Professor Lin Chong'an: The [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] in the Dīrgha Āgama
Lin Chong'an
The [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] in the Dīrgha Āgama
Lin Chong'an
Abstract
The Dīrgha Āgama devotes considerable space to a recurring passage on the Three Trainings. This fixed formula first appears in the Ambaṣṭha Sūtra (N20), and subsequent sūtras repeat it in abbreviated form, though their content remains the same. Of the thirty sūtras in the Dīrgha Āgama, nine feature the [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula]. What stands out is that no other fixed formula in the entire Dīrgha Āgama comes close in length — a clear indication that the Three Trainings lie at the heart of this collection, not merely the later descriptions of it as "refuting non-Buddhist paths" or "auspicious and pleasing."
1. The [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] in the Dīrgha Āgama
The sūtras in the Dīrgha Āgama that contain the [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] (sūtra numbers indicated by N) are: N20 Ambaṣṭha Sūtra、 N22 Soṇadaṇḍa Sūtra, N23 Kūṭāḍa Sūtra, N24 The Firm Sūtra, N25 Nigaṇṭha Sūtra, N26 Tevijja Sūtra, N27 Sāmaññaphala Sūtra, N28 Poṭṭhapāda Sūtra, and N29 Loḷa Sūtra. The core teaching shared by all of these is a detailed exposition of the Three Trainings, presented as a set formula. In N20 Ambaṣṭha Sūtra, the [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] runs to about 4,500 characters. In the sūtras that follow (N22–N29), the formula is abbreviated with "...and so on," but the content is effectively the same (though depending on the audience, the Buddha sometimes teaches only the training in ethics and the training in meditation). Presenting the same passages as a fixed formula both signals their importance and helps listeners remember them. Of course, the Dīrgha Āgama also contains many briefer teachings on the Three Trainings outside of this formula, but these tend to be short passages.
2. Key Points of the Segmented [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula]
In the Ambaṣṭha Sūtra (N20), the [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] runs to about 4,500 characters. To grasp its structure and key points, we can draw on the Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra's framework of "accumulating inferior conditions" and "accumulating superior conditions." The Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra states:
If one has personal completeness, completeness of others, wholesome desire for the Dharma, proper renunciation, ethical discipline, restraint of the faculties, moderation in eating, diligent practice of the yoga of wakefulness in the first and last watches of the night, dwelling with full awareness, delight in seclusion, purification of the hindrances, and reliance on samādhi... from personal completeness through to the final reliance on samādhi — these are known as accumulating inferior conditions.
If one relies on the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, receiving all instructive guidance from others, and engages in attention properly grounded in right reason — this is known as accumulating superior conditions.
This text lists twelve inferior conditions and one superior condition, totaling thirteen. Following this framework, we can segment the [Three Trainings · Fixed Formula] in the Ambaṣṭha Sūtra and outline its key points as follows:
(1) 【Ethics Training · Fixed Formula】
[Inferior Conditions: 1. Personal Completeness, 2. Completeness of Others] Sūtra passage:
When the Tathāgata appears in the world, he is worthy of offerings, perfectly and fully enlightened, perfect in conduct and knowledge, a well-gone one, knower of the world, unsurpassed one, tamer of those to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. Among all gods, humans, ascetics, and brahmins — among gods, māras, and Brahmā kings — he alone awakens to and personally realizes the truth, and teaches the Dharma to others. His words are excellent from beginning to middle to end, complete in meaning and flavor, opening the path of purity.
The key point here is being able to hear the true Dharma and arouse pure faith. The Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra states:
What is personal completeness? It means obtaining a good human birth, being born in a noble land, having unimpaired faculties, placing pure faith in the supreme goal, and being free of karmic hindrances... What is completeness of others? It means that buddhas have appeared in the world, the true Dharma has been taught, the teaching has long endured, the Dharma continues to be transmitted, and others feel compassion for one... What does "teaching the true Dharma" mean? It means that these blessed buddhas, out of compassion for all śrāvakas, appear in the world and teach the immeasurable Dharma of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, based on the Four Noble Truths.
[3. Wholesome Desire for the Dharma] Sūtra passage:
If a householder, a householder's son, or someone of another caste hears the true Dharma, faith and joy arise immediately. With this faithful and joyful heart, they think: "I am now living at home, bound by wife and children, unable to cultivate the pure holy life. Would it not be better to shave off my hair and beard, don the three robes, and leave the household life to practice the path?"
