Kolita Sutta - To Kolita

Kolita Sutta

To Kolita

Thus I have heard…

On one occasion, the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, 

at Anāthapindika's monastery.

There, at that time, Venerable MahāMoggallāna addressed the monks:

"Avuso Bhikkhus  (brethren monks)…"

"Ama, Bhante (yes, venerable sir)," the monks replied.

Venerable MahāMoggallāna then said:

“Friends, once, when I was withdrawn in seclusion, this thought arose to my awareness…

‘Noble Silence… Noble Silence is spoken of.

But what is Noble Silence?'

Then the thought occurred to me…

There is the case where a monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts (vitakka/vitarka),

and free from explorative evaluation (vicara), enters and dwells in the second Jhāna:

Contented Rapture (piti/priti) and Pleasure (sukha) born of concentration,

Unification of Awareness free from directed thoughts and explorative evaluation…

Inner-Assurance.

This is called Noble Silence.

  

So, with the stilling of directed thoughts, and free from evaluations,

I entered and dwelled in the second Jhāna:

Contented rapture and pleasure born of concentration,

unification of awareness free from directed thoughts, and evaluations… inner-assurance.

While I resided in that mental dwelling, I was assailed by perceptions and acts of attention connected with directed thoughts and evaluations.

Then the Buddha, coming to me through his psychic power, said:

‘Brahman Moggallāna, do not be heedless and neglect the Noble Silence.

Establish your mind in the Noble Silence.

Unify your mind in the Noble Silence.

Concentrate your mind in the Noble Silence.’

So at a later time, with the stilling of directed thoughts, and free from evaluations,

I entered and dwelled in the second Jhāna:

Contented rapture and pleasure born of concentration, 

unification of awareness free from directed thoughts and evaluations… inner-assurance.

When one who, speaking rightly, would say of someone:

'He is a disciple who attained to the greatness of direct-knowledge 

through the assistance of the Teacher,’

then it is of me that one, speaking rightly, would say,

'He is a disciple who attained to the greatness of direct-knowledge 

through the assistance of the Teacher.'"

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