Source:: [SuttaCentral.net](https://suttacentral.net/an3.102/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&script=latin) # AN3.102 Nimittasutta | 3 Foundations Tags:: [[Nimitta]], [[Samadhi]], [[Viriya|Vīriya]], [[Uddhacca-kukkucca|Uddhacca]], #balance ## Notes > [!info] Summary > - One should **NOT focus ==singularly==** on [[Samadhi|Samādhi]], [[Viriya|Exertion]], or [[Upekkha|Upekkhā]], but rather, one should **==alternate==** among them! #balance > - Using an amazing simile of a **goldsmith** forging gold! #simile/buddha #dhamma/teaching/skillful/buddha > [!NOTE] Balancing Samadhi, Exertion, and Upekkha! — In Nimittasutta ([AN3.102](https://suttacentral.net/an3.102/en/sujato)) > “Mendicants, a mendicant **committed to the higher mind** should focus on **three foundations** from time to time: > > _“**Adhicittamanuyuttena**, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā **tīṇi nimittāni** kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni—_ > > the foundation of **==immersion==**, the foundation of **==exertion==**, and the foundation of **==equanimity==**. > > _kālena kālaṁ **==samādhinimittaṁ==** manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ **==paggahanimittaṁ==** manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ **==upekkhānimittaṁ==** manasi kātabbaṁ._ > > --- > **(1. Immersion)** > > If a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind **focuses solely** on the foundation of **immersion**, it’s likely their mind will incline to **==laziness==**. > > _Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ **samādhinimittaṁyeva** manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ **==kosajjāya==** saṁvatteyya._ > > --- > **(2. Exertion)** > > If they **focus solely** on the foundation of **exertion**, it’s likely their mind will incline to **==restlessness==**. > > _Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ **paggahanimittaṁyeva** manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ **==uddhaccāya==** saṁvatteyya._ > > --- > **(3. Equanimity)** > > If they **focus solely** on the foundation of **equanimity**, it’s likely their mind **==won’t properly become immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements==**. > > _Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ **upekkhānimittaṁyeva** manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ **==na sammā samādhiyeyya āsavānaṁ khayāya==**._ > > --- > **(Balanced)** > > But when a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind **==focuses from time to time==** on the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity, their mind becomes **pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle**, and has become **rightly immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements**. > > _Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi karoti, taṁ hoti cittaṁ **==muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu==**, **==sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya==**._ > > --- > > > [!tldr] Analogy of a Goldsmith #simile > > 1. solely **fanned** it — gold would likely be **scorched** > > 2. solely **sprinkled water** on it — gold would likely **cool down** > > 3. solely **watched over** it — gold would likely **not be properly processed** ^balancing ## Sutta (Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato) Numbered Discourses 3.102 Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.102 10. A Lump of Salt 10. Loṇakapallavagga Foundations Nimittasutta “Mendicants, a mendicant committed to the higher mind should focus on three foundations from time to time: “Adhicittamanuyuttena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā tīṇi nimittāni kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni— the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity. kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ. If a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind focuses solely on the foundation of immersion, it’s likely their mind will incline to laziness. Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ samādhinimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ kosajjāya saṁvatteyya. If they focus solely on the foundation of exertion, it’s likely their mind will incline to restlessness. Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ paggahanimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ uddhaccāya saṁvatteyya. If they focus solely on the foundation of equanimity, it’s likely their mind won’t properly become immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements. Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ upekkhānimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyeyya āsavānaṁ khayāya. But when a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind focuses from time to time on the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity, their mind becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and has become rightly immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi karoti, taṁ hoti cittaṁ muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. It’s like when a goldsmith or a goldsmith’s apprentice prepares a forge, fires the crucible, picks up some gold with tongs and puts it in the crucible. From time to time they fan it, from time to time they sprinkle water on it, and from time to time they just watch over it. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā ukkaṁ bandheyya, ukkaṁ bandhitvā ukkāmukhaṁ ālimpeyya, ukkāmukhaṁ ālimpetvā saṇḍāsena jātarūpaṁ gahetvā ukkāmukhe pakkhipeyya, ukkāmukhe pakkhipitvā kālena kālaṁ abhidhamati, kālena kālaṁ udakena paripphoseti, kālena kālaṁ ajjhupekkhati. Variant: bandheyya, ukkaṁ bandhitvā ukkāmukhaṁ ālimpeyya → bandhati … ālimpeti (si, sya-all, taṁṭīkāyaṁ ca) 9M.A:182; 11M:1029 taṁaṭṭhakathāṭīkāsu ca | pakkhipeyya → pakkhipati (…) | ukkāmukhe → bandhati… ālimpeti (si, sya-all, taṁṭīkāyaṁ ca) 9M.A:182; 11M:1029 taṁaṭṭhakathāṭīkāsu ca If they solely fanned it, the gold would likely be scorched. Sace, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ ekantaṁ abhidhameyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ jātarūpaṁ ḍaheyya. If they solely sprinkled water on it, the gold would likely cool down. Sace, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ ekantaṁ udakena paripphoseyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ jātarūpaṁ nibbāpeyya. Variant: nibbāpeyya → nibbāyeyya (bj) If they solely watched over it, the gold would likely not be properly processed. Sace, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ ekantaṁ ajjhupekkheyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ jātarūpaṁ na sammā paripākaṁ gaccheyya. But when that goldsmith fans it from time to time, sprinkles water on it from time to time, and watches over it from time to time, that gold becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and is ready to be worked. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ kālena kālaṁ abhidhamati, kālena kālaṁ udakena paripphoseti, kālena kālaṁ ajjhupekkhati, taṁ hoti jātarūpaṁ muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā upeti kammāya. Then the goldsmith can successfully create any kind of ornament they want, whether a bracelet, earrings, a necklace, or a golden garland. Yassā yassā ca pilandhanavikatiyā ākaṅkhati—yadi paṭṭikāya, yadi kuṇḍalāya, yadi gīveyyake, yadi suvaṇṇamālāya—tañcassa atthaṁ anubhoti. In the same way, a mendicant committed to the higher mind should focus on three foundations from time to time: Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyuttena bhikkhunā tīṇi nimittāni kālena kālaṁ manasi kātabbāni— the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity. … kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi kātabbaṁ. Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ samādhinimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ kosajjāya saṁvatteyya. Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ paggahanimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ uddhaccāya saṁvatteyya. Sace, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu ekantaṁ upekkhānimittaṁyeva manasi kareyya, ṭhānaṁ taṁ cittaṁ na sammā samādhiyeyya āsavānaṁ khayāya. When a mendicant dedicated to the higher mind focuses from time to time on the foundation of immersion, the foundation of exertion, and the foundation of equanimity, their mind becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and has become rightly immersed in samādhi for the ending of defilements. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, adhicittamanuyutto bhikkhu kālena kālaṁ samādhinimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ paggahanimittaṁ manasi karoti, kālena kālaṁ upekkhānimittaṁ manasi karoti, taṁ hoti cittaṁ muduñca kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. They become capable of realizing anything that can be realized by insight to which they extend the mind, in each and every case. Yassa yassa ca abhiññāsacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññāsacchikiriyāya, tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane. If they wish: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power’ … So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhaveyyaṁ …pe… ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.’ … (cha abhiññā vitthāretabbā.) ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives.’ … ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn.’ … ‘May I realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’ Āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti, They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.” tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane”ti.