Initial Practices

1. The Decision to Search for Awakening MN 26.

...before the Awakening, while still an unawakened Buddha-to-be,

being myself subject to birth,
I sought out what was subject to birth,
being myself subject to old-age,
I sought out what was subject to old-age,
being myself subject to sickness,
I sought out what was subject to sickness,
being myself subject to death,
I sought out what was subject to death,
being myself subject to grief,
I sought out what was subject to grief,
being myself subject to defilements,
I sought out what was subject to defilements.

Then this occurred to me:

‘Why, being myself subject to birth,
do I seek out what is subject to birth,
being myself subject to old-age,
do I seek out what is subject to old-age,
being myself subject to disease,
do I seek out what is subject to disease,
being myself subject to death,
do I seek out what is subject to death,
being myself subject to grief,
do I seek out what is subject to grief,
being myself subject to defilements,
do I seek out what is subject to defilements?’

What if I, being myself subject to birth,
after understanding the danger in being subject to birth,
were to seek out the birthless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

being myself subject to old-age,
after understanding the danger in being subject to old-age,
were to seek out the ageless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

being myself subject to disease,
after understanding the danger in being subject to disease,
were to seek out the sickless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

being myself subject to death,
after understanding the danger in being subject to death,
were to seek out the deathless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

being myself subject to grief,
after understanding the danger in being subject to grief,
were to seek out the griefless, supreme, secure Nibbāna,

being myself subject to defilements,
after understanding the danger in being subject to defilements,
were to seek out the undefiled, supreme, secure Nibbāna?’

2. The Meeting with the Āḷāra Kālāma MN 26, 36, 85, 100.

Then at another time, while still a youth, having beautiful black hair, endowed with auspicious youthfulness, in the prime of life, though my Mother and Father didn’t like it, and were crying with tearful faces, after shaving off my hair and beard, and donning brown garments, I went forth from the home to the homeless life.

When I had gone forth thus, searching for whatever was wholesome, the unsurpassed, noble and peaceful state, I approached Āḷāra Kālāma, In Lalitavistara the Bodhisattva is said to have first gone to an ashram of a Śākyā brāhmaṇī, then to another ashram run by a female, Padmā, before he arrived at Āḷāra’s ashram. and after approaching, I said this to Āḷāra Kālāma: ‘I desire, friend Kālāma, to lead the spiritual life in this Dhamma and Discipline.’

When this was said, Āḷāra Kālāma said this to me: ‘Live here, venerable, this Dhamma is such that a wise man in no long time, having deep knowledge himself of what comes from his own teacher, can live, having directly experienced and attained it.’

Then in no long time, I had soon mastered that Dhamma.

Then after a little time, merely through beating my lips, merely through repeating the prattling, I spoke knowingly about that teaching and confidently about that teaching, claiming: ‘I know, I see.’ Both I and others also.

Then this occurred to me: ‘Āḷāra Kālāma did not declare: Through mere faith in this Dhamma alone, I have deep knowledge of it myself, I live, having directly experienced and attained it, for sure Āḷāra Kālāma lives knowing and seeing this Dhamma.’

Then I approached Āḷāra Kālāma, and after approaching, I said this to Āḷāra Kālāma: “In what way, friend Kālāma, do you declare: I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, having directly experienced and attained it?”

When this was said Āḷāra Kālāma declared the Sphere of Nothingness. The penultimate level in the thirty-three Realms of Existence.

Then this occurred to me:
‘There is not faith for Āḷāra Kālāma alone,
for me also there is faith,
there is not energy for Āḷāra Kālāma alone,
for me also there is energy,
there is not mindfulness for Āḷāra Kālāma alone,
for me also there is mindfulness,
there is not concentration for Āḷāra Kālāma alone,
for me also there is concentration,
there is not wisdom for Āḷāra Kālāma alone,
for me also there is wisdom. These are the five faculties (indriya).

What if, in regard to the Dhamma that Āḷāra Kālāma declares: I have deep knowledge of it myself, I live, having directly experienced and attained it, I were to strive to realise that Dhamma?’

Then in no long time, soon having deep knowledge of that Dhamma myself, I lived, having directly experienced and attained it.

Then I approached Āḷāra Kālāma, and after approaching, I said this to Āḷāra Kālāma: “Is it in this way, friend Kālāma, that you declare: I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, having directly experienced and attained it?”

“In this way, friend, I do declare: ‘I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, having directly experienced and attained it.’ ”

“In this way I also, friend, say: I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, I live, having directly experienced and attained it.”

“It is a gain for us, friend, it is a great gain for us, friend, that we see such a venerable with us in the spiritual life.

Thus I declare I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, I have directly experienced and attained it, and you have deep knowledge of this Dhamma yourself, and live, having directly experienced and attained it. Notice a contrast is set up here, between Āḷāra’s declaring pavedemi he has the attainment, as though it was unverified, and the Bodhisatta living viharasi with the attainment.

