Saṃyukta Āgama

804. Cutting Off Thoughts

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was abiding in Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.

At that time, the Bhagavān said to the bhikṣus, “You should cultivate ānāpānasmṛti. Cultivating ānāpānasmṛti, cultivating it assiduously, cuts off thoughts. How is ānāpānasmṛti cultivated, cultivated assiduously, to cut off thoughts? If a bhikṣu depends upon a village or city... as previously stated... up to the skillful training of breathing out, contemplating cessation. This is called cultivating ānāpānasmṛti, cultivating it assiduously, to cut off thoughts.”

After the Buddha had spoken this sūtra, the bhikṣus heard what the Buddha had said, and joyfully practiced in accordance.

As with cutting off thoughts, it is also such as this for becoming immovable, obtaining great fruit and great benefit, and also so for obtaining the nectar of immortality, the ultimate nectar of immortality, and for obtaining the two fruits, four fruits, and seven fruits. Each sūtra is spoken just as the previous one.