True DhammaLibrary · Community
MN 111PTS MN 3.256 min read

One by One

Anupadasutta

The Buddha describes in technical detail the process of insight of Venerable Sāriputta. Many ideas and terms in this text anticipate the Abhidhamma.

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

  • 0.1Majjhima Nikāya 111Middle Discourses 111

0.2AnupadasuttaOne by One

1.1PTS 3.25Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.11.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,1.4“bhikkhavo”ti.“Mendicants!”

1.5“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.“Venerable sir,” they replied.1.6Bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

2.1“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, sāriputto;“Sāriputta is astute, mendicants.2.2mahāpañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto;He has great wisdom,22.3puthupañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto;widespread wisdom,32.4hāsapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto;laughing wisdom,2.5javanapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto;swift wisdom,2.6tikkhapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto;sharp wisdom,2.7nibbedhikapañño, bhikkhave, sāriputto;and penetrating wisdom.2.8sāriputto, bhikkhave, aḍḍhamāsaṁ anupadadhammavipassanaṁ vipassati.For a fortnight he practiced discernment of phenomena one by one.42.9Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputtassa anupadadhammavipassanāya hoti.And this is how he did it.

3.1Idha, bhikkhave, sāriputto vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.4.1Ye ca paṭhame jhāne dhammā vitakko ca vicāro ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.And he distinguished the phenomena of the first absorption one by one: placing and keeping and rapture and bliss and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.54.2Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.64.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:4.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’74.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.84.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’94.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.10

5.1PTS 3.26Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, he entered and remained in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.

6.1Ye ca dutiye jhāne dhammā—ajjhattaṁ sampasādo ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.And he distinguished the phenomena of the second absorption one by one: internal confidence and rapture and bliss and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.116.2Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.6.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:6.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’6.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.6.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’6.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

7.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti. Yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, he entered and remained in the third absorption, where he meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’

8.1Ye ca tatiye jhāne dhammā—sukhañca sati ca sampajaññañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—And he distinguished the phenomena of the third absorption one by one: bliss and mindfulness and awareness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.8.2tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti, tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.8.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:8.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’8.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.8.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’8.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

9.1PTS 3.27Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, with the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, he entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

10.1Ye ca catutthe jhāne dhammā—upekkhā adukkhamasukhā vedanā passaddhattā cetaso anābhogo satipārisuddhi cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.And he distinguished the phenomena of the fourth absorption one by one: equanimity and neutral feeling and mental unconcern due to tranquility and pure mindfulness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.1210.2Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.10.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:10.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’10.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind without boundaries.10.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’10.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

11.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, he entered and remained in the dimension of infinite space.

12.1Ye ca ākāsānañcāyatane dhammā—ākāsānañcāyatanasaññā ca cittekaggatā ca phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.And he distinguished the phenomena of the dimension of infinite space one by one: the perception of the dimension of infinite space and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.12.2Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.12.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:12.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’12.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.12.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’12.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

13.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, he entered and remained in the dimension of infinite consciousness.

14.1Ye ca viññāṇañcāyatane dhammā—viññāṇañcāyatanasaññā ca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.And he distinguished the phenomena of the dimension of infinite consciousness one by one: the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.14.2Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.14.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:14.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’14.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind free of limits.14.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’14.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

15.1PTS 3.28Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, he entered and remained in the dimension of nothingness.

16.1Ye ca ākiñcaññāyatane dhammā—ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā ca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.And he distinguished the phenomena of the dimension of nothingness one by one: the perception of the dimension of nothingness and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind.16.2Tyāssa dhammā viditā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti.He knew those phenomena as they arose, as they remained, and as they went away.16.3So evaṁ pajānāti:He understood:16.4‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’16.5So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.16.6So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’16.7Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

17.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, he entered and remained in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

18.1So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahati.And he emerged from that attainment with mindfulness.18.2So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahitvā ye dhammā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā te dhamme samanupassati:Then he contemplated the phenomena of that attainment that had passed, ceased, and perished:18.3‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’1318.4So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind without boundaries.18.5So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’18.6Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.Repeated practice of that confirmed this for him.

19.1Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati. Paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he entered and remained in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, his defilements came to an end.

