AN 6.25 (A iii 312)
Anussatiṭṭhāna Sutta
— Subjects of recollection —

This sutta defines what are the six subjects of recollection.



Note: info·bubbles on "underdotted" English words


Pāḷi


English




“chayimāni, bhikkhave, anussatiṭṭhānāni. katamāni cha?

There are, bhikkhus, these six subjects of recollection. Which six?

idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati: ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho, vijjācaraṇasampanno, sugato, lokavidū, anuttaro purisadammasārathi, satthā devamanussānaṃ, buddho bhagavā’ti. yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, nikkhantaṃ muttaṃ vuṭṭhitaṃ gedhamhā. ‘gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṃ kāmaguṇānaṃ adhivacanaṃ. idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṃ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti.

Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata: 'Truly, the Fortunate One is an arahant, fully enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and good conduct, sublime, a knower of the worlds, the supreme trainer of men to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, awakened, fortunate.' When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Tathāgata, then at that time his mind is neither under the sway of avidity, nor under the sway of hatred, nor under the sway of delusion. Then his mind is just upright, he has left greed behind, released himself from it, he has emerged from it. 'Greed', bhikkhus, is an expression for the five strands of sensuality. Having made this a foundation, some beings get purified in this way.

“puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako dhammaṃ anussarati: ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī’ti. yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako dhammaṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, nikkhantaṃ muttaṃ vuṭṭhitaṃ gedhamhā. ‘gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṃ kāmaguṇānaṃ adhivacanaṃ. idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṃ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti.

Also, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well expounded by the Fortunate One, visible directly, immediate, inviting to come and see, efficient, to be experienced individually by the wise.' When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Dhamma, then at that time his mind is neither under the sway of avidity, nor under the sway of hatred, nor under the sway of delusion. Then his mind is just upright, he has left greed behind, released himself from it, he has emerged from it. 'Greed', bhikkhus, is an expression for the five strands of sensuality. Having made this a foundation, some beings get purified in this way.

“puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako saṅghaṃ anussarati: ‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka·saṅgho, uju·paṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka·saṅgho, ñāya·paṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka·saṅgho, sāmīci·paṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka·saṅgho, yadidaṃ cattāri purisa·yugāni aṭṭha purisa·puggalā, esa bhagavato sāvaka·saṅgho āhuneyyo, pāhuneyyo, dakkhiṇeyyo, añjali·karaṇīyo, anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā’ti. yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako saṅghaṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, nikkhantaṃ muttaṃ vuṭṭhitaṃ gedhamhā. ‘gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṃ kāmaguṇānaṃ adhivacanaṃ. idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṃ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti.

Also, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Sangha: 'The Sangha of the Fortunate One's disciples is practicing well, the Sangha of the Fortunate One's disciples is practicing straightforwardly, the Sangha of the Fortunate One's disciples is practicing rightly, the Sangha of the Fortunate One's disciples is practicing correctly, that is, the four pairs of men, the eight [types of] individuals, this Sangha of the Fortunate One's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respectful salutations, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the Sangha, then at that time his mind is neither under the sway of avidity, nor under the sway of hatred, nor under the sway of delusion. Then his mind is just upright, he has left greed behind, released himself from it, he has emerged from it. 'Greed', bhikkhus, is an expression for the five strands of sensuality. Having made this a foundation, some beings get purified in this way.

“puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako attano sīlāni anussarati akhaṇḍāni acchiddāni asabalāni akammāsāni bhujissāni viññu·p·pasatthāni a·parāmaṭṭhāni samādhi·saṃvattanikāni. yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako sīlaṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, nikkhantaṃ muttaṃ vuṭṭhitaṃ gedhamhā. ‘gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṃ kāmaguṇānaṃ adhivacanaṃ. idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṃ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti.

Also, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects his own virtues, which are entire, not defective, unspotted, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, without attachment, leading to concentration. When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects his own virtues, then at that time his mind is neither under the sway of avidity, nor under the sway of hatred, nor under the sway of delusion. Then his mind is just upright, he has left greed behind, released himself from it, he has emerged from it. 'Greed', bhikkhus, is an expression for the five strands of sensuality. Having made this a foundation, some beings get purified in this way.

“puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako attano cāgaṃ anussarati: ‘lābhā vata me! suladdhaṃ vata me! yohaṃ maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitāya pajāya vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṃ ajjhāvasāmi muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṃvibhāgarato’ti. yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako attano cāgaṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, nikkhantaṃ muttaṃ vuṭṭhitaṃ gedhamhā. ‘gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṃ kāmaguṇānaṃ adhivacanaṃ. idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṃ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti.

Also, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects his own generosity: 'Truly, it is a gain for me! Truly, it has been well gained by me that in this generation given to the stain of avarice, I live at home with a mind devoid of the stain of avarice, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in donations, accessible to requests, delighting in giving and sharing.' When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects his own generosity, then at that time his mind is neither under the sway of avidity, nor under the sway of hatred, nor under the sway of delusion. Then his mind is just upright, he has left greed behind, released himself from it, he has emerged from it. 'Greed', bhikkhus, is an expression for the five strands of sensuality. Having made this a foundation, some beings get purified in this way.

“puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako devatā anussarati: ‘santi devā cātumahārājikā, santi devā tāvatiṃsā, santi devā yāmā, santi devā tusitā, santi devā nimmānaratino, santi devā paranimmitavasavattino, santi devā brahmakāyikā, santi devā tatuttari. yathārūpāya saddhāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā saddhā saṃvijjati. yathārūpena sīlena samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā sīlā saṃvijjati. sutena samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā sutā saṃvijjati. cāgena samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā cāgā saṃvijjati. paññāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā paññā saṃvijjatī’” ti. “yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye ariyasāvako attano ca tāsañca devatānaṃ saddhañca sīlañca sutañca cāgañca paññañca anussarati nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti, nikkhantaṃ muttaṃ vuṭṭhitaṃ gedhamhā. ‘gedho’ti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṃ kāmaguṇānaṃ adhivacanaṃ. idampi kho, bhikkhave, ārammaṇaṃ karitvā evamidhekacce sattā visujjhanti.

Also, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the devas: 'There are the devas of the four Maharajas, there are the devas of Tāvatiṃsa, there are the devas of Yāma, there are the devas of Tusita, there are the devas who delight in creation, there are the devas who control what is created by others, there are the devas of Brahma's retinue, there are devas higher than those. I have in me the kind of conviction endowed with which, on passing away from here, they reappeared as such. I have in me the kind of virtue endowed with which, on passing away from here, they reappeared as such. I have in me the kind of learning endowed with which, on passing away from here, they reappeared as such. I have in me the kind of generosity endowed with which, on passing away from here, they reappeared as such. I have in me the kind of discernment endowed with which, on passing away from here, they reappeared as such. When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple recollects the conviction, virtue, learning, generosity and discernment in himself as well as in those devas, then at that time his mind is neither under the sway of avidity, nor under the sway of hatred, nor under the sway of delusion. Then his mind is just upright, he has left greed behind, released himself from it, he has emerged from it. 'Greed', bhikkhus, is an expression for the five strands of sensuality. Having made this a foundation, some beings get purified in this way.

imāni kho, bhikkhave, cha anussatiṭṭhānānī”ti.

These, bhikkhus, are the six subjects of recollection.



Bodhi leaf



Translation suggested by the webmaster.

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