[359] "Here again, brahmin, a certain person goes forth out of faith (saddhā) from the home life into homelessness, thinking: 'I am immersed in birth, aging, and death (jāti, jarā, maraṇa), in sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair (soka-parideva-dukkha-domanass'upāyāsā); I am immersed in suffering (dukkha), overwhelmed by suffering. Perhaps the making of an end of this entire mass of suffering can be discerned.' Having gone forth thus, he generates gain, honor, and fame (lābhasakkārasiloka). He is not pleased with that gain, honor, and fame, nor is his intention fulfilled. He does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of that gain, honor, and fame. And he generates desire (chanda) and strives for the realization of those other dhammas that are higher and more excellent than gain, honor, and fame; he does not become one of slack conduct, nor lax. He achieves accomplishment in virtue (sīlasampadā). He is pleased with that accomplishment in virtue, but his intention is not yet fulfilled. He does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of that accomplishment in virtue. And he generates desire and strives for the realization of those other dhammas that are higher and more excellent than accomplishment in virtue; he does not become one of slack conduct, nor lax. He achieves accomplishment in concentration (samādhi-sampadā). He is pleased with that accomplishment in concentration, but his intention is not yet fulfilled. He does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of that accomplishment in concentration. And he generates desire and strives for the realization of those other dhammas that are higher and more excellent than accomplishment in concentration; he does not become one of slack conduct, nor lax. He achieves knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassana). He is pleased with that knowledge and vision, but his intention is not yet fulfilled. He does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of that knowledge and vision. And he generates desire and strives for the realization of those other dhammas that are higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision; he does not become one of slack conduct, nor lax.
"And what, brahmin, are the dhammas that are higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision? Here, brahmin, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome dhammas, enters upon and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. This dhamma too, brahmin, is higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision.
"Again, brahmin, with the subsiding of applied thought and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind (citta), is without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna. This dhamma too, brahmin, is higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision.
"Again, brahmin, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters upon and dwells in the base of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana). This dhamma too, brahmin, is higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision.
"Again, brahmin, by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters upon and dwells in the base of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) … by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' he enters upon and dwells in the base of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) … by completely surmounting the base of nothingness, he enters upon and dwells in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana). This dhamma too, brahmin, is higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision.
"Again, brahmin, by completely surmounting the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu enters upon and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha); and having seen with wisdom, his taints (āsava) are utterly destroyed. This dhamma too, brahmin, is higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision. These, brahmin, are the dhammas that are higher and more excellent than knowledge and vision.
"Just as, brahmin, that man in need of heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, having come upon a great tree standing possessed of heartwood, cut out just the heartwood and departed taking it, knowing it to be heartwood — and whatever purpose of his was to be served by heartwood, that purpose of his will be fulfilled — even so, brahmin, do I declare this person to be."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.