Venerable Mahāmoggallāna explains to the mendicants how he discovered that noble silence is the stilling of placing the mind and keeping it connected in the second absorption, and how the Buddha guided him with psychic power when perception beset his meditation.

SN 21.1 With Kolita

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi: “āvuso bhikkhave”ti.

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ.

Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:

“idha mayhaṁ, āvuso, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘ariyo tuṇhībhāvo, ariyo tuṇhībhāvoti vuccati. Katamo nu kho ariyo tuṇhībhāvo’ti?

Tassa mayhaṁ āvuso, etadahosi: ‘idha bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati ariyo tuṇhībhāvo’ti.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihariṁ.

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato vitakkasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca: ‘moggallāna moggallāna, mā, brāhmaṇa, ariyaṁ tuṇhībhāvaṁ pamādo, ariye tuṇhībhāve cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, ariye tuṇhībhāve cittaṁ ekodibhāvaṁ karohi, ariye tuṇhībhāve cittaṁ samādahā’ti.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘satthārā anuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’ti, mamaṁ taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘satthārā anuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi:

There Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the mendicants:

“āvuso bhikkhave”ti.

“Reverends, mendicants!”

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ.

“Reverend,” they replied.

Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:

Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

“idha mayhaṁ, āvuso, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

“Just now, reverends, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:

‘ariyo tuṇhībhāvo, ariyo tuṇhībhāvoti vuccati.

‘They speak of this thing called “noble silence”.

Katamo nu kho ariyo tuṇhībhāvo’ti?

What then is this noble silence?’

Tassa mayhaṁ āvuso, etadahosi:

It occurred to me:

‘idha bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

‘As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.

Ayaṁ vuccati ariyo tuṇhībhāvo’ti.

This is called noble silence.’

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihariṁ.

And so, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I was entering and remaining in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato vitakkasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

While I was in that meditation, perception and focus accompanied by placing the mind beset me.

Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said,

‘moggallāna moggallāna, mā, brāhmaṇa, ariyaṁ tuṇhībhāvaṁ pamādo, ariye tuṇhībhāve cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, ariye tuṇhībhāve cittaṁ ekodibhāvaṁ karohi, ariye tuṇhībhāve cittaṁ samādahā’ti.

‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna! Don’t neglect noble silence, brahmin! Settle your mind in noble silence; unify your mind and bring it to immersion in noble silence.’

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

And so, after some time, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption …

Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

So if anyone should be rightly called

‘satthārā anuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’ti, mamaṁ taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”

‘satthārā anuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Direct knowledge

Direct knowledge

A deep, firsthand realization or knowing that arises from personal experience, not from study or conceptual understanding; it is an immediate, unmediated apprehension of truth.

Also known as: experiential understanding, direct experience
Pāli: abhiñña
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Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Psychic power

Psychic power

Supernormal capacities resulting from a practice of collectedness rooted in aspiration, determination, purification of mind, and investigation of phenomena.

Also known as: supernormal abilities, psychic ability, spiritual power
Pāli: iddhi, iddhimant
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Uplifting joy

Uplifting joy

An energetic mental quality that creates a sense of lift or thrill; it ranges from a gentle delight to overwhelming rapture.

Also known as: heartfelt joy, mental exhilaration, rapture, lit. refreshment
Pāli: pīti
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Last updated on July 27, 2026