Dīgha Āgama: The Mahānidāna Sūtra IX

(11) Original Text: What are the two spheres of entry? The sphere of nothingness and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception—these are the two. Ānanda, regarding these two spheres of entry, some ascetics and Brahmins say: 'This is a place of safety, a place of rescue, a place of refuge, a lamp, an illumination, a sanctuary, a place free from falsehood, a place free from afflictions.' Ānanda, if a monk knows these two spheres of entry, knows their arising, knows their cessation, knows their gratification, knows their danger, knows the escape from them, and knows and sees them as they really are, then that monk declares: 'They are not mine, I am not them,' knowing and seeing this as it really is. This is regarding the two spheres.

Explanation: What are the two spheres of entry? The sphere of nothingness and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception—these are the two spheres of entry. Ānanda, some ascetics and Brahmins claim these two spheres are a place of safety, a place of rescue, a dwelling, a lamp, an illumination, a refuge, a place free from falsehood, and a place free from afflictions. Ānanda, if monks know these two spheres of entry, know the arising and cessation of these two spheres, know the gratification and danger of these two spheres, know the path leading out from these two spheres, and know and see these two spheres as they really are, then the monks will say: 'The two spheres are not me, I am not the two spheres,' knowing and seeing this truth as it really is. This is the understanding of the two spheres.

Original Text: Ānanda, furthermore, there are eight liberations. What are the eight? (1) Possessing form, one perceives forms—the first liberation. (2) Not perceiving forms internally, one perceives forms externally—the second liberation. (3) The liberation of purity—the third liberation. (4) Having overcome the perception of form, having eliminated the perception of resistance, not attending to various perceptions, one abides in the sphere of infinite space—the fourth liberation. (5) Having overcome the sphere of infinite space, one abides in the sphere of infinite consciousness—the fifth liberation. (6) Having overcome the sphere of infinite consciousness, one abides in the sphere of nothingness—the sixth liberation. (7) Having overcome the sphere of nothingness, one abides in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception—the seventh liberation. (8) The cessation of perception and feeling—the eighth liberation. Ānanda, when monks, with respect to these eight liberations, enter and emerge in forward and reverse order, entering and exiting at will, such monks attain liberation in both respects. Then, Ānanda, having heard the Buddha’s words, rejoiced and respectfully carried them out.

Explanation: Ānanda, there are eight kinds of liberation. What are the eight kinds? The first liberation is: while the mind has perception of form and attachment to form, one contemplates the impurity of forms; when one realizes the impurity of forms, the mind attains liberation. The second liberation is: while the mind has no internal perception of form, one contemplates the impurity of external forms; when one realizes the impurity of forms, the mind attains liberation. The third liberation is: liberation attained through complete purity of body and mind. The fourth liberation is: transcending the perception of form, eliminating the perception of resistance, not attending to form or other miscellaneous perceptions, abiding in the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, and attaining liberation. The fifth liberation is: transcending the sphere of infinite space, abiding in the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, and attaining liberation. The sixth liberation is: transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, abiding in the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, and attaining liberation. The seventh liberation is: transcending the sphere of nothingness, abiding in the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and attaining liberation. The eighth liberation is: abiding in the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, and attaining liberation.

Ānanda, when monks, regarding these eight liberations, enter them in forward or reverse order, entering and emerging with complete mastery, such monks fully attain all eight liberations. They are called Arahants liberated in both respects, possessing both liberating wisdom and the complete mastery of the four jhānas and the eight liberations.