Saṃyuktāgama (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 non-Buddhist Susīma, at the request of the non-Buddhists, went to the Karanda Bamboo Grove in Rajagriha intending to go forth into the monastic life. At that time, many bhikṣus were doing walking meditation (caṅkrama) on the open ground outside their dwellings. Susīma approached the bhikṣus and said: Venerable ones, can I now go forth into the monastic life within the true Dharma, receive full ordination, and cultivate the pure spiritual life (brahmacarya)? At that time, many bhikṣus led Susīma to the World-Honored One's dwelling, bowed their heads at His feet, then withdrew and stood to one side, and said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, this non-Buddhist named Susīma now wishes to go forth into the monastic life within the true Dharma, receive full ordination, and cultivate the pure spiritual life. At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing what the non-Buddhist Susīma was thinking in his mind, said to the bhikṣus: You should deliver this non-Buddhist Susīma and let him go forth into the monastic life. The bhikṣus then agreed to deliver Susīma.

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 going forth into the monastic life, one bhikṣu said to Susīma: Susīma, you should know that we bhikṣus have all ended birth and death, the pure spiritual life has been established, everything that needed to be done has been done, and we ourselves know that there will be no more rebirth in future lives. Susīma said to the bhikṣus: Venerable ones, how does one cultivate and learn to be free from desire and unwholesome states, to attain initial application and sustained examination (vitarka-vicāra), the joy and bliss born of seclusion, and the full attainment of the first dhyāna, and then, without giving rise to any afflictive outflows (āsrava), have the mind well liberated? The bhikṣus replied: Liberation is not cultivated in that way, Susīma.

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