an9.22:4 And how is a wild person fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned? It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. But when asked a question about the teaching or training, they falter without answering. This is how they’re not beautiful, I say. And they don’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned.

an9.22:5 And how is a wild person fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned? They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. But they don’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned.

an9.22:6 And how is a wild person fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three wild people.

an9.22:7 And what are the three excellent horses? One excellent horse … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three excellent horses.

an9.22:8 What are the three excellent people? One excellent person … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

an9.22:9 And how is an excellent person … fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It’s when a mendicant, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is raised to a high rank. They find peace there, and do not fall back from that rank. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how an excellent person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three excellent people.

an9.22:10 And what are the three fine thoroughbred horses? One fine thoroughbred horse … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three fine thoroughbred horses.

an9.22:11 And what are the three fine thoroughbred people? One fine thoroughbred person … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

an9.22:12 And how is a fine thoroughbred person … fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It’s a mendicant who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how a fine thoroughbred person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three fine thoroughbred people.”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Rooted in Craving

an9.23:1 “Mendicants, I will teach you about nine things rooted in craving. And what are the nine things rooted in craving? Craving gives rise to searching. Searching gives rise to gaining material things. Gaining material things gives rise to evaluation. Evaluation gives rise to desire and lust. Desire and lust gives rise to attachment. Attachment gives rise to ownership. Ownership gives rise to stinginess. Stinginess gives rise to safeguarding. Owing to safeguarding, many bad, unskillful things come to be: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, and disputes, accusations, backbiting, and lies. These are the nine things rooted in craving.”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Abodes of Sentient Beings

an9.24:1 “Mendicants, there are nine abodes of sentient beings. What nine? There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as human beings, some angels, and some beings in hell. This is the first abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:2 There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and unified in perception, such as the angels raised to the first host through the first absorption. This is the second abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:3 There are sentient beings that are unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the angels of sublime luminosity. This is the third abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:4 There are sentient beings that are unified in body and unified in perception, such as the angels of universal beauty. This is the fourth abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:5 There are sentient beings that are non-percipient and do not experience anything, such as the angels who are non-percipient beings. This is the fifth abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:6 There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they have attained the dimension of infinite space. This is the sixth abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:7 There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they have attained the dimension of infinite consciousness. This is the seventh abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:8 There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they have attained the dimension of nothingness. This is the eighth abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:9 There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. They have attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the ninth abode of sentient beings.

an9.24:10 These are the nine abodes of sentient beings.”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Consolidated by Wisdom

an9.25:1 “Mendicants, when a mendicant’s mind has been well consolidated with wisdom it’s appropriate for them to say: ‘I understand: “Attachment to this world is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’

an9.25:2 And how is a mendicant’s mind well consolidated with wisdom? The mind is well consolidated with wisdom when they know: ‘My mind is without greed.’ … ‘My mind is without hate.’ … ‘My mind is without delusion.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become greedy.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become hateful.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become deluded.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to attachment to the sensual realm.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to attachment to the realm of luminous form.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to attachment to the formless realm.’ When a mendicant’s mind has been well consolidated with wisdom it’s appropriate for them to say: ‘I understand: “Attachment to this world is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.”’”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

The Simile of the Stone Post

an9.26:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. There Venerable Candikāputta addressed the mendicants, “Reverends, Devadatta teaches the mendicants like this: ‘When a mendicant’s mind is solidified by heart, it’s appropriate for them to say: “I understand: ‘Attachment to this world is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”’”

an9.26:2 When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to him, “Reverend Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the mendicants like that. He teaches like this: ‘When a mendicant’s mind is well consolidated by heart, it’s appropriate for them to say: “I understand: ‘Attachment to this world is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”’”

an9.26:3 For a second time …

an9.26:4 And for a third time Venerable Candikāputta addressed the mendicants … And for a third time, Sāriputta said to him, “Reverend Candikāputta, Devadatta does not teach the mendicants like that. He teaches like this: ‘When a mendicant’s mind is well consolidated by heart, it’s appropriate for them to say: “I understand: ‘Attachment to this world is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’”’

an9.26:5 And how is a mendicant’s mind well consolidated by heart? The mind is well consolidated by heart when they know: ‘My mind is without greed.’ … ‘My mind is without hate.’ … ‘My mind is without delusion.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become greedy.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become hateful.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become deluded.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to attachment to the sensual realm.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to attachment to the realm of luminous form.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to attachment to the formless realm.’ When a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t occupy their mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.

