[131] When his mind (citta) is thus concentrated—purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of imperfections (upakkilesa), malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability—he directs and inclines the mind toward knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassana). He understands thus: "This body of mine is material, composed of the four great elements (mahābhūta), born of mother and father, built up from boiled rice and porridge, subject to impermanence, to rubbing and pressing, to breaking up and dispersal; and this consciousness of mine is supported by this body, bound up with this body."
Great king, suppose there were a beryl gem—beautiful, of genuine quality, eight-faceted, well cut, clear, limpid, endowed with every excellent quality—and through it were strung a thread, blue or yellow or red or white or pale yellow. A man with good eyes, taking it in his hand, might reflect upon it: "This beryl gem is beautiful, of genuine quality, eight-faceted, well cut, clear, limpid, endowed with every excellent quality; and through it is strung this thread, blue or yellow or red or white or pale yellow." Even so, great king, a bhikkhu, when his mind is thus concentrated—purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of imperfections, malleable, workable, steady, and attained to imperturbability—directs and inclines the mind toward knowledge and vision. He understands thus: "This body of mine is material, composed of the four great elements, born of mother and father, built up from boiled rice and porridge, subject to impermanence, to rubbing and pressing, to breaking up and dispersal; and this consciousness of mine is supported by this body, bound up with this body."
This too, great king, is a fruit of the ascetic life, visible here and now, more excellent and more sublime than the previous fruits of the ascetic life visible here and now.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.