Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in the Eastern Park, at |Migāramātā’s mansion::name of a monastery outside Sāvatthi, built by Visākhā; lit. Migāra’s Mother’s Hall [migāramātupāsāda]|.
Atha kho āyasmā ānando sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, having emerged from |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]| in the late afternoon, the venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One and, after having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat down to one side. Seated there, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
“Ekamidaṁ, bhante, samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati nagarakaṁ nāma sakyānaṁ nigamo. Tattha me, bhante, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ, sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: ‘suññatāvihārenāhaṁ, ānanda, etarahi bahulaṁ viharāmī’ti. Kacci metaṁ, bhante, sussutaṁ suggahitaṁ sumanasikataṁ sūpadhāritan”ti?
“At one time, venerable sir, the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans, in a Sakyan market town named Nagaraka. There, venerable sir, I directly heard and learned in the presence the Blessed One: ‘Now, Ānanda, I often |abide in emptiness::dwell in the meditation attainment of emptiness [suññatāvihāra]|.’ Did I hear that correctly, venerable sir, was it well learned, well attended to, and well understood by me?”
“Taggha te etaṁ, ānanda, sussutaṁ suggahitaṁ sumanasikataṁ sūpadhāritaṁ. Pubbepāhaṁ, ānanda, etarahipi suññatāvihārena bahulaṁ viharāmi.
“Certainly, Ānanda, you heard that correctly, learned it well, attended to it well, and understood it well. As formerly, Ānanda, so now too, I often abide in emptiness.
Seyyathāpi, ānanda, ayaṁ migāramātupāsādo suñño hatthigavassavaḷavena, suñño jātarūparajatena, suñño itthipurisasannipātena atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṭicca ekattaṁ; evameva kho, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā gāmasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā manussasaññaṁ, araññasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa araññasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā gāmasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā manussasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— araññasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ gāmasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ manussasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— araññasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Ānanda, just as Migāramātā’s mansion is empty of elephants, cows, horses, and mares, empty of gold and |silver::cash, coin [rajata]|, empty of gatherings of women and men, yet, there is something |which is still present::which is not empty [asuññata]|, namely, the |oneness::singleness, unity [ekatta]| that depends on the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus. In the same way, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of village, not attending to the perception of people—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of forest. |Inspired by::gaining confidence in, leaping forth to [pakkhandati]| that perception of forest, his mind |becomes serene::is bright, becomes clear [pasīdati]|, |settles down::remains still [santiṭṭhati]|, and |is resolved upon it::is intent; lit. is released towards [adhimuccati]|. He |discerns::distinguishes, understands, knows clearly [pajānāti]|: ‘Whatever |disturbances::angst, anxiousness, stress, uneasiness [darathā]| there might be dependent on the perception of village, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might be dependent on the perception of people, those are not present here. There is only this trace of disturbance present, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of forest.’ He discerns: ‘This |field of perception::kind of perception, mentally constructed reality [saññāgata]| is empty of the perception of village; this field of perception is empty of the perception of people. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of forest.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his |sincere::genuine, true [yathābhucca]|, |undistorted::undeluded; lit. not thrown completely upside down [avipallattha]|, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā manussasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā araññasaññaṁ, pathavīsaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa pathavīsaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. Seyyathāpi, ānanda, āsabhacammaṁ saṅkusatena suvihataṁ vigatavalikaṁ; evameva kho, ānanda, bhikkhu yaṁ imissā pathaviyā ukkūlavikkūlaṁ nadīviduggaṁ khāṇukaṇṭakaṭṭhānaṁ pabbatavisamaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ amanasikaritvā pathavīsaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa pathavīsaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā manussasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā araññasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— pathavīsaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ manussasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ araññasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— pathavīsaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of people, not attending to the perception of forest—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of earth. Inspired by that perception of earth, his mind becomes serene, settles down, and is resolved upon it. Just as, Ānanda, a bull’s hide becomes free of folds when fully stretched with a hundred pegs; so too, a bhikkhu—not attending to any of the |hills and dales::mountains and valleys [ukkūlavikkūla]| of this earth, the hard to cross rivers and ravines, the tracts of stumps and thorns, rugged mountains and uneven places—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of earth. Inspired by that perception of earth, his mind becomes serene, settles down, and is resolved upon it. He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of people, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of forest, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of earth.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of people; this field of perception is empty of the perception of forest. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of earth.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā araññasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā pathavīsaññaṁ, ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa ākāsānañcāyatanasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā araññasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā pathavīsaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ araññasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ pathavīsaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of forest, not attending to the perception of earth—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of the |base of boundless space::field of boundless expanse, sometimes translated as dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana]|. He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of forest, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of earth, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of boundless space.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of forest; this field of perception is empty of the perception of earth. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of boundless space.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā pathavīsaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ, viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa viññāṇañcāyatanasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā pathavīsaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ pathavīsaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākāsānañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of earth, not attending to the perception of the base of boundless space—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of the |base of boundless consciousness::field of limitless awareness [viññāṇañcāyatana]|. He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of earth, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of boundless space, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of boundless consciousness.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of earth; this field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of boundless space. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of boundless consciousness.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ, ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākāsānañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ viññāṇañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of the base of boundless space, not attending to the perception of the base of boundless consciousness—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of the |base of nothingness::field of awareness centered on the absence of any distinct “something” to grasp or hold onto [ākiñcaññāyatana]|. Inspired by that perception of the base of nothingness, his mind becomes serene, settles down, and is resolved upon it. He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of boundless space, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of boundless consciousness, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of nothingness.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of boundless space; this field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of boundless consciousness. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of nothingness.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda bhikkhu amanasikaritvā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññāya cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā viññāṇañcāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ viññāṇañcāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca ekattan’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of the base of boundless consciousness, not attending to the perception of the base of nothingness—attends to the oneness that depends on the perception of the |base of neither perception nor non-perception::field of awareness of subtle mental activity that do not arise to the level of forming a perception [nevasaññānāsaññāyatana]|. Inspired by that perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception, his mind becomes serene, settles down, and is resolved upon it. He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of boundless consciousness, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of nothingness, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of boundless consciousness; this field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of nothingness. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, the oneness that depends on the perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ, animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa animitte cetosamādhimhi cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññāyā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of the base of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception—attends to the oneness that depends on the |signless::featureless, free of mental images, without any sign of trouble [animitta]| |collectedness of mind::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [cetosamādhi]|. Inspired by that signless collectedness of mind, his mind becomes serene, settles down, and is resolved upon it. He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of nothingness, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, that connected with the six sense bases that are dependent on this very body due to existence.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of nothingness; this field of perception is empty of the perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, that connected with the six sense bases that are dependent on this very body due to existence.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness.