The key point here is the arising of the mind of renunciation. The Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra states:
What is wholesome desire for the Dharma? Suppose a person hears the true Dharma from the Buddha or his disciples and gains pure faith. Having gained pure faith, they should reflect: "The household life is confining and dusty, like living in a room full of dust. The renunciate life is as open and spacious as the sky. Therefore, I should now let go of all — wives, children, relatives, wealth, grain, and treasures — and within the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya, properly leave the household life for the homeless life. Having gone forth, I will diligently practice to bring the path to perfection." The desire that arises for wholesome things in this way is called wholesome desire for the Dharma.
[4. Proper Renunciation] Sūtra passage:
At a later time, they leave behind their household property, give up their relatives, shave off their hair and beard, don the three robes, and go forth from home to practice the path.
This passage connects the preceding "wholesome desire for the Dharma" to actual renunciation, making clear that the practice of the Three Trainings that follows centers on renunciates. The Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra states:
What is proper renunciation? Through the driving force of this superior wholesome desire for the Dharma, one receives the full precepts through the fourfold announcement ceremony, or undertakes the ascetic training of discipline.
[5. Ethical Discipline] Sūtra passage:
a [Bodily Restraint]
(a) Like other renunciates, they set aside adornments and uphold the precepts, harming no living being. They abandon knives and weapons, bearing a sense of shame and compassion for all beings — this is non-killing.
(b) They abandon the intent to steal, taking only what is freely given, their minds pure and free of any thought of theft — this is non-stealing.
(c) They abandon sexual desire, purely cultivating the holy life, diligent and energetic, unstained by lust, dwelling in purity — this is non-sexual misconduct.
b [Verbal Restraint]
(d) They abandon false speech, speaking sincerely and truthfully, deceiving no one — this is non-lying.
(e) They abandon divisive speech. What they hear here, they don't repeat there; what they hear there, they don't repeat here. Those who are estranged, they skillfully reconcile, helping them become close and respectful again. All their words are harmonious and well-timed — this is non-divisive speech.
(f) They abandon harsh speech. Words that are coarse and crude, that delight in provoking others and stirring up resentment — such speech they give up. Their words are gentle, causing no enmity or harm, bringing benefit to many. People respect and love them, and delight in hearing what they say — this is non-harsh speech.
(g) They abandon frivolous speech. They speak at the right time, truthfully and in accord with the Dharma, resolving disputes through the Vinaya. They speak when there is reason to speak, never carelessly — this is abandoning frivolous speech.
c [Purity of Livelihood]
(h) They abstain from alcohol and avoid heedless places.
(i) They do not wear perfumes, flowers, or garlands.
(j) They do not attend singing, dancing, or performances.
(k) They do not sit on high or luxurious beds.
(l) They do not eat at improper times.
(m) They do not accept or use gold, silver, or the seven precious substances.
(n) They do not take wives or concubines. They keep no slaves, elephants, horses, carriages, oxen, chickens, dogs, pigs, sheep, fields, houses, or gardens. They don't cheat people with false weights and measures. They don't grab or shove others with hands or fists. They don't evade debts, make false accusations, or engage in fraud. They abandon all such evils and put an end to quarrels and disputes. They act at the right time and refrain from acting at the wrong time. They eat only enough to sustain the body, storing nothing away. They wear just enough clothing for their needs. Their monastic robes and alms bowl are always with them, just as a bird carries its wings wherever it goes. So it is with a monk, who owns nothing more.
(a) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while receiving alms from the faithful, keep seeking more and more — never satisfied with clothing and food. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(b) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, engage in livelihood activities, planting trees that become abodes for spirits. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(c) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, devise all sorts of means to seek luxuries — ivory, rare gems, large high beds, all kinds of embroidered fabrics and fine silk bedding. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(d) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while receiving alms from the faithful, devise ways to adorn themselves — rubbing their bodies with ghee, bathing in scented water, applying fragrant powders, oiling their hair, wearing beautiful garlands, dyeing their eyes dark blue, powdering their faces, wearing polished rings and ornaments, gazing into mirrors, wearing colorful leather sandals and pure white robes, carrying weapons, attended by servants, shaded by jeweled parasols and fans, riding in ornate jeweled carriages. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(e) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, indulge in games and amusements — board games, gambling, games on boards of eight, ten, a hundred, or every kind of path, and all sorts of jesting and laughter. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(f) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, speak only of things that obstruct the path and serve no purpose — tales of kings, battles, and armies; the doings of officials and ministers; rides and outings to parks and gardens; talk of sleeping and rising, walking, and women; discussions of clothing, food, and family affairs; and stories of sailing the sea to seek treasure. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(g) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, resort to countless schemes for wrongful livelihood — flattering words, deceptive displays, praising or slandering others to gain favor, seeking profit from profit. