|
Translated
from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.
I
have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi in the
Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother. Then in the evening, Ven.
Ananda, coming out of seclusion, approached the Blessed One and, on arrival,
having bowed down, sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to
the Blessed One: "On one occasion, when the Blessed One was staying among
the Sakyans in a Sakyan town named Nagaraka, there -- face to face with the
Blessed One -- I heard and learned this: 'I now often remain in an attitude of
emptiness.' Did I hear that correctly, learn it correctly, attend to it
correctly, remember it correctly?"
[The
Buddha:] "Yes, Ananda, you heard that correctly, learned it correctly,
attended to it correctly, remembered it correctly. Now, as well as before, I
often remain in an attitude of emptiness. Just as this palace of Migara's
mother is empty of elephants, cattle & mares, empty of gold & silver,
empty of assemblies of women & men, and there is only this non-emptiness --
the singleness based on the community of monks; even so, Ananda, a monk -- not
attending to the perception (mental note) of village, not attending to the
perception of human being -- attends to the singleness based on the perception
of forest. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges
in its perception of forest.
"He
discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception
of village are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the
perception of human being are not present. There is only this modicum of
disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of forest.' He discerns
that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of village. This mode
of perception is empty of the perception of human being. There is only this
non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of forest.' Thus he
regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as
present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with
actuality, is undistorted in meaning, & pure.
|