an9.26:6 Suppose there was a stone post, sixteen feet long. Eight feet were buried underground, and eight above ground. And violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south. They couldn’t make it tremor and tremble and quake. Why is that? It’s because that stone post is firmly embedded, with deep foundations. In the same way, when a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t occupy their mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.

an9.26:7 If even compelling sounds … smells … tastes … touches … and ideas come into the range of the mind they don’t occupy the mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Fears and Enmities (1st)

an9.27:1 Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

an9.27:2 “Householder, when a noble disciple has quelled five fears and enmities, and possesses the four factors of stream-entry, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves: ‘I’m saved from hell and from all places of loss and bad places. I am a stream-enterer! I am not destined for hell, and am assured, destined for awakening.’

an9.27:3 What are the five fears and enmities they have quelled? Anyone who kills living creatures brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. Anyone who refrains from killing living creatures does not brim with fear and enmity either in this life or in lives to come, and doesn’t experience mental pain and sadness. So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from killing living creatures.

an9.27:4 Anyone who steals … Anyone who commits sexual misconduct … Anyone who lies … Anyone who consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. Anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants does not brim with fear and enmity either in this life or in lives to come, and doesn’t experience mental pain and sadness. So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants.

an9.27:5 These are the five fears and enmities they have quelled.

an9.27:6 What are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened teacher, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of humans, awakened, blessed.’

an9.27:7 They have experiential confidence in the teaching: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’

an9.27:8 They have experiential confidence in the Saṅgha: ‘The community of the Messenger’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This is the community of the Messenger’s disciples that is worthy of offerings made for God's sake, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a charitable donation, worthy of honor, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’

an9.27:9 And a noble disciple’s ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. These are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess.

an9.27:10 When a noble disciple has quelled these five fears and enmities, and possesses these four factors of stream-entry, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves: ‘I’m saved from hell and from all places of loss and bad places. I am a stream-enterer! I am not destined for hell, and am assured, destined for awakening.’”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Fears and Enmities (2nd)

an9.28:1 “Mendicants, when a noble disciple has quelled five fears and enmities, and possesses the four factors of stream-entry, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves: ‘I’m saved from hell and from all places of loss and bad places. I am a stream-enterer! I am not destined for hell, and am assured, destined for awakening.’

an9.28:2 What are the five fears and enmities they have quelled? Anyone who kills living creatures brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. Anyone who refrains from killing living creatures does not brim with fear and enmity either in this life or in lives to come, and doesn’t experience mental pain and sadness. So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from killing living creatures.

an9.28:3 Anyone who steals … commits sexual misconduct … lies … Anyone who consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. Anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants does not brim with fear and enmity either in this life or in lives to come, and doesn’t experience mental pain and sadness. So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. These are the five fears and enmities they have quelled.

an9.28:4 What are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess? When a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha … the teaching … the Saṅgha … And a noble disciple’s ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion. These are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess.

an9.28:5 When a noble disciple has quelled these five fears and enmities, and possesses these four factors of stream-entry, they may, if they wish, declare of themselves: ‘I’m saved from hell and from all places of loss and bad places. I am a stream-enterer! I am not destined for hell, and am assured, destined for awakening.’”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Grounds for Resentment

an9.29:1 “Mendicants, there are nine grounds for resentment. What nine? Thinking: ‘They did wrong to me,’ you harbor resentment. Thinking: ‘They are doing wrong to me’ … ‘They will do wrong to me’ … ‘They did wrong to someone I love’ … ‘They are doing wrong to someone I love’ … ‘They will do wrong to someone I love’ … ‘They helped someone I dislike’ … ‘They are helping someone I dislike’ … Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike,’ you harbor resentment. These are the nine grounds for resentment.”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Getting Rid of Resentment

an9.30:1 “Mendicants, there are these nine ways to get rid of resentment. What nine? Thinking: ‘They harmed me, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment. Thinking: ‘They are harming me …’ … ‘They will harm me …’ … ‘They harmed someone I love …’ … ‘They are harming someone I love …’ … ‘They will harm someone I love …’ … ‘They helped someone I dislike …’ … ‘They are helping someone I dislike …’ … Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment. These are the nine ways to get rid of resentment.”