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(h) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, do nothing but argue and quarrel — in gardens, at bathing pools, in halls — trading accusations: 'I know the sūtras and Vinaya, you know nothing. I walk the right path, you walk the wrong one. I can put what's first last and what's last first. I can endure you, but you can't endure me. Everything you say is false. If you have any questions, come to me — I can answer them all.' Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(i) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, act as go-betweens and messengers — running errands for kings, royal ministers, brahmins, or householders, carrying messages from here to there and there to here, delivering this person's message to that one and that one's to this — whether doing it themselves or having others do it. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(j) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, busy themselves with battles and fights — training with swords, staves, bows, and arrows; staging fights between chickens, dogs, pigs, sheep, elephants, horses, cattle, and camels; pitting men and women against each other; and producing all kinds of noise — horns, drums, singing, dancing, acrobatics on poles, and every kind of performance. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(k) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, practice unwholesome arts for wrongful livelihood — reading the signs of men's and women's fortune, predicting good or ill, handsome or ugly, and telling the fortunes of animals, all to seek gain. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(l) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, practice unwholesome arts for wrongful livelihood — summoning spirits, exorcising them, or making them stay; performing all kinds of incantations [示*厌] through countless methods; frightening people; claiming to be able to gather or disperse, to cause suffering or pleasure; assisting women in childbirth and delivery; casting spells to turn people into donkeys or horses; making people blind, deaf, or mute; displaying all manner of tricks; clasping hands toward the sun and moon; and performing various austerities — all to seek gain. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
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(m) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, practice unwholesome arts for wrongful livelihood — casting spells to cure illness, reciting dark incantations or beneficial charms, practicing medicine, acupuncture, and herbal remedies to treat all manner of diseases. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(n) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, practice unwholesome arts for wrongful livelihood — casting spells over fire and water, reciting spirit spells, kṣatriya spells, bird spells, spells for the limbs, spells to protect houses, charms to undo the effects of fire or rat bites; reading books on life and death, interpreting dreams, reading palms and faces, casting horoscopes, or reciting texts on every kind of sound. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(o) "Māṇava, other ascetics and brahmins, while living on alms from the faithful, practice unwholesome arts for wrongful livelihood — divining the weather, predicting rain or drought, whether grain will be dear or cheap, whether sickness will be widespread or rare, whether times will be fearful or safe; foretelling earthquakes, comets, solar and lunar eclipses, or whether the stars will or won't be eclipsed, proclaiming such-and-such a good omen or such-and-such a bad sign. Those who have entered my path do not do such things."
(p) Mahāli! Other śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, who live off the alms of the faithful yet pursue practices that obstruct the path and make a living through wrong livelihood—some of them say this country is better than that, or that country is worse than this; they read omens of fortune and misfortune, prognosticating rise and fall. Those who have entered my Dharma do none of these things. They simply cultivate the holy precepts, their minds free of attachment, inwardly filled with gladness and joy.
The essential point of this lengthy passage is the constant guarding of the precepts. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is the restraint of ethical discipline? Having thus gone forth properly, one abides in complete precepts, firmly maintaining the discipline of individual liberation, with all rules of deportment and conduct brought to perfection. Seeing great danger in even the slightest transgression, one undertakes the training in all its aspects.
(II) [The Training of Samādhi · Fixed Formula]
[6. Restraint of the Faculties] Sutra passage:
(a) Though the eye sees forms, it does not grasp at their features. The eye is not bound by forms. Firm and still, free of craving, without sorrow or distress, untainted by evils, it upholds the precepts and well guards the eye-faculty.
(b) The ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are likewise.
(c) One skillfully masters the six contacts, guarding and taming them, bringing them to peace.
(d) It is like driving a four-horse chariot on level ground—a skilled charioteer, whip and reins in hand, keeps it from leaving the track.
(e) So too a bhikṣu steers the six horses of the faculties, in peace, never losing the way.
The essential point of this passage is cultivating right mindfulness to guard the mind. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is restraint of the faculties? On the basis of this ethical restraint, one guards right mindfulness and cultivates constant, thorough mindfulness. With mindfulness one protects the mind, abiding in equipoise. Having seen a form with the eye, one does not grasp at its features or its pleasing details. For fear that, without cultivating the restraint of the eye-faculty, the mind would leak out all greed, sorrow, and unwholesome states, one precisely there cultivates the practice of restraint, guarding the eye-faculty. Practicing thus—having heard a sound with the ear, smelled an odor with the nose, tasted a flavor with the tongue, felt a touch with the body, or cognized a phenomenon with the mind—one does not grasp at features or pleasing details. For fear that, without cultivating the restraint of the mind-faculty, the mind would leak out all greed, sorrow, and unwholesome states, one precisely there cultivates the practice of restraint, guarding the mind-faculty. This is called restraint of the faculties.
