[225] Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, those bhikkhus said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, could a bhikkhu obtain such a state of concentration (samādhi) that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; would not be percipient of water in relation to water; would not be percipient of fire in relation to fire; would not be percipient of air in relation to air; would not be percipient of the base of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana) in relation to the base of the infinity of space; would not be percipient of the base of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness; would not be percipient of the base of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) in relation to the base of nothingness; would not be percipient of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; would not be percipient of this world in relation to this world; would not be 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, bhikkhus. A bhikkhu could obtain such a state of concentration 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, venerable sir, could a bhikkhu obtain such a state of concentration 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, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is percipient thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all formations (saṅkhāra), the relinquishment of all acquisitions (upadhi), the destruction of craving (taṇhā), dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu could obtain such a state of concentration that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; would not be percipient of water in relation to water; would not be percipient of fire in relation to fire; would not be percipient of air in relation to air; would not be percipient of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space; would not be percipient of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness; would not be percipient of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness; would not be percipient of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; would not be percipient of this world in relation to this world; would not be 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."
End of the eighth sutta.
The Second Samādhi Sutta.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.