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AN 8.65PTS AN 4.3051 min read

Dimensions of Mastery

Abhibhāyatanasutta

Eight dimensions of meditative mastery, based on the vision of certain shapes and colors.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.65Numbered Discourses 8.65
  • 0.27. Bhūmicālavagga7. Earthquakes

0.3AbhibhāyatanasuttaDimensions of Mastery

1.1“Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, abhibhāyatanāni.“Mendicants, there are these eight dimensions of mastery.1.2Katamāni aṭṭha?What eight?

1.3Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly.1.4‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’1.5Idaṁ paṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the first dimension of mastery.

2.1Ajjhattaṁ rūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly.2.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’2.3Idaṁ dutiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the second dimension of mastery.

3.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati parittāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly.3.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’3.3Idaṁ tatiyaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the third dimension of mastery.

4.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati appamāṇāni suvaṇṇadubbaṇṇāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly.4.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’4.3Idaṁ catutthaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the fourth dimension of mastery.

5.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati nīlāni nīlavaṇṇāni nīlanidassanāni nīlanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, blue, with blue color and blue appearance.5.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’5.3Idaṁ pañcamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the fifth dimension of mastery.

6.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati pītāni pītavaṇṇāni pītanidassanāni pītanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance.6.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’6.3Idaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the sixth dimension of mastery.

7.1PTS 4.306Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati lohitakāni lohitakavaṇṇāni lohitakanidassanāni lohitakanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, red, with red color and red appearance.7.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’7.3Idaṁ sattamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the seventh dimension of mastery.

8.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī eko bahiddhā rūpāni passati odātāni odātavaṇṇāni odātanidassanāni odātanibhāsāni.Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, white, with white color and white appearance.8.2‘Tāni abhibhuyya jānāmi passāmī’ti, evaṁsaññī hoti.Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’8.3Idaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ abhibhāyatanaṁ.This is the eighth dimension of mastery.

8.4Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha abhibhāyatanānī”ti.These are the eight dimensions of mastery.”

8.5Pañcamaṁ.