[7. Knowing the Proper Measure in Eating] Sutra passage:
(a) Possessing such holy precepts and having attained the holy faculties, one knows sufficiency in food and doesn't crave flavors. One eats simply to sustain the body, so that no new suffering arises and no arrogance swells. One regulates the body so that old suffering fades and new suffering doesn't arise—strong and unburdened, the body at ease.
(b) It is like someone applying medicine to a wound, intending only to heal it—not seeking adornment, not puffing up with pride.
(c) Mahāli! So too a bhikṣu eats enough to sustain the body, without indulging in pride or license.
(d) It is also like oiling a cart so it runs smoothly for transport and reaches its destination.
(e) So too a bhikṣu eats enough to sustain the body, his aim being to walk the path.
The essential point of this passage is knowing moderation in eating. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is knowing the proper measure in eating? Having thus guarded the faculties, one eats with right discernment—not for indulgence, not for pride and dissipation, not for adornment, not for vanity. One eats for the body's sustenance, for temporary support, to dispel hunger and thirst, to uphold the holy life, to put an end to old feelings [of hunger], and to keep new ones from arising again—so that strength, ease, blamelessness, and peaceful abiding may be maintained.
[8. The Yoga of Vigilance] Sutra passage:
Mahāli! A bhikṣu, having perfected such holy precepts, attained the holy faculties, and knowing sufficiency in food, is diligent and wakeful through the first and last watches of the night. During the day as well, whether walking or sitting, he constantly abides in mindful one-pointedness, clearing away the obscurations. In the first watch of the night, whether walking or sitting, he constantly abides in mindful one-pointedness, clearing away the obscurations. Then, when the middle watch comes, he lies down on his right side, resolved to rise in time, his attention fixed on light, his mind clear and unconfused. In the last watch, he rises and contemplates—whether walking or sitting, constantly abiding in mindful one-pointedness, clearing away the obscurations.
The essential point of this passage is the continual practice of walking and sitting meditation through the first and last watches of the night. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is constant and diligent cultivation of the yoga of vigilance in the first and last watches? Having known the proper measure in eating, one purifies the mind from obstructive tendencies during the daytime, through the two modes of walking and sitting meditation. In the first watch of the night, too, one purifies the mind from obstructive tendencies through these same two modes. When that watch has passed, one steps outside the dwelling, washes the feet, "returns to the dwelling," and lies on the right side with the legs folded, abiding in the perception of light, with right mindfulness, right knowledge, and the thought of rising. In the latter watch of the night, one awakens quickly and, through the two modes of walking and sitting meditation, purifies the mind from obstructive tendencies.
[9. Abiding with Clear Knowing] Sutra passage:
(a) A bhikṣu thus complete in holy precepts, having attained the holy faculties, knowing sufficiency in food, diligent and wakeful through the first and last watches, constantly abides in mindful one-pointedness, without confusion.
(b) What does it mean for a bhikṣu to have unconfused mindfulness?
Such a bhikṣu contemplates the body within the body, diligent and tireless, mindful and aware, removing worldly greed and sorrow. He contemplates the body externally, and the body both internally and externally—diligent and tireless, mindful and aware, abandoning worldly greed and sorrow.
Contemplation of feelings, mind, and phenomena is likewise. This is a bhikṣu's unconfused mindfulness.
(c) What is one-pointedness?
Such a bhikṣu—whether coming or going, looking ahead or glancing sideways, bending or stretching, bowing or raising his head, holding robe and bowl, receiving food and drink, attending to bodily needs, sleeping or waking, sitting, standing, speaking, or silent—at all times abides in mindful one-pointedness, never losing proper deportment. This is one-pointedness.
(d) It is like a person traveling with a large company—whether at the front, in the middle, or at the rear, he remains at ease and without fear. Mahāli! So too a bhikṣu, in all his comings and goings... right down to speaking and silence, constantly abides in mindful one-pointedness, without sorrow or fear.
The essential point of this passage is maintaining clear knowing at all times—walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is abiding with clear knowing? Having thus constantly and diligently cultivated the yoga of vigilance, one abides with clear knowing when going and coming; when looking and gazing; when bending and stretching; when carrying the saṃghāṭī robe and bowl; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when walking, standing, sitting, and lying down; when waking; when speaking and when silent; and when shaking off drowsiness.
[10. Delighting in Seclusion] Sutra passage:
A bhikṣu, having such holy precepts, attained the holy faculties, knowing sufficiency in food, diligent and wakeful through the first and last watches, constantly abiding in mindful one-pointedness without confusion, delights in quiet places—beneath a tree, in a charnel ground, in a mountain cave, in the open air, or on a refuse heap.
