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MN 52PTS MN 1.3494 min read

The Man From the City of Aṭṭhaka

Aṭṭhakanāgarasutta

Asked by a householder to teach a path to freedom, Venerable Ānanda explains no less than eleven meditative states that may serve as doors to the deathless.

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

  • 0.1Majjhima Nikāya 52Middle Discourses 52

0.2AṭṭhakanāgarasuttaThe Wealthy Citizen

1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.11.2ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando vesāliyaṁ viharati beluvagāmake.At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Vesālī in the little village of Beluva.2

1.3Tena kho pana samayena dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputtaṁ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena.Now at that time the householder Dasama, a wealthy citizen, had arrived at Pāṭaliputta on some business.32.1Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro yena kukkuṭārāmo yena aññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:He went to the Chicken Monastery, approached a certain mendicant, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,42.2“kahaṁ nu kho, bhante, āyasmā ānando etarahi viharati?“Sir, where is Venerable Ānanda now staying?2.3Dassanakāmā hi mayaṁ taṁ āyasmantaṁ ānandan”ti.For I want to see him.”

2.4“Eso, gahapati, āyasmā ānando vesāliyaṁ viharati beluvagāmake”ti.“Householder, Venerable Ānanda is staying near Vesālī in the little village of Beluva.”

3.1Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputte taṁ karaṇīyaṁ tīretvā yena vesālī yena beluvagāmako yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:Then the householder Dasama, having concluded his business there, went to the little village of Beluva in Vesālī to see Ānanda. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to Ānanda:5

3.2“atthi nu kho, bhante ānanda, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī”ti?“Honorable Ānanda, is there one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One—who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha—practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant’s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary from the yoke?”6

3.3PTS 1.350“Atthi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī”ti.“There is, householder.”

3.4“Katamo pana, bhante ānanda, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī”ti?“And what is that one thing?”

4.1“Idha, gahapati, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.“Householder, it’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.4.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:Then they reflect:4.3‘idampi kho paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ.‘Even this first absorption is produced by choices and intentions.’74.4Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.’4.5So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.84.6No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.94.7Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto, yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.This is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One—who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha—practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant’s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.

5.1PTS 1.351Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption …5.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:5.3‘idampi kho dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ …pe…5.4anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.6.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.third absorption …6.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:6.3‘idampi kho tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ …pe…6.4anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.7.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.fourth absorption …7.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:7.3‘idampi kho catutthaṁ jhānaṁ abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ …pe…7.4anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.

8.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.Furthermore, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.8.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:Then they reflect:8.3‘ayampi kho mettācetovimutti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā.‘Even this heart’s release by love is produced by choices and intentions.’8.4Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.’ …8.5So tattha ṭhito …pe…8.6anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.

9.1PTS 1.352Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe…Furthermore, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of compassion …10.1muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe…rejoicing …11.1upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharati.equanimity …11.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:11.3‘ayampi kho upekkhācetovimutti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā.11.4Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.11.5So tattha ṭhito …pe…11.6anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.

12.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, householder, a mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.12.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:Then they reflect:12.3‘ayampi kho ākāsānañcāyatanasamāpatti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā.‘Even this attainment of the dimension of infinite space is produced by choices and intentions.’12.4Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.’ …12.5So tattha ṭhito …pe…12.6anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.

13.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. …13.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:13.3‘ayampi kho viññāṇañcāyatanasamāpatti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā.13.4Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.13.5So tattha ṭhito …pe…13.6anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇāti.

14.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness.14.2So iti paṭisañcikkhati:Then they reflect:14.3‘ayampi kho ākiñcaññāyatanasamāpatti abhisaṅkhatā abhisañcetayitā.‘Even this attainment of the dimension of nothingness is produced by choices and intentions.’14.4Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.They understand: ‘But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.’14.5So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements.14.6No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.If they don’t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they’re reborn spontaneously because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.14.7Ayampi kho, gahapati, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena ekadhammo akkhāto yattha bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato avimuttañceva cittaṁ vimuccati, aparikkhīṇā ca āsavā parikkhayaṁ gacchanti, ananuppattañca anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ anupāpuṇātī”ti.This too is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One—who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha—practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant’s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.”10

