• Indriyabhāvanā Sutta

Preached at Kajangalā in the Mukheluvana. When a young brahmin, Uttara, pupil of Pārāpariya, visits the Buddha, the Buddha asks him what was the teaching of Pārāsariya on the development of the indriyas. It is that a man should neither see forms with his eyes, nor hear words with his ears, says Uttara. Whereupon the Buddha retorts that in that case the deaf and the blind have reached development. When Uttara sits silent and discomfited, Ananda intervenes and begs the Buddha to expound his teaching on the subject. The Buddha agrees and preaches this Sutta, with a variety of similes (M.iii.298-302).

In the Theragāthā Commentary (ii.17) we are told that the Thera Pārāpariya (probably identical with Pārāsariya mentioned above) was taught the Indriyabhāvana Sutta by the Buddha. He learnt it by heart, and pondering over its meaning, attained insight. The Theragāthā (vv.726ff) gives a summary of the musings of Pārāpariya which lead to his attainment.

The only connection between the Sutta and this summary is identity of subject, not identity of treatment. Perhaps Pārāpariya's musings were only prompted by the Sutta and were independent of its actual words.