3. Abodes of Sentient Beings

Progressive Cessations

an9.31:1 “Mendicants, there are these nine progressive cessations. What nine? For someone who has attained the first absorption, sensual perceptions have ceased. For someone who has attained the second absorption, the placing of the mind and keeping it connected have ceased. For someone who has attained the third absorption, rapture has ceased. For someone who has attained the fourth absorption, breathing has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite space, the perception of form has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite consciousness, the perception of the dimension of infinite space has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of nothingness, the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, the perception of the dimension of nothingness has ceased. For someone who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased. These are the nine progressive cessations.”

4. The Great Chapter

Progressive Meditations

an9.32:1 “Mendicants, there are these nine progressive meditations. What nine? The first absorption, the second absorption, the third absorption, the fourth absorption, the dimension of infinite space, the dimension of infinite consciousness, the dimension of nothingness, the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, and the cessation of perception and feeling. These are the nine progressive meditations.”

4. The Great Chapter

The Nine Progressive Meditative Attainments

an9.33:1 “Mendicants, I will teach you the nine progressive meditative attainments … And what are the nine progressive meditative attainments? Where sensual pleasures cease, and those who have thoroughly ended sensual pleasures meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where sensual pleasures cease’, they should be told: ‘Reverend, 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. That’s where sensual pleasures cease.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:2 Where the placing of the mind and keeping it connected cease, and those who have thoroughly ended the placing of the mind and keeping it connected meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the placing of the mind and keeping it connected cease’, they should be told: ‘It’s when a mendicant, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s where the placing of the mind and keeping it connected cease.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:3 Where rapture ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended rapture meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where rapture ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when a mendicant, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, “Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss”. That’s where rapture ceases.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:4 Where bliss with equanimity ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended bliss with equanimity meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where bliss with equanimity ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when a mendicant, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. That’s where bliss with equanimity ceases.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:5 Where perceptions of form ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended perceptions of form meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where perceptions of form ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when 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. That’s where perceptions of form cease.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:6 Where the perception of the dimension of infinite space ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of infinite space meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of infinite space ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that “consciousness is infinite”, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. That’s where the perception of the dimension of infinite space ceases.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:7 Where the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when 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. That’s where the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness ceases.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:8 Where the perception of the dimension of nothingness ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of nothingness meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of nothingness ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. That’s where the perception of the dimension of nothingness ceases.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:9 Where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases, and those who have thoroughly ended the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception meditate, I say: ‘Clearly those venerables are desireless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect.’ If someone should say, ‘I do not know or see where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases’, they should be told: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. That’s where the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception ceases.’ Clearly someone who is not devious or deceitful would approve and agree with that statement. They’d say ‘Good!’ and show respect.

an9.33:10 These are the nine progressive meditative attainments.”

4. The Great Chapter

Extinguishment is Bliss

an9.34:1 At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. There he addressed the mendicants: “Reverends, extinguishment is bliss! Extinguishment is bliss!” When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him, “But Reverend Sāriputta, what’s blissful about it, since nothing is felt?” “The fact that nothing is felt is precisely what’s blissful about it. Reverend, there are these five kinds of sensual stimulation. What five? Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These are the five kinds of sensual stimulation. The pleasure and happiness that arise from these five kinds of sensual stimulation is called sensual pleasure.

an9.34:2 First, take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption. While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by sensual pleasures beset them, that’s an affliction for them. Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them. In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by sensual pleasures beset them, that’s an affliction for them. And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha. That’s the way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.

an9.34:3 Furthermore, take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption. While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by placing of the mind beset them, that’s an affliction for them. Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them. In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by placing of the mind beset them, that’s an affliction for them. And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha. That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.

an9.34:4 Furthermore, take a mendicant who, with the fading away of rapture, enters and remains in the third absorption. While a mendicant is practicing such a meditation, if perception and focus accompanied by rapture beset them, that’s an affliction for them. Suppose a happy person were to experience pain; that would be an affliction for them. In the same way, should perception and focus accompanied by rapture beset them, that’s an affliction for them. And affliction has been called suffering by the Buddha. That too is a way to understand how extinguishment is bliss.