10. The Four Spiritual States (ARV10)

(Herein, monastics,) what are the four spiritual states?

Here, monastics, a monk (1) endowed with friendliness, with a mind free from hatred, enmity and ill-will, which is lofty, extensive, undiscriminating, immeasureable, well-developed, with (a mind) liberated through concentration he abides pervading one direction (with friendliness), so for the second (direction), so for the third (direction), so for the fourth (direction), and so in the highest (direction), the lowest (direction) and across the whole world in all quarters, (he abides) having friendliness, with a mind free from hatred, enmity and ill-will, which is lofty, extensive, undiscriminating, immeasureable, well-developed, with (a mind) liberated through concentration he abides pervading one direction (with friendliness).

So, (2) having kindness... (3) having gladness... (4) having equanimity… with a mind free from hatred, enmity and ill-will, which is lofty, extensive, undiscriminating, immeasureable, well-developed, with (a mind) liberated through concentration he abides pervading one direction (with equanimity).

These, monastics, are the four spiritual states.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, 2016

Based on the edition by Prof. N. H. Samtani in The Arthaviniścaya-sūtra & its commentary (Nibandhana) (Patna, 1971), updated to include the corrections he printed in that work on pp. 180–181, most of which were also printed in his translation of the same, Gathering the Meanings (Berkeley, 2002), on pp. 309–310.

Original translation with comments to be found at http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.