[214] Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, could a bhikkhu obtain a state of concentration (samādhi) of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; not percipient of water in relation to water; not percipient of fire in relation to fire; not percipient of air in relation to air; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana) in relation to the sphere of the infinity of space; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) in relation to the sphere of the infinity of consciousness; not percipient of the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) in relation to the sphere of nothingness; not percipient of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) in relation to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; not percipient of this world in relation to this world; not percipient of the world beyond in relation to the world beyond; and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient?"
"He could, Ānanda. A bhikkhu could obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; not percipient of water in relation to water; not percipient of fire in relation to fire; not percipient of air in relation to air; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of space in relation to the sphere of the infinity of space; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the sphere of the infinity of consciousness; not percipient of the sphere of nothingness in relation to the sphere of nothingness; not percipient of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception in relation to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; not percipient of this world in relation to this world; not percipient of the world beyond in relation to the world beyond; and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient."
"But in what way, venerable sir, could a bhikkhu obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; not percipient of water in relation to water; not percipient of fire in relation to fire; not percipient of air in relation to air; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of space in relation to the sphere of the infinity of space; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the sphere of the infinity of consciousness; not percipient of the sphere of nothingness in relation to the sphere of nothingness; not percipient of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception in relation to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; not percipient of this world in relation to this world; not percipient of the world beyond in relation to the world beyond; and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient?"
"Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is percipient thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions (upadhi), the destruction of craving (taṇhā), dispassion, cessation (nirodha), Nibbāna.' It is in this way, Ānanda, that a bhikkhu could obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; not percipient of water in relation to water; not percipient of fire in relation to fire; not percipient of air in relation to air; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of space in relation to the sphere of the infinity of space; not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the sphere of the infinity of consciousness; not percipient of the sphere of nothingness in relation to the sphere of nothingness; not percipient of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception in relation to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception; not percipient of this world in relation to this world; not percipient of the world beyond in relation to the world beyond; and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having delighted in and rejoiced at the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping his right side toward him, and approached the Venerable Sāriputta; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta, and when the courteous and amiable talk was concluded, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Venerable Sāriputta: "Friend Sāriputta, could a bhikkhu obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth … and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient?"
"He could, friend Ānanda. A bhikkhu could obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth … and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient."
"But in what way, friend Sāriputta, could a bhikkhu obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth … and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient?"
"Here, friend Ānanda, a bhikkhu is percipient thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' It is in this way, friend Ānanda, that a bhikkhu could obtain a state of concentration of such a kind that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth … and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, reached, sought after, and ranged over by the mind—of that too he would not be percipient; and yet he would still be percipient."
"It is astonishing, friend! It is amazing, friend! That the meaning of the Teacher and the meaning of the disciple, the phrasing of the Teacher and the phrasing of the disciple, should coincide and agree and not diverge, that is, with regard to the highest state! Just now, friend, I approached the Blessed One and asked him about this matter, and the Blessed One answered this matter for me with these very terms and these very phrases, just as the Venerable Sāriputta has done. It is astonishing, friend! It is amazing, friend! That the meaning of the Teacher and the meaning of the disciple, the phrasing of the Teacher and the phrasing of the disciple, should coincide and agree and not diverge, that is, with regard to the highest state!"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.