With Ānanda (Ānandasutta)
First published: February 28, 2026
What you learn
This sutta teaches about a profound state of samādhi where all forms of self-identification cease completely. The Buddha confirms to Ānanda that it is possible for a meditator to attain an immersion so deep that there is no "I-making," "mine-making," or underlying conceit regarding both the body and all external phenomena. This represents the complete elimination of the ego-construction process that normally operates in consciousness. The teaching describes the simultaneous achievement of cetovimutti (freedom of mind) and paññāvimutti (freedom by wisdom), indicating that this attainment involves both concentrated absorption and penetrative insight.
Where it sits
This sutta appears in the Aṅguttara Nikāya's collection of teachings grouped by threes, specifically in the Divine Messengers chapter. It represents one of the more advanced discussions between the Buddha and his chief attendant Ānanda about the highest possibilities of meditative attainment. The teaching connects to the broader Buddhist framework of understanding how the sense of self is constructed through mental processes and how these can be completely transcended. This dialogue format between Buddha and Ānanda is common throughout the canon when exploring subtle doctrinal points about liberation.
Suggested use
Use this teaching as inspiration for deepening meditation practice, particularly in observing how the mind creates identification with experiences. During daily activities, practice noticing moments of "I-making" and "mine-making" to understand these mental processes more clearly. This sutta can guide advanced monks in understanding the ultimate goal of complete ego-dissolution in deep meditative states.
Guidance
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AN 3.32 — With Ānanda (Ānandasutta)
an3.32:gu:0001Guidance (not part of the sutta)
an3.32:gu:0002What this discourse is really about
an3.32:gu:0003In this remarkable exchange, Ānanda poses what might be the most profound question in all of Buddhist literature: Is it possible to reach a state of complete freedom from the sense of "I" and "mine" that underlies all our suffering? What makes this sutta extraordinary is that it offers practical guidance rather than philosophical speculation—it provides a direct, practical answer about the ultimate goal of meditation practice.
an3.32:gu:0004The discourse reveals the deepest purpose of samādhi, showing how concentrated awareness can dissolve surface-level ego attachments and even the subtle underlying tendencies toward self-centeredness that operate beneath conscious thought. The response illuminates the connection between meditative absorption and the complete liberation of both heart and mind, offering a clear vision of what awakening actually looks like in lived experience.
an3.32:gu:0005What you'll discover here is both inspiring and practical: a precise description of the mind's highest potential and the contemplative approach that makes such freedom possible. This presents concrete guidance rather than abstract philosophy—a roadmap to the most profound transformation human consciousness can undergo.
an3.32:gu:0006Key teachings
an3.32:gu:0007- The complete cessation of I-making, mine-making, and underlying conceit is achievable through samādhi, affecting both internal bodily awareness and external perceptions
- This attainment requires the simultaneous development of cetovimutti (freedom of mind through concentration) and paññāvimutti (freedom through wisdom and insight)
- The path involves contemplating the peaceful nature of cessation: the stilling of formations, letting go of attachments, destruction of craving, dispassion, and nibbāna
- This represents the complete transcendence of the ego-construction process that normally operates in all conscious experience
- The attainment eliminates disturbance from all worldly phenomena and represents crossing beyond birth and aging
Common misunderstandings
an3.32:gu:0009- Practitioners may think this teaching describes a temporary suppression of ego rather than its complete uprooting through wisdom
- Some interpret "cessation of I-making" as a blank or unconscious state, missing that this involves clear awareness without self-reference
- The teaching is sometimes viewed as purely concentrative when it explicitly requires both samādhi and penetrative insight working together
Try this today
an3.32:gu:0011- During meditation sessions, observe the arising of thoughts that contain "I am," "this is mine," or subtle feelings of superiority, inferiority, or equality with others
- Throughout daily activities, notice when the mind automatically claims ownership of experiences, possessions, ideas, or relationships
- Cultivate periods of reflection on the peaceful nature of letting go, specifically contemplating how craving creates disturbance and how its absence brings calm
If this landed, read next
an3.32:gu:0013- MN 121 for Describes the progressive elimination of perceptions and mental formations, showing the practical steps toward the cessation of I-making
- SN 22.85 for Explains how the five aggregates become the basis for I-making and mine-making, providing the analytical framework for understanding what ceases in this attainment
- AN 9.36 for Details the nine progressive cessations, contextualizing this teaching within the broader map of meditative absorptions and their relationship to the elimination of self-view