[Translated originally from the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama to Classical Chinese by a team led by Sarvāstivāda scholar Gautama Saṃghadeva of Kāśmīra in 398CE.
Translated from the Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka back to Sanskrit by Ramakrishnan Suryanarayanan in 2024-26.]
madhyamāgame dīrghāyurvarge aṣṭamahāpuruṣavitarkasūtraṃ tṛtīyam.
evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavānbhargeṣu viharati sma śiśumāragirau bhīṣaṇavane mṛgadāve.
tasminsamaya āyuṣmānaniruddhaścediṣu viharati sma jaladvīpavane. athakhalvāyuṣmato'niruddhasya rahogatasya pratisaṃlīnasyaivaṃ cetasaḥ parivitarka udapādi—alpīcchasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo mahecchasya. santuṣṭasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo'santuṣṭasya. praviviktasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ saṅgaṇikārāmasya saṅgaṇikāratasya saṅgaṇikāsamuditasya. ārabdhavīryasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ kusīdasya. upasthitasmṛterayaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo muṣitasmṛteḥ. samāhitasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo vyākṣiptacittasya. prajñāvato'yaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo duṣprajñasyeti.
athakhalu bhagavānsvacetasāyuṣmato'niruddhasya cetaḥparivitarkamājñāya tathārūpaṃ samādhiṃ samāpede yathārūpe samādhau samāhito bhagavāṃstadyathā nāma balavānpuruṣaḥ sammiñjitaṃ vā bāhuṃ prasārayetprasāritaṃ vā bāhuṃ sammiñjayedevameva bhargebhyaḥ śiśumāragirerbhīṣaṇavanānmṛgadāvādantarhitaścediṣu jaladvīpavane āyuṣmato'niruddhasya purataḥ prādurabhūt.
tataḥ samādhervyutthāyāyuṣmantamaniruddhamavocat—sādhu sādhvaniruddha, yatte rahogatasya pratisaṃlīnasyaivaṃ cetasaḥ parivitarka udapādi—alpīcchasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo mahecchasya, santuṣṭasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo'santuṣṭasya, praviviktasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ saṅgaṇikārāmasya saṅgaṇikāratasya saṅgaṇikāsamuditasya, ārabdhavīryasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ kusīdasya, upasthitasmṛterayaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo muṣitasmṛteḥ, samāhitasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo vyākṣiptacittasya, prajñāvato'yaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo duṣprajñasyeti.
aniruddhāṣṭamaṃ mahāpuruṣavitarkaṃ tathāgatātpratigṛhṇīṣva, pratigṛhya caivaṃ manasikuru—niṣprapañcasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ prapañcārāmasya prapañcaratasya prapañcasamuditasyeti. yato hi tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasi tatastvamavaśyaṃ kāmairviviktaḥ pāpakairakuśalairdharmairvivikto yāvaccaturthaṃ dhyānamupasampadya vihariṣyasi.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye tadyathā rājño vā rājamahāmātrasya vā nānāvidhavastraparipūrṇaḥ samudgako bhavet, sa prātaryadyadeva vastramākāṅkṣettattadeva prāvṛṇuyāt, madhyāhne sāyāhne ca yadyadeva vastramākāṅkṣettattadeva prāvṛṇuyādyathākāmam. evameva tvamaniruddha pāṃśukūlacīvaraṃ te prathamaṃ vasanaṃ bhaviṣyati, tatra tvaṃ vītarāgo vihariṣyasi.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye tadyathā rājño vā rājamahāmātrasya vā mahānsūpākāro nānāvidhaṃ śucipraṇītaṃ rasavatkhādanīyabhojanīyamupasthāpayet. evameva tvamaniruddha piṇḍapātaste prathamaṃ bhojanaṃ bhaviṣyati, tatra tvaṃ vītarāgo vihariṣyasi.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye tadyathā rājño vā rājamahāmātrasya vā bhadraṃ veśma bhavetkūṭāgāraṃ vā prāsādo vā. evameva tvamaniruddha vṛkṣamūlaṃ te prathamaṃ śayanāsanaṃ bhaviṣyati, tatra tvaṃ vītarāgo vihariṣyasi.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye tadyathā rājño vā rājamahāmātrasya vā bhadraṃ śayanāsanaṃ bhavet, tatrāstṛtagonatikā āstṛtapaṭikā āstṛtapaṭalikāḥ kāliṅgaprāvārāḥ pratyāstaraṇāni sottaracchadānyubhayatolohitopadhānāni stṛtāni. evameva tvamaniruddha tṛṇasaṃstāro vā parṇasaṃstāro vā te prathamamāsanaṃ bhaviṣyati, tatra tvaṃ vītarāgo vihariṣyasi.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye sa yadi pūrvāṃ diśaṃ gamiṣyasi avaśyaṃ kṣemī bhaviṣyasi sukhaścāvyasanaśca. yadi dakṣiṇāṃ paścimāmuttarāṃ diśaṃ gamiṣyasi avaśyaṃ kṣemī bhaviṣyasi sukhaścāvyasanaśca.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye nāhaṃ te kuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ sthitiṃ vadāmi kiṃ punarparihānim. ahorātraṃ kuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ vṛddhireva te pratikāṅkṣitavyā na parihāniḥ.
