions of the sphere of conscioussness cease and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of perceptions of the sphere of consciousness, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how do the perceptions of the sphere of consciousness cease and who abides in the cessation of perceptions of the sphere of consciousness. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, overcoming all perceptions of conscioussness, with there is no-thing abides in the sphere of no-thingness, then perceptions of the sphere of consciousness cease and he abides in the cessation of the perceptions of the sphere of consciousness'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When perceptions of the sphere of no-thingness cease and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of perceptions of the sphere of no-thingness, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how do perceptions of the sphere of no-thingness cease and who abides in the cessation of the perceptions of no-thingness. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-' Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, overcoming all perceptions of no-thingness abides in neither perceptions nor non-perceptions, then perceptions of no-thingness cease and he abides in the cessation of the perceptions of no-thingness'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands.

When neither perceptions nor non-perceptions cease and when the bhikkhu abides in the cessation of neither perceptions nor non-perceptions, I say. `Indeed that venerable one is without craving, cooled, crossed over and gone to the other shore by that factor.' `If someone was to say, how do neither perceptions nor non-perceptions cease and who abides in the cessation of neither perceptions nor non-perceptions.. I do not know or see this.' This is the reply to him.-'Here, when the venerable bhikkhu, overcoming all the sphere of neither perceptions nor non-perceptions, abides in the cessation of perceptions and feelings, then neither perceptions and non-perceptions cease and he abides in the cessation of neither perceptions and non-perceptions.'. Bhikkhus, indeed someone who is not crafty, not deceitful, should readily accept it, delight in it and should associate it with clasped hands. Bhikkhus, these are the nine successive abidings in ascending order.
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19941
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: AN 9.32, AN 9.33 Vihāra Sutta: Dwellings (1)&(2)

Post by mikenz66 »

There are some comments here: http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 1-piya.pdf by Piya Tan in in translation of SN 36.11, which is also here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nypo.html.
The nine progressive abodes (anupubba vihāra) are, namely, [26]
- the 4 form dhyanas (rūpa jhāna),
- the 4 formless attainments (arūpa samāpatti),
- the cessation of perception and feeling (saññā,vedayita,nirodha).

They are profound states of meditative progression, culminating in the cessation of perception and feeling,
attainable only by non-returners or arhats. As such, they can be said to be the meditative stages to
non-return and arhathood. As they are nine profound meditative states, they are are sometimes loosely
called “the 9 dhyanas.”

On a deeper level, by attaining the cessation of the first eight of these nine abodes, we go on to awaken
to true reality. They are also called “the 9 successive cessations” (anupubba,nirodha).[27] The (Anupubba)
Vihāra Sutta 2 calls them “the successive attainments” (anupubba,samāpatti) (AN 9.33/4:410-
414)

[26] D 33.3.2(5)/3:265, 34.2.2(1)/3:290; A 9.33/4:410-414, 9.36/4:422-426; see Tevijja S (D 13) @ SD 1.8 Intro
(2.2) (3) n.
[27] D 33.3.2(6)/3:266, 290; A 9.31/ 4:409, 456; Pm 1.35.
Locked