The Buddha describes the eight liberations—having physical form, they see forms, this is the first liberation, not perceiving form internally, they see forms externally, and this is the second liberation, and they’re focused only on beauty, and this is the third liberation, and going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space, and this is the fourth liberation.

AN 8.66 Liberations

“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, vimokkhā. Katame aṭṭha? Rūpī rūpāni passati. Ayaṁ paṭhamo vimokkho.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī, bahiddhā rūpāni passati. Ayaṁ dutiyo vimokkho.

Subhanteva adhimutto hoti. Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho.

Sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ catuttho vimokkho.

Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ pañcamo vimokkho.

Sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ chaṭṭho vimokkho.

Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ sattamo vimokkho.

Sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo vimokkho.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha vimokkhā”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, vimokkhā.

“Mendicants, there are these eight liberations.

Katame aṭṭha?

What eight?

Rūpī rūpāni passati.

Having physical form, they see forms.

Ayaṁ paṭhamo vimokkho.

This is the first liberation.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī, bahiddhā rūpāni passati.

Not perceiving form internally, they see forms externally.

Ayaṁ dutiyo vimokkho.

This is the second liberation.

Subhanteva adhimutto hoti.

They’re focused only on beauty.

Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho.

This is the third liberation.

Sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space.

Ayaṁ catuttho vimokkho.

This is the fourth liberation.

Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness.

Ayaṁ pañcamo vimokkho.

This is the fifth liberation.

Sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness.

Ayaṁ chaṭṭho vimokkho.

This is the sixth liberation.

Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

Ayaṁ sattamo vimokkho.

This is the seventh liberation.

Sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling.

Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo vimokkho.

This is the eighth liberation.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha vimokkhā”ti.

These are the eight liberations.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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Last updated on July 27, 2026