Nibbānasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.179

Numbered Discourses 4.179

18. Sañcetaniyavagga

18. Intention

Nibbānasutta

Extinguishment

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Ānanda sat down to one side, and said to Sāriputta:

“ko nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī”ti?

“What is the cause, Reverend Sāriputta, what is the reason why some sentient beings are not fully extinguished in this very life?”

“Idhāvuso ānanda, sattā imā hānabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā visesabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti.

“Reverend Ānanda, it’s because some sentient beings don’t really understand which perceptions make things worse, which keep things steady, which lead to distinction, and which lead to penetration.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī”ti.

That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings are not fully extinguished in this very life.”

“Ko panāvuso sāriputta, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyantī”ti?

“What is the cause, Reverend Sāriputta, what is the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in this very life?”

“Idhāvuso ānanda, sattā imā hānabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā visesabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññāti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti.

“Reverend Ānanda, it’s because some sentient beings truly understand which perceptions make things worse, which keep things steady, which lead to distinction, and which lead to penetration.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso ānanda, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyantī”ti.

That’s the cause, that’s the reason why some sentient beings are fully extinguished in this very life.”

Navamaṁ.