[111] "Venerable sir, a bhikkhu whose mind is liberated thus would cut off the lower fetters (orambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni). But how, venerable sir, does one know, how does one see, so that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints (āsava) comes about?"
"Here, bhikkhu, the uninstructed worldling … falls into terror over what is not a matter for terror. For this, bhikkhu, is terror for the uninstructed worldling: 'I might not be, and it might not be mine; I will not be, and it will not be mine.' But the instructed noble disciple … does not fall into terror over what is not a matter for terror. For this, bhikkhu, is not terror for the instructed noble disciple: 'I might not be, and it might not be mine; I will not be, and it will not be mine.'
"Consciousness (viññāṇa), bhikkhu, while standing, might stand engaged with form: with form as its object, with form as its support, frequenting delight, it might come to growth, increase, and abundance. Or consciousness engaged with feeling (vedanā), bhikkhu … Or consciousness engaged with perception, bhikkhu … Or consciousness engaged with volitional formations, bhikkhu, while standing, might stand: with volitional formations as its object, with volitional formations as its support, frequenting delight, it might come to growth, increase, and abundance.
"Bhikkhu, should that bhikkhu say: 'Apart from form, apart from feeling, apart from perception, apart from volitional formations, I will make known the coming or the going of consciousness, its passing away or its arising, its growth, increase, or abundance' — that is not possible.
"If, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu has abandoned lust for the form element (rūpadhātu), then with the abandonment of lust the object is cut off; there is no support for consciousness. If, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu … for the feeling element … If, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu … for the perception element … If, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu … for the element of volitional formations … If, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu has abandoned lust for the consciousness element, then with the abandonment of lust the object is cut off; there is no support for consciousness. That unsupported consciousness, not growing, not generating [volitional activity], is liberated; being liberated, it is steady; being steady, it is content; being content, he is not agitated; being unagitated, he personally attains Nibbāna. He understands: 'Birth (jāti) is destroyed … there is no more coming to any state of being.' It is thus, bhikkhu, for one who knows thus, for one who sees thus, that immediately afterward the destruction of the taints comes about."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.