Samyukta Āgama (347), Part One

(1) Original text: 时彼须深默然受请。诣王舍城迦兰陀竹园。时众多比丘。出房舍外。露地经行。尔时须深。诣众多比丘。而作是言。诸尊。我今可得。于正法中。出家受具足。修梵行不。时众多比丘。将彼须深。诣世尊所。稽首礼足。退住一面。白佛言。世尊。今此外道须深。欲求于正法中。出家受具足。修梵行。尔时。世尊知外道须深。心之所念。告诸比丘。汝等当度。彼外道须深。令得出家。时诸比丘愿度须深。

Explanation: The external path practitioner Susīṃ, at the request of the external path practitioners, went to the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha intending to go forth. At that time, many bhikṣus were doing walking meditation outside the dwelling quarters, on open ground. Susīṃ approached the bhikṣus and said: Venerable ones, can I now go forth in the true Dharma, receive full ordination, and cultivate the pure life? Then many bhikṣus led Susīṃ to the World-Honored One's residence, bowed with their heads at His feet, withdrew to stand at one side, and said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, there is now an external path practitioner named Susīṃ who wishes to go forth in the true Dharma, receive full ordination, and cultivate the pure life. At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing what was in the mind of the external path practitioner Susīṃ, told the bhikṣus: You should save this external path practitioner Susīṃ and let him go forth. The bhikṣus then agreed to accept Susīṃ.

Original text: 出家已经半月。有一比丘语须深言。须深当知。我等生死已尽。梵行已立。所作已作。自知不受后有。时彼须深语比丘言。尊者。云何学离欲。恶不善法。有觉有观。离生喜乐。具足初禅。不起诸漏。心善解脱耶。比丘答言。不也须深。

Explanation: Half a month after Susīṃ went forth, a bhikṣu said to Susīṃ: Susīṃ, you should know that we bhikṣus have all exhausted birth and death, established the pure life, completed all that needed to be done, and we ourselves know that there will be no more rebirth in future lives. Susīṃ said to the bhikṣus: Venerable ones, how does one cultivate to leave behind sensual desire and unwholesome states, attain initial application and sustained examination, and the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, fully accomplish the first dhyāna, and then not give rise to any afflictive outflows, with the mind well liberated? The bhikṣus replied: Liberation is not cultivated in that way, Susīṃ.

Original text: 复问。云何离有觉有观。内净一心。无觉无观。定生喜乐。具足第二禅。不起诸漏。心善解脱耶。比丘答言。不也须深。复问。云何尊者离喜舍心。住正念正智。身心受乐。圣说及舍。具足第三禅。不起诸漏。心善解脱耶。答言。不也须深。

Explanation: Susīṃ asked again: How does one leave behind the state of initial application and sustained examination, with inner purity abiding in one-pointedness, attain a state without initial application and sustained examination, and the rapture and bliss born of meditative concentration, fully accomplish the second dhyāna of the form realm, and then not give rise to any afflictive outflows, with the mind well liberated? The bhikṣu replied: Liberation is not cultivated in that way, Susīṃ. Susīṃ asked again: Venerable one, how does one leave behind the mind of rapture, relinquish the rapture in the mind, abide in right mindfulness and right awareness, experience bliss in body and mind, relinquish rapture and attain bliss, fully accomplish the third dhyāna, not give rise to any afflictive outflows, and have the mind well liberated? The bhikṣu replied: Liberation is not cultivated in that way.