1.1“Yāvatā, bhikkhave, kāsikosalā, yāvatā rañño pasenadissa kosalassa vijitaṁ, rājā tattha pasenadi kosalo aggamakkhāyati.“As far as Kāsi and Kosala extend, and as far as the dominion of King Pasenadi of Kosala extends, King Pasenadi is said to be the foremost.1.2Raññopi kho, bhikkhave, pasenadissa kosalassa attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even King Pasenadi decays and perishes.

1.3Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.1.4Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

2.1PTS 5.60Yāvatā, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā pariharanti disā bhanti virocamānā, tāva sahassadhā loko.A galaxy extends a thousand times as far as the moon and sun revolve and the dazzling ones light up the quarters.2.2Tasmiṁ sahassadhā loke sahassaṁ candānaṁ sahassaṁ sūriyānaṁ sahassaṁ sinerupabbatarājānaṁ sahassaṁ jambudīpānaṁ sahassaṁ aparagoyānānaṁ sahassaṁ uttarakurūnaṁ sahassaṁ pubbavidehānaṁ cattāri mahāsamuddasahassāni cattāri mahārājasahassāni sahassaṁ cātumahārājikānaṁ sahassaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ sahassaṁ yāmānaṁ sahassaṁ tusitānaṁ sahassaṁ nimmānaratīnaṁ sahassaṁ paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ sahassaṁ brahmalokānaṁ.In that galaxy there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sinerus king of mountains, a thousand Black Plum Tree Lands, a thousand lands west of Godāvarī, a thousand lands north of Kuru, a thousand lands east of Videha, four thousand oceans, four thousand great kings, a thousand realms of the gods of the four great kings, a thousand realms of the gods of the thirty-three, of the gods of Yama, of the joyful gods, of the gods who love to create, of the gods who control what is created by others, and a thousand realms of divinity.2.3Yāvatā, bhikkhave, sahassī lokadhātu, mahābrahmā tattha aggamakkhāyati.As far as the galaxy extends, the Great Divinity is said to be the foremost.2.4Mahābrahmunopi kho, bhikkhave, attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the Great Divinity decays and perishes.

2.5Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.2.6Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

3.1Hoti so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ ayaṁ loko saṁvaṭṭati.There comes a time when this cosmos contracts.3.2Saṁvaṭṭamāne, bhikkhave, loke yebhuyyena sattā ābhassarasaṁvattanikā bhavanti.As it contracts, most sentient beings migrate to the realm of sublime luminosity.3.3Te tattha honti manomayā pītibhakkhā sayaṁpabhā antalikkhecarā subhaṭṭhāyino ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭhanti.There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.3.4Saṁvaṭṭamāne, bhikkhave, loke ābhassarā devā aggamakkhāyanti.When the cosmos is contracting, the gods of sublime luminosity are said to be the foremost.3.5Ābhassarānampi kho, bhikkhave, devānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the gods of sublime luminosity decay and perish.

3.6Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.3.7Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

4.1Dasayimāni, bhikkhave, kasiṇāyatanāni.∥There are these ten universal dimensions of meditation.4.2Katamāni dasa?What ten?4.3Pathavīkasiṇameko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ;Someone perceives the meditation on universal earth above, below, across, undivided and limitless.4.4āpokasiṇameko sañjānāti …pe…They perceive the meditation on universal water …4.5tejokasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal fire …4.6vāyokasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal air …4.7nīlakasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal blue …4.8pītakasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal yellow …4.9lohitakasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal red …4.10odātakasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal white …4.11ākāsakasiṇameko sañjānāti …the meditation on universal space …4.12viññāṇakasiṇameko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ.They perceive the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless.4.13Imāni kho, bhikkhave, dasa kasiṇāyatanāni.These are the ten universal dimensions of meditation.

5.1PTS 5.61Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ dasannaṁ kasiṇāyatanānaṁ yadidaṁ viññāṇakasiṇaṁ eko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ.The best of these ten universal dimensions of meditation is when someone perceives the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless.5.2Evaṁsaññinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā.Some sentient beings perceive like this.5.3Evaṁsaññīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the sentient beings who perceive like this decay and perish.

