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Majjhima Nikaya

# MN 121 Cūḷa Suññatā Sutta (Shorter Discourse on Emptiness) MN 121

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    [page 1]
    MN 121
    Cūḷa Suññatā Sutta
    “Shorter Discourse on Emptiness”
    Translated by Bhikkhu Candana

    Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2022

    I have personally heard this.

    At one time, The Blessed One was staying in the palace-monastery donated by Migāra’s Mother
    in the City of Sāvatthi, at the Eastern Grove. Then, when it was nearly evening, the Venerable
    Ānanda came out from his meditative seclusion, and went to The Blessed One. After paying his
    respects, he sat to one side and said:

    “Bhante, I remember one time, when The Blessed One was living within the Sākyan district at a
    town called Nagaraka, The Blessed One Himself spoke to me these words, and said:

    ‘Nowadays, Ānanda, I primarily practice the meditation on emptiness.’

    “Bhante, did I hear You correctly? Am I recalling and relating back accurately to the Teacher
    what The Blessed One had spoken to me Himself? For I do not want to be misspeaking the
    words of the Tathāgata, nor misrepresenting Him.”

    “Yes, Ānanda, you did hear me correctly, for you are recalling and relating back accurately to
    the Teacher what I had spoken to you myself. Therefore, you are not misspeaking the words of
    the Tathāgata, nor misrepresenting Him.

    “Indeed Ānanda, as in the past, now also I primarily practice the meditation on emptiness.

    “Ānanda, just as you see here in this palace-monastery of Migāra’s mother, which is empty of
    elephants, cattle, horses, gold, or silver, empty of any assemblies of men and women, yet the
    non-emptiness or presence of something else, namely, the Sangha of Bhikkhus is here, the only
    single presence here.

    1.“In the same manner, the Bhikkhu, by not thinking about nor becoming lost in memories of
    village life or the people in it, gives attention instead to the single perception: that of being in a
    remote wilderness.

    “By having only this single perception of being in a remote wilderness, his mind springs forward
    to it with confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it. And he understands that, whatever
    agitation there might have been in him on account of the perception of the village, now is no
    longer present in him. Similarly, whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of
    the perception of people, now is no longer present in him.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the single perception
    of being in a remote wilderness.

    [page 2]
    “He then knows and sees that this agitation is empty of the perception of village and the people
    in it. However, he also understands that there nevertheless is agitation, but that it is due to being
    in a remote wilderness. So, he sees and understands that when the agitation causing factors are
    not present, then emptiness is perceived, and whatever remains there he perceives as: ‘This is
    still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness comes
    forth within him.

    2.“Furthermore, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not thinking about people or of being in a remote
    wilderness, gives attention instead to the single perception: that of solid earth.
    “By having only this single perception of solid earth, his mind springs forward to it with
    confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.
    “Just as the bull’s hide becomes free from any crinkles or creases, turning smooth when stretched
    by a hundred pins fastening it, in a similar manner, the Bhikkhu, by not paying attention to the
    various terrains, hills, inaccessible gorges, rivers, ravines, thick forests, rugged mountains, and
    other uneven topographical features of earth, gives attention instead to the single perception: that
    of solid earth.
    “And he understands that, whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    perception of people, now is no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever agitation there might
    have been in him on account of the perception of being in a remote wilderness, now is no longer
    present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the single perception
    of solid earth.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the perception of people, as well as the
    perception of being in a remote wilderness. However, he also understands that there nevertheless
    is agitation, but that it is due to the perception of solid earth. So, he sees and understands that
    when the agitation causing factors are not present, then emptiness is perceived, and whatever
    remains there he perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner also, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    comes forth within him.

    3.“Again, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not giving attention to the perception of being in a remote
    wilderness, nor to the perception of solid earth, gives attention instead to the single perception:
    that of infinity of space.
    “By having only this single perception of infinity of space, his mind springs forward to it with
    confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.

    [page 3]
    “And he understands that whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    perception of being in a remote wilderness, now is no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever
    agitation there might have been in him on account of the perception of solid earth, now is no
    longer present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the single perception
    of infinity of space.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the perception of being in a remote
    wilderness and is empty of the perception of solid earth. However, he also understands that there
    nevertheless is agitation, but that it is due to the perception of infinity of space. So, he sees and
    understands that when the agitation causing factors are not present, then emptiness is perceived,
    and whatever remains there he perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner also, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    comes forth within him.

    4.“Further, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not giving attention to the perception of solid earth, nor
    paying attention to the perception of infinity of space, gives attention instead to the single
    perception: that of infinity of consciousness.
    “By having only this single perception of infinity of consciousness, his mind springs forward to
    it with confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.
    “And he understands that whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    perception of solid earth, now is no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever agitation there
    might have been in him on account of the perception of infinity of space, now is no longer
    present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the single perception
    of infinity of consciousness.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the perception of solid earth, as well as
    the perception of infinity of space. However, he also understands that there nevertheless is
    agitation, but that it is due to the perception of infinity of consciousness. So, he sees and
    understands that when the agitation causing factors are not present, then emptiness is perceived,
    and whatever remains there he perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner also, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    comes forth within him.

    5.“Further, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not giving attention to the perception of infinity of space,
    nor paying attention to the perception of infinity of consciousness, gives attention instead to the
    single perception: that of the base of nothingness.

