阿那律八念經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling beneath the Saṅgha tree on Mount Cetiya. The venerable Anuruddha was seated in meditation by the shore of a secluded marsh, contemplating thus: "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 be content with what one has. To be insatiable is not the Way. To dwell in seclusion is the Way of the Dharma; to delight in crowds 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 dissolute is not the Way of the Dharma. To concentrate the mind is the Way of the Dharma; to think excessively is not the Way. Wisdom is the Way of the Dharma; dull ignorance is not the Way."

The Buddha, with his holy mind, clearly knew the thought of the venerable one. Just as a strong man might bend or stretch out his arm, so swiftly did he come before the venerable one and praise him, saying:

"Excellent! Excellent, Anuruddha! What you have been contemplating is indeed what a great being contemplates.

Listen as I speak the eight contemplations of a great being, and reflect well upon them and practice them. You should learn the Four Dhyānas, restrain the mind, observe, and not abandon them midway; then you will surely gain great benefit and not lose your resolve. What are the Four Dhyānas?

To cast off the unwholesome states of evil desire so that the mind attains joy—this is the practice of the First Dhyāna. By casting off evil thoughts and focusing the mind upon a single object, no longer needing that joy—this is the practice of the Second Dhyāna. When joy has come to an end, and one merely observes according to the Dharma, clearly seeing suffering and pleasure—this is the practice of the Third Dhyāna.

Having abandoned both suffering and pleasure, with both sorrow and gladness cut off, abiding in purity—this is the practice of the Fourth Dhyāna. Having trained in this way, one then practices the eight contemplations of a great being. The Four Dhyānas are the method for restraining the mind; one who delights in seeing this attains the benefit of his aspiration swiftly, no longer abandoning the task midway.

Moreover, a person of few desires is like a king who has a close attendant in charge of the chests filled with beautiful garments, yet the king prefers to wear old clothes—few in desire, content with what he has, dwelling in seclusion, diligent, single-minded, concentrated in mind, wise, having left the household life, taking no delight in amusements, free of arrogance and without fault. Such a one is surely a person at peace, who proceeds toward the gate of Nirvāṇa.

These are the eight contemplations of a great being.

Yet the Four Dhyānas, for restraining the mind and observing, have a meaning like a king who has a close attendant in charge of the cooking, preparing the five flavors, yet the king prefers to go begging for alms, his purpose being to nourish the body and not to seek enjoyment. Its meaning is like a king who has towers and pavilions from which to look out, yet himself delights in mountains, marshes, and forests, places of quietude, diligent and free of desire toward the world.

Its meaning is like a king who has a close attendant in charge of the fine medicines and remedies—ghee, butter, clarified butter, mineral salts, and honey—yet the king, when ill, uses urine in order to be rid of his suffering and affliction. By practicing the eight contemplations, contemplating the Four Dhyānas, diligent without deficiency, his mind free of fault, he will surely bring himself to peace and proceed toward the gate of Nirvāṇa."

When the Buddha had spoken thus, he returned at once to Cetiya and told the disciples: "The Way must have few desires; it must not have many desires. The Way must be content with what one has; it must not accumulate a surplus. The Way must dwell in a place of quietude; one should not delight in assemblies. The Way must be diligent; it must not be indolent. The Way must restrain the mind; it must not be heedless. The Way must concentrate the mind; it must not let the mind be distracted. The Way must have wisdom; it must not have dull ignorance. A bhikṣu must take few desires as his delight. That is, the body itself has few desires, yet do not let others know that you have few desires. Only with this meaning is it correct.

A bhikṣu content with what he has—this means the alms bowl, robes, bed and bench, and medicines for curing illness; when the things in use are sufficient, that is enough; one should not accumulate a surplus. Only with this meaning is it correct. A bhikṣu who dwells in seclusion—this means avoiding worldly people, not entering into assemblies, dwelling far away in mountains and marshes, rocky caves, and at the roots of trees.

If the fourfold assembly, or a king, or a great minister comes to ask about the Way, then expound the pure Dharma for them to hear, and when this is done, depart at once. It is like a poor man indebted to a wealthy one, dragged about by his creditor, who wishes to get away from him—is he not one who prefers to dwell in seclusion, far from all people? Only thus is the meaning correct.

A bhikṣu who is diligent—this is to cut off what is contrary to the Dharma, to practice the scriptures of the Way with diligence, never being 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, recollecting what is pure in order to remove the five hindrances. Only thus is the meaning correct.

A bhikṣu who restrains the mind—this is to cast off desire and evil states, to sit in concentration of mind, contemplating and observing in order to cut off suffering and pleasure and attain the practice of the Four Dhyānas. Thus is the meaning correct. A bhikṣu who concentrates the mind—this is constantly with single mind to contemplate the body and contemplate the mind, not driven about by actions, gathering his recollection in accord with the Way, casting off the thoughts of foolish ignorance and harmful affliction.

Thus is the meaning correct. A bhikṣu who has wisdom—this is to know the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the Way. What is the Noble Truth of Suffering?

