阿那律八念經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling beneath the Crane Tree on Mount Cetiya. The venerable Anuruddha was sitting in meditation by the shore of a secluded marsh, reflecting: "The Way of the Dharma is to have few desires. To have many desires is not the Way of the Dharma. The Way of the Dharma is to know contentment. Discontent is not the Way. To dwell in seclusion is the Way of the Dharma; delighting in a crowd of followers is not the Way. Diligent effort is the Way of the Dharma; indolence is not the Way. To restrain the mind is the Way of the Dharma; to be loose and unbridled is not the Way of the Dharma. To concentrate the mind is the Way of the Dharma; thinking too much is not the Way. Wisdom is the Way of the Dharma; foolish darkness is not the Way."

The Buddha, with his sacred mind, clearly perceived the thought of the venerable one. Just as a strong man bends and stretches his arm, he at once flew to stand before the venerable one and praised him, saying:

"Excellent! Excellent! Anuruddha.

What you contemplate is precisely what the great beings contemplate. Listen as I speak the eight contemplations of the great beings, and reflect well upon them so as to practice them. You should study the Four Dhyanas: control the mind, observe closely, do not abandon them halfway, and you will surely gain the great benefit and not lose your aspiration.

What are called the Four Dhyanas? They are: to cast away the evil and unwholesome states of desire, so that the mind becomes joyful—this is the practice of the First Dhyana. By casting away evil thoughts and concentrating the mind upon a single object, no longer needing joy—this is the practice of the Second Dhyana.

When joy has ceased, contemplating according to the Dharma and clearly seeing suffering and pleasure—this is the practice of the Third Dhyana. Having abandoned both suffering and pleasure, sorrow and gladness alike being cut off, and abiding in purity—this is the practice of the Fourth Dhyana. Having studied in this way, afterward one practices the eight contemplations of the great beings.

The Four Dhyanas are the method for controlling the mind; delighting to see the practice bear its benefit and aspiration swiftly, one does not give up halfway. Moreover, a person of few desires is like a king who has a close minister, master of the chests and coffers filled with beautiful garments, yet the king prefers to wear old clothes: few desires and knowing contentment, dwelling in seclusion, diligent effort, single-minded resolve, concentration of mind, and wisdom; renouncing the household, taking no pleasure in amusement or arrogance, and being without fault—surely such a person is one at peace, going toward the gate of Nirvana.

These are the eight contemplations of the great beings.

But as for the Four Dhyanas being for controlling the mind and observing closely, their meaning is like a king who has a close minister overseeing the cooking, blending the five flavors, yet the king prefers to go begging for alms, his purpose being to nourish the body and not to hope for indulgence. Their meaning is like a king who has lofty pavilions for viewing, yet who himself delights in mountains, marshes, and forests, in places of tranquility, diligent and free of desire toward the world.

Their meaning is like a king who has a close minister, master of the fine medicines and curds, ghee, clarified butter, mineral salts, and honey, yet the king, when he is ill, uses his own urine in order to be rid of suffering and affliction. By practicing the eight contemplations, reflecting on the Four Dhyanas, with diligence lacking nothing and the mind without fault, one will surely bring oneself to peace and go toward the gate of Nirvana."

When the Buddha had spoken thus, he returned at once to Cetiya and said to his disciples: "The Way must have few desires; one must not have many desires. The Way must know contentment; one must not gather up a surplus. The Way must dwell in a place of tranquility; one should not delight in assemblies. The Way must be diligent; one must not be indolent. The Way must restrain the mind; one must not be heedless. The Way must concentrate the mind; one must not let the mind be scattered. The Way must possess wisdom; one must not be in foolish darkness. A bhikkhu must take few desires as his delight. That is, let the body itself have few desires, yet do not let others know that you have few desires. Only such a meaning is correct.

A bhikkhu who knows contentment is one for whom the alms bowl, robes, bed and couch, and medicines for treating illness—these things being sufficient for use—are enough, and he should not gather up a surplus. Only such a meaning is correct. A bhikkhu who dwells in seclusion is one who avoids worldly people, does not enter into assemblies, and stays far off among mountains and marshes, rocky caves, and the roots of trees.

If the fourfold assembly, or a king or great minister, comes to inquire about the Way, then let him speak the pure Dharma for them to hear, and when this is done, depart at once. He is like a poor man indebted to a wealthy one, dragged about by his creditor, who wishes to get far away: he is not content unless he dwells in seclusion, far from all people. Only thus is the meaning correct.

A bhikkhu who is diligent is one who cuts off what is contrary to the Dharma, who industriously practices the scriptural Way and has never been indolent. In the first watch, the middle watch, and the last watch of the night, whether walking, sitting, or lying down, he constantly awakens his mind, recalling what is pure so as to remove the five hindrances. Only thus is the meaning correct.

A bhikkhu who restrains the mind is one who casts away desire and evil states, sits with concentrated mind, reflects and contemplates so as to cut off suffering and pleasure, and attains the practice of the Four Dhyanas. This is the correct meaning. A bhikkhu who concentrates the mind is one who constantly, with single-pointed mind, contemplates the body and contemplates the mind, is not driven about by his actions, gathers his mindfulness in accord with the Way, and casts away the thoughts of folly that bring affliction and harm.

This is the correct meaning. A bhikkhu of wisdom is one who knows the Four Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the Way. What is called the Truth of Suffering?

