At one time the Buddha was staying in the city of Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery called Migāramātā’s Mansion.
Now, at that time it was the full moon, and the Blessed One was sitting surrounded by an assembly of monks. Then the Blessed One surveyed the assembly of monks, who were silent. The Buddha then addressed the monks:
“Monks, this assembly is insightful. Monks, this assembly is free from senselessness, it is pure, and is established in the core of the Dhamma. Monks, such is this assembly of monks, such is this community of monks!
Monks, even the sight of such an assembly is very rare in the world. Monks, an assembly such as this is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. Monks, such is this assembly of monks, such is this community of monks!
Monks, for an assembly such as this, giving even a little bears great results, while giving a lot bears even greater results . Monks, such is this assembly of monks, such is this community of monks!
Monks, an assembly such as this is worth traveling many yojanas to see, carrying many gifts and offerings. Monks, such is this assembly of monks, such is this community of monks!
Monks, there are monks in this assembly who dwell having attained the state of a deva. Monks, there are monks in this assembly who dwell having attained the state of Brahmās. Monks, there are monks in this assembly who dwell having attained a state of tranquility. Monks, there are monks in this assembly who dwell having attained a state of nobility.
Monks, how does a monk attain the state of a deva? Monks, a monk, detached from sense pleasures, detached from unwholesome qualities, enters upon and remains in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.
With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and remains in the second jhāna, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind, without applied and sustained thought with rapture and pleasure born of concentration.
With the fading away of rapture, he abides in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, still feeling pleasure with the body. He enters upon and remains in the third jhāna, on account of which, noble ones announce: “He has a pleasant abiding, who has equanimity and is mindful.”
With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the earlier disappearance of joy and grief, he enters upon and remains in the fourth jhāna, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness and equanimity. Monks, that is how a monk attains the state of devas.
Monks, how does a monk attain the state of Brahmās? Firstly, a monk meditates spreading thoughts of loving kindness to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, and all around, he spreads thoughts of loving kindness to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of hatred and ill will.
Furthermore, monks, a monk meditates spreading thoughts of compassion to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way, above, below, across, everywhere, and all around, he spreads thoughts of compassion to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of hatred and ill will.
Thirdly, a monk meditates spreading thoughts of appreciative joy to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way, above, below, across, everywhere, and all around, he spreads thought of appreciative joy to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of hatred and ill will.
Lastly, a monk meditates spreading thoughts of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way, above, below, across, everywhere, and all around, he spreads thoughts of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of hatred and ill will. Monks, that is how a monk attains the state of Brahmās.
Monks, how does a monk attain the state of tranquility? Monks, a monk—going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of solidity, not focusing on perceptions of diversity—aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the base of infinite space. Going totally beyond the base of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, he enters and remains in the base of infinite consciousness. Going totally beyond the base of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, he enters and remains in the base of nothingness. Going totally beyond the base of nothingness, he enters and remains in the base of neither perception nor non-perception. Monks, that is how a monk attains the state of tranquility.
Monks, how does a monk attain the state of nobility? Monks, here a monk understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’. He understands as it really is: ‘This is the cause of suffering’. He understands as it really is: ‘This is the end of suffering’. He understands as it really is: ‘This is the path that leads to the end of suffering’. Monks, that is how a monk attains the state of nobility.”
