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Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
40. Moggallāna Saṃyutta

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

Sutta 8

N'eva-Saññā-nā-Saññ'Āyatana Suttaṃ

The Realm of Neither-Perception-nor-non-perception

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 


 

[1][pts] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time Old Man Moggallāna The Great,
Sāvatthī-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There then Old Man Moggallāna The Great addressed the beggars:

"Beggars, my friends!"

"Friend!" the beggars responded to Moggallāna.

Old Man Moggallāna The Great said to them:

"Here, friends,
as I had retreated into solitude
there arose in my heart
this train of thought:

'"The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception!
The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception!"
so they say.

Now what then is The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception?'

So then it recurred to me, friends:

'Here a beggar,
passing entirely beyond The Realm of Naught Whose-Whatever
abides getting a grip
on The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

This is what they call The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception'

Then I, friends,
passing entirely beyond The Realm of Naught Whose-Whatever
abided getting a grip
on The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

But then, friends,
as I abided in this abiding,
there arose and came about me
attention of mind to
perceptions connected to The Realm of Naught Whose-Whatever.

There then, friends,
The Lucky man, through his majesty,
approached me and said:

'Moggallāna!

Moggallāna!

Do not, Brahmin,
be careless with The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception!

Set your heart on The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception!

Make one with your heart The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

Steady your heart in The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception!'

So then I, friends,
passing entirely beyond The Realm of Naught Whose-Whatever
abided getting a grip
on The Realm of Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

He who would, speaking highly of one, friends, say:

'The Master brought the student
to attainment of great higher knowledge,'

would, speaking highly of me, say:

'The Master brought the student
to attainment of great higher knowledge.'"


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