Cūḷasuññatasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 121

The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ, ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ.
Tassa ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati.
So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘ye assu darathā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ—
ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti.
So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākāsānañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ viññāṇañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ—
ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti.
Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti.
Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of the dimension of infinite space and the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness—focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of nothingness. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of the dimension of nothingness. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of the dimension of infinite space or the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of nothingness.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of infinite space. It is empty of the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of nothingness.’ And so they regard it as empty of what is not there, but as to what remains they understand that it is present. That’s how emptiness manifests in them—genuine, undistorted, and pure.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda bhikkhu amanasikaritvā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ.
Tassa nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati.
So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘ye assu darathā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ—
nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti.
So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ viññāṇañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ—
nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti.
Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti.
Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness and the perception of the dimension of nothingness—focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness or the perception of the dimension of nothingness. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness. It is empty of the perception of the dimension of nothingness. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.’ And so they regard it as empty of what is not there, but as to what remains they understand that it is present. That’s how emptiness manifests in them—genuine, undistorted, and pure.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ, animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ.
Tassa animitte cetosamādhimhi cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati.
So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘ye assu darathā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ—
imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti.
So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ—
imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti.
Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti.
Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of the dimension of nothingness and the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception—focuses on the oneness dependent on the signless immersion of the heart. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that signless immersion of the heart. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of the dimension of nothingness or the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. There is only this modicum of stress, namely that related to the six sense fields dependent on this body and conditioned by life.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of nothingness. It is empty of the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely that related to the six sense fields dependent on this body and conditioned by life.’ And so they regard it as empty of what is not there, but as to what remains they understand that it is present. That’s how emptiness manifests in them—genuine, undistorted, and pure.

Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ, animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ.
Tassa animitte cetosamādhimhi cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati.
So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘ayampi kho animitto cetosamādhi abhisaṅkhato abhisañcetayito’.
‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti.
Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati.
Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of the dimension of nothingness and the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception—focuses on the oneness dependent on the signless immersion of the heart. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that signless immersion of the heart. They understand: ‘Even this signless immersion of the heart is produced by choices and intentions.’ They understand: ‘But whatever is produced by choices and intentions is impermanent and liable to cessation.’ Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’

So evaṁ pajānāti:
‘ye assu darathā kāmāsavaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā bhavāsavaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā avijjāsavaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ—
imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti.
So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ kāmāsavenā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ bhavāsavenā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ avijjāsavenā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ—
imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti.
Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti.
Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā paramānuttarā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.

They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, or ignorance. There is only this modicum of stress, namely that related to the six sense fields dependent on this body and conditioned by life.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely that related to the six sense fields dependent on this body and conditioned by life.’ And so they regard it as empty of what is not there, but as to what remains they understand that it is present. That’s how emptiness manifests in them—genuine, undistorted, pure, and supreme.

Yepi hi keci, ānanda, atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja vihariṁsu, sabbe te imaṁyeva parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja vihariṁsu.
Yepi hi keci, ānanda, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharissanti, sabbe te imaṁyeva parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharissanti.
Yepi hi keci, ānanda, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharanti, sabbe te imaṁyeva parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharanti.
Tasmātiha, ānanda, ‘parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharissāmā’ti—
evañhi vo, ānanda, sikkhitabban”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Cūḷasuññatasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.

Whatever ascetics and brahmins enter and remain in the pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness—whether in the past, future, or present—all of them enter and remain in this same pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness. So, Ānanda, you should train like this: ‘We will enter and remain in the pure, ultimate, supreme emptiness.’ That’s how you should train.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.

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