[340] "Furthermore, Udāyī, I have declared to my disciples the way of practice, and practicing in accordance with it, my disciples develop the eight liberations (vimokkha).
Possessing form, one sees forms — this is the first liberation.
Not percipient of form internally, one sees forms externally — this is the second liberation.
One is resolved only upon the beautiful — this is the third liberation.
With the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, [aware that] 'space is infinite,' one enters upon and dwells in the base of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana) — this is the fourth liberation.
With the complete transcending of the base of the infinity of space, [aware that] 'consciousness is infinite,' one enters upon and dwells in the base of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) — this is the fifth liberation.
With the complete transcending of the base of the infinity of consciousness, [aware that] 'there is nothing,' one enters upon and dwells in the base of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) — this is the sixth liberation.
With the complete transcending of the base of nothingness, one enters upon and dwells in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) — this is the seventh liberation.
With the complete transcending of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one enters upon and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha) — this is the eighth liberation.
And therein many of my disciples dwell, having attained the consummation and perfection of direct knowledge (abhiññā)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.