127. Anuruddha (MN127)

Thus I heard:

On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

Then Pañcakanga the carpenter addressed a certain man thus: “Come, good man, go to the venerable Anuruddha and pay homage in my name with your head at his feet, and say: ‘Venerable sir, let the venerable Anuruddha as one of four accept tomorrow’s meal from Pañcakanga the carpenter; and venerable sir, Pañcakanga the carpenter would rather have come himself to the venerable Anuruddha but he is very busy and much occupied with work for the king.’”

“Yes, venerable sir,” the man replied, and he went to the venerable Anuruddha, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side. When he had done so, he said: “Pañcakanga the carpenter pays homage with his head at the venerable Anuruddha’s feet, and he says: ‘Let the venerable Anuruddha… with work for the king.’”

The venerable Anuruddha accepted in silence.

Then when the night was ended, it being morning, the venerable Anuruddha dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe he went to Pañcakanga the carpenter’s house, and he sat down on the seat made ready. Then with his own hands Pañcakanga the carpenter served and satisfied the venerable Anuruddha with various kinds of good food. Then when the venerable Anuruddha had eaten and no longer had the bowl in his hand, Pañcakanga the carpenter took a low seat and sat down at one side. When he had done so, he said:

“Venerable sir, here elder bhikkhus have come to me and said thus: ‘Householder, develop the measureless deliverance of mind’ and some elders said thus: ‘Householder, develop the exalted deliverance of mind’. Now, venerable sir, as to this measureless deliverance of mind and this exalted deliverance of mind, are these dhammas different in meaning and different in the letter or are they the same in meaning and only different in the letter?”

“Say how it occurs to you, householder. Afterwards it will be cleared up for you.”

“Venerable sir, I think it is like this: as to the measureless deliverance of mind and the exalted deliverance of mind, these dhammas are the same in meaning and only different in the letter.”

“Householder, as to the measureless deliverance of mind and the exalted deliverance of mind, these dhammas are different in meaning and different in the letter. And it can be known in what way they are so.

“What is the measureless deliverance of mind? Here a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with his mind endued with loving-kindness, likewise the second quarter, likewise the third quarter, likewise the fourth quarter; so above, below, around; he abides pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his mind endued with loving-kindess, abundant, exalted, measureless and free from affliction. He abides pervading one direction with his mind endued with compassion… with gladness… with equanimity… measureless and free from affliction. This is what is called the measureless deliverance of mind.

“What is the exalted deliverance of mind? Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of one tree root. This is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of two or three three roots. This too is what is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of one village area. This too is what is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of two or three village areas. This too is what is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of one major kingdom. This too is what is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of two or three major kingdoms. This too is what is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“Here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of what is bounded by the ocean. This too is what is called the exalted deliverance of mind.

“This is the way in which it can be known that these dhammas are different in meaning and different in the letter.

“There are these four kinds of reappearance of being. What four? Here someone abides being intent on pervading thus: ‘Limited radiance’. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the Gods of Limited Radiance (Paritābhā). Here someone abides being intent on pervading thus: ‘Measureless radiance’. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the Gods of Measureless Radiance (Appamānābhā). Here someone abides being intent on pervading thus: ‘Defiled radiance’. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the Gods of Defiled Radiance (Sankiliṭṭhābhā). Here someone abides being intent on pervading thus: ‘Pure radiance’. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the Gods of Pure Radiance (Parisuddhābhā). There are these four kinds of reappearance of being.

“There may be an occasion on which those gods assemble together. When they do so, what is understood is difference of identity in their appearance, not difference of their kind of radiance. Suppose a man brought many oil lamps into a house, then what is understood is difference of identity in their flames, not difference of their kind of radiance. So too, there may be an occasion… not difference of their kind of radiance.

“There may be an occasion on which those gods disperse from there. When they do so, what is understood is difference of identity in their appearance, not difference of their kind of radiance. Suppose a man took those many oil lamps out of the house, then what is understood is difference of identity in their appearance, not difference of their kind of radiance. So too, there may be an occasion… not difference of their kind of radiance.

“It is not that gods actually think thus: ‘This that is ours is permanent or everlasting or eternal’, but rather that wherever those gods live, there they take delight. Suppose flies were being carried along on a carrying-pole or on a basket, they would not actually think thus: ‘This that is ours is permanent or everlasting or eternal’, but rather that wherever those flies live, there they take delight. So too, it is not that… take delight.”

