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Majjhima Nikāya 108

Gopakamoggallānasutta

With Moggallāna the Guardian · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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a meditatorJhāyī andceva thatso Masterbhavaṁ Gotamagotamo wasahosi of meditative habitjhānasīlī andca.
and allSabbañca thenpana thatso Masterbhavaṁ Gotamagotamo meditationjhānaṁ praisedvaṇṇesī”ti.

He meditated, and made a habit of meditating. And he praised all kinds of meditation.”

not“Na andca indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, thatso Blessed Onebhagavā allsabbaṁ meditationjhānaṁ praisedvaṇṇesi, nor didnapi thatso Blessed Onebhagavā allsabbaṁ meditationjhānaṁ notna praisedvaṇṇesīti.
what kindKathaṁ and what formrūpañca, brahminbrāhmaṇa, thatso Blessed Onebhagavā meditationjhānaṁ notna praisedvaṇṇesi?
hereIdha, brahminbrāhmaṇa, someoneekacco overcome by sensual desirekāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena with mindcetasā dwellsviharati mired in sensual desirekāmarāgaparetena, arisenuppannassa andca of sensual desirekāmarāgassa escapenissaraṇaṁ trulyyathābhūtaṁ does not understandnappajānāti;
heso sensual desire itselfkāmarāgaṁyeva withinantaraṁ having madekaritvā meditatesjhāyati concentratespajjhāyati contemplatesnijjhāyati ruminatesapajjhāyati.
overcome by ill willByāpādapariyuṭṭhitena with mindcetasā dwellsviharati mired in ill willbyāpādaparetena, arisenuppannassa andca of ill willbyāpādassa escapenissaraṇaṁ trulyyathābhūtaṁ does not understandnappajānāti;
heso ill will itselfbyāpādaṁyeva withinantaraṁ having madekaritvā meditatesjhāyati concentratespajjhāyati contemplatesnijjhāyati ruminatesapajjhāyati.
overcome by dullness and drowsinessThinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena with mindcetasā dwellsviharati mired in dullness and drowsinessthinamiddhaparetena, arisenuppannassa andca of dullness and drowsinessthinamiddhassa escapenissaraṇaṁ trulyyathābhūtaṁ does not understandnappajānāti;
heso dullness and drowsiness itselfthinamiddhaṁyeva withinantaraṁ having madekaritvā meditatesjhāyati concentratespajjhāyati contemplatesnijjhāyati ruminatesapajjhāyati.
overcome by restlessness and remorseUddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena with mindcetasā dwellsviharati mired in restlessness and remorseuddhaccakukkuccaparetena, arisenuppannassa andca of restlessness and remorseuddhaccakukkuccassa escapenissaraṇaṁ trulyyathābhūtaṁ does not understandnappajānāti;
heso restlessness and remorse itselfuddhaccakukkuccaṁyeva withinantaraṁ having madekaritvā meditatesjhāyati concentratespajjhāyati contemplatesnijjhāyati ruminatesapajjhāyati.

“No, brahmin, the Buddha did not praise all kinds of meditation, nor did he dispraise all kinds of meditation. And what kind of meditation did he not praise? It’s when someone’s heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire, and they don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. Hiding sensual desire within, they meditate and concentrate and contemplate and ruminate. Their heart is overcome and mired in ill will … dullness and drowsiness … restlessness and remorse …

with a mind possessed by doubtVicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena with mindcetasā they dwellviharati overcome by doubt,vicikicchāparetena, arisenuppannāya andca from doubtvicikicchāya the escapenissaraṇaṁ as it truly isyathābhūtaṁ they do not knownappajānāti;
theyso just doubtvicikicchaṁyeva withinantaraṁ having madekaritvā they meditatejhāyati they concentratepajjhāyati they contemplatenijjhāyati they ruminate.apajjhāyati.
of this kindEvarūpaṁ indeed,kho, brahmin,brāhmaṇa, heso the Blessed Onebhagavā meditationjhānaṁ notna praised.vaṇṇesi.

doubt, and they don’t truly know and see the escape from doubt that has arisen. Hiding doubt within, they meditate and concentrate and contemplate and ruminate. The Buddha didn’t praise this kind of meditation.

