The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [479]
“Yes, sir,” that man replied, and he went to the venerable Anuruddha. After paying homage to the venerable Anuruddha, he sat down at one side and delivered his message. The venerable Anuruddha consented in silence.
3. Then, when the night had ended, it being morning, the venerable Anuruddha dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went to the carpenter Pañcakanga’s house and sat down on a seat made ready. Then, with his own hands, the carpenter Pañcakanga served and satisfied the venerable Anuruddha with the various kinds of good food. Then, when the venerable Anuruddha had eaten and had put his bowl aside, the carpenter Pañcakanga took a low seat, sat down at one side, and said to the venerable Anuruddha:
4. “Here, venerable sir, elder bhikkhus have come to me and said: ‘Householder, develop the immeasurable deliverance of mind’; and some elders have said: ‘Householder, develop the exalted deliverance of mind.’ Venerable sir, the immeasurable deliverance of mind and the exalted deliverance of mind1180— are these states different in meaning and [146] different in name, or are they one in meaning and different only in name?”
5. “Explain it as you see it, householder. Afterwards it will be cleared up for you.”
“Venerable sir, I think thus: the immeasurable deliverance of mind and the exalted deliverance of mind—these states are one in meaning and different only in name.”
6. “Householder, the immeasurable deliverance of mind and the exalted deliverance of mind—these states are different in meaning and different in name. And it should be understood as follows how these states are different in meaning and different in name.
7. “What, householder, is the immeasurable deliverance of mind? Here a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will. He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion…He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with altruistic joy…He abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity…abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will. This is called the immeasurable deliverance of mind.
8. “And what, householder, is the exalted deliverance of mind? Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of the root of one tree, pervading it as exalted: this is called the exalted deliverance of mind.1181 Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of the roots of two or three trees, pervading it as exalted: this too is called the exalted deliverance of mind. Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of one village, pervading it as exalted…[147]…an area the size of two or three villages…an area the size of one major kingdom… an area the size of two or three major kingdoms…an area the size of the earth bounded by the ocean, pervading it as exalted: this too is called the exalted deliverance of mind. It is in this way, householder, that it can be understood how these states are different in meaning and different in name.
9. “There are, householder, these four kinds of reappearance [in a future state of] being.1182 What four? Here someone abides resolved upon and pervading ‘limited radiance’; on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of the gods of Limited Radiance. Here someone abides resolved upon and pervading ‘immeasurable radiance’; on the dissolution of the body, after