{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn127/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn127","id":"suttacentral_mn127","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn127/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. And then the chamberlain Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga addressed a man, \u201cPlease, my man, go to Venerable Anuruddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Say to him, \u2018Sir, the chamberlain Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga bows with his head to your feet.\u2019 And then ask him whether he would please accept tomorrow\u2019s meal from Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga together with the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. And ask whether he might please come earlier than usual, for Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga has many duties, and much work to do for the king.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d that man replied. He did as Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga asked, and Venerable Anuruddha consented with silence. Then when the night had passed, Anuruddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga\u2019s home, where he sat down on the seat spread out. Then Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga served and satisfied Anuruddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods. When Anuruddha had eaten and washed his hands and bowl, Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga took a low seat, sat to one side, and said to him: \u201cSir, some senior mendicants have come to me and said, \u2018Householder, develop the limitless release of the heart.\u2019 Others have said, \u2018Householder, develop the expansive release of the heart.\u2019 Now, the limitless release of the heart and the expansive release of the heart: do these things differ in both meaning and phrasing? Or do they mean the same thing, and differ only in the phrasing?\u201d \u201cWell then, householder, let me know what you think about this. Afterwards, it\u2019s a sure bet that you\u2019ll get it.\u201d \u201cSir, this is what I think. The limitless release of the heart and the expansive release of the heart mean the same thing, and differ only in the phrasing.\u201d \u201cThe limitless release of the heart and the expansive release of the heart differ in both meaning and phrasing. This is a way to understand how these things differ in both meaning and phrasing. And what is the limitless release of the heart? It\u2019s when 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. They meditate 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. This is called the limitless release of the heart. And what is the expansive release of the heart? It\u2019s when a mendicant meditates focused on pervading the extent of a single tree root as expansive. This is called the expansive release of the heart. Also, a mendicant meditates focused on pervading the extent of two or three tree roots \u2026 a single village district \u2026 two or three village districts \u2026 a single kingdom \u2026 two or three kingdoms \u2026 this land surrounded by ocean. This too is called the expansive release of the heart. This is a way to understand how these things differ in both meaning and phrasing. Householder, there are these four kinds of rebirth in a future life. What four? Take someone who meditates focused on pervading \u2018limited luminosity\u2019. When their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of limited luminosity. Next, take someone who meditates focused on pervading \u2018limitless luminosity\u2019. When their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of limitless luminosity. Next, take someone who meditates focused on pervading \u2018corrupted radiance\u2019. When their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of corrupted luminosity. Next, take someone who meditates focused on pervading \u2018pure radiance\u2019. When their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of pure luminosity. These are the four kinds of rebirth in a future life. There comes a time, householder, when the deities gather together as one. When they do so, a difference in their color is evident, but not in their luminosity. It\u2019s like when a person brings several oil lamps into one house. You can detect a difference in their flames, but not in their radiance. In the same way, when the deities gather together as one, a difference in their color is evident, but not in their luminosity. There comes a time when those deities go their separate ways. When they do so, a difference both in their color and also in their luminosity is evident. It\u2019s like when a person takes those several oil lamps out of that house. You can detect a difference both in their flames and also in their radiance. In the same way, when the deities go their separate ways, a difference both in their color and also in their luminosity is evident. It\u2019s not that those deities think, \u2018What we have is permanent, lasting, and eternal.