SN 46.4  Vattha sutta - Clothes

At one time, the venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. There the venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, bhikkhus!”

“Friend,” they responded to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said:

“Friends, there are seven factors of awakening. What seven? The |awakening factor of mindfulness::the quality of mindfulness leading to full awakening, remembering as a factor of enlightenment; first of the seven awakening factors [satisambojjhaṅga]|, the |awakening factor of investigation of states::the quality of discriminative investigation into states, mental qualities and other phenomena; analyzing the teaching as an factor of enlightenment; second of the seven awakening factors [dhammavicayasambojjhaṅga]|, the |awakening factor of energy::the quality of unrelenting effort, the sustaining power of persistence as a factor of enlightenment; third of the seven awakening factors [vīriyasambojjhaṅga]|, the |awakening factor of joy::the quality of heartfelt gladness, spiritual rapture untainted by sensuality, as a factor of enlightenment; fourth of the seven awakening factors [pītisambojjhaṅga]|, the |awakening factor of tranquility::the quality of inner stillness, bodily and mental calm, as a factor of enlightenment; fifth of the seven awakening factors [passaddhisambojjhaṅga]|, the |awakening factor of collectedness::the quality of unification, stability, and deep focus of the mind, as a factor of enlightenment; sixth of the seven awakening factors [samādhisambojjhaṅga]|, and the |awakening factor of equanimity::the quality of balanced observation, non-reactivity, and mental equipoise as a factor of enlightenment; seventh of the seven awakening factors [upekkhāsambojjhaṅga]|. These, friends, are the seven factors of awakening.

Friends, of these seven factors of awakening, with whichever factor of awakening I wish to dwell in the morning, with that very factor I dwell in the morning. With whichever factor I wish to dwell at midday, with that very factor I dwell at midday. With whichever factor I wish to dwell in the evening, with that very factor I dwell in the evening. If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of mindfulness,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s |boundless::immeasurable, limitless [appamāṇa]|’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s |firmly held up::resolutely undertaken, fully engaged with [susamāraddha]|.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists. ’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of investigation of states,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of energy,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of joy,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of tranquility,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of collectedness,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of equanimity,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’

Suppose, friends, a king or a royal minister had a |wardrobe::clothes chest, basket of clothes [dussakaraṇḍaka]| full of variously colored clothes. Whichever set of clothes he wished to wear in the morning, that very set of clothes he would wear in the morning. Whichever set of clothes he wished to wear at midday, that very set of clothes he would wear at midday. And whichever set of clothes he wished to wear in the evening, that very set of clothes he would wear in the evening.

In the same way, friends, of these seven factors of awakening, with whichever factor of awakening I wish to dwell in the morning, with that very factor I dwell in the morning. With whichever factor I wish to dwell at midday, with that very factor I dwell at midday. With whichever factor I wish to dwell in the evening, with that very factor I dwell in the evening. If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of mindfulness,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s |boundless::immeasurable, limitless [appamāṇa]|’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s |firmly held up::resolutely undertaken, fully engaged with [susamāraddha]|.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists. ’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of investigation of states,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of energy,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of joy,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of tranquility,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of collectedness,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’ If, friends, it occurs to me, ‘Let it be the awakening factor of equanimity,’ it occurs to me, ‘It’s boundless’; it occurs to me, ‘It’s firmly held up.’ While it persists, I understand, ‘It persists.’ If it abates in me, I understand, ‘It has abated in me because of such-and-such a condition.’”