Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Navaka Nipāta
III. Satt'Āvāsa Vagga

VIII. The Book of the Nines

Chapter III: Spheres of Beings

Sutta 31

Anupubba-Nirodha Suttaṃ

Gradual Endings

[275]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Savatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park
there the Exalted One said this to the Monks:

"Monks, there are these nine gradual endings.¹

What nine?

On the attainment of the first musing,
sense desires end;

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on the attainment of the second musing,
applied and sustained thoughts end;

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on the attainment of the third musing,
zest ends;

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on the attainment of the fourth musing,
respiration ends;

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on the attainment of the sphere of infinite space,
the perception of form ends;

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on the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness,
the perception of the sphere of infinite space ends;

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on the attainment of the sphere of nothingness,
the perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness ends;

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on the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception,
the perception of the sphere of nothingness ends;

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on the attainment of the ending of perception and feeling, perception and feeling end.

Verily, monks, these are the nine gradual endings.'