The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [547]
3. “So, Sāriputta, if a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I now often abide in voidness,’ he should consider thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, or in the place where I wandered for alms, or on the path by which I returned from the almsround, was there any desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding forms cognizable by the eye?’1349 If, by so reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, or in the place where I wandered for alms, or on the path by which I returned from the almsround, there was desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding forms cognizable by the eye,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those evil unwholesome states. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, and in the place where I wandered for alms, and on the path by which I returned from the almsround, there was no desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding forms cognizable by the eye,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
4–8. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms, or in the place where I wandered for alms, or on the path by which I returned from the almsround, was there any desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding sounds cognizable by the ear?…regarding odours cognizable by the nose?…regarding flavours cognizable by the tongue?…regarding tangibles cognizable by the body?…regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind?’ [295] If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms…there was desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those evil unwholesome states. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘On the path by which I went to the village for alms…there was no desire, lust, hate, delusion, or aversion in my mind regarding mind-objects cognizable by the mind,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
9. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the five cords of sensual pleasure abandoned in me?’1350 If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five cords of sensual pleasure are not abandoned in me,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those five cords of sensual pleasure. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five cords of sensual pleasure are abandoned in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
10. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the five hindrances abandoned in me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five hindrances are not abandoned in me,’ then he should make an effort to abandon those five hindrances. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five hindrances are abandoned in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
11. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the five aggregates affected by clinging fully understood by me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The five aggregates affected by clinging are not fully understood by me,’ then he should make an effort to fully understand those five aggregates affected by clinging. But if, by reviewing, [296] he knows thus: ‘The five aggregates affected by clinging are fully understood by me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
12. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: ‘Are the four foundations of mindfulness developed in me?’ If, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The four foundations of mindfulness are not developed in me,’ then he should make an effort to develop those four foundations of mindfulness. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: ‘The four foundations of mindfulness are developed in me,’ then he can abide happy and glad, training day and night in wholesome states.
13–19. “Again, Sāriputta, a bhikkhu should consider