15.1PTS 1.353Evaṁ vutte, dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:When he said this, the householder Dasama said to Venerable Ānanda,15.2“seyyathāpi, bhante ānanda, puriso ekaṁva nidhimukhaṁ gavesanto sakideva ekādasa nidhimukhāni adhigaccheyya;“Honorable Ānanda, suppose a person was looking for the entrance to a treasure trove. And all at once they’d come across eleven entrances!15.3evameva kho ahaṁ, bhante, ekaṁ amatadvāraṁ gavesanto sakideva ekādasa amatadvārāni alatthaṁ bhāvanāya.In the same way, I was searching for the door to freedom from death. And all at once I found eleven doors to freedom from death for cultivation.1115.4Seyyathāpi, bhante, purisassa agāraṁ ekādasadvāraṁ, so tasmiṁ agāre āditte ekamekenapi dvārena sakkuṇeyya attānaṁ sotthiṁ kātuṁ;Suppose a person had a house with eleven doors. If the house caught fire they’d be able to flee to safety through any one of those doors.15.5evameva kho ahaṁ, bhante, imesaṁ ekādasannaṁ amatadvārānaṁ ekamekenapi amatadvārena sakkuṇissāmi attānaṁ sotthiṁ kātuṁ.In the same way, I’m able to flee to safety through any one of these eleven doors to freedom from death.1215.6Imehi nāma, bhante, aññatitthiyā ācariyassa ācariyadhanaṁ pariyesissanti, kimaṅgaṁ panāhaṁ āyasmato ānandassa pūjaṁ na karissāmī”ti.Sir, those of other religions seek a fee for the tutor. Why shouldn’t I make an offering to Venerable Ānanda?”13

16.1Atha kho dasamo gahapati aṭṭhakanāgaro pāṭaliputtakañca vesālikañca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātetvā paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi,Then the householder Dasama, having assembled the Saṅgha from Vesālī and Pāṭaliputta, served and satisfied them with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.16.2ekamekañca bhikkhuṁ paccekaṁ dussayugena acchādesi, āyasmantañca ānandaṁ ticīvarena acchādesi, āyasmato ca ānandassa pañcasatavihāraṁ kārāpesīti.He clothed each and every mendicant in a pair of garments, with a set of three robes for Ānanda. And he had a dwelling worth five hundred built for Ānanda.14

16.3Aṭṭhakanāgarasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. This discourse is repeated at AN 11.16.

    ↩ mn52:1.1

  2. The Buddha spent his last rains retreat here (SN 47.9:1.5, DN 16:2.22.3). The fact that the Buddha is not mentioned and the setting at Pāṭaliputta suggest that he had already passed away.

    ↩ mn52:1.2

  3. Dasama means “tenth”, explained by the commentary as meaning he was tenth in line in his family.

    Aṭṭhakanāgara is usually taken to be the name of a city, but neither the city nor the possessive form nāgara appear elsewhere. Since all we know of him is that he was very rich; since the Pali is in the habit of naming people after their prominent quality; and since we find elsewhere a man named after his wealth (Dhaniya at Snp 1.2), perhaps we should take aṭṭhaka from artha in the sense of “wealthy”, which agrees with the later Sanskrit sense of nāgara as “prominent citizen”.

    ↩ mn52:1.3

  4. With the rise of Pāṭaliputta, the “Chicken Monastery” (kukkuṭārāma) became an important center after the Buddha’s passing. Malalasekera (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names) suggests it was the same monastery later renowned as Aśokārāma. Ānanda stayed there often (SN 45.18–20, SN 47.21–3), which explains why Dasama expected to find him there.

    ↩ mn52:2.1

  5. Beluva was immediately north of Vesālī, so about a day’s walk from Pāṭaliputta. But Dasama could doubtless afford a carriage.

    ↩ mn52:3.1

  6. A number of “one things” are taught throughout the suttas. It seems Dasama wanted a simple summary, but Ānanda wished to challenge him.

    ↩ mn52:3.2

  7. This illustrates the development of insight based on absorption. After emerging from the attainment, the meditator reflects on the nature of that experience, realizing that even the most blissful and peaceful of states is still “chosen and intended” (abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ), i.e. constructed by volition.

    ↩ mn52:4.3

  8. Insight must persist to bear fruit.

    ↩ mn52:4.5

  9. “Passion and love for that meditation” (teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā); here dhamma means the state of meditation, i.e. the jhāna. This is the “higher fetter” of rūparāga, the desire for birth in the Brahmā realms of luminous form.

    ↩ mn52:4.6

  10. Ānanda omits the final formless attainment, neither perception nor non-perception, which is not regarded as a basis for insight due to its extreme subtlety. See too MN 64:15.5.

    ↩ mn52:14.7

  11. “For cultivation”: variants include bhāvanāya, savanāya, and sevanāya. The center point of these is sevanāya, which is a synonym of bhāvanāya and near-homonym of savanāya. Also, the sense of savanāya should be “for hearing”, but he has already heard them, so they are now “for cultivation”.

    ↩ mn52:15.3

  12. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.1 speaks of “a city with eleven doors of the unborn”. Śaṅkara identifies these as the apertures of the body: eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, navel, genitals, anus, and the spiritual opening at the crown of the head.

    ↩ mn52:15.5

  13. “Fee for the teacher”: ācariyadhana.

    “Other religions” is in reference to the Brahmanical dakṣiṇā.

    ↩ mn52:15.6

  14. This lavish demonstration of Dasama’s wealth is an early indication of the largess enjoyed by the Saṅgha in Pāṭaliputta. Over a century later, under Ashoka, so many corrupt individuals entered the Saṅgha seeking profits that a Council had to be held to expel them.

    ↩ mn52:16.2