\u2019 Rather, wherever those deities cling, that\u2019s where they take pleasure. It\u2019s like when flies are being carried along on a carrying-pole or basket. It\u2019s not that they think, \u2018What we have is permanent, lasting, and eternal.\u2019 Rather, wherever those flies cling, that\u2019s where they take pleasure. In the same way, it\u2019s not that those deities think, \u2018What we have is permanent, lasting, and eternal.\u2019 Rather, wherever those deities cling, that\u2019s where they take pleasure.\u201d When he had spoken, Venerable Sabhiya Kacc\u0101na said to Venerable Anuruddha: \u201cGood, Honorable Anuruddha! I have a further question about this. Do all the radiant deities have limited luminosity, or do some there have limitless luminosity?\u201d \u201cIn that respect, Reverend Kacc\u0101na, some deities there have limited luminosity, while some have limitless luminosity.\u201d \u201cWhat is the cause, Honorable Anuruddha, what is the reason why, when those deities have been reborn in a single order of gods, some deities there have limited luminosity, while some have limitless luminosity?\u201d \u201cWell then, Reverend Kacc\u0101na, I\u2019ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, Reverend Kacc\u0101na? Which of these two kinds of mental development is more expansive: when a mendicant meditates focused on pervading as expansive the extent of a single tree root, or two or three tree roots?\u201d \u201cWhen a mendicant meditates on two or three tree roots.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Reverend Kacc\u0101na? Which of these two kinds of mental development is more expansive: when a mendicant meditates focused on pervading as expansive the extent of two or three tree roots, or a single village district \u2026 two or three village districts \u2026 a single kingdom \u2026 two or three kingdoms \u2026 this land surrounded by ocean?\u201d \u201cWhen a mendicant meditates on this land surrounded by ocean.\u201d \u201cThis is the cause, Reverend Kacc\u0101na, this is the reason why, when those deities have been reborn in a single order of gods, some deities there have limited luminosity, while some have limitless luminosity.\u201d \u201cGood, Honorable Anuruddha! I have a further question about this. Do all the radiant deities have corrupted radiance, or do some there have pure radiance?\u201d \u201cIn that respect, Reverend Kacc\u0101na, some deities there have corrupted radiance, while some have pure radiance.\u201d \u201cWhat is the cause, Honorable Anuruddha, what is the reason why, when those deities have been reborn in a single order of gods, some deities there have corrupted radiance, while some have pure radiance?\u201d \u201cWell then, Reverend Kacc\u0101na, I shall give you a simile. For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said. Suppose an oil lamp was burning with impure oil and impure wick. Because of the impurity of the oil and the wick it burns dimly, as it were. In the same way, take some mendicant who meditates focused on pervading \u2018corrupted radiance\u2019. Their physical discomfort is not completely settled, their dullness and drowsiness is not completely eradicated, and their restlessness and remorse are not completely eliminated. Because of this they practice absorption dimly, as it were. When their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of corrupted luminosity. Suppose an oil lamp was burning with pure oil and pure wick. Because of the purity of the oil and the wick it doesn\u2019t burn dimly, as it were. In the same way, take some mendicant who meditates focused on pervading \u2018pure radiance\u2019. Their physical discomfort is completely settled, their dullness and drowsiness is completely eradicated, and their restlessness and remorse is completely eliminated. Because of this they don\u2019t practice absorption dimly, as it were. When their body breaks up, after death, they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of pure luminosity. This is the cause, Reverend Kacc\u0101na, this is the reason why, when those deities have been reborn in a single order of gods, some deities there have corrupted radiance, while some have pure radiance.\u201d When he had spoken, Venerable Sabhiya Kacc\u0101na said to Venerable Anuruddha, \u201cGood, Honorable Anuruddha! Venerable Anuruddha, you don\u2019t say, \u2018So I have heard\u2019 or \u2018It ought to be like this.\u2019 Rather, you say: \u2018These deities are like this, those deities are like that.\u2019 Sir, it occurs to me, \u2018Clearly, Venerable Anuruddha has previously lived together with those deities, conversed, and engaged in discussion.\u2019\u201d \u201cYour words are clearly invasive and intrusive, Reverend Kacc\u0101na. Nevertheless, I will answer you. For a long time I have previously lived together with those deities, conversed, and engaged in discussion.\u201d When he had spoken, Venerable Sabhiya Kacc\u0101na said to Pa\u00f1caka\u1e45ga the chamberlain, \u201cYou\u2019re fortunate, householder, so very fortunate, to have given up your state of uncertainty, and to have got the chance to listen to this exposition of the teaching.\u201d","title":"With Anuruddha","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1670}