Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
“siyā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa, na āpasmiṁ āposaññī assa, na tejasmiṁ tejosaññī assa, na vāyasmiṁ vāyosaññī assa, na ākāsānañcāyatane ākāsānañcāyatanasaññī assa, na viññāṇañcāyatane viññāṇañcāyatanasaññī assa, na ākiñcaññāyatane ākiñcaññāyatanasaññī assa, na nevasaññānāsaññāyatane nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññī assa, na idhaloke idhalokasaññī assa, na paraloke paralokasaññī assa; saññī ca pana assā”ti?
“Venerable sir, could a bhikkhu obtain such a state of collectedness that he would not perceive |earth::ground [pathavī]| in earth, nor perceive water in water, nor perceive fire in fire, nor perceive wind in wind, nor perceive the |base of boundless space::field of boundless expanse, dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana]| in the base of boundless space, nor perceive the |base of boundless consciousness::field of limitless awareness [viññāṇañcāyatana]| in the base of boundless consciousness, nor perceive the |base of nothingness::field of awareness centered on the absence of any distinct “something” to grasp or hold onto [ākiñcaññāyatana]| in the base of nothingness, nor perceive the |base of neither perception nor non-perception::field of awareness of subtle mental activity that do not arise to the level of forming a perception [nevasaññānāsaññāyatana]| in the base of neither perception nor non-perception, nor perceive this world in this world, nor perceive the other world in the other world—and yet he would still be |percipient::aware, conscious [saññī]|?”
“Siyā, ānanda, bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa, na āpasmiṁ āposaññī assa, na tejasmiṁ tejosaññī assa, na vāyasmiṁ vāyosaññī assa, na ākāsānañcāyatane ākāsānañcāyatanasaññī assa, na viññāṇañcāyatane viññāṇañcāyatanasaññī assa, na ākiñcaññāyatane ākiñcaññāyatanasaññī assa, na nevasaññānāsaññāyatane nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññī assa, na idhaloke idhalokasaññī assa, na paraloke paralokasaññī assa; saññī ca pana assā”ti.
“He could, Ānanda. A bhikkhu could obtain such a state of collectedness that he would not perceive earth in earth, nor perceive water in water, nor perceive fire in fire, nor perceive wind in wind, nor perceive the base of boundless space in the base of boundless space, nor perceive the base of boundless consciousness in the base of boundless consciousness, nor perceive the base of nothingness in the base of nothingness, nor perceive the base of neither perception nor non-perception in the base of neither perception nor non-perception, nor perceive this world in this world, nor perceive the other world in the other world—and yet he would still be percipient.”
“Yathā kathaṁ pana, bhante, siyā bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa, na āpasmiṁ āposaññī assa na tejasmiṁ tejosaññī assa, na vāyasmiṁ vāyosaññī assa, na ākāsānañcāyatane ākāsānañcāyatanasaññī assa, na viññāṇañcāyatane viññāṇañcāyatanasaññī assa, na ākiñcaññāyatane ākiñcaññāyatanasaññī assa, na nevasaññānāsaññāyatane nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññī assa, na idhaloke idhalokasaññī assa, na paraloke paralokasaññī assa; saññī ca pana assā”ti?
“But how, venerable sir, could a bhikkhu obtain such a state of collectedness that he would not perceive earth in earth, nor perceive water in water, nor perceive fire in fire, nor perceive wind in wind, nor perceive the base of boundless space in the base of boundless space, nor perceive the base of boundless consciousness in the base of boundless consciousness, nor perceive the base of nothingness in the base of nothingness, nor perceive the base of neither perception nor non-perception in the base of neither perception nor non-perception, nor perceive this world in this world, nor perceive the other world in the other world—and yet he would still be percipient?”
“Idhānanda, bhikkhu evaṁsaññī hoti: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.
“Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu perceives thus: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the |the stilling of all intentional constructs::calming of all intentions, volitions, mental activities. This is sometimes rendered as stilling of all formations [sabbasaṅkhārasamatha]|, the |relinquishing of all acquisitions::letting go of all attachments, releasing of all ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘mine’ making [sabbūpadhipaṭinissagga]|, the |wearing away of craving::depletion of craving, wanting, yearning, passion [taṇhākkhaya]|, dispassion, cessation, |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating; lit. blowing away [nibbāna]|.’
Evaṁ kho, ānanda, siyā bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa, na āpasmiṁ āposaññī assa, na tejasmiṁ tejosaññī assa, na vāyasmiṁ vāyosaññī assa, na ākāsānañcāyatane ākāsānañcāyatanasaññī assa, na viññāṇañcāyatane viññāṇañcāyatanasaññī assa, na ākiñcaññāyatane ākiñcaññāyatanasaññī assa, na nevasaññānāsaññāyatane nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññī assa, na idhaloke idhalokasaññī assa, na paraloke paralokasaññī assa; saññī ca pana assā”ti.
“It is in this way, Ānanda, that a bhikkhu could obtain such a state of collectedness that he would not perceive earth in earth, nor perceive water in water, nor perceive fire in fire, nor perceive wind in wind, nor perceive the base of boundless space in the base of boundless space, nor perceive the base of boundless consciousness in the base of boundless consciousness, nor perceive the base of nothingness in the base of nothingness, nor perceive the base of neither perception nor non-perception in the base of neither perception nor non-perception, nor perceive this world in this world, nor perceive the other world in the other world—and yet he would still be percipient.”