1. Born of Seclusion
1On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
2Then, in the morning, the Venerable Sāriputta dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, when he had walked for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from the alms round, after his meal he went to the Blind Men’s Grove for the day’s abiding. Having plunged into the Blind Men’s Grove, he sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.
3Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta emerged from seclusion and went to Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance and said to him: “Friend Sāriputta, your faculties are serene, your facial complexion is pure and bright. In what dwelling has the Venerable Sāriputta spent the day?”275 As at 21:3. See I, n. 18.
4“Here, friend, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered and dwelt in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the first jhāna,’ or ‘I have attained the first jhāna,’ or ‘I have emerged from the first jhāna.’” [236]
5“It must be because I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit have been thoroughly uprooted in the Venerable Sāriputta for a long time that such thoughts did not occur to him.”276 See II, n. 340.
2. Without Thought
1At Sāvatthī…. (as above) … The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance and said to him: “Friend Sāriputta, your faculties are serene, your complexion is pure and bright. In what dwelling has the Venerable Sāriputta spent the day?”
2“Here, friend, with the subsiding of thought and examination, I entered and dwelt in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and examination, and has rapture and happiness born of concentration. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the second jhāna,’ or ‘I have attained the second jhāna,’ or ‘I have emerged from the second jhāna.’”
3“It must be because I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit have been thoroughly uprooted in the Venerable Sāriputta for a long time that such thoughts did not occur to him.”
3. Rapture
1At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
2“Here, friend, with the fading away as well of rapture, I dwelt equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, I experienced happiness with the body; I entered and dwelt in the third jhāna of which the noble ones declare: ‘He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily.’ [237] Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the third jhāna….’” (Complete as in preceding sutta.)
4. Equanimity
1At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
2“Here, friend, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and displeasure, I entered and dwelt in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and includes the purification of mindfulness by equanimity. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the fourth jhāna….’” 5 The Base of the Infinity of Space
3At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
4“Here, friend, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with nonattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of space. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the base of the infinity of space….’”
6. The Base of the Infinity of Consciousness
1At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
2“Here, friend, by completely transcending the base of the infinity of space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of consciousness. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the base of the infinity of consciousness…. ’”
7. The Base of Nothingness
1At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
2“Here, friend, by completely transcending the base of the infinity of consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing,’ I entered and dwelt in the base of nothingness. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the base of nothingness….’” [238]
8. The Base of Neither-Perception-Nor-Nonperception
1At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
2“Here, friend, by completely transcending the base of nothingness, I entered and dwelt in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception….’”
9. The Attainment of Cessation
1At Sāvatthī…. The Venerable Ānanda saw the Venerable Sāriputta coming in the distance….
2“Here, friend, by completely transcending the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, I entered and dwelt in the cessation of perception and feeling. Yet, friend, it did not occur to me, ‘I am attaining the cessation of perception and feeling,’ or ‘I have attained the cessation of perception and feeling,’ or ‘I have emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling.’”
3“It must be because I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit have been thoroughly uprooted in the Venerable Sāriputta for a long time that such thoughts did not occur to him.”
10. Sucimukhī
1On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then, in the morning, the Venerable Sāriputta dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. Then, when he had walked for alms on continuous alms round in Rājagaha,277 See I, n. 377.
he ate that almsfood leaning against a certain wall.
2Then the female wanderer Sucimukhī approached the Venerable Sāriputta and said to him: “Ascetic, do you eat facing downwards?ʺ278 Her name means “Pure Face.” Spk explains that she approached the elder intending to mock him with her questions and to instigate a debate. Each question and reply has an implicit meaning, which is elicited just below.
3“I don’t eat facing downwards, sister.”
4“Then, ascetic, do you eat facing upwards?”
5“I don’t eat facing upwards, sister.” [239]
6“Then, ascetic, do you eat facing the [four] quarters?”279 Disāmukha. Spk: Catasso disā olokento ti attho.
7“I don’t eat facing the [four] quarters, sister.”
8“Then, ascetic, do you eat facing the intermediate directions?”
9“I don’t eat facing the intermediate directions, sister.”
10“When you are asked, ‘Ascetic, do you eat facing downwards? ’… ‘Do you eat facing the intermediate directions?’ you reply, ‘I don’t eat thus, sister.’ How then do you eat, ascetic?”
11“Sister, those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by the debased art of geomancy280 Vatthuvijjā, the science of sites, included among the types of wrong livelihood for ascetics at DN I 9,7. Spk explains it as the means of determining whether a site will be suitable for agricultural cultivation, but Sv I 93,14-17 as the science of determining the virtues and faults of sites selected for homes and monasteries, etc., including the protective charms to be recited over them.
—a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing downwards. Those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by the debased art of astrology281 Nakkhattavijjā. See DN I 10,10-31 for more detailed treatment.
—a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing upwards. Those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by undertaking to go on errands and run messages282 Dūteyya-pahiṇagamanānuyoga. See DN I 8,20-25. This is considered unfitting for a bhikkhu because it reduces his role to that of a messenger for others.
—a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing the [four] quarters. Those ascetics and brahmins who earn their living by the debased art of palmistry283 Aṅgavijjā, mentioned also at DN I 9,7. Spk explains as the science of determining a person’s future from his or her bodily features. “Palmistry” is certainly too narrow, but there is no other simple English word that quite captures the sense.
—a wrong means of livelihood—these are called ascetics and brahmins who eat facing the intermediate directions.
12“Sister, I do not earn my living by such wrong means of livelihood as the debased art of geomancy, or the debased art of astrology, or by undertaking to go on errands and run messages, or by the debased art of palmistry. I seek almsfood righteously and, having sought it, I eat my almsfood righteously.” [240]
13Then the female wanderer Sucimukhī went from street to street and from square to square in Rājagaha announcing: “The ascetics following the Sakyan son eat righteous food; they eat blameless food. Give almsfood to the ascetics following the Sakyan son.”