{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an11.16/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an11.16","id":"suttacentral_an11.16","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an11.16/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time Venerable \u0100nanda was staying near Ves\u0101l\u012b in the little village of Beluva. Now at that time the householder Dasama, a wealthy citizen, had arrived at P\u0101\u1e6daliputta on some business. He went to the Chicken Monastery, approached a certain mendicant, and said to him, \u201cSir, where is Venerable \u0100nanda now staying? For I want to see him.\u201d \u201cHouseholder, Venerable \u0100nanda is staying near Ves\u0101l\u012b in the little village of Beluva.\u201d Then the householder Dasama, having concluded his business there, went to the little village of Beluva in Ves\u0101l\u012b to see \u0100nanda. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to \u0100nanda: \u201cHonorable \u0100nanda, is there one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One\u2014who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha\u2014practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant\u2019s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary from the yoke?\u201d \u201cThere is, householder.\u201d \u201cAnd what is that one thing?\u201d \u201cHouseholder, it\u2019s 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. Then they reflect: \u2018Even this first absorption is produced by choices and intentions.\u2019 They understand: \u2018But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.\u2019 Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements. If they don\u2019t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they\u2019re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One\u2014who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha\u2014practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant\u2019s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption \u2026 third absorption \u2026 fourth absorption. Then they reflect: \u2018Even this fourth absorption is produced by choices and intentions.\u2019 They understand: \u2018But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.\u2019 Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements. If they don\u2019t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they\u2019re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This too is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One\u2014who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha\u2014practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant\u2019s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. 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\u2014abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Then they reflect: \u2018Even this heart\u2019s release by love is produced by choices and intentions.\u2019 They understand: \u2018But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.\u2019 Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements. If they don\u2019t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they\u2019re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This too is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of compassion \u2026 They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing \u2026 They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity 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 equanimity to the whole world\u2014abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Then they reflect: \u2018Even this heart\u2019s release by equanimity is produced by choices and intentions.\u2019 They understand: \u2018But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.\u2019 Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements. If they don\u2019t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they\u2019re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This too is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that \u2018space is infinite\u2019, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. Then they reflect: \u2018Even this attainment of the dimension of infinite space is produced by choices and intentions.\u2019 They understand: \u2018But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.\u2019 Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements. If they don\u2019t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they\u2019re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This too is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One \u2026 Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that \u2018consciousness is infinite\u2019, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. \u2026 Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that \u2018there is nothing at all\u2019, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. \u2026 Then they reflect: \u2018Even this attainment of the dimension of nothingness is produced by choices and intentions.\u2019 They understand: \u2018But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.\u2019 Abiding in that they attain the ending of defilements. If they don\u2019t attain the ending of defilements, with the ending of the five lower fetters they\u2019re reborn spontaneously, because of their passion and love for that meditation. They are extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This too is one thing that has been rightly explained by the Blessed One\u2014who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha\u2014practicing which a diligent, keen, and resolute mendicant\u2019s mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they reach the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.\u201d When he said this, the householder Dasama said to Venerable \u0100nanda: \u201cHonorable \u0100nanda, suppose a person was looking for the entrance to a treasure trove. And all at once they\u2019d come across eleven entrances! 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. Suppose a person had a house with eleven doors. If the house caught fire they\u2019d be able to flee to safety through any one of those doors. In the same way, I\u2019m able to flee to safety through any one of these eleven doors to freedom from death. Sir, those of other religions will seek a fee for the tutor. Why shouldn\u2019t I make an offering to Venerable \u0100nanda?\u201d Then the householder Dasama, having assembled the Sa\u1e45gha from Ves\u0101l\u012b and P\u0101\u1e6daliputta, served and satisfied them with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. He clothed each and every mendicant in a pair of garments, with a set of three robes for \u0100nanda. And he had a dwelling worth five hundred built for \u0100nanda.","title":"The Wealthy Citizen","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1301}