4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

SA 501 聖默然 Shèng mòrán

noble silence

	(partially google translate for narrative elements of sutra, the important part about jhana is Dr. William Chu)
如是我聞：	Thus I heard:
一時，佛住王舍城迦蘭陀竹園。	For a while, the Buddha lived in the Kalanto Bamboo Garden in Wangshe City.
爾時，尊者大目揵連在王舍城耆闍崛山中。	At that time, the Venerable Maha-Moggallana was in the Qitianjue Mountain of Wangshe City.
爾時，尊者大目揵連告諸比丘：	At that time, the Venerable Maha-Moggallana addressed the monks:
「一時，世尊住王舍城迦蘭陀竹園。	"For a while, the Blessed One lived in the Kalanto Bamboo Garden in the King's City.
我於此耆闍崛山中住，我獨一靜處，	I live here in the mountains of Qixi, and I am alone in a quiet place,
作如是念：	then I thought:
『云何為聖默然？』	"What is noble silence? 』
復作是念：	furthermore I thought:
『若有比丘息	『 If a bhikkhu quits (puts to rest) [the state]
有覺有觀，	with directed-thought (vitakka) (and) with evaluation (vicāra)
內淨一心，	internal purity (and) singular [focus of] mind,

(noble silence = STED second jhana formula)

[then he enters the state]

(j2🌗, 👑😶)

無覺無觀	without directed-thought (vitakka) (and) without evaluation (vicāra)
三昧生 (sānmèi shēng)	(there is) undistractible-lucidity (samādhi)
喜樂，	Rapture (pīti) & pleasure (sukha),
第二禪具足住，	(in) The second jhana (he) enters and dwells,
是名聖默然。』	this is called noble silence. 』

(V&V bubbling underneath making 2nd jhāna imperfect)

復作是念：	furthermore I thought:
『我今亦當聖默然，	"while I was dwelling in noble silence,
息有覺有觀，	there was directed-thought (and) there-was evaluation [contaminating my second jhana, which is supposed to be:]
內淨一心，	internal purity (and) singular [focus of] mind,
無覺無觀三昧生喜樂，	without directed-thought (vitakka) (and) without evaluation (vicāra), undistractible & lucid (with) rapture (&) pleasure,
具足住多住；	[But then,] having frequently dwelled in that state, [I notice that]
多住已，
復有覺有觀心起。』	vitakka and vicara sometimes arise [as to interrupt that state].
爾時，世尊知我心念，於竹園精舍沒，於耆闍崛山中現於我前，語我言：	At that time, the Blessed One knew what I wanted, and by means of psychic power, he appeared in front of me in the mountains of Qitian, saying:
『目揵連！汝當聖默然，莫生放逸。』	"Moggallana! Don’t be negligent [regarding the attaining of] noble silence. 』
我聞世尊說已，即復離有覺有觀，內淨一心，無覺無觀三昧生喜樂，第二禪具足住。如是再三，佛亦再三教我：	When I was [thus instructed] by the World-Revered One, [I proceeded to] leave behind [that state which has] vitakka and vicara. [I proceeded to train] in the complete mastery over the abiding in the second jhana—inner purification, unification of awareness, happiness and pleasure born of the samadhi that has no vitakka and no vicara. I do so repeatedly (lit. up to three times), and the Buddha similarly repeatedly instructed me [in how to proceed in this manner] (lit. up to three times).
『汝當聖默然，莫放逸。』	"Don’t be negligent regarding the attaining of noble silence.. 』
我即復息有覺有觀，內淨一心，無覺無觀三昧生喜樂，第三禪具足住。	So right away I quit the state that has vitakka and vicara, and proceeded to attain complete mastery over the abiding in the second jhana (note: the original obviously has this erroneously as third jhana)—inner purification, unification of awareness, happiness and pleasure born of the samadhi that has no vitakka or vicara.

(conclusion)

「若正說佛子從佛口生，從法化生，得佛法分者，則我身是也。	"If it is said that the Buddha was born from the mouth of the Buddha, transformed from the Dharma, and received the part of the Dharma, then I am also.
所以者何？	So what?
我是佛子，從佛口生，從法化生，得佛法分，以少方便，得禪、解脫、三昧、正受。	I am a Buddha. I was born from the mouth of the Buddha, transformed from the Dharma, and obtained the points of the Buddha Dharma.
譬如轉輪聖王長太子，雖未灌頂，已得王法，不勤方便，能得五欲功德。	For example, the eldest prince of the Holy King of Runners, although he has not given enlightenment, he has obtained the Dharma of the King.
我亦如是，為佛之子，不勤方便，得禪、解脫、三昧、正受，於一日中，世尊以神通力三至我所，三教授我，以大人處所建立於我。」	The same is true for me, as the son of Buddha, inconvenient and inconvenient to obtain Zen, liberation, samādhi, and right experience. In one day, the Blessed One uses his magical powers to reach my home and teach me to teach me, and build on me as an adult. "
尊者大目揵連說此經已，諸比丘聞其所說，歡喜奉行。	The Venerable Damu Qunlian said this sutra, and all monks heard it and followed it with joy.

SA 501 commentary

Dr. Chu’s remarks on scribal error about 3rd jhana

the Chinese original contains a scribal error--sanchan/third jhana should be erchan/second jhana. This kind of scribal error is quite prevalent in Chinese sutras, as Chinese were wont to delegate caligraphy writing tasks to people who were not versed in the Dhamma--a testimony to the reliability of oral transmission over written transmission!

frankk comment

We can be sure that 3rd jhana reference was a scribal error, because the rest of the jhana description matched second jhana factors and standard wording, not the third jhana’s.

Dr. Chu commnent on this line

無覺無觀三昧生喜樂，	without directed-thought (vitakka) (and) without evaluation (vicāra), undistractible & lucid (with) rapture (&) pleasure,
具足住多住；	Becuase of too much paying attention (manasi karoti) and perceptions (sañña) of directed-thought and evaluation,
多住已，
復有覺有觀心起。』	my second jhana was contaminated by directed thought and evaluation. 』

(pali parallel)

While I remained in that [mental] dwelling,	tassa mayhaṃ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato
I was assailed by perceptions & [acts of] attention connected with directed thought.	vitakkasahagatā saññā manasikārā samudācaranti”.

Dr. Chu correction to my trans.

無覺無觀三昧生喜樂，	I then think to myself:
具足住多住；	“I, too, shall [train] in noble silence. I shall terminate/quit [the state that has] vitakka and vicara, [and dwell instead in the state that has] inner purification and unification of awareness--the samadhi that has no vitakka and vicara and that gives rise to happiness and pleasure. I shall gain mastery over [the skill] to dwell therein, and to frequently dwell therein.”
多住已，	[But then,] having frequently dwelled in that state, [I notice that] vitakka and vicara sometimes arise [as to interrupt that state].
復有覺有觀心起。』
	--

Note: the punctuation marks in the original Chinese are wrong—passages are prevalently wrongly punctuated in the Taisho. Specifically, in this case, the quotation marks for the content of thoughts are misplaced, giving the wrong impression “I notice that vitakka and vicara sometimes arise…” is part of the content of “I then think to myself,” as opposed to being a part of narration.

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