how?Kathaṁ and a formrūpañca, brahminbrāhmaṇa, heso the Blessed Onebhagavā jhānajhānaṁ praised?vaṇṇesi?
hereIdha, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a bhikkhubhikkhu quite secludedvivicceva from sensual pleasureskāmehi secludedvivicca from unskillfulakusalehi qualitiesdhammehi with placing the mindsavitakkaṁ with keeping it connectedsavicāraṁ born of seclusionvivekajaṁ rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ firstpaṭhamaṁ jhānajhānaṁ enters and remains inupasampajja they dwellviharati.
of placing the mind and keeping it connectedVitakkavicārānaṁ by the stillingvūpasamā internallyajjhattaṁ serenitysampasādanaṁ of mindcetaso oneness of mindekodibhāvaṁ without placing the mindavitakkaṁ without keeping it connectedavicāraṁ born of immersionsamādhijaṁ rapture and blisspītisukhaṁ seconddutiyaṁ jhānajhānaṁ ……
thirdtatiyaṁ jhānajhānaṁ ……
fourthcatutthaṁ jhānajhānaṁ enters and remains inupasampajja they dwellviharati.
suchEvarūpaṁ indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, heso the Blessed Onebhagavā jhānajhānaṁ praisedvaṇṇesī”ti.

And what kind of meditation did he praise? 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. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain 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. And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain 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.’ With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. The Buddha praised this kind of meditation.”

deserving censure“Gārayhaṁ indeedkira, goodbho Ānandaānanda, heso worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo meditationjhānaṁ criticizedgarahi, deserving praisepāsaṁsaṁ praisedpasaṁsi.
wellHanda andca nowdāni wemayaṁ, goodbho Ānandaānanda, let us gogacchāma;
having many dutiesbahukiccā wemayaṁ having much to dobahukaraṇīyā”ti.
well“Yassadāni go at your conveniencetvaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, timekālaṁ you thinkmaññasī”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Vassakāravassakāro brahminbrāhmaṇo chief minister of Magadhamagadhamahāmatto venerableāyasmato of Ānandaānandassa speechbhāsitaṁ having approvedabhinanditvā having agreedanumoditvā rose from his seatuṭṭhāyāsanā leftpakkāmi.

“Well, worthy Ānanda, it seems that worthy Gotama criticized the kind of meditation that deserves criticism and praised that deserving of praise. Well, now, worthy Ānanda, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, brahmin, go at your convenience.” Then Vassakāra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what Venerable Ānanda said, rose from his seat and left.

thenAtha indeedkho Gopaka Moggallānagopakamoggallāno the brahminbrāhmaṇo soon after he had leftacirapakkante the Vassakāravassakāre the brahminbrāhmaṇe the Magadhan chief ministermagadhamahāmatte the venerableāyasmantaṁ Ānandaānandaṁ said thisetadavoca:
which“yaṁ ourno wemayaṁ worthybhavantaṁ Ānandaānandaṁ we askedapucchimhā thattaṁ to usno worthybhavaṁ Ānandaānando notna he explainedbyākāsī”ti.
didn't“Nanu to youte, brahminbrāhmaṇa, we saidavocumhā:
there is not‘natthi indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, even one mendicantekabhikkhupi with thosetehi with qualitiesdhammehi in each and every waysabbenasabbaṁ in every waysabbathāsabbaṁ endowedsamannāgato with whichyehi with qualitiesdhammehi endowedsamannāgato heso the Blessed Onebhagavā wasahosi the worthyarahaṁ the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho.
heSo forhi, brahminbrāhmaṇa, the Blessed Onebhagavā of the unarisenanuppannassa of the pathmaggassa the one who gave riseuppādetā, of the unbornasañjātassa of the pathmaggassa the one who gave birthsañjanetā, of the unexplainedanakkhātassa of the pathmaggassa the one who explainedakkhātā, the knower of the pathmaggaññū, the discoverer of the pathmaggavidū, the expert on the pathmaggakovido.
following the pathMaggānugā andca nowpana nowetarahi disciplessāvakā they liveviharanti afterwardspacchā they acquire itsamannāgatā’”ti.
the Gopakamoggallāna discourseGopakamoggallānasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ the eighthaṭṭhamaṁ.

Soon after he had left, Moggallāna the Guardian said to Ānanda, “Worthy Ānanda, you still haven’t answered my question.” “But brahmin, didn’t I say: ‘There is no single mendicant who has all the same qualities in each and every way as possessed by the worthy Gotama, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For the Blessed One gave rise to the unarisen path, gave birth to the unborn path, and explained the unexplained path. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the expert on the path. And now the disciples live following the path; they acquire it later.’”

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