5.4Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.5.5Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

6.1Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, abhibhāyatanāni.∥There are these eight dimensions of mastery.6.2Katamāni aṭṭha?What eight?6.3Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni;Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly.6.4‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’6.5Idaṁ paṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the first dimension of mastery.

7.1Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni;Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly.7.2‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’7.3Idaṁ dutiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the second dimension of mastery.

8.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni;Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly.8.2‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’8.3Idaṁ tatiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the third dimension of mastery.

9.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni;Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly.9.2‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’9.3Idaṁ catutthaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the fourth dimension of mastery.

10.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati nīlāni nīlavaṇṇāni nīlanidassanāni nīlanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, blue, with blue color and blue appearance.10.2Seyyathāpi nāma umāpupphaṁ nīlaṁ nīlavaṇṇaṁ nīlanidassanaṁ nīlanibhāsaṁ, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ nīlaṁ nīlavaṇṇaṁ nīlanidassanaṁ nīlanibhāsaṁ;They’re like a flax flower that’s blue, with blue color and blue appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, blue, with blue color and blue appearance.10.3evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati nīlāni nīlavaṇṇāni nīlanidassanāni nīlanibhāsāni;In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, blue, with blue color and blue appearance.10.4‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’10.5Idaṁ pañcamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the fifth dimension of mastery.

11.1PTS 5.62Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati pītāni pītavaṇṇāni pītanidassanāni pītanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance.11.2Seyyathāpi nāma kaṇikārapupphaṁ pītaṁ pītavaṇṇaṁ pītanidassanaṁ pītanibhāsaṁ, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ pītaṁ pītavaṇṇaṁ pītanidassanaṁ pītanibhāsaṁ;They’re like a champak flower that’s yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance.11.3evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati pītāni pītavaṇṇāni pītanidassanāni pītanibhāsāni;In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance.11.4‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’11.5Idaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the sixth dimension of mastery.

12.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati lohitakāni lohitakavaṇṇāni lohitakanidassanāni lohitakanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, red, with red color and red appearance.12.2Seyyathāpi nāma bandhujīvakapupphaṁ lohitakaṁ lohitakavaṇṇaṁ lohitakanidassanaṁ lohitakanibhāsaṁ, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ lohitakaṁ lohitakavaṇṇaṁ lohitakanidassanaṁ lohitakanibhāsaṁ;They’re like a scarlet mallow flower that’s red, with red color and red appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, red, with red color and red appearance.12.3evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati lohitakāni lohitakavaṇṇāni lohitakanidassanāni lohitakanibhāsāni;In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, red, with red color and red appearance.12.4‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’12.5Idaṁ sattamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the seventh dimension of mastery.

13.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, white, with white color and white appearance.13.2Seyyathāpi nāma osadhitārakā odātā odātavaṇṇā odātanidassanā odātanibhāsā, seyyathā vā pana taṁ vatthaṁ bārāṇaseyyakaṁ ubhatobhāgavimaṭṭhaṁ odātaṁ odātavaṇṇaṁ odātanidassanaṁ odātanibhāsaṁ;They’re like the morning star that’s white, with white color and white appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that’s smoothed on both sides, white, with white color and white appearance.13.3evamevaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni;In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, white, with white color and white appearance.13.4‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’13.5Idaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the eighth dimension of mastery.13.6Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha abhibhāyatanāni.These are the eight dimensions of mastery.

14.1PTS 5.63Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imesaṁ aṭṭhannaṁ abhibhāyatanānaṁ yadidaṁ ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni;The best of these dimensions of mastery is when someone, not perceiving form internally, sees forms externally, white, with white color and white appearance.14.2‘tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’14.3Evaṁsaññinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā.Some sentient beings perceive like this.14.4Evaṁsaññīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the sentient beings who perceive like this decay and perish.

14.5Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.14.6Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

15.1Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.There are four ways of practice.15.2Katamā catasso?What four?

1. 15.3Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,Painful practice with slow insight,
2. 15.4dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,painful practice with swift insight,
3. 15.5sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,pleasant practice with slow insight, and
4. 15.6sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā—pleasant practice with swift insight.

15.7imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā.These are the four ways of practice.

16.1Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ paṭipadānaṁ yadidaṁ sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.The best of these four ways of practice is the pleasant practice with swift insight.16.2Evaṁpaṭipannāpi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā.Some sentient beings practice like this.16.3Evaṁpaṭipannānampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the sentient beings who practice like this decay and perish.

