7.
The Discourse to Sāriputta
7.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Sāriputta;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Venerable Sāriputta -
"Could there be, friend Sāriputta, such an attainment of concentration for a monk that he would not be percipient of earth in earth, not be percipient of water in water, not be percipient of fire in fire, not be percipient of air in air, not be percipient of the plane of infinite space in the plane of infinite space, not be percipient of the plane of infinite consciousness in the plane of infinite consciousness, not be percipient of the plane of nothingness in the plane of nothingness, not be percipient of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, not be percipient of this world in this world, not be percipient of the world beyond in the world beyond; and yet he would be percipient?"
"There could be, friend Ānanda, such an attainment of concentration for a monk that he would not be percipient of earth in earth, etc. not be percipient of the world beyond in the world beyond; and yet he would be percipient."
"In what way, friend Sāriputta, could there be such an attainment of concentration for a monk that he would not be percipient of earth in earth, etc. and yet he would be percipient?" "On one occasion, friend Ānanda, I was dwelling right here at Sāvatthī in the Blind Men's Grove. There I attained such a concentration that I was not percipient of earth in earth, I was not percipient of water in water, I was not percipient of fire in fire, I was not percipient of air in air, I was not percipient of the plane of infinite space in the plane of infinite space, I was not percipient of the plane of infinite consciousness in the plane of infinite consciousness, I was not percipient of the plane of nothingness in the plane of nothingness, I was not percipient of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I was not percipient of this world in this world, I was not percipient of the world beyond in the world beyond; and yet I was percipient."
"But with what perception was the Venerable Sāriputta at that time?" "'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna, the cessation of existence is Nibbāna' - thus, friend, one perception arose in me and another perception ceased. Just as, friend, when a fire of wood chips is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases; so too, friend, 'the cessation of existence is Nibbāna, the cessation of existence is Nibbāna' - one perception arose and another perception ceased. 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna' - thus I was percipient, friend, at that time." The seventh.