[26] Bhikkhus, there are these five bases of liberation (vimuttāyatana) wherein, for a bhikkhu (bhikkhu) dwelling heedful, ardent (ātāpī), and resolute, the mind (citta) not yet liberated becomes liberated, the taints (āsava) not yet exhausted come to exhaustion, and he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage (yogakkhema). What five?
Here, bhikkhus, the Teacher, or a certain companion in the holy life standing in the position of a teacher, teaches the Dhamma to a bhikkhu. In whatever way, bhikkhus, the Teacher, or a certain companion in the holy life standing in the position of a teacher, teaches the Dhamma to that bhikkhu, in just that way he comes to experience the meaning and to experience the Dhamma in that Dhamma. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness (pāmojja) is born; in one who is gladdened, rapture (pīti) is born; for one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; for one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This, bhikkhus, is the first base of liberation, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the mind not yet liberated becomes liberated, the taints not yet exhausted come to exhaustion, and he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the holy life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to a bhikkhu; but he himself teaches the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it. In whatever way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it, in just that way he comes to experience the meaning and to experience the Dhamma in that Dhamma. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; for one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; for one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This, bhikkhus, is the second base of liberation, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful … he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the holy life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to a bhikkhu, nor does he himself teach the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it; but he recites the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it. In whatever way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu recites the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it, in just that way he comes to experience the meaning and to experience the Dhamma in that Dhamma. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; for one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; for one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This, bhikkhus, is the third base of liberation, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent … he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the holy life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to a bhikkhu, nor does he himself teach the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it, nor does he recite the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it; but he ponders and examines the Dhamma in his mind and inspects it mentally as he has heard it and learned it. In whatever way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu ponders and examines the Dhamma in his mind and inspects it mentally as he has heard it and learned it, in just that way he comes to experience the meaning and to experience the Dhamma in that Dhamma. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; for one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; for one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth base of liberation, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful … he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
Furthermore, bhikkhus, neither the Teacher nor a certain companion in the holy life standing in the position of a teacher teaches the Dhamma to a bhikkhu, nor does he himself teach the Dhamma in detail to others as he has heard it and learned it, nor does he recite the Dhamma in detail as he has heard it and learned it, nor does he ponder and examine the Dhamma in his mind and inspect it mentally as he has heard it and learned it; but a certain sign of concentration (samādhinimitta) has been well grasped by him, well attended to, well borne in mind, and well penetrated by wisdom. In whatever way, bhikkhus, a certain sign of concentration has been well grasped by a bhikkhu, well attended to, well borne in mind, and well penetrated by wisdom, in just that way he comes to experience the meaning and to experience the Dhamma in that Dhamma. As he experiences the meaning and experiences the Dhamma, gladness is born; in one who is gladdened, rapture is born; for one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil feels happiness; for one who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth base of liberation, wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful … he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
These, bhikkhus, are the five bases of liberation wherein, for a bhikkhu dwelling heedful, ardent, and resolute, the mind not yet liberated becomes liberated, the taints not yet exhausted come to exhaustion, and he attains the unattained unsurpassed security from bondage.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.