[143] Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating dhammas in dhammas in the six internal and external sense bases (āyatana). And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu abide contemplating dhammas in dhammas in the six internal and external sense bases? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands the eye, understands forms (rūpa), and understands the fetter (saṃyojana) that arises dependent on both of these. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter; he understands how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter; and he understands how there comes to be the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter. He understands the ear and understands sounds … He understands the nose and understands odours … He understands the tongue and understands tastes … He understands the body and understands tangibles … He understands the mind and understands dhammas, and understands the fetter that arises dependent on both of these. He understands how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen fetter; he understands how there comes to be the abandoning of the arisen fetter; and he understands how there comes to be the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter.
Thus he abides contemplating dhammas in dhammas internally, or he abides contemplating dhammas in dhammas externally, or he abides contemplating dhammas in dhammas both internally and externally. He abides contemplating in dhammas their nature of origination, or he abides contemplating in dhammas their nature of vanishing, or he abides contemplating in dhammas their nature of both origination and vanishing. Or else his mindfulness that 'there are dhammas' is established to the extent necessary merely for knowledge (ñāṇa) and mindfulness; and he abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. Thus too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu abides contemplating dhammas in dhammas in the six internal and external sense bases.
The Section on the Sense Bases (āyatanapabbaṃ) is concluded.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.