1On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's Park. Then the Venerable Bhaddaji approached the Venerable Ānanda and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side. The Venerable Ānanda then said to him:

"Friend Bhaddaji, what is the foremost of sights? What is the foremost kind of hearing? What is the foremost happiness? What is the foremost perception? What is the foremost among states of existence?"

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2"(1) There is, friend, Brahmā, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power. Getting to see Brahmā is the foremost sight. (2) There are the devas of streaming radiance who are suffused and inundated with happiness. They sometimes utter the inspired utterance: ‘Oh, what happiness! Oh, what happiness!’ Getting to hear that sound is the foremost kind of hearing. (3) There are the devas of refulgent glory. Being happy, they experience very peaceful happiness: [n.1167] I prefer Ce te santaññeva sukhitā sukhaṁ paṭisaṁvedenti to Be and Ee te santaṁyeva tusitā sukhaṁ paṭivedenti. this is the foremost happiness. (4) There are the devas of the base of nothingness: this is the foremost perception. (5) There are the devas of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception: this is the foremost state of existence."

"Then does the Venerable Bhaddaji agree with the multitude about this?" [n.1168] Sameti kho idaṁ āyasmato bhaddajissa, yadidaṁ bahujanena. I follow both Be and Ee, which punctuate this with a question mark. Although the sentence does not contain an interrogative, by putting the verb at the beginning it seems to imply a question rather than an assertion.

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3"The Venerable Ānanda is learned, so let him clear this up himself."

"Then listen, friend Bhaddaji, and attend closely. I will speak."

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"Yes, friend," the Venerable Bhaddaji replied. The Venerable Ānanda said this:

4"(1) In whatever way, friend, one sees such that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints occurs: [n.1169] Anantarā āsavānaṁ khayo hoti. On the "immediacy condition for the destruction of the taints," see AN4.162, n. 851. this is the foremost sight. (2) In whatever way one hears such that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints occurs: this is the foremost kind of hearing. (3) In whatever way one is happy such that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints occurs: this is the foremost happiness. (4) In whatever way one perceives such that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints occurs: this is the foremost perception. (5) In whatever way one exists such that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints occurs: this is the foremost state of existence."

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1Ekaṁ 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?

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2"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?

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3"Āyasmā kho ānando bahussuto. Paṭibhātu āyasmantaṁyeva ānandan"ti.

"Tenahāvuso bhaddaji, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī"ti.

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"Evamāvuso"ti kho āyasmā bhaddaji āyasmato ānandassa paccassosi. Āyasmā ānando etadavoca:

4"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.

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Dasamaṁ.
Āghātavaggo dutiyo.

5Dve āghātavinayā,
sākacchā sājīvato pañhaṁ;
Pucchā nirodho codanā,
sīlaṁ nisanti bhaddajīti.