Thus have I heard — at one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Rajagaha on Vulture Peak Mountain.
At that time, the venerable Soṇa was residing in Rajagaha in the Cool Grove. Then, while the venerable Soṇa was alone in seclusion, the following thought arose in his mind: “Indeed, all the Blessed One’s disciples who live with energy aroused are like me. Yet my mind is not released from the defilements without clinging. I have wealth in my family; it is possible to enjoy the wealth and to do meritorious deeds. What if I were to abandon the training, return to the lay life, enjoy wealth, and do meritorious deeds?”
Then the Blessed One, knowing the thought in the venerable Soṇa’s mind — as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from Vulture Peak Mountain and appeared in front of the venerable Soṇa in the Cool Grove. The Blessed One sat down on a prepared seat. The venerable Soṇa paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
The Blessed One said to the venerable Soṇa: “Soṇa, when you were alone in seclusion, did this thought arise in your mind: ‘Indeed, all the Blessed One’s disciples who live with aroused energy are like me. Yet my mind is not released from the defilements without clinging. I have wealth in my family; it is possible to enjoy the wealth and to do meritorious deeds. What if I were to abandon the training, return to the lay life, enjoy wealth, and do meritorious deeds?’”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“What do you think, Soṇa, were you not skilled in playing the lute (sitār) when you were a householder?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“What do you think, Soṇa, when the strings of your lute were too tight, was your lute at that time harmonious and playable?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“What do you think, Soṇa, when the strings of your lute were too loose, was your lute at that time harmonious and playable?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“But when the strings of your lute were neither too tight nor too loose but tuned to the middle pitch, was your lute then harmonious and playable?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Similarly, Soṇa, excessive energy leads to restlessness, and too little energy leads to laziness. Therefore, Soṇa, resolve on balanced energy, break through to a balanced state of the faculties, and pay attention to that sign.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Soṇa replied.
Then the Blessed One, having instructed the venerable Soṇa with this advice — as easily as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from the Cool Grove and appeared on Vulture Peak Mountain.
Then the venerable Soṇa, after a while, resolved on balanced energy, had a break through to a balanced state of the faculties, and paid attention to that sign. Then the venerable Soṇa, living alone, diligent, with continuous effort, and resolute, soon realized for himself, through direct knowledge, that ultimate goal of the spiritual life for which sons of good families rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, knowing and realizing it for himself, he abided in it.
He directly knew: “Birth is destroyed, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.” And the venerable Soṇa became one of the arahants.
Then the venerable Soṇa, having attained arahantship, thought: “Let me now approach the Blessed One and declare my attainment of arahantship.” Then the venerable Soṇa approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Soṇa said to the Blessed One:
"Venerable sir, the bhikkhu who is an arahant, whose defilements are destroyed, who has lived the spiritual life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge, is established in six things — he is established in renunciation (giving up of sensual pleasures), established in seclusion, established in harmlessness, established in non-craving, established in non-clinging, and established in non-delusion (fully aware with mental clarity and unconfused, established in close examination and verification).
There might be, however, venerable sir, for some venerable one, this thought: ‘This venerable one is established in renunciation only on account of mere faith.’ Indeed, venerable sir, this should not be viewed thus. The bhikkhu whose defilements are destroyed, who has lived the spiritual life, done what had to be done, seeing no more duties of his own or any accumulation of the done, due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, is established in renunciation; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, is established in renunciation; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, is established in renunciation.
There might be, however, venerable sir, for some venerable one, this thought: ‘This venerable one is established in seclusion only for the sake of gain, honor, and fame.’ Indeed, venerable sir, this should not be viewed thus. The bhikkhu whose defilements are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, seeing no more duties of his own or any accumulation of the done, due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, is established in seclusion; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, is established in seclusion; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, is established in seclusion.
There might be, however, venerable sir, for some venerable one, this thought: ‘This venerable one is established in harmlessness only due to attachment to rules and observances.’ Indeed, venerable sir, this should not be viewed thus. The bhikkhu whose defilements are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, seeing no more duties of his own or any accumulation of the done, due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, is established in harmlessness; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, is established in harmlessness; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, is established in harmlessness.
Due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, one is established in non-craving; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, one is established in non-craving; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, one is established in non-craving.
Due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, one is established in non-clinging; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, one is established in non-clinging; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, one is established in non-clinging.
Due to the wearing away of passion, being free of passion, one is established in non-delusion; due to the wearing away of aversion, being free of aversion, one is established in non-delusion; due to the wearing away of delusion, being free of delusion, one is established in non-delusion.
Thus, venerable sir, for a bhikkhu whose mind is rightly liberated, even if many forms cognizable by the eye come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena. Even if many sounds cognizable by the ear, odors cognizable by the nose, tastes cognizable by the tongue, tactile objects cognizable by the body, or mental phenomena (ideas, feelings, thoughts) cognizable by the mind come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena.
Just as, venerable sir, a solid rock mountain, unbroken and without hollows, one solid mass, would not be shaken, disturbed, or cause to tremble by a heavy storm of wind and rain coming from the east, the west, the north, or the south;
Just so, venerable sir, for a bhikkhu whose mind is rightly liberated, even if many forms cognizable by the eye come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena. Even if many sounds cognizable by the ear, odors cognizable by the nose, tastes cognizable by the tongue, tactile objects cognizable by the body, or mental phenomena cognizable by the mind come into range, they do not take hold of his mind. His mind remains detached, steady, and in equipoise, seeing the impermanence of all phenomena.
For one established in renunciation, and the seclusion of mind; established in non-ill will, and the destruction of clinging.
For one established in the wearing away of craving, and non-delusion of mind; Seeing the arising of phenomena, the mind is rightly liberated.
For him rightly liberated, the bhikkhu with a peaceful mind; There is no accumulation of deeds, and no more tasks remain to be done.
Just as a solid rock, is not shaken by the wind; So forms, tastes, sounds, odors, and tactile sensations, all.
Desirable and undesirable phenomena, do not disturb one who is such; The steady mind, fully liberated, sees the impermanence of all.
In this teaching, the Buddha is sharing on the middle way in a brief manner. The Buddha’s advise to Sona on paying attention to the sign when the mind is in the balanced state refers to the being mindful of mental qualities of the seven awakening factors in and of itself: particular to the seven factors of enlightenment. Once one is able to dwell in each of the seven qualities, one can build a recognition of this dwelling and then check if one is indeed dwelling with all seven factors of enlightenment. Dwelling here while walking, standing, sitting, lying down, doing work, chores, is ideal to break through to the four noble truths.
Related Teachings:
Awakening factors to develop when the mind is tired and when the mind is energetic (SN 46.53) ↗️ - This teaching shares practical ways to bring the mind to the “middle” when it is either tired leading to laziness or when it is energetic leading to restlessness.
A regular practice of meditation clears the mind of obstructions - A dedicated practice of meditation is always useful to auto-tune the mind to the “middle”.
The Four Establishments of Mindfulness (MN 10) - The fourth section of this teaching describes how one applies mindfulness of the mental qualities in and of itself.