Numbered Discourses 4.94
- Titans
Immersion (3rd)
“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.
What four?
One individual has internal serenity of heart, but not the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.
One individual has the higher wisdom of discernment of principles, but not internal serenity of heart.
One individual has neither internal serenity of heart, nor the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.
One individual has both internal serenity of heart, and the higher wisdom of discernment of principles.
As for the individual who has serenity but not discernment: they should approach someone who has discernment and ask:
‘Reverend, how should conditions be seen?
How should they be comprehended?
How should they be discerned?’
They would answer from their own experience:
‘This is how conditions should be seen, comprehended, and discerned.’
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
As for the individual who has discernment but not serenity: they should approach someone who has serenity and ask:
‘Reverend, how should the mind be stilled?
How should it be settled?
How should it be unified?
How should it be immersed in samādhi?’
They would answer from their own experience:
‘Reverend, this is how the mind should be stilled, settled, unified, and immersed in samādhi.’
After some time they have both discernment and serenity.
As for the individual who has neither serenity nor discernment: they should approach someone who has serenity and discernment and ask:
‘Reverend, how should the mind be stilled?
How should it be settled?
How should it be unified?
How should it be immersed in samādhi?’
How should conditions be seen?
How should they be comprehended?
How should they be discerned?’
They would answer as they’ve seen and known:
‘Reverend, this is how the mind should be stilled, settled, unified, and immersed in samādhi. And this is how conditions should be seen, comprehended, and discerned.’
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
As for the individual who has both serenity and discernment: grounded on those skillful qualities, they should practice meditation further to end the defilements.
These are the four individuals found in the world.”