When this was said, the venerable Abhiya Kaccāna said to the venerable Anuruddha: “Good, venerable Anuruddha. And there is a further question that I can ask: Are all the gods with radiance of limited radiance? Or are some of the gods there of measureless radiance?”

“According to the factor distinguishing the kind of their being, friend Kaccāna, in which they reappear there are some gods there with limited radiance and some gods with measureless radiance.”

“Venerable Anuruddha, what is the reason, what is the condition for the fact that while these gods have reappeared in a single order of gods there are some gods there with limited radiance and some gods with measureless radiance?”

“As to that, friend Kaccāna, I shall ask you a question in return. Answer it as you like. How do you conceive this, friend Kaccāna: the bhikkhu who abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of one tree root, and the bhikkhu who abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ the extent of two or three tree roots, which of these two bhikkhus’ development of mind is the more exalted?”

“The second one’s, venerable sir.”

“How do you conceive this, friend Kaccāna: the bhikkhu who abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ two or three roots, and the bhikkhu who abides being intent on pervading as ‘exalted’ one village area, which of these two bhikkhus’ development of mind is the more exalted?”

“The second one’s, venerable sir.”

“… one village area… two or three village areas… more exalted? ”

“The second one’s, venerable sir.”

“… two or three village areas… one major kingdom… more exalted?”

“The second one’s, venerable sir.”

“… one major kingdom… two or three major kingdoms… more exalted?”

“The second one’s, venerable sir.”

“… two or three major kingdoms… of what is bounded by the ocean, which of these two bhikkhus’ development of mind is the more exalted?”

“The second one’s, venerable sir.”

“This is the reason, friend Kaccāna, this is the condition, for the fact that while these gods have reappeared in a single order of gods there are some gods with limited radiance and some gods with measureless radiance.”

“Good, venerable Anuruddha. And there is a further question that I can ask: Are all the gods with radiance of defiled radiance? Or are some of the gods there of pure radiance?”

“According to the factor distinguishing the kind of their being, friend Kaccāna, in which they reappear there are some gods there with defiled radiance and some gods with pure radiance.”

“Venerable Anuruddha, what is the reason, what is the condition, for the fact that while these gods have reappeared in a single order of gods there are some gods there with defiled radiance and some gods with pure radiance?”

“As to that, friend Kaccāna, I shall give you a simile, for some wise men understand by means of a simile the meaning of what is said here. Suppose the oil of a burning lamp is unclean and its wick unclean, then because of its oil and its wick it burns (jhāyati) as if darkly; so too, here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading a defiled radiance: his bodily inertia is not quite tranquillized, his lethargy and drowsiness is not quite eliminated, and his agitation and worry is not quite removed; for that reason he practises jhāna (jhāyati) as if darkly. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the gods with defiled radiance. Suppose the oil of a burning lamp is clean and its wick is clean, then because of the cleanness of its oil and wick it does not burn (na jhāyati) as if darkly; so too, here a bhikkhu abides being intent on pervading an undefiled radiance; his bodily inertia is quite tranquillized, his lethargy and drowsiness is quite eliminated, and his agitation and worry is quite removed; for that reason he does not practise jhāna na jhāyati as if darkly. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the gods with pure radiance. This is the reason, this is the condition, for the fact that while these gods have reappeared in a single order of gods there are some gods there with defiled radiance and some gods with pure radiance.”

When this was said, the venerable Abhiya Kaccāna said to the venerable Anuruddha: “Good, venerable Anuruddha. Venerable sir, the venerable Anuruddha has not said: ‘Thus I heard’ or ‘It ought to be thus’, but on the contrary, venerable sir, the venerable Anuruddha speaks in this way: ‘Thus are those gods, and such are those gods’. Venerable sir, it occurs to me thus: ‘Certainly the venerable Anuruddha has lived with those gods and has talked and held converse with them?’”

“Certainly, friend Kaccāna, this question of yours is a personal one directed at me, nevertheless I will answer you: I have long lived with those gods and have talked and held converse with them.”

When this was said, the venerable Abhiya Kaccāna told Pañcakanga the carpenter: “It is gain for you, householder, it is great gain for you, that you have abandoned your dhamma of doubt and have had the opportunity of hearing this discourse on the Dhamma.”

This is an excerpt from A Treasury of the Buddha's Words, a collection of suttas from the Majjhima Nikāya translated by Ven. Nyanamoli Thera and edited by Khantipalo Bhikkhu in 1977.

It was printed in Thailand by Mahāmakut Rājavidyālaya Press for free distribution.