an5.28 · Pañcaṅgikasutta

The Numerical Discourses 5.28

3. The Five-Factored Chapter

Five-Factored

"Bhikkhus, I will teach the development [bhāvanaṁ] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa].

Listen to that, attend carefully, I will speak."

"Yes, bhante," those bhikkhus replied to the Bhagavā.

The Bhagavā said this:

"And what, bhikkhus, is the development [bhāvanā] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa]?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and dwells in the first jhāna.

He drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with pīti and sukha born of seclusion [vivekajena]; there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by pīti and sukha born of seclusion [vivekajena].

Just as, bhikkhus, a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice, having poured bath powder into a bronze bowl, would knead it while sprinkling it again and again with water. That ball of bath powder would be followed by moisture, permeated by moisture, saturated with moisture inside and out, yet not dripping.

So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with pīti and sukha born of seclusion [vivekajena];

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by pīti and sukha born of seclusion [vivekajena].

This, bhikkhus, is the first development [bhāvanā] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa].

Again, bhikkhus, with the settling of thought and examination … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna.

He drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with pīti and sukha born of samādhi [samādhijena];

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by pīti and sukha born of samādhi [samādhijena].

Just as, bhikkhus, there might be a deep lake fed by springs. It would have no inlet for water from the east, no inlet for water from the west, no inlet for water from the north, no inlet for water from the south, and from time to time the sky would not properly supply it with streams of rain.

Yet from that very lake, cool streams of water would well up and drench, steep, fill, and pervade that very lake with cool water; there would be no part of the whole lake that was not pervaded by cool water.

So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with pīti and sukha born of samādhi [samādhijena];

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by pīti and sukha born of samādhi [samādhijena].

This, bhikkhus, is the second development [bhāvanā] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa].

Again, bhikkhus, with the fading away of pīti … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the third jhāna.

He drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with sukha free from pīti;

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by sukha free from pīti.

Just as, bhikkhus, in a blue-lotus pond, a red-lotus pond, or a white-lotus pond, some blue lotuses, red lotuses, or white lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, do not rise above the water, and are nourished immersed within.

From their tips down to their roots, they would be drenched, steeped, filled, and pervaded with cool water;

there would be no part of all those blue lotuses, red lotuses, or white lotuses that was not pervaded by cool water.

So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with sukha free from pīti;

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by sukha free from pīti.

This, bhikkhus, is the third development [bhāvanā] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa].

Again, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of sukha … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.

He sits pervading this very body with purified and brightened mind;

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by purified and brightened mind.

Just as, bhikkhus, a man might sit covered from head down with a white cloth;

there would be no part of his whole body that was not pervaded by the white cloth.

So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu sits pervading this very body with purified and brightened mind;

there is no part of his whole body that is not pervaded by purified and brightened mind.

This, bhikkhus, is the fourth development [bhāvanā] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa].

Again, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu's reviewing nimitta is well grasped, well attended to, well borne in mind, and well penetrated by paññā.

Just as, bhikkhus, one person might review another, or one standing might review one sitting, or one sitting might review one lying down.

So too, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu's reviewing nimitta is well grasped, well attended to, well borne in mind, and well penetrated by paññā.

This, bhikkhus, is the fifth development [bhāvanā] of noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhissa].

When a bhikkhu has thus developed noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhimhi], thus cultivated it, then whichever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his citta toward for realization by direct knowledge, in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

Just as, bhikkhus, a water jar set on a stand, full of water, brimful, so that a crow could drink from it.

If a strong man were to tip it in whichever direction, would water come out?"

"Yes, bhante."

"So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has thus developed noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhimhi], thus cultivated it, then whichever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his citta toward for realization by direct knowledge, in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

Just as, bhikkhus, on a level piece of ground there might be a square lotus pond, embanked, full of water, brimful, so that a crow could drink from it.

If a strong man were to open the embankment in whichever direction, would water come out?"

"Yes, bhante."

"So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has thus developed noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhimhi], thus cultivated it, then whichever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge … whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

Just as, bhikkhus, on good ground at a crossroads there might stand a thoroughbred chariot, yoked, with goad laid down.

Then a skilled trainer, a charioteer of horses to be tamed, might mount it, take the reins in his left hand and the goad in his right hand, and drive it forward and back wherever he wishes and as he wishes.

So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has thus developed noble five-factored right samādhi [sammāsamādhimhi], thus cultivated it, then whichever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his citta toward for realization by direct knowledge,

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

If he wishes: 'May I experience various kinds of supernormal power: having been one, may I become many … may I wield mastery with the body as far as the Brahmā world,'

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

If he wishes: 'With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing the human, may I hear both kinds of sounds — divine and human, those far away and near,'

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

If he wishes: 'Having encompassed with his own mind the minds of other beings, other persons, may I understand them:

may I understand citta with greed as citta with greed,

or citta without greed as citta without greed,

or citta with hate …

or citta without hate …

or citta with delusion …

or citta without delusion …

or contracted citta …

or distracted citta …

or expanded citta …

or unexpanded citta …

or surpassable citta …

or unsurpassable citta …

or citta endowed with samādhi [samāhitaṁ] …

or citta not endowed with samādhi [asamāhitaṁ] …

or liberated citta …

or unliberated citta as unliberated citta,'

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

If he wishes: 'May I recollect my manifold past dwellings, that is: one birth, two births … thus may I recollect my manifold past dwellings with their features and details,'

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

If he wishes: 'With the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human … may I understand beings according to their kamma,'

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane].

If he wishes: 'With the destruction of the āsavas, may I realize for myself with direct knowledge, enter, and dwell in the citta-liberation and paññā-liberation that are without āsavas, in this very life,'

in each case he reaches the capacity to witness it, whenever there is a dimension [āyatane]."

The eighth.