Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: |
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"Lord, could a monk have an attainment of concentration such that he would neither be percipient of earth with regard to earth, nor of water with regard to water. nor of fire with regard to fire. nor of wind with regard to wind. nor of the dimension of the infinitude of space with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of space. nor of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. nor of the dimension of nothingness with regard to the dimension of nothingness . nor of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception with regard to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. nor of this world with regard to this world. nor of the next world with regard to the next world. and yet he would still be percipient?" |
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"Yes, Ananda, he could..." |
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But how, lord, could a monk have an attainment of concentration such that he would neither be percipient of earth with regard to earth, nor of water with regard to water. nor of fire with regard to fire. nor of wind with regard to wind. nor of the dimension of the infinitude of space with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of space. nor of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. nor of the dimension of nothingness with regard to the dimension of nothingness . nor of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception with regard to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. nor of this world with regard to this world. nor of the next world with regard to the next world. and yet he would still be percipient?" |
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There is the case, Ananda, where the monk would be percipient in this way: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' |
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It's in this way that a monk could have an attainment of concentration such that he would neither be percipient of earth with regard to earth, nor of water with regard to water. nor of fire with regard to fire. nor of wind with regard to wind. nor of the dimension of the infinitude of space with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of space. nor of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. nor of the dimension of nothingness with regard to the dimension of nothingness . nor of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception with regard to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. nor of this world with regard to this world. nor of the next world with regard to the next world. And yet he would still be percipient." |
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