yadā ca tvamaniruddhemānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamiṣyasīmāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇi nikāmalābhī bhaviṣyasyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī, tasminsamaye dvayoḥ phalayoḥ anyataraṃ phalaṃ te pratikāṅkṣitavyam—dṛṣṭa eva dharme'jñā, satyupādhiśeṣe'nāgāmitā.
aniruddha, tvaṃ tasmādimānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgama. imāni ca catvāri dhyānānyādhicetasikāni dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihārāṇyavāpyākṛcchralābhī hyakaṣṭalābhī bhavitvā cediṣu jaladvīpavane varṣāmupagaccha.
athakhalu bhagavānāyuṣmantamaniruddhaṃ dharmyayā kathayā sandarśyānukampyānekaparyāyeṇa dharmyayā kathayā sandarśya samādāpya samuttejya sampraharṣyotthāyāsanāttathārūpaṃ samādhiṃ samāpede yathārūpe samādhau samāhito bhagavāṃstadyathā nāma balavānpuruṣaḥ sammiñjitaṃ vā bāhuṃ prasārayetprasāritaṃ vā bāhuṃ sammiñjayedevameva cediṣu jaladvīpavanādantarhito bhargeṣu śiśumāragirau bhīṣaṇavane mṛgadāve prādurabhūt.
tasminsamaye āyuṣmānānando bhagavantaṃ vālavyajanenopavījayansthito'bhūt. athakhalu bhagavānsamādhervyutthāyāvalokyāyuṣmantamānandamavocat—ānanda, yāvanto bhikṣavaḥ śiśumāragirau bhīṣaṇavane mṛgadāve viharanti, tānsarvānupasthānaśālāyāṃ sannipātaya, sannipātya ca me ārocayeti.
āyuṣmānānando bhagavataḥ śrutvā bhagavataḥ pādau śirasā vanditvā yāvanto bhikṣavaḥ śiśumāragirau bhīṣaṇavane mṛgadāve viharanti tānsarvānupasthānaśālāyāṃ sannipātya yena bhagavāṃstenopajagāma. upetya bhagavataḥ pādau śirasā vanditvaikānte'sthāt. ekāntasthita āyuṣmānānando bhagavantametadavocat—bhagavan, yāvanto bhikṣavaḥ śiśumāragirau bhīṣaṇavane mṛgadāve viharanti, te sarva upasthānaśālāyāṃ sannipatitāḥ, yasyedānīṃ bhagavānkālaṃ manyata iti.
athakhalu bhagavānāyuṣmatānandena sārdhamupasthānaśālāṃ gatvā bhikṣusaṅghasya purataḥ prajñapta evāsane nyaṣīdat. niṣadya ca bhagavānbhikṣūnāmantrayata—bhikṣavo'haṃ vo'ṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkāndeśayiṣyāmi. tacchṛṇuta sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasikuruta, bhāṣiṣyeti. te bhikṣavo bhagavataḥ pratyaśrauṣuḥ.
bhagavānidamavocat—aṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkāḥ katame? alpīcchasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo mahecchasya. santuṣṭasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo'santuṣṭasya. praviviktasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ saṅgaṇikārāmasya saṅgaṇikāratasya saṅgaṇikāsamuditasya. ārabdhavīryasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ kusīdasya. upasthitasmṛterayaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo muṣitasmṛteḥ. samāhitasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo vyākṣiptacittasya. prajñāvato'yaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo duṣprajñasyeti. niṣprapañcasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ prapañcārāmasya prapañcaratasya prapañcasamuditasya.
kathaṃ cālpīcchasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo mahecchasyeti? iha bhikṣuralpīccho bhavatyalpīccho'smīti jānāti na tu pareṣu jñāpayitumicchatyalpīccho'hamasmīti. santuṣṭo bhavati, pravivikto bhavatyārabdhavīryo bhavatyupasthitasmṛtirbhavati samāhito bhavati prajñāvānbhavati niṣprapañcarato bhavati, niṣprapañcarato'smīti jānāti na tu pareṣu jñāpayitumicchati niṣprapañcarato'hamasmīti. evamalpīcchasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo mahecchasya.