The essential point of this passage is letting body and mind withdraw into solitude. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is delighting in seclusion? Having thus properly cultivated the preliminary ground of practice through these wholesome dharmas, one is free from all attachment to bedding and furnishings, dwelling in an araṇya, under a tree, in an empty hut, in a valley, in a cave, on a grass heap, in the open wilderness, in a charnel ground, in a forest thicket, or on a vast plain—with only the barest bedding.
[11. Purifying the Hindrances] Sutra passage:
(a) At the appointed time, he goes for alms, returns, washes his hands and feet, and settles his robe and bowl. Sitting cross-legged, he straightens his body, steadies his mind, and sets his attention before him.
Removing stinginess and greed, his mind has no part in them;
Extinguishing anger and hatred, free from resentment, his mind abides in purity, filled with loving-kindness;
Dispelling drowsiness and sleep, fixing thought on light, his mindfulness unconfused;
Cutting off restlessness and frivolity, his mind has no part in them—inwardly practicing stillness, the restless mind quieted;
Cutting off doubt, having passed beyond the net of uncertainty, his mind is one-pointed, resting in wholesome dharmas.
(b) It is like a bondservant whom the master frees and restores to honor—secure and liberated, no longer in servitude, his heart joyful, free from sorrow and fear.
(c) It is also like someone who borrows money to start a trade, makes a great profit, and returns—paying back the lender in full, with enough left to live on. He thinks: "I borrowed that money worried it might not work out. Now I've come back with profit, repaid the lender, and still have enough. No more sorrow, no more fear"—and great joy wells up.
(d) It is like someone long ill who finally recovers, whose food digests well, whose complexion and strength return. He thinks: "I was sick before, but now I'm better—my food digests, my strength is full. No more sorrow, no more fear"—and great joy wells up.
(e) It is also like someone long imprisoned who is safely released. He thinks: "I was locked up before, but now I'm free. No more sorrow, no more fear"—and great joy wells up.
(f) It is also like someone carrying great wealth through a vast wilderness, encountering no bandits, passing through safely. He thinks: "I carried my treasure through that dangerous country. No more sorrow, no more fear"—and great joy wells up, his mind at peace.
(g) Mahāli! A bhikṣu covered by the five hindrances, burdened with sorrow and fear, is just like them.
(h) Like a person in debt, long ill, locked in prison, or crossing a great wilderness—who sees that he has not yet freed himself.
The essential point of this passage is removing the five hindrances. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is purification of the hindrances? Dwelling in an araṇya, under a tree, or in an empty hut, one purifies the mind of the five hindrances—sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and worry, and doubt. Having thus purified the mind of these hindrances, the mind, free of them, abides in a noble, excellent samādhi.
[12. Relying on Samādhi] Sutra passage:
(1a) The sense-bases and hindrances shroud the mind in darkness, and the eye of wisdom grows dim. So one diligently abandons desire and evil, unwholesome states. With initial application and sustained investigation, one enters the first dhyāna, where joy and ease are born of seclusion.
(1b) That joy and ease suffuse the body, saturating it through and through, leaving nothing untouched.
(1c) It is like a skilled bathman who fills a tub with medicinal herbs and soaks them in water—inside and out, everything is saturated, nothing left dry.
(1d) So too a bhikṣu, having entered the first dhyāna, is filled through and through with joy and ease, with nothing left untouched.
(1e) So, Mahāli! This is the first instance of attaining ease here and now in the body. Why? It comes from diligence, from unconfused mindfulness, from delighting in quiet seclusion.
(2a) One abandons initial application and sustained investigation. Faith arises; one-pointed, without initial application or sustained investigation, one enters the second dhyāna, where joy and ease are born of concentration.
(1b) That joy and ease born of one-pointedness suffuse the body, saturating it through and through, leaving nothing untouched.
(2c) It is like a cool spring on a mountaintop welling up from within—not flowing in from outside. The clear water fills the pool from within, soaking everything, with nothing left untouched.
(2d) Mahāli! So too a bhikṣu, having entered the second dhyāna, is filled through and through with the joy and ease born of concentration. This is the second instance of attaining ease here and now in the body.
(3a) One lets go of joy and abides in equanimous mindfulness, unconfused. The body experiences happiness. As the Noble Ones have declared, with protective mindfulness one enters the third dhyāna, abiding in happiness.
(3b) Freed of joy, the body is suffused and filled with happiness, through and through, with nothing left untouched.
