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Khuddakapatha IntraText CT - Text |
A
person stashes a fund away,
deep underground, at the water line:
"When a need or duty arises,
this will provide for my needs,
for my release if I'm denounced by the king,
molested by thieves,
in case of debt, famine, or accidents."
With aims like this
in the world
a reserve fund is stashed away.
But
no matter how well it's stored,
deep underground, at the water line,
it won't all always serve one's need.
The fund gets shifted from its place,
or one's memory gets confused;
or -- unseen --
water serpents make off with it,
spirits steal it,
or hateful heirs run off with it.
When one's merit's ended,
it's totally destroyed.
But
when a man or woman
has laid aside a well-stored fund
of generosity, virtue,
restraint, & self-control,
with regard to a shrine,
the Sangha,
a fine individual,
guests,
mother, father,
or elder sibling:
That's a well-stored fund.
It can't be wrested away.
It follows you along.
When, having left this world,
for wherever you must go,
you take it with you.
This fund is not held in common with others,
& cannot be stolen by thieves.
So,
prudent, you should make merit,
the fund that will follow you along.
This is the fund
that gives all they want
to beings human, divine.
Whatever
devas aspire to,
all that is gained by this.
A fine complexion, fine voice,
a body well-built, well-formed,
lordship, a following:
all that is gained by this.
Earthly kingship, supremacy,
the bliss of an emperor,
kingship over devas in the heavens:
all that is gained by this.
The attainment of the human state,
any delight in heaven,
the attainment of Unbinding:
all that is gained by this.
Excellent friends,
appropriate application, [1]
mastery of clear knowing & release: [2]
all that is gained by this.
Acumen, [3] emancipations, [4]
the perfection of disciplehood:
all that is gained by this.
Private Awakening, [5]
Buddhahood:
all that is gained by this.
So
powerful is this,
the accomplishment of merit.
Thus the wise, the prudent,
praise the fund of merit
already made.
"Possessed of form, one sees forms. This is the first emancipation.
"Not percipient of form internally, one sees forms externally. This is the second emancipation.
"One is intent only on the beautiful. This is the third emancipation. With the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, thinking, 'Infinite space,' one enters and remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. This is the fourth emancipation. With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, thinking, 'Infinite consciousness,' one enters and remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This is the fifth emancipation.
"With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, thinking, 'There is nothing,' one enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth emancipation.
"With the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, one enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the seventh emancipation.
"With the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, one enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth emancipation.
"Now, when a monk attains these eight emancipations in forward order, in reverse order, in forward and reverse order, when he attains them and emerges from them wherever he wants, however he wants, and for as long as he wants, when through the ending of the mental fermentations he enters and remains in the fermentation-free release of awareness and release of discernment, having directly known it and realized it in the here and now, he is said to be a monk released in both ways. And as for another release in both ways, higher or more sublime than this, there is none."