Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Just as the gods of the thirty-three grow elated at each successive stage of the Shady Orchid Tree's yearly cycle from browning leaves to full blossom, a disciple's progress from renunciation through the four absorptions to arahantship follows the same seven-stage arc, ending in a comparable celebration.
Seven stages of one tree's yearly cycle
The leaves turn brown, then fall, then the foliage begins to regrow, then the tree becomes ready to grow flowers and leaves separately, then buds begin to form, then the buds burst, and finally the tree fully blossoms — radiance spreading fifty leagues, fragrance wafting a hundred, and the gods amusing themselves at its root for four heavenly months, each stage announced by the gods' own anticipatory delight.
The same seven stages, now a disciple's path
Planning to go forth matches the leaves turning brown; actually shaving the head, donning ocher robes, and going forth matches the leaves falling; the first absorption matches the foliage regrowing; the second matches readiness to grow flowers and leaves separately; the third matches buds forming; the fourth matches the buds bursting; and realizing the undefiled freedom of heart and wisdom — full arahantship — matches the tree's full blossom.
A cry that rises through every realm of gods in turn
When a mendicant reaches that final stage, the earth gods raise a cry announcing the achievement by name and lineage, and that same cry is heard and repeated upward through the gods of the four great kings, the thirty-three, Yama's realm, the joyful gods, the gods who love to create, the gods who control what is created by others, and finally the gods of the Divinity's host — reaching the realm of divinity itself within a single moment, matching the tree's own radiance and fragrance spreading outward at full blossom.
Key terms
The text
The Shady Orchid Tree, stage by stage
§1“Mendicants, when the leaves on the Shady Orchid Tree belonging to the gods of the thirty-three turn brown, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the leaves on the Shady Orchid Tree have turned brown! It won’t be long until they fall.’ When the leaves have fallen, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the leaves on the Shady Orchid Tree have fallen. It won’t be long until its foliage starts to regrow.’ When the foliage starts to regrow, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the foliage of the Shady Orchid Tree has started to regrow. It won’t be long until it’s ready to grow flowers and leaves separately.’ When it’s ready to grow flowers and leaves separately, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the Shady Orchid Tree is ready to grow flowers and leaves separately. It won’t be long until buds start to form.’ When the buds start to form, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the buds of the Shady Orchid Tree have started to form. It won’t be long until the buds burst.’ When the buds have burst, the gods are elated. They think: ‘Now the buds of the Shady Orchid Tree have burst. It won’t be long until it fully blossoms.’ When the Shady Orchid Tree of the gods of the thirty-three has fully blossomed, the gods are elated. For four heavenly months they amused themselves at the root of the tree, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. When the Shady Orchid Tree has fully blossomed, its radiance spreads for fifty leagues, while its fragrance wafts for a hundred leagues. Such is the majesty of the Shady Orchid Tree.
A disciple's path, matched to the tree
§2In the same way, when a noble disciple plans to go forth from the lay life to homelessness, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its leaves turn brown. When a noble disciple shaves off their hair and beard, dresses in ocher robes, and goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its leaves fall. When a noble disciple, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its foliage starts to regrow. When, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a noble disciple 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, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when it’s ready to grow flowers and leaves separately. When, with the fading away of rapture, a noble disciple enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss’, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its buds start to form. When, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, a noble disciple enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness, they’re like the Shady Orchid Tree when its buds burst. When a noble disciple realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements, they’re like the Shady Orchid tree when it fully blossoms.
The cry that rises through every realm of gods
§3At that time the earth gods raise the cry: ‘This venerable named so-and-so, from such-and-such village or town, the protégé of the venerable named so-and-so, went forth from the lay life to homelessness. They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’ Hearing the cry of the earth gods, the gods of the four great kings … the gods of the thirty-three … the gods of Yama … the joyful gods … the gods who love to create … the gods who control what is created by others … the gods of the Divinity’s host raise the cry: ‘This venerable named so-and-so, from such-and-such village or town, the protégé of the venerable named so-and-so, went forth from the lay life to homelessness. They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’ And so at that moment, that hour, the cry soars up to the realm of divinity. Such is the majesty of a mendicant who has ended the defilements.”
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