    [page 4]
    “By having only this single perception of the base of nothingness, his mind springs forward to it
    with confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.
    “And he understands that whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    perception of infinity of space, now is no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever agitation
    there might have been in him on account of the perception of infinity of consciousness, now is no
    longer present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the single perception
    of the base of nothingness.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the perception of infinity of space, as
    well as of the perception of infinity of consciousness. However, he also understands that there
    nevertheless is agitation, but that it is due to the perception of the base of nothingness. So, he
    sees and understands that when the agitation causing factors are not present, then emptiness is
    perceived, and whatever remains there he perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner also, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    comes forth within him.

    6.“Further, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not giving attention to the perception of infinity of
    consciousness, nor paying attention to the perception of the base of nothingness, gives attention
    instead to the single perception: that of the base of neither perception, nor non-perception.
    “By having only this single perception of the base of neither perception, nor non-perception, his
    mind springs forward to it with confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.
    “And he understands that whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    perception of infinity of consciousness, now is no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever
    agitation there might have been in him on account of the perception of the base of nothingness,
    now is no longer present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the single perception
    of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the perception of infinity of
    consciousness, as well as of the perception of the base of nothingness. However, he also
    understands that there nevertheless is agitation, but that it is due to the perception of the base of
    neither-perception-nor-non-perception. So, he sees and understands that when the agitation
    causing factors are not present, then emptiness is perceived, and whatever remains there he
    perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner also, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    comes forth within him.

    [page 5]
    7.“Further, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not giving attention to the perception of the base of
    nothingness, nor paying attention to the perception of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-
    perception, gives attention instead to the single perception: that of the signless collectedness of
    the heart.
    “By having only this single perception of the signless collectedness of the heart, his mind springs
    forward to it with confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.
    “And he understands that whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    perception of the base of nothingness, now is no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever
    agitation there might have been in him on account of the perception of the base of neither-
    perception-nor-non-perception, now is no longer present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would then notice within him would be that of the six sense
    spheres that are dependent on this body and conditioned by life itself.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the perception of the base of
    nothingness, as well as of the perception of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
    However, he also understands that there nevertheless is agitation, but that it is due to the
    perception of the six sense spheres that are dependent on this body and conditioned by life
    itself. So, he sees and understands that when the agitation causing factors are not present, then
    emptiness is perceived, and whatever remains there he perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, in this manner also, the genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    comes forth within him.

    8.“Further, Ānanda, the Bhikkhu, by not giving attention to the perception of the base of
    nothingness, nor paying attention to the perception of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-
    perception, gives attention instead to the single perception: that of the signless collectedness of
    the heart.
    “By having only this single perception of the signless collectedness of the heart, his mind springs
    forward to it with confidence, becomes bright, and gets settled in it.
    “And he sees and understands that even this state of signless collectedness of the heart is
    dependent on conditions, being artificially prepared and thus made possible through the
    volitional means of thought. Knowing full well that, whatever is conditioned and volitionally
    produced is inevitably impermanent and, sooner or later, will come to end, and on seeing this
    directly through understanding, his heart finds release from the mental contaminant of sensual
    desire, the mental contaminant of becoming, and the mental contaminant of ignorance.
    “Being released thus, the direct knowledge arises in him: ‘I am released,’ as he understands and
    knows it for himself:

    ‘Now, birth is finally destroyed; the Holy Life is fully lived; what should be done is now done,
    and there is no more coming to any state of becoming.’

    [page 6]
    “And he understands that, whatever agitation there might have been in him on account of the
    mental contaminants of sensual lust, now are no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever
    agitation there might have been in him on account of the mental contaminant of becoming, now
    are no longer present in him. Similarly, whatever agitation there might have been in him on
    account of the mental contaminant of ignorance, now are no longer present in him either.

    “Then, the only agitation that he would notice within him would be that of the six sense spheres
    that are dependent on this body and conditioned by life itself.

    “He then knows and sees that his perceiving is empty of the mental contaminant of sensual lust,
    which is no longer present in him; empty of the mental contaminant of becoming, which is no
    longer present in him; and empty of the mental contaminant of ignorance, that is no longer
    present in him either.

    “He, therefore, understands that there is in him this state of non-empty presence, that is due to
    the perception of the six sense spheres which are dependent on this body and conditioned by life
    itself. So, he sees and understands that whatever is thus not present, then due to that, emptiness is
    perceived, and whatever remains there he perceives as: ‘This is still present.’

    “Ānanda, this itself is the Bhikkhu’s genuine, un-perverted, and pure experience of emptiness
    that comes forth within him, which is Transcending and Supreme.

    “Ānanda, whatever recluses and brahmins, who in the past have entered into and remained in the
    transcending state of genuine, un-perverted, pure, and supreme emptiness, all have done so by
    entering into and remaining in this same transcending state of genuine, un-perverted, pure, and
    supreme emptiness. Whatever recluses and brahmins, who in the future will enter into and
    remain in the transcending state of genuine, un-perverted, pure, and supreme emptiness, all will
    do so by entering into and remaining in this same transcending state of genuine, un-perverted,
    pure, and supreme emptiness. Whatever recluses and brahmins, who currently enter into and
    remain in the transcending state of genuine, un-perverted, pure, and supreme emptiness, all do so
    by entering into and remaining in this same transcending state of genuine, un-perverted, pure,
    and supreme emptiness.

    “Therefore Ānanda, you should train yourselves in this manner, by reflecting:

    ‘We too will enter into and remain in the transcending state of genuine, un-perverted, pure, and
    supreme emptiness.’”

    This is what The Blessed One said, and the Venerable Ānanda was delighted in listening to The
    Blessed One’s words.

    Sadhu

    Sadhu

    Sadhu

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