SN 34.55 — Persistence and What’s Conducive

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in practicing persistently for immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. One meditator is skilled in doing what’s conducive to immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. One meditator is skilled neither in practicing persistently for immersion nor in doing what’s conducive to it. One meditator is skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it. Of these, the meditator skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four. From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these. In the same way, the meditator skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. (All should be told in full as per the fifty-fifth discourse.) The Linked Discourses on Absorption are complete. The Book of the Aggregates is finished. The Group of Linked Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields Linked Discourses on the Six Sense Fields Contents The First Fifty The Chapter on Impermanence SN 35.1 The Interior as Impermanent Ajjhattāniccasutta SN 35.2 The Interior as Suffering Ajjhattadukkhasutta SN 35.3 The Interior as Not-Self Ajjhattānattasutta SN 35.4 The Exterior as Impermanent Bāhirāniccasutta SN 35.5 The Exterior as Suffering Bāhiradukkhasutta SN 35.6 The Exterior as Not-Self Bāhirānattasutta SN 35.7 The Interior as Impermanent in the Three Times Ajjhattāniccātītānāgatasutta SN 35.8 The Interior as Suffering in the Three Times Ajjhattadukkhātītānāgatasutta SN 35.9 The Interior as Not-Self in the Three Times Ajjhattānattātītānāgatasutta SN 35.10 The Exterior as Impermanent in the Three Times Bāhirāniccātītānāgatasutta SN 35.11 The Exterior as Suffering in the Three Times Bāhiradukkhātītānāgatasutta SN 35.12 The Exterior as Not-Self in the Three Times Bāhirānattātītānāgatasutta The Chapter on Pairs SN 35.13 Before My Awakening (Interior) Paṭhamapubbesambodhasutta SN 35.14 Before My Awakening (Exterior) Dutiyapubbesambodhasutta SN 35.15 In Search of Gratification (Interior) Paṭhamaassādapariyesanasutta SN 35.16 In Search of Gratification (Exterior) Dutiyaassādapariyesanasutta SN 35.17 If There Were No Gratification (Interior) Paṭhamanoceassādasutta SN 35.18 If There Were No Gratification (Exterior) Dutiyanoceassādasutta SN 35.19 Taking Pleasure (Interior) Paṭhamābhinandasutta SN 35.20 Taking Pleasure (Exterior) Dutiyābhinandasutta SN 35.21 The Arising of Suffering (Interior) Paṭhamadukkhuppādasutta SN 35.22 The Arising of Suffering (Exterior) Dutiyadukkhuppādasutta The Chapter on the All SN 35.23 All Sabbasutta SN 35.24 Giving Up Pahānasutta SN 35.25 Giving Up By Direct Knowledge and Complete Understanding Abhiññāpariññāpahānasutta SN 35.26 Without Completely Understanding (1st) Paṭhamaaparijānanasutta SN 35.27 Without Completely Understanding (2nd) Dutiyaaparijānanasutta SN 35.28 Burning Ādittasutta SN 35.29 Overcome Addhabhūtasutta SN 35.30 The Practice Fit for Uprooting Samugghātasāruppasutta SN 35.31 The Practice Conducive to Uprooting (1st) Paṭhamasamugghātasappāyasutta SN 35.32 The Practice Conducive to Uprooting (2nd) Dutiyasamugghātasappāyasutta The Chapter on Liable to Be Reborn SN 35.33–42 Ten on Liable to Be Reborn, Etc. Jātidhammāsutta The Chapter on All is Impermanent SN 35.43–51 Nine on Impermanence, Etc. Aniccādisuttanavaka SN 35.52 Contaminated Upassaṭṭhasutta The Second Fifty The Chapter