Saṁyutta Nikāya
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
40. Moggallāna Saṁyutta

IV. Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-fold Sphere'
Chapter 40: Kindred Sayings about Moggallāna

Sutta 8

N'evasaññānāsaññāyatana Suttaṁ

Neither-perceiving-nor-non-perceiving

 

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THUS have I heard:

ONCE the venerable Moggallāna the Great was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great
addressed the brethren, saving:

'Brethren.'

'Yes, brother,' replied those brethren
to the venerable Moggallāna the Great.

'Friends, when I was meditating alone here,
this consideration arose in me:

"They say 'the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,
the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception!'

Now what is the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception?"

Then, friends, this occurred to me:

Herein a brother,
passing utterly beyond the realm of nothingness,
enters on and abides in
the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

This is called "the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception."

So I, friends,
passing utterly beyond the realm of nothingness,
entered on and abode in
the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

But when I had thus abode
(and had emerged from trance),
perception and work of mind
connected with the perception of the realm of nothingness,
still continued.

Thereupon, friends, the Exalted One
by magic power
came to me and said:

"Moggallāna,
Moggallāna,
be not remiss in the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, brahmin!

Make steadfast thy mind in the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

In the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception make the mind one-pointed.

In the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception compose the mind."

So after that, friends,
passing utterly beyond the realm of nothingness,
entered on and abode in
the realm of nothingness.

Now, friends, if anyone would say rightly:

"Helped by the Master
the disciple won great super-knowledge,"

he would say of me:

"Helped by the Master
did the disciple win great super-knowledge."'