AN 9.46

Sandiṭṭhikadhammasutta

“‘Sandiṭṭhiko dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo’ti, āvuso, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo vutto bhagavatā”ti?

In the Present Life

“Reverend, they speak of ‘a teaching apparent in the present life’. In what way did the Buddha speak of a teaching apparent in the present life?”

“Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo vutto bhagavatā pariyāyena …pe….

“First, take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption. To this extent the Buddha spoke of the teaching apparent in the present life in a qualified sense. …

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo vutto bhagavatā nippariyāyenā”ti.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end. To this extent the Buddha spoke of the teaching apparent in the present life in a definitive sense.”