on Ignorance SN 35.53 Giving Up Ignorance Avijjāpahānasutta SN 35.54 Giving Up Fetters Saṁyojanappahānasutta SN 35.55 Uprooting the Fetters Saṁyojanasamugghātasutta SN 35.56 Giving Up Defilements Āsavapahānasutta SN 35.57 Uprooting Defilements Āsavasamugghātasutta SN 35.58 Giving Up Tendencies Anusayapahānasutta SN 35.59 Uprooting Tendencies Anusayasamugghātasutta SN 35.60 The Complete Understanding of All Grasping Sabbupādānapariññāsutta SN 35.61 The Depletion of All Fuel for Grasping (1st) Paṭhamasabbupādānapariyādānasutta SN 35.62 The Depletion of All Fuel for Grasping (2nd) Dutiyasabbupādānapariyādānasutta The Chapter with Migajāla SN 35.63 With Migajāla (1st) Paṭhamamigajālasutta SN 35.64 With Migajāla (2nd) Dutiyamigajālasutta SN 35.65 Samiddhi’s Question About Māra Paṭhamasamiddhimārapañhāsutta SN 35.66 Samiddhi’s Question About a Sentient Being Samiddhisattapañhāsutta SN 35.67 Samiddhi’s Question About Suffering Samiddhidukkhapañhāsutta SN 35.68 Samiddhi’s Question About the World Samiddhilokapañhāsutta SN 35.69 Upasena and the Viper Upasenaāsīvisasutta SN 35.70 Upavāṇa on What is Apparent in the Present Life Upavāṇasandiṭṭhikasutta SN 35.71 Six Fields of Contact (1st) Paṭhamachaphassāyatanasutta SN 35.72 Six Fields of Contact (2nd) Dutiyachaphassāyatanasutta SN 35.73 Six Fields of Contact (3rd) Tatiyachaphassāyatanasutta The Chapter on Sick SN 35.74 Sick (1st) Paṭhamagilānasutta SN 35.75 Sick (2nd) Dutiyagilānasutta SN 35.76 With Rādha on Impermanence Rādhaaniccasutta SN 35.77 With Rādha on Suffering Rādhadukkhasutta SN 35.78 With Rādha on Not-Self Rādhaanattasutta SN 35.79 Giving Up Ignorance (1st) Paṭhamaavijjāpahānasutta SN 35.80 Giving Up Ignorance (2nd) Dutiyaavijjāpahānasutta SN 35.81 Several Mendicants Sambahulabhikkhusutta SN 35.82 A Question On the World Lokapañhāsutta SN 35.83 Phagguna’s Question Phaggunapañhāsutta The Chapter with Channa SN 35.84 Liable to Wear Out Palokadhammasutta SN 35.85 The World is Empty Suññatalokasutta SN 35.86 A Teaching In Brief Saṁkhittadhammasutta SN 35.87 With Channa Channasutta SN 35.88 With Puṇṇa Puṇṇasutta SN 35.89 With Bāhiya Bāhiyasutta SN 35.90 Turbulence (1st) Paṭhamaejāsutta SN 35.91 Turbulence (2nd) Dutiyaejāsutta SN 35.92 A Duality (1st) Paṭhamadvayasutta SN 35.93 A Duality (2nd) Dutiyadvayasutta The Chapter on the Sixes SN 35.94 Untamed, Unguarded Adantaaguttasutta SN 35.95 Māluṅkyaputta Mālukyaputtasutta SN 35.96 Liable to Decline Parihānadhammasutta SN 35.97 One Who Lives Negligently Pamādavihārīsutta SN 35.98 Restraint Saṁvarasutta SN 35.99 Immersion Samādhisutta SN 35.100 Retreat Paṭisallānasutta SN 35.101 It’s Not Yours (1st) Paṭhamanatumhākasutta SN 35.102 It’s Not Yours (2nd) Dutiyanatumhākasutta SN 35.103 About Uddaka Udakasutta The Third Fifty The Chapter on Sanctuary SN 35.104 Sanctuary from the Yoke Yogakkhemisutta SN 35.105 Because of Grasping Upādāyasutta SN 35.106 The Origin of Suffering Dukkhasamudayasutta SN 35.107 The Origin of the World Lokasamudayasutta SN 35.108 I’m Better Seyyohamasmisutta SN 35.109 Things That Tighten Fetters Saṁyojaniyasutta SN 35.110 Things That Fuel Grasping Upādāniyasutta SN 35.111 Complete Understanding of the Interior Ajjhattikāyatanaparijānanasutta SN 35.112 Complete Understanding of the Exterior Bāhirāyatanaparijānanasutta SN 35.113 Listening In Upassutisutta The Chapter on the World and the Kinds of Sensual Stimulation SN 35.114 Māra’s Snare (1st) Paṭhamamārapāsasutta SN 35.115 Māra’s Snare (2nd) Dutiyamārapāsasutta SN 35.116 Traveling to the End of the World Lokantagamanasutta SN 35.117 The Kinds of Sensual Stimulation Kāmaguṇasutta SN 35.118 The Question of Sakka Sakkapañhasutta SN 35.119 The Question of Pañcasikha Pañcasikhasutta SN 35.120 Sāriputta and the Protégé Sāriputtasaddhivihārikasutta SN 35.121 Advice to Rāhula Rāhulovādasutta SN 35.122 Things That Tighten Fetters Saṁyojaniyadhammasutta SN 35.123 Things That Fuel Grasping Upādāniyadhammasutta The Chapter on Householders SN 35.124 At Vesālī Vesālīsutta SN 35.125 In the Land of the Vajjis Vajjīsutta SN 35.126 At Nāḷandā Nāḷandasutta SN 35.127 With Bhāradvāja Bhāradvājasutta SN 35.128 With Soṇa Soṇasutta SN 35.129 With Ghosita Ghositasutta SN 35.130 With Hāliddikāni Hāliddikānisutta SN 35.131 Nakula’s Father Nakulapitusutta SN 35.132 With Lohicca Lohiccasutta SN 35.133 Verahaccāni Verahaccānisutta The Chapter at Devadaha SN 35.134 At Devadaha Devadahasutta SN 35.135 Opportunity Khaṇasutta SN 35.136 Liking Sights (1st) Paṭhamarūpārāmasutta SN 35.137 Liking Sights (2nd) Dutiyarūpārāmasutta SN 35.138 Not Yours (1st) Paṭhamanatumhākasutta SN 35.139 Not Yours (2nd) Dutiyanatumhākasutta SN 35.140 Interior and Cause Are Impermanent Ajjhattaaniccahetusutta SN 35.141 Interior and Cause Are Suffering Ajjhattadukkhahetusutta SN 35.142 Interior and Cause Are Not-Self Ajjhattānattahetusutta SN 35.143 Exterior and Cause Are Impermanent Bāhirāniccahetusutta SN 35.144 Exterior and Cause Are Suffering Bāhiradukkhahetusutta SN 35.145 Exterior and Cause Are Not-Self Bāhirānattahetusutta The Chapter on the Old and the New SN 35.146 The Cessation of Deeds Kammanirodhasutta SN 35.147 The Impermanent as Conducive to Extinguishment Aniccanibbānasappāyasutta SN 35.148 The Suffering as Conducive to Extinguishment Dukkhanibbānasappāyasutta SN 35.149 Not-Self as Conducive to Extinguishment Anattanibbānasappāyasutta SN 35.150 A Practice Conducive to Extinguishment Nibbānasappāyapaṭipadāsutta SN 35.151 A Resident Pupil Antevāsikasutta SN 35.152 What’s the Goal of the Spiritual Life? Kimatthiyabrahmacariyasutta SN 35.153 Is There a Method? Atthinukhopariyāyasutta SN 35.154 Endowed With Faculties Indriyasampannasutta SN 35.155 A Dhamma Speaker Dhammakathikapucchasutta The Fourth Fifty The Chapter on the End of Relishing SN 35.156 The Interior and the End of Relishing Ajjhattanandikkhayasutta SN 35.157 The Exterior and the End of Relishing Bāhiranandikkhayasutta SN 35.158 Focus, the Interior, and the End of Relishing Ajjhattaaniccanandikkhayasutta SN 35.159 Focus, the Exterior, and the End of Relishing Bāhiraaniccanandikkhayasutta SN 35.160 On Immersion at Jīvaka’s Mango Grove Jīvakambavanasamādhisutta SN 35.161 On Retreat at Jīvaka’s Mango Grove Jīvakambavanapaṭisallānasutta SN 35.162 With Koṭṭhita on Impermanence Koṭṭhikaaniccasutta SN 35.163 With Koṭṭhita on Suffering Koṭṭhikadukkhasutta SN 35.164 With Koṭṭhita on Not-Self Koṭṭhikaanattasutta SN 35.165 Giving Up Wrong View Micchādiṭṭhipahānasutta SN 35.166 Giving Up Substantialist View Sakkāyadiṭṭhipahānasutta SN 35.167 Giving Up Theory of Self Attānudiṭṭhipahānasutta The Chapter on Sixty Abbreviated Texts SN 35.168 Desire for the Impermanent Interior Ajjhattaaniccachandasutta SN 35.169 Greed for the Impermanent Interior Ajjhattaaniccarāgasutta SN 35.170 Desire and Greed for the Impermanent Interior Ajjhattaaniccachandarāgasutta