Puna caparaṁ, ānanda, bhikkhu amanasikaritvā ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṁ, amanasikaritvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññaṁ, animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ paṭicca manasi karoti ekattaṁ. Tassa animitte cetosamādhimhi cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati adhimuccati. So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ayampi kho animitto cetosamādhi abhisaṅkhato abhisañcetayito’. ‘Yaṁ kho pana kiñci abhisaṅkhataṁ abhisañcetayitaṁ tadaniccaṁ nirodhadhamman’ti pajānāti. Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu—not attending to the perception of the base of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the base of neither perception nor non-perception—attends to the oneness that depends on the signless collectedness of mind. Inspired by that signless collectedness of mind, his mind becomes serene, settles down, and is resolved upon it. He discerns: ‘This signless collectedness of mind is |conditioned::constructed, created, fabricated [abhisaṅkhata]| and |intentionally constructed::willfully fabricated [under the influence of ignorance] [abhisañcetayita]|. But whatever is conditioned and intentionally constructed, that is |impermanent::not lasting, transient, unreliable [anicca]|, |subject to ending::liable to naturally end [nirodhadhamma]|.’ When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the |taint of sensual desire::oozing sensual desire [kāmāsava]|, from the |taint of becoming::effluent of being, taint of existence [bhavāsava]|, and from the |taint of ignorance::taint of not knowing how things have come to be, illusion of knowing, distorted perception [avijjāsava]|; in liberation, there arises the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
He understands: ‘Birth is ended, the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]| has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’
So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘ye assu darathā kāmāsavaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā bhavāsavaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, ye assu darathā avijjāsavaṁ paṭicca tedha na santi, atthi cevāyaṁ darathamattā yadidaṁ— imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti. So ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ kāmāsavenā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ bhavāsavenā’ti pajānāti, ‘suññamidaṁ saññāgataṁ avijjāsavenā’ti pajānāti, ‘atthi cevidaṁ asuññataṁ yadidaṁ— imameva kāyaṁ paṭicca saḷāyatanikaṁ jīvitapaccayā’ti. Iti yañhi kho tattha na hoti tena taṁ suññaṁ samanupassati, yaṁ pana tattha avasiṭṭhaṁ hoti taṁ ‘santamidaṁ atthī’ti pajānāti. Evampissa esā, ānanda, yathābhuccā avipallatthā parisuddhā paramānuttarā suññatāvakkanti bhavati.
He discerns: ‘Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the taint of sensual desire, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the taint of becoming, those are not present here. Whatever disturbances there might arise dependent on the taint of ignorance, those are not present here. Only this trace of disturbance remains, namely, that connected with the six sense bases that are dependent on this very body due to existence.’ He discerns: ‘This field of perception is empty of the taint of sensual desire; this field of perception is empty of the taint of becoming; this field of perception is empty of the taint of ignorance. There remains only this non-emptiness, namely, that connected with the six sense bases that are dependent on this very body due to existence.’ Thus, he regards it as empty of what is not there, but he discerns what is still present as, ‘this is present.’ Thus, Ānanda, this is his sincere, undistorted, and purified entry into emptiness, |supreme::highest, ultimate, lit. furthest [parama]| and |unsurpassed::highest, incomparable [anuttara]|.
Yepi hi keci, ānanda, atītamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja vihariṁsu, sabbe te imaṁyeva parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja vihariṁsu. Yepi hi keci, ānanda, anāgatamaddhānaṁ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharissanti, sabbe te imaṁyeva parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharissanti. Yepi hi keci, ānanda, etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharanti, sabbe te imaṁyeva parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharanti. Tasmātiha, ānanda, ‘parisuddhaṁ paramānuttaraṁ suññataṁ upasampajja viharissāmā’ti— evañhi vo, ānanda, sikkhitabban”ti.
Ānanda, whatever ascetics or brahmins in the past entered upon and abided in the purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness, all entered upon and abided in this same purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness. Whatever ascetics or brahmins in the future will enter upon and abide in the purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness, all will enter upon and abide in this same purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness. Whatever ascetics or brahmins in the present enter upon and abide in the purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness, all enter upon and abide in this same purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness. Therefore, Ānanda, you should train thus: ‘We shall enter upon and abide in the purified, supreme, and unsurpassed emptiness.’”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamano āyasmā ānando bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
The Blessed One said this. The venerable Ānanda was delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.