16.4Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.16.5Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

17.1Catasso imā, bhikkhave, saññā.There are these four perceptions.17.2Katamā catasso?What four?

1. 17.3Parittameko sañjānāti,One individual perceives the limited.
2. 17.4mahaggatameko sañjānāti,One individual perceives the expansive.
3. 17.5appamāṇameko sañjānāti,One individual perceives the limitless.
4. 17.6‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanameko sañjānāti—One individual, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, perceives the dimension of nothingness.

17.7imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso saññā.These are the four perceptions.

18.1Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, imāsaṁ catunnaṁ saññānaṁ yadidaṁ ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanameko sañjānāti.The best of these four perceptions is when someone, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, perceives the dimension of nothingness.18.2Evaṁsaññinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā.Some sentient beings perceive like this.18.3Evaṁsaññīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the sentient beings who perceive like this decay and perish.

18.4Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.18.5Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

19.1PTS 5.64Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, bāhirakānaṁ diṭṭhigatānaṁ yadidaṁ ‘no cassaṁ, no ca me siyā, na bhavissāmi, na me bhavissatī’ti.This is the best of the convictions of outsiders, that is: ‘I might not be, and it might not be mine. I will not be, and it will not be mine.’19.2Evaṁdiṭṭhino, bhikkhave, etaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ:When someone has such a view, you can expect19.3‘yā cāyaṁ bhave appaṭikulyatā, sā cassa na bhavissati;that they will not be attracted to continued existence,19.4yā cāyaṁ bhavanirodhe pāṭikulyatā, sā cassa na bhavissatī’ti.and they will not be repulsed by the cessation of continued existence.19.5Evaṁdiṭṭhinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā.Some sentient beings have such a view.19.6Evaṁdiṭṭhīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the sentient beings who have views like this decay and perish.

19.7Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.19.8Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

20.1Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paramatthavisuddhiṁ paññāpenti.There are some ascetics and brahmins who advocate the ultimate purity of the spirit.20.2Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, paramatthavisuddhiṁ paññapentānaṁ yadidaṁ sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.This is the best of the advocates of the ultimate purity of the spirit, that is, when someone, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.20.3Te tadabhiññāya tassa sacchikiriyāya dhammaṁ desenti.They teach Dhamma in order to directly know and realize this.20.4Evaṁvādinopi kho, bhikkhave, santi sattā.Some sentient beings have such a doctrine.20.5Evaṁvādīnampi kho, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ attheva aññathattaṁ atthi vipariṇāmo.But even the sentient beings who have such a doctrine decay and perish.

20.6Evaṁ passaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavā ariyasāvako tasmimpi nibbindati.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with it.20.7Tasmiṁ nibbindanto agge virajjati, pageva hīnasmiṁ.Their desire fades away even for the foremost, let alone the inferior.

21.1PTS 5.65Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññāpenti.There are some ascetics and brahmins who advocate ultimate extinguishment in this very life.21.2Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapentānaṁ yadidaṁ channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādā vimokkho.This is the best of those who advocate extinguishment in this very life, that is, liberation by not grasping after truly understanding the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape of the six fields of contact.21.3Evaṁvādiṁ kho maṁ, bhikkhave, evamakkhāyiṁ eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā asatā tucchā musā abhūtena abbhācikkhanti:Though I state and assert this, certain ascetics and brahmins misrepresent me with the incorrect, hollow, false, untruthful claim:21.4‘samaṇo gotamo na kāmānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, na rūpānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpeti, na vedanānaṁ pariññaṁ paññāpetī’ti.‘The ascetic Gotama doesn’t advocate the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, forms, or feelings.’21.5Kāmānañcāhaṁ, bhikkhave, pariññaṁ paññāpemi, rūpānañca pariññaṁ paññāpemi, vedanānañca pariññaṁ paññāpemi, diṭṭheva dhamme nicchāto nibbuto sītibhūto anupādā parinibbānaṁ paññāpemī”ti.But I do advocate the complete understanding of sensual pleasures, forms, and feelings. And I advocate complete extinguishment with no fuel for grasping in this very life, wishless, quenched, and cooled.”

21.6Navamaṁ.