At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery. Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

Now, at that time it was the sabbath, and the Buddha was sitting surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā tadahuposathe bhikkhusaṅghaparivuto nisinno hoti. Then the Buddha looked around the Saṅgha of mendicants, who were so very silent. He addressed them: Atha kho bhagavā tuṇhībhūtaṁ tuṇhībhūtaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ anuviloketvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“This assembly has no chaff, mendicants, it is free of chaff, pure, and consolidated in the core. “Apalāpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā nippalāpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā suddhā sāre patiṭṭhitā. Such is this Saṅgha of mendicants, such is this assembly! Tathārūpo ayaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhusaṅgho, tathārūpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā. An assembly such as this is rarely seen in the world. Yathārūpā parisā dullabhā dassanāyapi lokasmiṁ, tathārūpo ayaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhusaṅgho, tathārūpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā. An assembly such as this is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. Yathārūpā parisā āhuneyyā pāhuneyyā dakkhiṇeyyā añjalikaraṇīyā anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa, tathārūpo ayaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhusaṅgho, tathārūpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā. For an assembly such as this, giving little becomes much, while giving much becomes even more. Yathārūpāya parisāya appaṁ dinnaṁ bahu hoti bahu dinnaṁ bahutaraṁ, tathārūpo ayaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhusaṅgho, tathārūpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā. An assembly such as this is worth traveling many leagues to see, even if you have to carry your own provisions in a knapsack. Yathārūpaṁ parisaṁ alaṁ yojanagaṇanānipi dassanāya gantuṁ api puṭosenāpi, tathārūpo ayaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhusaṅgho, tathārūpāyaṁ, bhikkhave, parisā.

There are mendicants staying in this Saṅgha who have attained to the gods. Santi, bhikkhave, bhikkhū imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe devappattā viharanti; There are mendicants staying in this Saṅgha who have attained to divinity. santi, bhikkhave, bhikkhū imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe brahmappattā viharanti; There are mendicants staying in this Saṅgha who have attained to the imperturbable. santi, bhikkhave, bhikkhū imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe āneñjappattā viharanti; There are mendicants staying in this Saṅgha who have attained to nobility. santi, bhikkhave, bhikkhū imasmiṁ bhikkhusaṅghe ariyappattā viharanti.

And how has a mendicant attained to the gods? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu devappatto hoti? It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption … Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati; As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption … vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s how a mendicant has attained to the gods. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu devappatto hoti.

And how has a mendicant attained to divinity? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu brahmappatto hoti? Firstly, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. Furthermore, a mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of compassion … Karuṇā … rejoicing … muditā … equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. That’s how a mendicant has attained to divinity. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu brahmappatto hoti.

And how has a mendicant attained to the imperturbable? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āneñjappatto hoti? It’s when a mendicant—going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity—aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, he enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, he enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. Sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, he enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. That’s how a mendicant has attained to the imperturbable. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āneñjappatto hoti.

And how has a mendicant attained to nobility? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyappatto hoti? It’s when they truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. That’s how a mendicant has attained to nobility.” Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyappatto hotī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Brāhmaṇavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Yodhā pāṭibhogasutaṁ, Abhayaṁ brāhmaṇasaccena pañcamaṁ; Ummaggavassakāro, Upako sacchikiriyā ca uposathoti.