Unfabricated-Connected
Asaṅkhata Saṁyutta (SN 43)
This saṁyutta provides a list of 33 names for the goal of the practice.
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I
“Monks, I will teach you the unfabricated1 and the path leading to the unfabricated. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, “Which, monks, is the unfabricated? Whatever is the ending of passion, the ending of aversion, the ending of delusion: This is called the unfabricated.
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Mindfulness immersed in the body2: This is called the path leading to the unfabricated.
Thus, monks, I have taught you the unfabricated and the path leading to the unfabricated. Whatever a sympathetic teacher should do—seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them—that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhāna, monks. Don’t be heedless. Don’t later fall into remorse. This is our message to you all.”
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Tranquility & insight…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Concentration with directed thought & evaluation, concentration without directed thought and with a modicum of evaluation, concentration without directed thought and without evaluation…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Emptiness concentration,3 themeless concentration,4 undirected concentration5…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? The four establishings of mindfulness6… the four right exertions… the four bases of power… the five faculties… the five strengths… the seven factors for awakening…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? The noble eightfold path. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated.
Thus, monks, I have taught you the unfabricated and the path leading to the unfabricated. Whatever a sympathetic teacher should do—seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them—that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhāna, monks. Don’t be heedless. Don’t later fall into remorse. This is our message to you all.”
II
“Monks, I will teach you the unfabricated and the path leading to the unfabricated. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, “Which, monks, is the unfabricated? Whatever is the ending of passion, the ending of aversion, the ending of delusion: This is called the unfabricated.
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Tranquility: This is called the path leading to the unfabricated.
Thus, monks, I have taught you the unfabricated and the path leading to the unfabricated. Whatever a sympathetic teacher should do—seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them—that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhāna, monks. Don’t be heedless. Don’t later fall into remorse. This is our message to you all.”
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Insight…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Concentration with directed thought & evaluation…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Concentration without directed thought and with a modicum of evaluation…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Concentration without directed thought and without evaluation…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Emptiness concentration…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Themeless concentration…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? Undirected concentration…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.7 This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk remains focused on feelings in & of themselves—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence & the fabrications of exertion. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on intent & the fabrications of exertion. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the faculty of conviction dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the faculty of persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops the strength of conviction… persistence… mindfulness… concentration… discernment dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening… analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening… persistence as a factor for awakening… rapture as a factor for awakening… calm as a factor for awakening… concentration as a factor for awakening… equanimity as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops right view… right resolve… right speech… right action… right livelihood… right effort… right mindfulness dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated…
“And which is the path leading to the unfabricated? There is the case where a monk develops right concentration dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the path leading to the unfabricated.
Thus, monks, I have taught you the unfabricated and the path leading to the unfabricated. Whatever a sympathetic teacher should do—seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them—that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhāna, monks. Don’t be heedless. Don’t later fall into regret. This is our message to you.”
“Monks, I will also teach you the unbent8 and the path leading to the unbent…
“Monks, I will also teach you the effluent-free and the path leading to the effluent-free…
“Monks, I will also teach you the true and the path leading to the true…
“Monks, I will also teach you the beyond and the path leading to the beyond …
“Monks, I will also teach you the subtle and the path leading to the subtle …
“Monks, I will also teach you the very-hard-to-see and the path leading to the very-hard-to-see …
“Monks, I will also teach you the ageless and the path leading to the ageless …
“Monks, I will also teach you permanence and the path leading to permanence …
“Monks, I will also teach you the undecaying and the path leading to the undecaying …
“Monks, I will also teach you the surfaceless9 and the path leading to the surfaceless …
“Monks, I will also teach you non-objectification10 and the path leading to non-objectification …
“Monks, I will also teach you peace and the path leading to peace …
“Monks, I will also teach you the deathless and the path leading to the deathless …
“Monks, I will also teach you the exquisite and the path leading to the exquisite …
“Monks, I will also teach you bliss and the path leading to bliss …
“Monks, I will also teach you rest and the path leading to rest …
“Monks, I will also teach you the ending of craving and the path leading to the ending of craving …
“Monks, I will also teach you the amazing and the path leading to the amazing …
“Monks, I will also teach you the astounding and the path leading to the astounding …
“Monks, I will also teach you the secure and the path leading to the secure …
“Monks, I will also teach you security and the path leading to security …
“Monks, I will also teach you unbinding and the path leading to unbinding …
“Monks, I will also teach you the unafflicted and the path leading to the unafflicted …
“Monks, I will also teach you dispassion and the path leading to dispassion …
“Monks, I will also teach you purity and the path leading to purity …
“Monks, I will also teach you release and the path leading to release …
“Monks, I will also teach you the attachment-free and the path leading to the attachment-free …
“Monks, I will also teach you the island and the path leading to the island …
“Monks, I will also teach you shelter and the path leading to shelter …
“Monks, I will also teach you the harbor and the path leading to the harbor …
“Monks, I will also teach you refuge and the path leading to refuge …
“Monks, I will also teach you the ultimate and the path leading to the ultimate. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, “Which, monks, is the ultimate? Whatever is the ending of passion, the ending of aversion, the ending of delusion: This is called the ultimate.
“And which is the path leading to the ultimate? Mindfulness immersed in the body: This is called the path leading to the ultimate.
Thus, monks, I have taught you the ultimate and the path leading to the ultimate. Whatever a sympathetic teacher should do—seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them—that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhāna, monks. Don’t be heedless. Don’t later fall into remorse. This is our message to you all.” 11
Notes
1. “Now, these three are unfabricated characteristics of what is unfabricated. Which three? No arising is discernable, no passing away is discernable, no alteration while staying is discernable.” — AN 3:47
2. See MN 119.
3. See MN 43, MN 121, and SN 41:7.
5. See SN 47:10.
6. Beginning here, the various paths to the unfabricated correspond to the seven sets of qualities that form the 37 wings to awakening. See DN 16; SN 45–51.
7. Beginning here, the various paths to the unfabricated correspond to the 37 wings to awakening in detail.
8. Reading anatañca with the Thai and Burmese editions. The Sri Lankan and PTS editions read anantañca, the unending/infinite. The prior reading seems preferable in that it relates to a passage in MN 19 that describes how the ordinary mind is “bent” by the results of its habitual thinking, whether in a skillful or unskillful direction. The goal, because it lies beyond the influence of any kind of kamma—physical, verbal, or mental—would thus be unbent.
9. Consciousness without surface. See DN 11 and MN 49.
10. See AN 4:173.
11. The transcribers of the Canon note that all the synonyms for the goal should be understood in full in line with the treatment of the unfabricated. CDB thus counts 44 suttas in this saṁyutta.