20.1So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahati.And he emerged from that attainment with mindfulness.20.2So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahitvā ye dhammā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā te dhamme samanupassati:Then he contemplated the phenomena of that attainment that had passed, ceased, and perished:20.3‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’1420.4So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.Regarding those phenomena, he meditated without getting involved or shying away, independent, untied, liberated, detached, with mind free of boundaries.20.5So ‘natthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.He understood: ‘There is no escape beyond.’1520.6Tabbahulīkārā natthi tvevassa hoti.By cultivating that he confirmed that there is not.

21.1PTS 3.29Yaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said that21.2‘vasippatto pāramippatto ariyasmiṁ sīlasmiṁ, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyasmiṁ samādhismiṁ, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyāya paññāya, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyāya vimuttiyā’ti, sāriputtameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:they have attained mastery and perfection in noble ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom, it’s Sāriputta.1621.3‘vasippatto pāramippatto ariyasmiṁ sīlasmiṁ, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyasmiṁ samādhismiṁ, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyāya paññāya, vasippatto pāramippatto ariyāya vimuttiyā’ti.

22.1Yaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said that22.2‘bhagavato putto oraso mukhato jāto dhammajo dhammanimmito dhammadāyādo no āmisadāyādo’ti, sāriputtameva taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:they’re the Buddha’s bosom son, born from his mouth, born of the teaching, created by the teaching, heir in the teaching, not in things of the flesh, it’s Sāriputta.1722.3‘bhagavato putto oraso mukhato jāto dhammajo dhammanimmito dhammadāyādo no āmisadāyādo’ti.

23.1Sāriputto, bhikkhave, tathāgatena anuttaraṁ dhammacakkaṁ pavattitaṁ sammadeva anuppavattetī”ti.Sāriputta rightly keeps rolling the supreme Wheel of Dhamma that was rolled forth by the Realized One.”18

23.2Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Buddha said.23.3Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

23.4Anupadasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This discourse describes Sāriputta’s practice of discernment leading to awakening. It fills in the blanks between realizing stream entry and arahantship, reminding us that when a narrative depicts a person realizing the truth while listening to a teaching—as Sāriputta does—there is usually an extensive background of practice behind that. A number of indications suggest that this is among the later discourses: there are no parallels; the exposition is unusually elaborate; there is editorial clumsiness; and a number of terms are unique or characteristic of later texts.

    ↩ mn111:1.1

  2. These are qualities of the Buddha at DN 30:1.26.6 and of Sāriputta again at SN 8.7:3.2.

    ↩ mn111:2.2

  3. “Widespread wisdom” is defined at AN 3.30:3.1 as one who often listens to teachings, applies their mind while listening, and continues to do so afterwards.

    ↩ mn111:2.3

  4. The fortnight between realizing stream-entry while still a student of Sañjaya (Kd 1:23.5.6) and arahantship while overhearing the Buddha teach Dīghanakha (MN 74:5.1).

    Anupada elsewhere means a “following statement” (Bu Pc 4:2.1.11, Vv 35:7.4, Vv 53:9.4). Here it refers to the “discernment” (vipassanā) of each individual phenomena one by one as they occur. This methodical style of contemplation is reflected in the similarly detailed and thorough teachings characteristic of Sāriputta.

    ↩ mn111:2.8

  5. Vavatthita (“distinguished”) occurs elsewhere in the suttas in only one late verse (DN 20:6.10). The Vinaya gives it as an antonym to sambhinna, “mixed” (Kd 13:33.1.7).

    The first five items here are the five so-called “jhāna factors”, which in the suttas appear here and at MN 43:19.3. The list summarizes the normal depiction of the first absorption, as the first four factors are all part of the standard first absorption formula, and all absorption or samādhi is characterized by unification of mind (eg. MN 20:3.3).

    There is a striking syntactic break between the first five factors and the remainder of the list starting with “contact”. The five factors are articulated in the colloquial Pali fashion connected with ca, while the remainder are simply listed without ca. This, together with the fact that the first five appear elsewhere as a set and the remainder do not, as well as the fact that the second list is partly redundant (eg. “feeling” is already covered in the five factors), makes it certain that the latter items were appended to the first five. Indeed, the appended items appear elaborated even compared with similar lists in the Abhidhamma (eg. Dt 1.2:16.1, Kv 15.10:2.3; see too Mil 3.3.6:7.2).

