Cūḷasuññatasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 121

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

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soEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Buddhabhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in the Eastern Monasterypubbārāme in the stilt longhouse of Migāra's mothermigāramātupāsāde.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando late afternoonsāyanhasamayaṁ from retreatpaṭisallānā emergedvuṭṭhito whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā he approached him;tenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ he sat down.nisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said this to him:etadavoca:

Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Ānanda came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

this one time“Ekamidaṁ, sirbhante, timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā among the Sakyanssakkesu was stayingviharati townnagarakaṁ namednāma of the Sakyanssakyānaṁ market townnigamo.
thereTattha by meme, sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesammukhā heardsutaṁ, in the presencesammukhā learnedpaṭiggahitaṁ:
by the meditation on emptiness I‘suññatāvihārenāhaṁ, Ānandaānanda, these daysetarahi usuallybahulaṁ I practiceviharāmī’ti.
I trustKacci thismetaṁ, sirbhante, properly heardsussutaṁ properly learnedsuggahitaṁ properly applied the mindsumanasikataṁ properly rememberedsūpadhāritan”ti?
indeed“Taggha by youte thisetaṁ, Ānandaānanda, properly heardsussutaṁ properly learnedsuggahitaṁ properly applied the mindsumanasikataṁ properly rememberedsūpadhāritaṁ.
as before IPubbepāhaṁ, Ānandaānanda, even todayetarahipi by the meditation on emptinesssuññatāvihārena usuallybahulaṁ I practiceviharāmi.

“Sir, this one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans where they have a town named Townsville. There I heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘Ānanda, these days I usually practice the meditation on emptiness.’ I trust I properly heard, learned, applied the mind, and remembered that from the Buddha?” “Indeed, Ānanda, you properly heard, learned, applied the mind, and remembered that. Now, as before, I usually practice the meditation on emptiness.

just asSeyyathāpi, Ānandaānanda, thisayaṁ Migāra’s mother’s longhousemigāramātupāsādo emptysuñño of elephants, cows, horses, and mareshatthigavassavaḷavena, emptysuñño of gold and silverjātarūparajatena, emptysuñño of gatherings of men and womenitthipurisasannipātena there isatthi only thiscevidaṁ not emptinessasuññataṁ namelyyadidaṁ—
the mendicant Saṅghabhikkhusaṅghaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattaṁ;
in the same wayevameva indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu ignoringamanasikaritvā the perception of the villagegāmasaññaṁ, ignoringamanasikaritvā the perception of peoplemanussasaññaṁ, the perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca attentionmanasi makeskaroti onenessekattaṁ.
theirTassa in that perception of wildernessaraññasaññāya mindcittaṁ leaps forthpakkhandati gains confidencepasīdati settles downsantiṭṭhati becomes decidedadhimuccati.
theySo thusevaṁ understandpajānāti:
whatever‘ye there wereassu distressesdarathā dependent on the perception of the villagegāmasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna aresanti, whateverye there wereassu distressesdarathā dependent on the perception of peoplemanussasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna aresanti, there isatthi only thiscevāyaṁ modicum of distressdarathamattā namelyyadidaṁ—
the perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
theySo empty is this‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of the villagegāmasaññāyā’ti understandpajānāti, empty is this‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of peoplemanussasaññāyā’ti understandpajānāti, there is‘atthi only thiscevidaṁ not emptinessasuññataṁ namelyyadidaṁ—
the perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
thusIti whateveryañhi indeedkho theretattha notna ishoti by thattena thattaṁ emptysuññaṁ regardssamanupassati, whatyaṁ butpana theretattha remainsavasiṭṭhaṁ ishoti thattaṁ it is present‘santamidaṁ it isatthī’ti understandpajānāti.

Consider this stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother. It’s empty of elephants, cows, horses, and mares; of gold and silver; and of gatherings of men and women. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely, the oneness dependent on the mendicant Saṅgha. In the same way, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of the village and the perception of people—focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of wilderness. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of wilderness. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of village or the perception of people. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of wilderness.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the village. It is empty of the perception of people. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of wilderness.’ And so they regard it as empty of what is not there, but as to what remains they understand that it is present.

thus for them thisEvampissa thisesā, Ānandaānanda, genuineyathābhuccā undistortedavipallatthā pureparisuddhā manifestation of emptinesssuññatāvakkanti isbhavati.

That’s how emptiness manifests in them—genuine, undistorted, and pure.

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, ānandaānanda, monkbhikkhu having ignoredamanasikaritvā perception of peoplemanussasaññaṁ, having ignoredamanasikaritvā perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ, perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca mindmanasi makeskaroti onenessekattaṁ.
of thatTassa in the perception of earthpathavīsaññāya mindcittaṁ leaps forthpakkhandati gains confidencepasīdati settles downsantiṭṭhati becomes decidedadhimuccati.
just asSeyyathāpi, ānandaānanda, bull's hideāsabhacammaṁ with a hundred pegssaṅkusatena fully stretched outsuvihataṁ rid of foldsvigatavalikaṁ;
just soevameva indeedkho, ānandaānanda, monkbhikkhu whatyaṁ of thisimissā of the earthpathaviyā hilly terrainukkūlavikkūlaṁ inaccessible riverlandsnadīviduggaṁ stumps and thornskhāṇukaṇṭakaṭṭhānaṁ rugged mountainspabbatavisamaṁ thattaṁ allsabbaṁ having ignoredamanasikaritvā perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca mindmanasi makeskaroti onenessekattaṁ.
of thatTassa in the perception of earthpathavīsaññāya mindcittaṁ leaps forthpakkhandati gains confidencepasīdati settles downsantiṭṭhati becomes decidedadhimuccati.
heSo thusevaṁ understandspajānāti:
which‘ye might beassu stressesdarathā perception of peoplemanussasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna existsanti, whichye might beassu stressesdarathā perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna existsanti, there isatthi only thiscevāyaṁ modicum of stressdarathamattā namely thisyadidaṁ—
perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
heSo empty is this‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of peoplemanussasaññāyā’ti understandspajānāti, empty is this‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of wildernessaraññasaññāyā’ti understandspajānāti, there is‘atthi only thiscevidaṁ not emptinessasuññataṁ namely thisyadidaṁ—
perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of people and the perception of wilderness—focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of earth. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of earth. As a bull’s hide is rid of folds when fully stretched out by a hundred pegs, so too, ignoring the hilly terrain, inaccessible riverlands, stumps and thorns, and rugged mountains, they focus on the oneness dependent on the perception of earth. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of earth. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of people or the perception of wilderness. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of earth.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of people. It is empty of the perception of wilderness. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of earth.’