It is the suffering of birth, the suffering of old age, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death, the suffering of grief, lamentation, and distress, the suffering of being parted from what is loved, the suffering of being joined with what is hated, the suffering of not obtaining what is desired. In short, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering. 'The suffering of birth' is that a person, led by his actions, is received into the womb and thus comes to be born, possessing a bodily form, manifesting the faculties and the body, with sense-bases and feeling, and so grows up. 'The suffering of old age' is that a person's faculties have ripened, his bodily form has changed, his hair has turned white, his teeth have fallen out, his sinews are weary, his skin is wrinkled,

his back is bent so that he must lean upon a staff as he walks. 'The suffering of sickness' is that a person is tormented by his deeds, even to the point of suffering tumors, festering sores, convulsions, madness, and the like.

Sicknesses are very many, more than a hundred kinds. 'The suffering of death' is that a person's life comes to an end, his bodily form decays and breaks down, the warmth is no more, the breath ceases, and the spirit has departed. All these are suffering.

What is the Noble Truth of Origin? It is to have no feeling and no sense-impression, craving having been wholly exhausted and no longer remaining, the bonds having been loosed; one who sees with wisdom is no longer subject to any of it. Among worldly people there is none who sees the bondage of the five aggregates. This one is no longer subject to rebirth, having loosed all the cords of the bondage of craving; through wisdom he has seen 'the impermanent, the suffering, the empty, the non-self,' and so he has cut them off. This is the Noble Truth of Origin.

What is the Noble Truth of the Way? It is the eightfold straight path: right view, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right action, right livelihood, right resolve, and right concentration. What is 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 śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, to know that there are those who have attained the Way and the true persons, to know that there is this world and a world to come, to know that there are good and evil, sin and merit—proceeding from here to the other shore by means of practice and so realizing the Way: this is worldly right view.

By understanding the Four Noble Truths—suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the Way—one attains the wise vision of 'the empty, the calm, the non-self': this is the right view of the Way.

Right thought is also of two kinds. Reflection upon learning, reflection upon harmony and reverence, reflection upon the precepts and caution, reflection upon harmlessness: this is worldly right thought. Reflection upon renunciation, reflection upon patience and silence, reflection upon the complete extinguishing of craving and attachment: 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 evil words or revile and curse, not to speak falsely, not to speak embellished words: this is the right speech of the world. To depart from the four faults of the mouth, to expound and make clear the words of the Way, the mind making nothing, wholly cleansed with no remainder left: this is the right speech of the Way.

Right conduct 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 conduct of the world. Body and mouth diligent, the mind's recollection pure, extinguishing dissoluteness and attachment: this is the right conduct of the Way.

Right action is also of two kinds. Not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to exalt oneself, to cultivate virtue and guard oneself: this is the right action of the world. To depart from the three evils of the body, to cut off the origin of suffering, to extinguish craving and seek deliverance: this is the right action of the Way.

Right livelihood is also of two kinds. To seek wealth in accordance with the Way and righteousness, not to covet possessions recklessly, not to use a deceitful mind toward others: this is the right livelihood of the world. Having departed far from wrong occupations, casting off worldly rank, not transgressing the prohibitions of the Way: this is the right livelihood of the Way.

Right resolve is also of two kinds. Not to be envious, not to be angry and resentful, not to be perverse: this is the right resolve of the world. To depart from the three evils of the mind, to practice the four uprightnesses of the mind, pure and unconditioned: this is the right resolve of the Way.

Right concentration is also of two kinds. The essential nature well matured, brought into accord with what is good, the mind at peace and firm, the mind not winding crookedly into perversity: this is the right concentration of the world. To attain the four resolves, to recollect emptiness, the signless, and the wishless, and to see the source of Nirvāṇa: this is the right concentration of the Way. This is the Noble Truth of the Way.

A bhikṣu leaves the household, severs the bonds of affection, contemplates the Way in tranquility, without longing or admiration, his mind not running after desire, pure and unobstructed. This is the meaning of the Way of the Dharma, and it must be followed thus."

The venerable Anuruddha, hearing the Buddha expound this sūtra, had his mind opened and guided. He upheld and practiced it for three months, whereupon his outflows were exhausted and removed, his mind was liberated, he attained the three knowledges, and having realized the Way, he knew of himself that he had become an arhat. He then spoke this verse:

To be insatiable for the pleasures of desire—

Because of desire and pleasure the mind runs loose.

Thereby one must undergo suffering,

Doing much evil and being bound.

Few desires—he knows the practice of the Way.

Knowing shame, he holds no self-view.

This Dharma attains to purity,

Far from evil, freed from the world.

I use the concentration of Suchness-Emptiness;

All sufferings are extinguished and removed.

Following what the Buddha taught,

Keeping the practice, casting off evil desire,

Casting off the calamities of the body,

Attaining benefit in accordance with the unconditioned.

Thereby I attained the three knowledges,

Having pulled up the root of affection,

Right here in the village of Veluva,

In the Bamboo Grove—Parinirvāṇa.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA OF ANURUDDHA'S EIGHT CONTEMPLATIONS