[7] Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Sāriputta; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta, and when this courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Venerable Sāriputta: "Friend Sāriputta, could a bhikkhu obtain such an attainment of concentration (samādhi) that he would not be percipient (saññī) of earth in earth, would not be percipient of water in water, would not be percipient of fire in fire, would not be percipient of air in air, would not be percipient of the sphere of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana) in the sphere of the infinity of space, would not be percipient of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) in the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, would not be percipient of the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) in the sphere of nothingness, would not be percipient of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, would not be percipient of this world in this world, would not be percipient of the other world in the other world — and yet he would be percipient?"
"There could be, friend Ānanda, such an attainment of concentration for a bhikkhu, that he would not be percipient of earth in earth … would not be percipient of the other world in the other world — and yet he would be percipient."
"But in what way, friend Sāriputta, could a bhikkhu obtain such an attainment of concentration, that he would not be percipient of earth in earth … would not be percipient of the other world in the other world — and yet he would be percipient?"
"On one occasion, friend Ānanda, I was dwelling right here at Sāvatthī, in the Andhavana. There I attained such a concentration that I was not percipient of earth in earth, was not percipient of water in water, was not percipient of fire in fire, was not percipient of air in air, was not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of space in the sphere of the infinity of space, was not percipient of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness in the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, was not percipient of the sphere of nothingness in the sphere of nothingness, was not percipient of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, was not percipient of this world in this world, was not percipient of the other world in the other world — and yet I was percipient."
"But of what was the Venerable Sāriputta percipient on that occasion?"
"One perception (saññā) arose in me, friend: 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna; the cessation of existence is Nibbāna' — and another perception ceased. Just as, friend, when a fire of splinters is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases, even so, friend, one perception arose in me: 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna; the cessation of existence is Nibbāna' — and another perception ceased. And on that occasion, friend, I was percipient: 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.