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SN 34.9PTS SN 3.2681 min read

Persistence in Immersion

Samādhimūlakasātaccakārīsutta

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 34.9Linked Discourses 34.9
  • 0.21. Jhānavagga1. Absorption

0.3SamādhimūlakasātaccakārīsuttaPersistence in Immersion

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Cattārome, bhikkhave, jhāyī.“Mendicants, there are these four meditators.1.3Katame cattāro?What four?

1.4Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo hoti, na samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī.One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. …”11.5Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī hoti, na samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo.1.6Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī neva samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo hoti, na ca samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī.1.7Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti, samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca.1.8Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti, samādhismiṁ sātaccakārī ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.1.9Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gavā khīraṁ …pe…1.10pavaro cā”ti.

1.11Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The failure of “persistence” in a meditator is often linked with their emotional hard-heartedness and mental shackles (MN 16:3.1). Without a faithful, kind, and wholesome disposition it is difficult to sustain a meditation practice.

    ↩ sn34.9:1.4