SN 35.171–173 Desire, Etc. for the Suffering Interior Dukkhachandādisutta SN 35.174–176 Desire, Etc. for the Not-Self Interior Anattachandādisutta SN 35.177–179 Desire, Etc. for the Impermanent Exterior Bāhirāniccachandādisutta SN 35.180–182 Desire, Etc. for the Suffering Exterior Bāhiradukkhachandādisutta SN 35.183–185 Desire, Etc. for the Not-Self Exterior Bāhirānattachandādisutta SN 35.186 The Interior Was Impermanent in the Past Ajjhattātītāniccasutta SN 35.187 The Interior Will Be Impermanent in the Future Ajjhattānāgatāniccasutta SN 35.188 The Interior is Impermanent in the Present Ajjhattapaccuppannāniccasutta SN 35.189–191 The Interior as Suffering in the Three Times Ajjhattātītādidukkhasutta SN 35.192–194 The Interior as Not-Self in the Three Times Ajjhattātītādianattasutta SN 35.195–197 The Exterior as Impermanent in the Three Times Bāhirātītādianiccasutta SN 35.198–200 The Exterior as Suffering in the Three Times Bāhirātītādidukkhasutta SN 35.201–203 The Exterior as Not-Self in the Three Times Bāhirātītādianattasutta SN 35.204 The Interior and What’s Impermanent in the Past Ajjhattātītayadaniccasutta SN 35.205 The Interior and What’s Impermanent in the Future Ajjhattānāgatayadaniccasutta SN 35.206 The Interior and What’s Impermanent in the Present Ajjhattapaccuppannayadaniccasutta SN 35.207–209 The Interior and What’s Suffering in the Three Times Ajjhattātītādiyaṁdukkhasutta SN 35.210–212 The Interior and What’s Not-Self in the Three Times Ajjhattātītādiyadanattasutta SN 35.213–215 The Exterior and What’s Impermanent in the Three Times Bāhirātītādiyadaniccasutta SN 35.216–218 The Exterior and What’s Suffering in the Three Times Bāhirātītādiyaṁdukkhasutta SN 35.219–221 The Exterior and What’s Not-Self in the Three Times Bāhirātītādiyadanattasutta SN 35.222 The Interior as Impermanent Ajjhattāyatanaaniccasutta SN 35.223 The Interior as Suffering Ajjhattāyatanadukkhasutta SN 35.224 The Interior as Not-Self Ajjhattāyatanaanattasutta SN 35.225 The Exterior as Impermanent Bāhirāyatanaaniccasutta SN 35.226 The Exterior as Suffering Bāhirāyatanadukkhasutta SN 35.227 The Exterior as Not-Self Bāhirāyatanaanattasutta The Chapter on the Ocean SN 35.228 The Ocean (1st) Paṭhamasamuddasutta SN 35.229 The Ocean (2nd) Dutiyasamuddasutta SN 35.230 The Simile of the Angler Bāḷisikopamasutta SN 35.231 The Simile of the Latex-Producing Tree Khīrarukkhopamasutta SN 35.232 With Koṭṭhita Koṭṭhikasutta SN 35.233 With Kāmabhū Kāmabhūsutta SN 35.234 With Udāyī Udāyīsutta SN 35.235 The Exposition on Burning Ādittapariyāyasutta SN 35.236 The Simile of Hands and Feet (1st) Paṭhamahatthapādopamasutta SN 35.237 The Simile of Hands and Feet (2nd) Dutiyahatthapādopamasutta The Chapter on the Simile of the Vipers SN 35.238 The Simile of the Vipers Āsīvisopamasutta SN 35.239 The Simile of the Chariot Rathopamasutta SN 35.240 The Simile of the Tortoise Kummopamasutta SN 35.241 The Simile of the Tree Trunk (1st) Paṭhamadārukkhandhopamasutta SN 35.242 The Simile of the Tree Trunk (2nd) Dutiyadārukkhandhopamasutta SN 35.243 The Explanation on the Festering Avassutapariyāyasutta SN 35.244 Entailing Suffering Dukkhadhammasutta SN 35.245 The Simile of the Parrot Tree Kiṁsukopamasutta SN 35.246 The Simile of the Harp Vīṇopamasutta SN 35.247 The Simile of Six Animals Chappāṇakopamasutta SN 35.248 The Sheaf of Barley Yavakalāpisutta The First Fifty The Chapter on Impermanence