It is: birth is suffering, old age is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow and grief and distress are suffering, being parted from what is loved is suffering, meeting with what is hated is suffering, not obtaining what is desired is suffering. In short, the five flourishing aggregates are suffering. 'Birth is suffering': human beings, drawn along by their actions, are received into the womb and thereby come to be born, possessing a bodily form, with the faculties of the body manifest, with entering and feeling, and so they grow up. 'Old age is suffering': the human faculties have ripened, the bodily form has changed, the hair turns white, the teeth fall out, the sinews grow weary, the skin wrinkles,

and the back becomes bent so that one must lean on a staff to walk. 'Sickness is suffering': a human being is tormented by misfortune to the point of suffering tumors, pustulant sores, convulsions, madness, and the like.

Diseases are very many, more than a hundred kinds. 'Death is suffering': a human being's life comes to its end, the bodily form decays, the warmth is no more, the breath ceases, and the spirit has departed. All such things are suffering.

What is called the Truth of the Origin? It is: no feeling, no entering, craving exhausted and remaining no more, the bonds undone, the one who sees by wisdom, with all this no longer present. Among worldly people there is none who sees the bondage of the five aggregates. This one is reborn no more, having undone all the cords of craving that bind; through wisdom he has seen 'impermanence, suffering, emptiness, non-self,' and so has cut them off. This is the Truth of the Origin.

What is called the Truth of the Way? It is the Eightfold Straight Path: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right governance, right livelihood, right aspiration, and right concentration. What is called right view?

Right view is of two kinds: there is the worldly and there is that of the Way. To know that there is benevolence and righteousness, to know that there are father and mother, to know that there are sramanas and brahmins, to know that there are those who have attained the Way and the true ones, to know that there is this life and a life to come, to know that there are good and evil, transgression and merit—and that from here one reaches the far shore by means of practice and so realizes the Way: this is worldly right view.

By understanding the Four Truths—suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the Way—one has gained the wisdom-vision of 'emptiness, purity, non-self': this is the right view of the Way.

Right thought is also of two kinds. To reflect upon learning, to reflect upon harmony and reverence, to reflect upon the precepts and prudence, to reflect upon harmlessness: this is worldly right thought. To reflect upon renunciation, to reflect upon patience and silence, to reflect upon the utter extinction of all former craving: this is the right thought of the Way.

Right speech is also of two kinds. Not to speak with a double tongue, not to speak harsh words or to revile and curse, not to speak falsehood, not to speak embellished words: this is the right speech of the world. To be free of the four faults of the mouth, to expound the words of the Way clearly, the mind not producing fabrication, all purified with nothing remaining: this is the right speech of the Way.

Right action is also of two kinds. The body doing what is good, the mouth speaking what is good, the mind thinking what is good: this is the right action of the world. The body and mouth being diligent, the mind's thoughts being pure, extinguishing dissipation and clinging: this is the right action of the Way.

Right governance is also of two kinds. Not to kill, not to steal, not to be lustful, not to exalt oneself, but to cultivate virtue and guard oneself: this is the right governance of the world. To leave behind the three evils of the body, to cut off the origin of suffering, to extinguish craving and seek deliverance: this is the right governance of the Way.

Right livelihood is also of two kinds. To seek wealth in accord with the Way and righteousness, not to crave goods recklessly, not to use a deceitful mind toward others: this is the right livelihood of the world. To have left behind wrong occupations, to relinquish worldly office, not to violate the prohibitions of the Way: this is the right livelihood of the Way.

Right knowledge is also of two kinds. Not to be jealous, not to be angry and resentful, not to be crooked: this is the right knowledge of the world. To leave behind the three evils of the mind, to practice the four uprightnesses of the mind, pure and unconditioned: this is the right knowledge of the Way.

Right concentration is also of two kinds. The essential nature being well matured, harmonized in accord with what is good, the mind steadfast and firm, the mind not crooked nor perverse: this is the right concentration of the world. To attain the four resolves of mind, to be mindful of emptiness, of non-perception, of non-aspiration, and to see the source of Nirvana: this is the right concentration of the Way. This is the Truth of the Way.

A bhikkhu renounces the household, severs affection and love, reflects upon the Way in tranquility, without attachment or yearning, his mind not running after desire, pure and unobstructed. This is the meaning of the Way of the Dharma, which must be followed in just this manner."

The venerable Anuruddha heard the Buddha expound the sutra, which opened and guided his mind. He upheld and practiced it for three months, whereupon his outflows were exhausted and cut off, his mind was liberated, he attained the three insights, and having realized the Way, he knew of himself that he had become an Arhat, and at once he spoke these verses:

Discontent with the pleasures of desire,

Because for the sake of desire's pleasure he lets the mind run wild,

Therefore he must undergo suffering,

Doing much evil that binds him fast.

Few desires—he knows the practice of the Way,

Knowing shame, not holding to self-view.

This Dharma attains to purity,

Far from evil, freed from the world.

I, by means of the concentration of Suchness-emptiness,

Have had all sufferings extinguished and removed.

Following the teaching of the Buddha,

Keeping the practice, casting away evil desire,

Casting off the calamities within the body,

I gained the benefit in accord with the unconditioned.

From this I attained the three insights,

Having uprooted the root of affection and love,

Right here in the hamlet of Vaisa,

In the Bamboo Grove—Parinirvana.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SUTRA OF ANURUDDHA'S EIGHT CONTEMPLATIONS