“Lord of gods, there are two kinds of happiness, I say: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. There are two kinds of sadness, I say: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate. There are two kinds of equanimity, I say: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.

Why did I say that there are two kinds of happiness? Take a happiness of which you know: ‘When I cultivate this kind of happiness, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of happiness. Take a happiness of which you know: ‘When I cultivate this kind of happiness, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of happiness. And that which is free of placing the mind and keeping it connected is better than that which still involves placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s why I said there are two kinds of happiness.

Why did I say that there are two kinds of sadness? Take a sadness of which you know: ‘When I cultivate this kind of sadness, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of sadness. Take a sadness of which you know: ‘When I cultivate this kind of sadness, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of sadness. And that which is free of placing the mind and keeping it connected is better than that which still involves placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s why I said there are two kinds of sadness.

Why did I say that there are two kinds of equanimity? Take an equanimity of which you know: ‘When I cultivate this kind of equanimity, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not cultivate that kind of equanimity. Take an equanimity of which you know: ‘When I cultivate this kind of equanimity, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should cultivate that kind of equanimity. And that which is free of placing the mind and keeping it connected is better than that which still involves placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s why I said there are two kinds of equanimity.

That’s how a mendicant fittlingly practices for the cessation of concepts of identity that emerge from the proliferation of perceptions.”

Such was the Buddha’s answer to Sakka. Delighted, Sakka approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, saying, “That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! Hearing the Buddha’s answer, I’ve gone beyond doubt and got rid of indecision.”