Aṅguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
IV. Devatā Vagga

The Book of the Sevens

Chapter IV: Devas

Sutta 38

Citta-Vasa-Vattana Suttaṃ

The Wish

[20]

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

'Yes, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, endowed with seven things,
a monk makes the mind turn according to his wish
and turns not by the mind's wish.¹

What seven?

Herein, monks, a monk is skilled in concentration,
skilled in attaining it,
skilled in maintaining it,
skilled in emerging from it,
skilled in the well-being of it,
skilled in the range of it,
skilled in applying it.²

Verily, monks, endowed with these seven things
a monk makes the mind turn according to his wish
and turns not by the mind's wish.

Monks, Sāriputta is endowed with seven things,
and makes the mind turn according to his wish
and turns not by the mind's wish.^ed1

What seven?

Herein, monks, Sāriputta is skilled in concentration,
skilled in attaining it,
skilled in maintaining it,
skilled in emerging from it,
skilled in the well-being of it,
skilled in the range of it,
skilled in applying it.

Verily, monks, Sāriputta is endowed with these seven things
and makes the mind turn according to his wish
and turns not by the mind's wish.

¹ M. i, 214. Given four times as Sāriputta's teaching.

² S. iii, 264; A. iii, 311. At G.S. iii, 222, I have wrongly rendered abhinīhāra: resolve; the Comy. there explains that after attaining concentration he can apply himself to the four musings.