AN 8.66

Vimokkhasutta

“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, vimokkhā. Katame aṭṭha? Rūpī rūpāni passati. Ayaṁ paṭhamo vimokkho.

Liberations

“Mendicants, there are these eight liberations. What eight? Having physical form, they see forms. This is the first liberation.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī, bahiddhā rūpāni passati. Ayaṁ dutiyo vimokkho.

Not perceiving form internally, they see forms externally. This is the second liberation.

Subhanteva adhimutto hoti. Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho.

They’re focused only on beauty. This is the third liberation.

Sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ catuttho vimokkho.

Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space. This is the fourth liberation.

Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ pañcamo vimokkho.

Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. This is the fifth liberation.

Sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ chaṭṭho vimokkho.

Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth liberation.

Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ sattamo vimokkho.

Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the seventh liberation.

Sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo vimokkho. Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha vimokkhā”ti.

Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth liberation. These are the eight liberations.”