SN 40.5

Ākāsānañcāyatanapañhāsutta

“‘Ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ, ākāsānañcāyatanan’ti vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho ākāsānañcāyatananti? Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi: ‘idha bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Idaṁ vuccati ākāsānañcāyatanan’ti. So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato rūpasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

A Question About the Dimension of Infinite Space

“They speak of this thing called the ‘dimension of infinite space’. What is the dimension of infinite space? It occurred to me: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that “space is infinite”, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. This is called the dimension of infinite space.’ And so … I was entering and remaining in the dimension of infinite space. While I was in that meditation, perception and focus accompanied by forms beset me.

Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca: ‘moggallāna, moggallāna. Mā, brāhmaṇa, ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ pamādo, ākāsānañcāyatane cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, ākāsānañcāyatane cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi, ākāsānañcāyatane cittaṁ samādahā’ti. So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ. Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya …pe… mahābhiññataṁ patto”ti.

Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said, ‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna! Don’t neglect the dimension of infinite space, brahmin! Settle your mind in the dimension of infinite space; unify your mind and immerse it in the dimension of infinite space.’ And so, after some time … I entered and remained in the dimension of infinite space. So if anyone should be rightly called a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”