(3c) It is like a blue lotus, a red lotus, a white lotus, or a pundarīka lotus that has just risen from the mud but not yet broken the surface—roots, stems, branches, and leaves all soaked through in the water, nothing left untouched.
(3d) Mahāli! So too a bhikṣu, having entered the third dhyāna, lets go of joy and abides in happiness that suffuses the body, with nothing left untouched. This is the third instance of attaining ease here and now in the body.
(4a) One lets go of both joy and ease; sorrow and gladness have already ceased. Neither painful nor pleasant, with equanimous mindfulness purified, one enters the fourth dhyāna.
(4b) Body and mind are pure, full and brimming, with nothing left untouched.
(4c) It is like someone who has bathed clean and is wrapped in a fresh white cloth—the whole body pure.
(4d) Mahāli! So too a bhikṣu, having entered the fourth dhyāna, his mind pure, fills the body through and through, with nothing left untouched.
(4e) Moreover, having entered the fourth dhyāna, the mind neither waxes nor wanes, does not tilt or waver—it abides in a place beyond craving and anger, beyond disturbance.
(4f) It is like a tightly sealed room, plastered inside and out, doors and windows firmly shut—no wind, no dust. A lamp lit within is undisturbed by anything, its flame burning steady and still.
(4g) Mahāli! So too a bhikṣu, having entered the fourth dhyāna, his mind neither waxes nor wanes, does not tilt or waver—he abides in a place beyond craving and anger, beyond disturbance. This is the fourth instance of attaining ease here and now in the body. Why? It comes from diligent exertion, from unconfused mindfulness, from delighting in quiet seclusion.
The essential point of this passage is cultivating the four dhyānas. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra says:
What is relying on samādhi? Having thus cut off the five hindrances, one can distance oneself from mental defilements. Free from sensual desire and evil, unwholesome states, with initial application and sustained investigation, one enters and fully abides in the first dhyāna, where joy and ease are born of seclusion. With initial application and sustained investigation stilled, gaining inner clarity and one-pointedness of mind, without initial application or sustained investigation, one fully abides in the second dhyāna, where joy and ease are born of concentration. Free from attachment to joy, abiding in equanimity and mindfulness together with clear knowing, the body experiences happiness—what the Noble Ones have described as abiding in ease through equanimity and mindfulness. This is fully abiding in the third dhyāna. Having ultimately relinquished ease, having first relinquished suffering, with both gladness and sorrow faded away—neither painful nor pleasant—one abides in equanimity and purified mindfulness, fully entering the fourth dhyāna.
(III) [The Training of Prajñā · Fixed Formula]
[13. Superior Conditions] Sutra passage:
(1a) His mind is steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on ground that does not move—and from within his own body he calls up a mind of transformation that gives rise to another body, every limb complete, every faculty unimpaired. He reflects: "This body, composed of the four great elements, gives rise to that body. This body is one, that body is another. From this body the mind arises and forms that body, complete in all its faculties and limbs."
(1b) Think of a person drawing a sword from its sheath, thinking: "The sheath is one, the sword is another, yet the sword comes out of the sheath." Or one who twists hemp into a rope, thinking: "The hemp is one, the rope is another, yet the rope is made from the hemp."
(1c) Or a person taking a snake from a basket, thinking: "The basket is one, the snake is another, yet the snake comes out of the basket." Or one drawing a garment from a chest, thinking: "The chest is one, the garment is another, yet the garment comes out of the chest."
(1d) Mānava, so it is with the bhikkhu. This is the first excellent dharma attained. And why? Because it springs from diligence, an untroubled mind, and the joy of dwelling in quiet seclusion.
(2a) With his mind thus steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—from his own body of the four great elements he calls up a mind and forms a body of transformation, all faculties and limbs complete. He reflects: "This body is a composite of the four great elements; that body arises through transformation. This body is one, that body is another. This mind is in this body, dependent upon it, and reaches into the body of transformation."
(2b) Picture a piece of lapis lazuli or a maṇi jewel, polished bright, pure and undefiled. Thread it with a cord of blue, yellow, or red. A person with eyes, holding it in the palm and looking closely, sees that the jewel is one thing, the cord another—yet the cord depends on the jewel, passing from jewel to jewel.
(2c) Mānava, so it is with the bhikkhu observing the mind that depends on this body and reaches into the body of transformation. This is the bhikkhu's second excellent dharma. And why? Because it springs from diligence, an untroubled mind, and the joy of dwelling alone in seclusion.
(3a) His mind steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—he cultivates with one-pointed attention the knowledge of spiritual penetration, and can perform every manner of transformation: he multiplies one body into countless bodies, and gathers the many back into one. He passes through walls of stone as if they were nothing, roams the sky like a bird, walks on water as on land. Flame and smoke pour from his body like a great fire [艹*積]. He reaches up and touches the sun and moon, and stands in the world of Brahmā.
