SECOND FOUR STAGES OF DELIVERANCE

38. ‘By passing quite beyond all idea of space being the infinite basis, he, thinking “it is all infinite reason,” reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind to which the infinity of reason is alone present–this is the fifth stage of deliverance.

39. ‘By passing quite beyond the mere consciousness of the infinity of reason, he, thinking “nothing at all exists,” reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind to which nothing at all is specially present–this is the sixth stage of deliverance.

40. ‘By passing quite beyond all idea of nothingness he reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind to which neither ideas nor the absence of ideas are specially present–this is the seventh stage of deliverance.

41. ‘By passing quite beyond the state of “neither ideas nor the absence of ideas” he reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind in which both sensations and ideas have ceased to be-this is the eighth stage of deliverance.

42. ‘Now these, Ânanda, are the eight stages of deliverance.

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

FIRST FOUR STAGES OF DELIVERANCE

33. ‘Now these stages of deliverance, Ânanda [from the hindrance to thought arising from the sensations and ideas due to external forms^[1]], are eight in number. Which are the eight?

34. ‘A man possessed with the idea of form sees forms–this is the first stage of deliverance.

35. ‘Without the subjective idea of form, he sees forms externally-this is the second stage of deliverance.

[1. These are the Attha Vimokkhâ. Buddhaghosa has no comment upon them; merely saying, ‘The passage on the Vimokkhas is easy to understand’–which is tantalizing. The last five Vimokkhas occur again below, in Chap. VI, §§ 11-13, where it is clear that they are used to express the progress through deep meditation, into absent-mindedness, abstraction, and being sunk in thought, until finally the thinker falls into actual trance.]

36. ‘With the thought “it is well,” he becomes intent (upon what he sees)–this is the third stage of deliverance.

37. ‘By passing quite beyond all idea of form, by putting an end to all idea of resistance, by paying no attention to the idea of distinction, he, thinking “it is all infinite space,” reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind in which the idea of the infinity of space is the only idea that is present–this is the fourth stage of deliverance.

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

SIXTH, SEVENTH & EIGHTH POSITIONS OF MASTERY

32. [The sixth, seventh, and eighth positions of mastery are explained in words identical with those used to explain the fifth; save that yellow, red, and white are respectively substituted throughout for blue; and the Kanikâra flower, the Bandhu-gîvaka flower, and the morning star are respectively substituted for the Ummâ flower, as the first of the two objects given as examples.]

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

FIFTH POSITION OF MASTERY

29. ‘When a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms that are blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue,–just, for
instance, as the Ummâ flower is blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue; or, again, as that fine muslin of Benares which, on whichever side you look at it, is blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue,–when a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms which, just in that way, are blue, blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees-that is the fifth position of mastery.’

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

FORTH POSITION OF MASTERY

28. ‘When a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms which are boundless, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees–this is the fourth position of mastery.

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

THIRD POSITION OF MASTERY

27. ‘When a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms which are finite, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees–this is the third position of mastery.

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

POSITIONS OF MASTERY – SECOND ONE

26. ‘When a man having subjectively the idea of form sees externally forms which are boundless, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mastered them is conscious that he knows and sees–this is the second position of mastery.

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

POSITIONS OF MASTERY – FIRST ONE

24. ‘Now these, Ânanda, are the eight positions of mastery [over the delusion arising from the apparent permanence of external things^[1]]. What are the eight?

25. ‘When a man having subjectively the idea of form sees externally forms which are finite, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees–this is the first position of mastery.

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

LAMP UNTO THYSELF

31. Now very soon after the Blessed One began to recover; when he had quite got rid of the sickness, he went out from the monastery, and sat down behind the monastery on a seat spread out there. And the venerable Ânanda went to the place where the Blessed One was, and saluted him, and took a seat respectfully on one side, and addressed the

p. 36 Blessed One, and said: ‘I have beheld, Lord, how the Blessed One was in health, and I have beheld how the Blessed One had to suffer. And though at the sight of the sickness of the Blessed One my body became weak as a creeper, and the horizon became dim to me, and my faculties were no longer clear[1], yet notwithstanding I took some little comfort from the thought that the Blessed One would not pass away from existence until at least he had left instructions as touching the order.’

32. ‘What, then, Ânanda? Does the order expect that of me? I have preached the truth without making any distinction between exoteric and esoteric doctrine: for in respect of the truths, Ânanda, the Tathâgata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps some things back[2]. Surely, Ânanda, should there be any one who harbours the thought, “It is I who will lead the brotherhood,” or, “The order is dependent upon me,” it is he who

should lay down instructions in any matter concerning the order. Now the Tathâgata, Ânanda, thinks not that it is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the order is dependent upon him. Why then should he leave instructions in any matter concerning the order? I too, O Ânanda, am now grown old, and full of years, my journey is drawing to its close, I have reached my sum of days, I am turning eighty years of age; and just as a worn-out cart, Ânanda, can only with much additional care be made to move along, so, methinks, the body of the Tathâgata can only be kept going with much additional care[1]. It is only, Ânanda, when

the Tathâgata, ceasing to attend to any outward thing, or to experience any sensation, becomes plunged in that devout meditation of heart which is concerned with no material object–it is only then that the body of the Tathâgata is at ease.

33. ‘Therefore, O Ânanda, be ye lamps unto yourselves. Be ye a refuge to yourselves. Betake yourselves to no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast as a refuge to the truth. Look not for refuge to any one besides yourselves. And how, Ânanda, is a brother to be a lamp unto himself, a refuge to himself, betaking himself to no external refuge, holding fast to the truth as a lamp, holding fast as a refuge to the truth, looking not for refuge to any one besides himself?

34. ‘Herein, O Ânanda, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from bodily craving–while subject to sensations let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the sensations–and so, also, as he thinks, or reasons, or feels, let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or to reasoning, or to feeling.

35. ‘And whosoever, Ânanda, either now or after I am dead, shall be a lamp unto themselves, and a refuge unto themselves, shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding fast to the truth as their lamp, and holding fast as their refuge to the truth, shall look not for refuge to any one besides themselves–it is they, Ânanda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach the very topmost Height!-but they must be anxious to learn[1].’

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm

ROOT OF SORROW 

II. 3. ‘BY not seeing the f3our Noble Truths as they really are,
Long is the path that is traversed through many a birth;
When these are grasped, the cause of birth is then removed,
The root of sorrow rooted out, and there is no more birth.’

Buddhist Suttas – MAHÂ-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTANTA 
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe11/sbe1103.htm