thusIti what indeedyañhi indeedkho theretattha notna ishoti by thattena thattaṁ emptysuññaṁ they regardsamanupassati, whatyaṁ butpana theretattha remainingavasiṭṭhaṁ ishoti thattaṁ this is present‘santamidaṁ it isatthī’ti they understandpajānāti.
and so in themEvampissa thisesā, ānandaānanda, genuineyathābhuccā undistortedavipallatthā pureparisuddhā emptiness manifestationsuññatāvakkanti becomesbhavati.

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.

furthermorePuna and moreovercaparaṁ, Ānandaānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu having ignoredamanasikaritvā the perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ, having ignoredamanasikaritvā the perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ, the perception of the dimension of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca mindmanasi makeskaroti onenessekattaṁ.
theirTassa in that perception of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññāya mindcittaṁ leaps forthpakkhandati gains confidencepasīdati settles downsantiṭṭhati becomes decidedadhimuccati.
theySo thusevaṁ understandpajānāti:
which‘ye there wereassu stressesdarathā due to the perception of wildernessaraññasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna there aresanti, whichye there wereassu stressesdarathā due to the perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna there aresanti, there isatthi only thiscevāyaṁ this modicum of stressdarathamattā namelyyadidaṁ—
the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
theySo this is empty‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of wildernessaraññasaññāyā’ti understandpajānāti, this is empty‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of earthpathavīsaññāyā’ti understandpajānāti, there is‘atthi only thiscevidaṁ that is not emptinessasuññataṁ namelyyadidaṁ—
the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
thusIti and whatyañhi indeedkho theretattha notna ishoti by thattena thattaṁ emptysuññaṁ regardsamanupassati, whatyaṁ butpana theretattha remainsavasiṭṭhaṁ ishoti thattaṁ this is present‘santamidaṁ there isatthī’ti understandpajānāti.
and so for them thisEvampissa thisesā, Ānandaānanda, genuineyathābhuccā undistortedavipallatthā pureparisuddhā manifestation of emptinesssuññatāvakkanti isbhavati.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of wilderness and the perception of earth—focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite space. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of the dimension of infinite space. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of wilderness or the perception of earth. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite space.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of wilderness. It is empty of the perception of earth. There is only this that is not emptiness, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite space.’ 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.

furthermorePuna and socaparaṁ, Ānandaānanda, a mendicantbhikkhu having ignoredamanasikaritvā the perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ, having ignoredamanasikaritvā the perception of the dimension of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ, the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousnessviññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca attentionmanasi makeskaroti onenessekattaṁ.
for himTassa in the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousnessviññāṇañcāyatanasaññāya mindcittaṁ leaps forthpakkhandati gains confidencepasīdati settles downsantiṭṭhati becomes decidedadhimuccati.
heSo thusevaṁ understandspajānāti:
whatever‘ye there wereassu stressorsdarathā the perception of earthpathavīsaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna aresanti, whateverye there wereassu stressorsdarathā the perception of the dimension of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca heretedha notna aresanti, there isatthi and here iscevāyaṁ a modicum of stressdarathamattā namelyyadidaṁ—
the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousnessviññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
heSo this is empty‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of earthpathavīsaññāyā’ti understandspajānāti, this is empty‘suññamidaṁ field of perceptionsaññāgataṁ of the perception of the dimension of infinite spaceākāsānañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti understandspajānāti, there is‘atthi and here iscevidaṁ a non-emptinessasuññataṁ namelyyadidaṁ—
the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousnessviññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ dependent onpaṭicca onenessekattan’ti.
thusIti whatever indeedyañhi indeedkho theretattha notna ishoti by thattena thattaṁ emptysuññaṁ regardssamanupassati, whatyaṁ butpana theretattha remainingavasiṭṭhaṁ ishoti thattaṁ this is present‘santamidaṁ it isatthī’ti understandspajānāti.
and so for himEvampissa thisesā, Ānandaānanda, genuineyathābhuccā undistortedavipallatthā pureparisuddhā entry into emptinesssuññatāvakkanti becomesbhavati.

Furthermore, a mendicant—ignoring the perception of earth and the perception of the dimension of infinite space—focuses on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness. Their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided in that perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness. They understand: ‘Here there is no stress due to the perception of earth or the perception of the dimension of infinite space. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness.’ They understand: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of earth. It is empty of the perception of the dimension of infinite space. There is only this modicum of stress, namely the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness.’ 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.

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