AN 5.170

Bhaddajisutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Atha kho āyasmā bhaddaji yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ bhaddajiṁ āyasmā ānando etadavoca: “kiṁ nu kho, āvuso bhaddaji, dassanānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ savanānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ sukhānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ saññānaṁ aggaṁ, kiṁ bhavānaṁ aggan”ti?

With Bhaddaji

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Then Venerable Bhaddaji went up to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and Venerable Ānanda said to him: “Reverend Bhaddaji, what is the best sight, the best sound, the best happiness, the best perception, and the best state of existence?”

“Atthāvuso, brahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī, yo taṁ brahmānaṁ passati, idaṁ dassanānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, ābhassarā nāma devā sukhena abhisannā parisannā. Te kadāci karahaci udānaṁ udānenti: ‘aho sukhaṁ, aho sukhan’ti. Yo taṁ saddaṁ suṇāti, idaṁ savanānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, subhakiṇhā nāma devā. Te santaṁyeva tusitā sukhaṁ paṭivedenti, idaṁ sukhānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā devā, idaṁ saññānaṁ aggaṁ. Atthāvuso, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagā devā, idaṁ bhavānaṁ aggan”ti. “Sameti kho idaṁ āyasmato bhaddajissa, yadidaṁ bahunā janenā”ti?

“Reverend, there is this Divinity, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power. When you see the Divinity, that’s the best sight. There are the gods called ‘of sublime luminosity’, who are drenched and steeped in pleasure. Every so often they feel inspired to exclaim: ‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’ When you hear that, it’s the best sound. There are the gods called ‘of universal beauty’. Since they’re truly content, they experience pleasure. This is the best happiness. There are the gods reborn in the dimension of nothingness. This is the best perception. There are the gods reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the best state of existence.” “So, Venerable Bhaddaji, do you agree with what most people say about this?”

“Āyasmā kho ānando bahussuto. Paṭibhātu āyasmantaṁyeva ānandan”ti. “Tenahāvuso bhaddaji, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā bhaddaji āyasmato ānandassa paccassosi. Āyasmā ānando etadavoca:

“Well, Venerable Ānanda, you’re very learned. Why don’t you clarify this yourself?” “Well then, Reverend Bhaddaji, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, reverend,” Bhaddaji replied. Ānanda said this:

“Yathā passato kho, āvuso, anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ dassanānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā suṇato anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ savanānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā sukhitassa anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ sukhānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā saññissa anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ saññānaṁ aggaṁ. Yathā bhūtassa anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti, idaṁ bhavānaṁ aggan”ti.

“What you see when the defilements are ended without delay is the best sight. What you hear when the defilements are ended without delay is the best sound. The happiness you feel when the defilements are ended without delay is the best happiness. What you perceive when the defilements are ended without delay is the best perception. The state of existence in which the defilements are ended without delay is the best state of existence.”