You have deep knowledge of this Dhamma yourself, and live, having directly experienced and attained it, and I declare I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, I have directly experienced and attained it.

Thus the Dhamma I know is the Dhamma you know, the Dhamma you know is the Dhamma I know. Thus as I am, so are you, as you are, so am I. Come now, friend, the two of us will look after this group.”

“Thus my teacher Āḷāra Kālāma placed me, the pupil, as equal, and on the very same position as himself, and worshipped me with the highest worship.

Then this occurred to me: ‘This Dhamma does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to deep knowledge, to Complete Awakening, to Nibbāna, but only as far as rebirth in the Sphere of Nothingness.’

Then, having not found satisfaction in that Dhamma, I was therefore disgusted with that Dhamma and went away.

3. The Meeting with Uddaka Rāmaputta MN 26, 36, 85, 100.

Then still searching for what was wholesome, the unsurpassed, noble and peaceful state, I approached Uddaka Rāmaputta, and after approaching, I said this to Uddaka Rāmaputta: “I desire, friend, to lead the spiritual life in this Dhamma and Discipline.”

When this was said, Uddaka Rāmaputta said this to me: “Live here, venerable, this Dhamma is such that a wise man in no long time, having deep knowledge himself of what comes from his own teacher, can live, having directly experienced and attained it.”

Then in no long time, soon I had mastered that Dhamma.

Then after a little time I indeed, merely through beating my lips, merely through repeating the prattling, spoke knowingly about that teaching and confidently about that teaching, claiming: ‘I know, I see.’ Both I and others also.

Then this occurred to me: ‘Rāma did not declare: Through mere faith in this Dhamma alone, having knowledge of it myself, I live, having directly experienced and attained it, for sure Rāma lived knowing and seeing this Dhamma.’

Then I approached Uddaka Rāmaputta, and after approaching, I said this to Uddaka Rāmaputta: “In what way, friend, did Rāma declare: I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, having directly experienced and attained it?”

When this was said Uddaka Rāmaputta declared the Sphere of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception. The very highest level in the thirty-one Realms of Existence. The way this is stated is odd in that we might have expected Uddaka to have claimed this for Rāma, but the way it is written it appears he claims it for himself.

Then this occurred to me:
‘There was not faith for Rāma alone,
for me also there is faith,
there was not energy for Rāma alone,
for me also there is energy,
there was not mindfulness for Rāma alone,
for me also there is mindfulness,
there was not concentration for Rāma alone,
for me also there is concentration,
there was not wisdom for Rāma alone,
for me also there is wisdom.

What if, in regard to the Dhamma that Rāma declared: I have deep knowledge of it myself, I live, having directly experienced and attained it, I were to strive to realise that Dhamma?’

Then in no long time, soon having deep knowledge of that Dhamma myself, I lived, having directly experienced and attained it.

Then I approached Uddaka Rāmaputta, and after approaching, I said this to Uddaka Rāmaputta: “Is it in this way, friend, that Rāma declared: I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, having directly experienced and attained it?”

“In this way, friend, Rāma did declare he had deep knowledge of this Dhamma himself, having directly experienced and attained it.”

“In this way, friend, I also say: I have deep knowledge of this Dhamma myself, I live, having directly experienced and attained it.”

“It is a gain for us, friend, it is a great gain for us, friend, that we see such a venerable with us in the spiritual life. Thus Rāma declared he had deep knowledge of this Dhamma himself, having directly experienced and attained it, and you have deep knowledge of this Dhamma yourself, you live, having directly experienced and attained it.

And that Dhamma you have deep knowledge of yourself, you live, having directly experienced and attained it, that Rāma declared he had deep knowledge of that Dhamma himself, having directly experienced and attained it.

Thus the Dhamma Rāma knew is the Dhamma you know, the Dhamma you know is the Dhamma Rāma knew. Thus as Rāma was, so are you, as you are, so was Rāma. Come now, friend, you will look after this group.”

Thus my friend in the spiritual life, Uddaka Rāmaputta placed me in the teacher’s position, and worshipped me with the highest worship.

Then this occurred to me: ‘This Dhamma does not lead to disenchantment, or to dispassion, or to cessation, or to peace, or to deep knowledge, or to Complete Awakening, or to Nibbāna, but only as far as rebirth in the Sphere of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception.’

Then having not found satisfaction in that Dhamma, I was therefore disgusted with that Dhamma and went away.

Then I, still searching for what was wholesome, the unsurpassed, noble and peaceful state, while walking gradually on walking tour I entered Magadha, and arrived at the Army town at Uruvelā.

There I saw a delightful piece of land, and a pleasing jungle thicket, with a clear river flowing and lovely banks, and nearby a village suitable for collecting alms.

Then this occurred to me: ‘Delightful is this piece of land, with its pleasing jungle thicket, and a clear river flowing and lovely banks, and it is near a village suitable for collecting alms.

I thought: ‘This is surely enough for the striving of a son of a good family who is seeking to strive.’ Then I sat down right there, thinking: ‘This is enough for striving.’