Majjhima Nikāya
II. Majjhima-Paṇṇāsa
1. Gahapati Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
II. The Middle Fifty Discourses
1. The Division on Householders

Sutta 52

Aṭṭhaka-Nāgara Suttaɱ^[1]

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

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[349] [14]

[1][than][upal] THUS have I heard:

At one time the venerable Ānanda was staying near Vesāli
in Beluva hamlet.^[2]

Now at that time
the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka had arrived in Pātaliputta
on some business or other.

Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka
approached a monk in Cock’s monastery;^[3]
having approached,
having greeted that monk,
he sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance
the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka
spoke thus to that monk:

“Revered sir,
where is the venerable Ānanda staying at present,
for we are anxious to see the venerable Ānanda?”

“Householder, the venerable Ānanda
is staying near Vesālī
in Beluva hamlet.”

[15] Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka,
having concluded his business in Pātaliputta,
approached the venerable Ānanda
in Beluva hamlet;
having approached,
having greeted the venerable Ānanda,
he sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance,
the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka
spoke thus to the venerable Ānanda:

“Now is there, revered Ānanda,
any one thing
pointed out by that Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One,
[350] whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind, not (yet) freed,
is freed;
or the cankers, not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
or he attains
that matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained?”

“There is one thing, householder,
pointed out by that Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.”

“But what, revered Ānanda,
is this one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained?”

“As to this, householder, a monk,
aloof from the pleasures of the senses,
aloof from unskilled states of mind,
entering into the first meditation
which is accompanied by initial thought
and discursive thought,
is born of aloofness,
and is rapturous and joyful,
abides in it.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This first meditation
is effected and thought out.^[4]

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk,
by allaying initial and discursive thought,
his mind subjectively tranquillised
and fixed on one point,
enters on
and abides in
the second meditation
which is devoid of initial and discursive thought,
is born of concentration
and is rapturous and joyful.

He reflects on this
and comprehends:

‘This second meditation
is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

[16] Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction of the five fetters
binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder,
is one thing pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
[351] whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk,
by the fading out of rapture,
dwells with equanimity,
attentive and clearly conscious,
and experiences in his person
that joy of which the ariyans say:
‘Joyful lives he who has equanimity and is mindful,’
and he enters on
and abides in
the third meditation.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This third meditation is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk,
by getting rid of joy,
by getting rid of anguish,
by the going down of his former pleasures and sorrows,
enters on
and abides in
the fourth meditation
which has neither anguish nor joy,
and which is entirely purified
by equanimity and mindfulness.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This fourth meditation is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

■

And again, householder, a monk dwells,
having suffused the first quarter with a mind of friendliness,
likewise the second,
likewise the third,
likewise the fourth;
just so above,
below,
across;
he dwelt having suffused the whole world
everywhere,
in every way,
with a mind of friendliness
that was far-reaching,
wide-spread,
immeasurable,
without enmity,
without malevolence.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This freedom of mind that is friendliness is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk dwells,
having suffused the first quarter with a mind of compassion,
likewise the second,
likewise the third,
likewise the fourth;
just so above,
below,
across;
he dwelt having suffused the whole world
everywhere,
in every way,
with a mind of compassion
that was far-reaching,
wide-spread,
immeasurable,
without enmity,
without malevolence.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This freedom of mind that is compassion is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk dwells,
having suffused the first quarter with a mind of sympathetic joy,
likewise the second,
likewise the third,
likewise the fourth;
just so above,
below,
across;
he dwelt having suffused the whole world
everywhere,
in every way,
with a mind of sympathetic joy
that was far-reaching,
wide-spread,
immeasurable,
without enmity,
without malevolence.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This freedom of mind that is sympathetic joy is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk dwells,
having suffused the first quarter with a mind of equanimity,
likewise the second,
likewise the third,
likewise the fourth;
just so above,
below,
across;
he dwelt having suffused the whole world
everywhere,
in every way,
with a mind of equanimity
that was far-reaching,
wide-spread,
immeasurable,
without enmity,
without malevolence.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This freedom of mind that is equanimity is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out, that is impermanent, [352] it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk
by wholly transcending perception of material shapes,
by the going down of perception due to [17] sensory impressions,
by not attending to perception of variety,
thinking:
‘Ether^[5] is unending,’
enters on
and abides in the plane of infinite ether.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This attainment of the plane of infinite ether is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, monks, a monk
by wholly transcending the plane of infinite ether,
thinking:
‘Consciousness is unending,’
enters on
and abides in
the plane of infinite consciousness.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This attainment of the plane of infinite consciousness is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.

■

And again, householder, a monk,
by wholly transcending the plane of infinite consciousness,
thinking:
‘There is not anything,’
enters on
and abides in
the plane of no-thing.

He reflects on this and comprehends:

‘This attainment of the plane of no-thing is also effected and thought out.

But whatever is effected and thought out,
that is impermanent,
it is liable to stopping.’

Firm in this,
he attains the destruction of the cankers.

If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers,
then by this attachment to Dhamma,
by this delight in Dhamma,
by the destruction
of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore),
he is of spontaneous uprising,
one who attains nibbāna there,
not liable to return from that world.

This, householder, is one thing
pointed out by the Lord who knows,
who sees,
perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened one,
whereby if a monk dwell diligent,
ardent,
self-resolute,
his mind not (yet) freed,
is freed;
and also the cankers,
not (yet) completely destroyed,
go to complete destruction;
and, too, he attains
the matchless security from the bonds,
not (yet) attained.”

■

When this had been said,
the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka
spoke thus to the venerable Ānanda:

“Revered Ānanda,
it is as though a man who was seeking
for one opening to (some hidden) treasure
were to come at one and the same time
on eleven openings to the treasure.

[353] Even so do I, revered sir,
in seeking for one [18] door to the deathless
come to hear^[6]
at one and the same time
of eleven doors to the deathless.

And too, revered sir,
it is like a man’s house
that has eleven doors;
if his house were on fire
he could make himself safe
by any one of the doors.

Even so can I, revered sir,
make myself safe by any one
of these eleven doors to the deathless.

Now, revered sir,
members of other sects
will look about for a fee for the teacher,
but why should not I pay honour
to the venerable Ānanda?”

Then the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka,
having had the Order of monks
that was at Pāṭaliputta and Vesālī
gathered together,
with his own hand
served and satisfied them
with sumptuous foods,
solid and soft,
and presented each monk
with a separate pair of cloths;
to the venerable Ānanda
he presented a set of three robes
and had a dwelling-place^[7]
that cost five hundred pieces
built for the venerable Ānanda.

^[1] This Discourse is also at A. v. 342 ff., and is there called Dasama Sutta, after the name of the householder. See the notes at G.S. v. 219 ff.

^[2] On a slope of a hill to the south of Vesālī, MA. iii. 12 = Comy. on A.

^[3] MA. iii. 13 says it was made by a seṭṭhi, a rich man, banker or merchant, called Kukkuṭa (Cock).

^[4] abhisaṅkhatam abhisañcetayitaɱ

^[5] As I used “either” for ākāsa in vol. i, I retain it in this volume, although “ether,” for science, no longer means the substratum or ultimate matter out of which come all solids, liquids, gases, etc. Nor is ākasa “space” in such contexts as the above; it is, however, as is nibbāna, in some sense an absolute, for neither of the two is born of kamma, of cause, or of nature, Miln. 268.

^[6] savanāya (for the hearing of); A. v. 346 reads sevanāya (for entering in by), with v.l. savanāya.

^[7] MA. iii. 16, says a paṇṇasālā, a leaf hut (or, hall).