(3b) He is like a potter who skillfully works the clay and shapes any vessel he wishes, bringing much benefit.
(3c) Or like a skilled carpenter who can work wood as he pleases, freely making whatever he will, useful in many ways.
(4a) With mind thus steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—he cultivates with single mind and realizes the divine ear. His divine ear is pure, surpassing the human ear; he hears two kinds of sounds: those of the heavens and those of human beings.
(4b) It is like a great lecture hall in a city, tall and spacious, where a person of keen hearing dwells within. Whatever sounds arise inside the hall, he hears them all without any strain.
(4c) So it is with the bhikkhu: his mind is steadied, his divine ear is pure, and he hears two kinds of sounds. Mānava, this is the bhikkhu's fourth excellent dharma.
(5a) His mind thus steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—he cultivates with single mind the realization of knowledge of other minds. He knows the hearts of others: those with desire and those without, those with stain and those without, those with delusion and those without, broad minds and narrow, small minds and great, settled minds and scattered, bound minds and freed, lofty minds and low—up to the unsurpassed mind, he knows them all.
(5b) It is like a person looking into clear water: what is beautiful and what is ugly are both plain to see.
(3d) And it is like an ivory-worker who skillfully shapes ivory, or a goldsmith who refines pure gold—freely making whatever he wishes, bringing much benefit. (80e) Mānava, so it is with the bhikkhu: his mind is steadied and pure, resting on unmoving ground, and he transforms at will—even touching the sun and moon, reaching the world of Brahmā. This is the bhikkhu's third excellent dharma.
(1a) With mind thus steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—he cultivates with single mind the realization of the knowledge of past lives. He is able to recall and know events from numberless past existences of every kind: from one life to countless lives, the rising and falling of aeons, dying here and being born there, names and clans, foods eaten, the span of years, the suffering and happiness borne, form and feature—all is recalled and known.
(1b) It is like a person who leaves his own village and travels to another town. There he walks and stands, speaks and is silent. From that place he goes on to yet another country; and so, journeying back and forth, at last returns home. Without any strain of mind, he remembers all the countries he has passed through—from here to there, from there to here—walking, standing, speaking, silent—every movement recollected.
(1c) Mānava, so it is with the bhikkhu: through a mind that is steadied, pure and undefiled, resting on unmoving ground, by the knowledge of past lives he recalls the events of countless aeons. This is the bhikkhu's attainment of the first excellence. Ignorance is forever destroyed; the great light of the Dharma dawns. Darkness is dispelled; the light of the Dharma rises. This is the bhikkhu's light of past-life knowledge. And why? Because it springs from diligence, an untroubled mind, and the joy of dwelling alone in seclusion.
(2a) With mind thus steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—he cultivates with single mind the realization of knowledge that sees death and rebirth. His divine eye is pure: he sees beings dying here and being born there, born there and coming here; their forms—fair or ugly; the fruits of good and evil; the noble and the base—all these he knows by their karmic causes and the retributions they bring. A person who acted evilly in body, speech, and mind; who slandered the worthy and held to wrong and perverted views—such a one, his body broken and his life ended, falls into the three unfortunate realms. A person who acted well in body, speech, and mind; who did not slander the worthy and held to right faith and practice—such a one, his body broken and his life ended, is reborn among humans or in the heavens. With the pure divine eye, he sees all beings passing back and forth within the five realms, each according to its karma.
(2b) It is like high, open, level ground in a city, where at a four-way crossroads a tall watchtower rises. A person with keen sight, standing at the top and looking out, sees everyone passing below—east, west, south, north—and every movement and deed is plain to view.
(2c) Mānava, so it is with the bhikkhu: his mind steadied and pure, resting on unmoving ground, he realizes the knowledge that sees death and rebirth. With the pure divine eye, he sees all the deeds of beings, good and evil, and how each is reborn in keeping with its karma, passing to and fro within the five realms—all is known. This is the bhikkhu's attainment of the second excellence. Ignorance is cut off; the light of wisdom arises. Darkness is left behind; the light of wisdom shines forth. This is the light of the knowledge that sees beings' death and rebirth. And why? Because it springs from diligence, an untroubled mind, and the joy of dwelling alone in seclusion.
(3a) With mind thus steadied—pure, undefiled, gentle, tamed, resting on unmoving ground—he cultivates with single mind the realization of freedom from the outflows. He knows the noble truth of suffering as it truly is. He knows the arising of the outflows as it truly is. He knows the cessation of the outflows as it truly is. He knows the path leading to the cessation of the outflows as it truly is. Knowing thus and seeing thus, his mind is freed from the outflow of desire, the outflow of existence, and the outflow of ignorance. Released, he possesses the knowledge of release: birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task accomplished, there is no more of this to come.
