1Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Sāriputta and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Sāriputta:

1Atha kho āyasmā ānando yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: 

2"Friend Sāriputta, could a bhikkhu obtain such a state of concentration that (1) he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; (2) of water in relation to water; (3) of fire in relation to fire; (4) of air in relation to air; (5) of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space; (6) of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness; (7) of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness; (8) of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; (9) of this world in relation to this world; (10) of the other world in relation to the other world, but he would still be percipient?"

2"Siyā nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, 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?

3"He could, friend Ānanda."

3"Siyā, āvuso ānanda, bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa … pe … na paraloke paralokasaññī assa; saññī ca pana assā"ti.

4"But how, friend Sāriputta, could he obtain such a state of concentration?"

4"Yathā kathaṁ pana, āvuso sāriputta, siyā bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa … pe … saññī ca pana assā"ti?

"On one occasion, friend Ānanda, I was dwelling right here in Sāvatthī in the Blind Men's Grove. There I attained such a state of concentration that I was not percipient of earth in relation to earth; of water in relation to water; of fire in relation to fire; of air in relation to air; of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space; of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness; of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness; of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; of this world in relation to this world; of the other world in relation to the other world, but I was still percipient."

"Ekamidāhaṁ, āvuso ānanda, samayaṁ idheva sāvatthiyaṁ viharāmi andhavanasmiṁ. Tatthāhaṁ tathārūpaṁ samādhiṁ samāpajjiṁ yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī ahosiṁ, na āpasmiṁ āposaññī ahosiṁ, na tejasmiṁ tejosaññī ahosiṁ, na vāyasmiṁ vāyosaññī ahosiṁ, na ākāsānañcāyatane ākāsānañcāyatanasaññī ahosiṁ, na viññāṇañcāyatane viññāṇañcāyatanasaññī ahosiṁ, na ākiñcaññāyatane ākiñcaññāyatanasaññī ahosiṁ, na nevasaññānāsaññāyatane nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññī ahosiṁ, na idhaloke idhalokasaññī ahosiṁ, na paraloke paralokasaññī ahosiṁ; saññī ca pana ahosin"ti.

5"But of what was the Venerable Sāriputta percipient on that occasion?"

5"Kiṁsaññī panāyasmā sāriputto tasmiṁ samaye ahosī"ti?

"One perception arose and another perception ceased in me: ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna.’[n.1970] Bhavanirodho nibbānaṁ bhavanirodhaṁ nibbānaṁ. Mp paraphrases thus: "‘On that occasion, friend, I was percipient with the perception of fruition attainment.’ Reviewing knowledge (paccavekkhaṇā) is discussed to show that this attainment was accompanied by mind." In other words, because perception was present, this was not "the cessation of perception and feeling" (saññāvedayitanirodha). Just as, when a fire of twigs is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases, so one perception arose and another perception ceased in me: ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna.’ On that occasion, friend, I was percipient: ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna.’"

"‘Bhavanirodho nibbānaṁ bhavanirodho nibbānan’ti kho me, āvuso, aññāva saññā uppajjati aññāva saññā nirujjhati. Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sakalikaggissa jhāyamānassa aññāva acci uppajjati aññāva acci nirujjhati; evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, ‘bhavanirodho nibbānaṁ bhavanirodho nibbānan’ti aññāva saññā uppajjati aññāva saññā nirujjhati. ‘Bhavanirodho nibbānan’ti saññī ca panāhaṁ, āvuso, tasmiṁ samaye ahosin"ti.

Sattamaṁ.