kathaṃ ca santuṣṭasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo'santuṣṭasyeti? iha bhikṣuryathālābhasantuṣṭo bhavati cīvaramātraṃ parigṛhṇāti kāyapracchādanārthaṃ piṇḍapātamātraṃ parigṛhṇāti kukṣiparipūraṇārtham. evaṃ santuṣṭasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo'santuṣṭasya.
kathaṃ ca praviviktasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ saṅgaṇikārāmasya saṅgaṇikāratasya saṅgaṇikāsamuditasyeti? iha bhikṣurvivikto bhavati dvābhyāṃ vivekābhyāṃ samanvāgato bhavati kāyavivekena cittavivekena ca. evaṃ praviviktasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ saṅgaṇikārāmasya saṅgaṇikāratasya saṅgaṇikāsamuditasya.
kathaṃ cārabdhavīryasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ kusīdasyeti? iha bhikṣurakuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ prahāṇāya kuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāmupasampadāya vyāyacchate vīryamārabhate cittaṃ pragṛhṇāti samyakpradadhāti sthāmavāndṛḍhaparākramo'nikṣiptadhuraḥ kuśaleṣu dharmeṣu. evamārabdhavīryasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ kusīdasya.
kathaṃ copasthitasmṛterayaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo muṣitasmṛteti? iha bhikṣuradhyātmaṃ kāye kāyānupaśyī viharatyadhyātmaṃ vedanāsu citte dharmeṣu dharmānupaśyī viharati. evamupasthitasmṛterayaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo muṣitasmṛteḥ.
kathaṃ ca samāhitasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo vyākṣiptacittasyeti? iha bhikṣurvivicyaiva kāmebhyo vivicya pāpakebhyo'kuśalebhyo dharmebhyo yāvaccaturthaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. evaṃ samāhitasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo vyākṣiptacittasya.
kathaṃ ca prajñāvato'yaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo duṣprajñasyeti? iha bhikṣurudayavyayagāminyā prajñayā samanvāgato bhavatyāryayā nairvedhikayā prabhedagāminyā samyagduḥkhakṣayagāminyā. evaṃ prajñāvato'yaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmo duṣprajñasya.
kathaṃ ca niṣprapañcasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ prapañcārāmasya prapañcaratasya prapañcasamuditasyeti? iha bhikṣurniṣprapañcarato bhavati, tasya nirodhe nirupadhiśeṣe nirvāṇe cittamaskandati prasīdati santiṣṭhate vimucyate. evaṃ niṣprapañcasyāyaṃ dharmo nāyaṃ dharmaḥ prapañcārāmasya prapañcaratasya prapañcasamuditasya.
bhikṣavo'niruddhobhikṣurimānaṣṭau mahāpuruṣavitarkānsamanvāgamya cediṣu jaladvīpavane varṣāmupāgacchat. sa rahogataḥ pratisaṃlīno'pramatta ātāpī prahitātmā viharanyasyārthe kulaputrāḥ keśaśmaśrvavatārya kāṣāyāṇi vastrāṇyācchādya samyageva śraddhayāgārādanagārikāṃ pravrajanti tadanuttaraṃ brahmacaryaparyavasānaṃ dṛṣṭa eva dharme svayamabhijñāya sākṣātkṛtyopasampadya viharati sma. kṣīṇā me jātiruṣitaṃ brahmacaryaṃ kṛtaṃ karaṇīyaṃ nāparamasmādbhavaparyāyamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajajñau.
tasminsamaya āyuṣmānaniruddho'rhanvimuktacitto'bhavatsthaviraśca babhūva. sa tasyāṃ velāyāmimā gāthā abhāṣata— jñātvā me cetaḥsaṅkalpamanuttaro jino vibhuḥ | samādhiṃ samupāsthāya vyomnā sa samupāgamat || yathā me cintitaṃ citte tathā sandarśayajjinaḥ | niṣprapañcarato buddho niṣprapañcamadeśayat || śrutvāhaṃ tasya saddharmaṃ śāsane viharāmi ca | tisro vidyā anuprāptāḥ kṛtaṃ buddhānuśāsanam || nābhinandāmi maraṇaṃ nābhinandāmi jīvitam | kālaṃ tu pratikāṅkṣāmi samprajānaḥ smṛto vaśī || vaiśālyāṃ veṇugrāme'sminnāyuḥ kṣayamupaiṣyati | veṇumūle'nupādāya parinirvāmyanāsravaḥ ||
idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasa āyuṣmānaniruddhaste ca bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandan.
aṣṭamahāpuruṣavitarkasūtraṃ tṛtīyaṃ samāptam.