(3b) It is as if in clear water there were logs, stones, fish, and turtles, all the creatures of the water, swimming this way and that. A person with eyes sees each one clearly: "This is a log, this is a stone, this is a fish, this is a turtle."
(3c) Mānava, so it is with the bhikkhu: his mind steadied and pure, resting on unmoving ground, he attains the realization of freedom from the outflows—even to the point where there is no further becoming. This is the bhikkhu's attainment of the third excellence. Ignorance is cut off; the light of wisdom arises. Darkness is left behind; the light of wisdom shines forth in full. This is the light of the knowledge of freedom from the outflows. And why? Because it springs from diligence, an untroubled mind, and the joy of dwelling alone in seclusion.
The core of this long passage is the realization of the three knowledges and nirvana. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra puts it this way:
Through such gradual cultivation, each later stage surpasses the one before—growing more excellent, more abundant, more lofty—as the conditions are gathered in:
First, his own perfection being complete, with samādhi as the culminating factor, he gains such a mind—pure, bright, and white, without blemish, free from the lesser hindrances, upright and capable, abiding unmoved. If, by the prompting of another and grounded in the four noble truths, he receives instruction and counsel aimed at complete knowing, final cutting off, direct realization, and cultivation, then through this capability and strength a movement of mind arises in accord with reason, together with all right view. From this he is able to enter into true present-seeing regarding the four noble truths, perfect liberation is fulfilled, and he passes into the realm of nirvana without remainder.
From this correspondence between sūtra and śāstra, one can see that the 【Three Trainings · Formulaic Passages】 in the Āmratyā Sūtra (N20) carry the full substance of training in virtue, training in concentration, and training in wisdom, along with the entire path of Buddhist cultivation. Later in the Dīrghāgama, wherever the 【Three Trainings · Formulaic Passages】 appear, they come in condensed form, but the substance is identical. For example, the Kūṭadanta Sūtra (N23):
When a Tathāgata, Accomplished, Supremely Awakened One, has appeared in the world, … a person goes forth from home into the Dharma to cultivate the path, complete in every virtue, … even to the fullness of the three knowledges, all delusion destroyed, fully possessed of the light of wisdom.
And the Śramaṇaphala Sūtra (N27):
Further, Great King: a Tathāgata, Accomplished, Supremely Awakened One, has appeared in the world, … those who enter my Dharma, …
… even to the three knowledges, dispelling all darkness, giving rise to the great light of wisdom—namely, the realization of the end of the outflows.
And the Lohicca Sūtra (N29):
When a Tathāgata, Accomplished, Supremely Awakened One, has appeared in the world, … even to the attainment of the three knowledges, the destruction of ignorance, the dawning of the light of wisdom, the putting away of all darkness, the shining forth of the great light of the Dharma—namely, the realization of the end of the outflows.
These passages appear in abbreviated form, but their substance is entirely identical to that of the Āmratyā Sūtra. As for the Tevijja Sūtra (N26) and the Poṭṭhapāda Sūtra (N28), they set out only training in virtue and training in concentration, without unfolding training in wisdom—this is because the answers stop where the questioners' questions stop. Quoting the twelve lesser conditions and the one greater condition from the Śrāvaka-bhūmi of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra makes it easier to grasp the sectional core of the 【Three Trainings · Formulaic Passages】.
III. Conclusion
The sūtras in the Dīrghāgama that employ the 【Three Trainings · Formulaic Passages】 are these nine: the Āmratyā Sūtra, the Sonadanda Sūtra, the Kūṭadanta Sūtra, the Gāvīpati Sūtra, the Kevaddha Sūtra, the Tevijja Sūtra, the Śramaṇaphala Sūtra, the Poṭṭhapāda Sūtra, and the Lohicca Sūtra. If we add three from the Pāli Dīgha Nikāya—the Mahāli Sūtra, the Jāliya Sūtra, and the Subha Sūtra—the total reaches twelve. From this one can see how deeply the Buddha cared for the teaching of the three trainings. His exposition varied in length with the listener. When Venerable Ānanda came to compile the sūtra collections, the shorter passages were gathered into the Saṃyuktāgama, the medium ones into the Madhyamāgama, and the longer ones into the Dīrghāgama. The words may differ in length; the content does not. In every case, the three trainings are the heart of the teaching.
(Excerpted from the author's draft, "The Core Teachings of the Dīrghāgama and the Dīgha Nikāya")