3.
The Discourse on "I Practised"
116.
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī, etc.
"I, monks, pursued the quest for gratification in the solid element, whatever gratification there is in the solid element I attained, as far as there is gratification in the solid element that has been well seen by me through wisdom.
I, monks, pursued the quest for danger in the solid element, whatever danger there is in the solid element I attained, as far as there is danger in the solid element that has been well seen by me through wisdom.
I, monks, pursued the quest for escape from the solid element, whatever escape there is from the solid element I attained, as far as there is escape from the solid element that has been well seen by me through wisdom.
I, monks, regarding the liquid element, etc. I, monks, regarding the heat element... I, monks, pursued the quest for gratification in the air element, whatever gratification there is in the air element I attained, as far as there is gratification in the air element that has been well seen by me through wisdom. I, monks, pursued the quest for danger in the air element, whatever danger there is in the air element I attained, as far as there is danger in the air element that has been well seen by me through wisdom. I, monks, pursued the quest for escape from the air element, whatever escape there is from the air element I attained, as far as there is escape from the air element that has been well seen by me through wisdom.
"As long as I, monks, did not directly know as it really is the gratification of these four elements as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape, I did not acknowledge, monks, in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, that I had fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.
"But when I, monks, directly knew as it really is the gratification of these four elements as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape, then I acknowledged, monks, in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, that I had fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. And knowledge and vision arose in me - 'Unshakable is my liberation, this is the last birth, there is now no more rebirth.' The third.