    ↩ mn111:4.1

  6. He was mindfully aware as the attainment characterized by these qualities arose, persisted, and fell away. As Anālayo points out, this cannot refer to observing the cessation of phenomena inside the absorption, as the absorption itself is defined by their persistence (Early Buddhist Meditation Studies, p. 117ff.). In other words, he was aware of the impermanence of absorption, not of impermanence in absorption.

    Compare the “development of immersion” that contemplates feelings, perceptions, and thoughts in the same way (AN 4.41:4.3). According to the suttas, for all conditioned phenomena, “arising is evident, vanishing is evident, and change while persisting is evident” (AN 3.47:1.3).

    ↩ mn111:4.2

  7. In the previous passage he observed them, whereas now he reflects on what he has seen. This course of practice anticipates the Niddesa’s notion of three kinds of full knowledge (Cnd 11:51.4). First comes “full knowledge of the known” (ñātapariññā), where the meditator clearly observes each phenomena in experience. Then they reflect and scrutinize the “known” in light of the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and not-self, as Sāriputta is doing here (tīraṇapariññā). Finally they let go all attachments (pahānapariññā), as Sāriputta does below.

    “Flit away” (paṭiventi) is unique.

    ↩ mn111:4.4

  8. “Without getting involved or shying away” (anupāyo anapāyo) is explained by the commentary as not being swayed by the power of lust or aversion. It means having a poised and unreactive attitude. It is a rare phrase that also occurs, with the same syntactic context, in the next sutta, creating a link between the two (MN 112:4.2).

    ↩ mn111:4.5

  9. The “escape beyond” (uttari nissaraṇaṁ) normally refers to full awakening (MN 7:17.1, MN 49:2.3, AN 3.66:46.6, AN 7.56:6.1, AN 10.93:14.4), but the commentary says that here it refers to the next higher attainment.

    ↩ mn111:4.6

  10. The compound atthitvevassa resolves to: atthi iti (“that it is real”) eva (“indeed”) assa (“for him”). The commentary glosses, “That it is real is reinforced for that monk.”

    ↩ mn111:4.7

  11. The initial list representing the absorption factors is adjusted according to the level of absorption, while the remainder of the list stays the same.

    ↩ mn111:6.1

  12. “Unconcern” (anābhoga) is a unique term in the suttas. In the Abhidhamma Vibhaṅga, it is said to be a characteristic of the five kinds of sense consciousness, which according to that system do not feel pleasure or pain (Vb 16:13.1).

    ↩ mn111:10.1

  13. In this, the highest of the eight attainments, there is no individual discernment of mental factors, as the function of “perception” is liminal; compare MN 52:14.7, MN 64:15.5, and MN 102:4.4. And rather than observing the arising, persisting, and ceasing of the absorption phenomena, as he had done previously, he reflects on the fact of their come and gone. As Anālayo (ibid., 122) puts it, “there is no continuity of perceptual awareness from before the time one entered these attainments to emergence from them … practitioners could only know that at some time in the past they entered and that by now they have emerged”.

    ↩ mn111:18.3

  14. It is not clear what this refers to, as there are no mental states arising or ceasing in the state of cessation. The commentary says it refers to either the material states present (i.e. the body originated by kamma) or the states of the previous attainment. Perhaps it is simply an editorial slip.

    ↩ mn111:20.3

  15. He has fully realized Nibbāna, beyond which there is nothing higher.

    ↩ mn111:20.5

  16. Compare MN 77:15.6 and MN 100:6.1.

    ↩ mn111:21.2

  17. Also said of Sāriputta at SN 8.7:3.2 and of Mahākassapa at SN 16.11:15.2. The phrase was adopted from the Brahmins’ claim to be born from the mouth of Brahmā (MN 84:4.5, DN 27:3.9).

    ↩ mn111:22.2

  18. Also at AN 1.187:1.2, AN 5.132:4.3, and SN 8.7:3.4. This is a reference to the Buddha’s first teaching (SN 56.11).

    ↩ mn111:23.1