The Meditative Experience of Nibbana - II

AN 10:7 The Meditative Experience of Nibbana - II

Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi

Once the Venerable Ananda approached the Venerable Sariputta and asked:

“Can it be, friend Sariputta, that a monk attains to such a concentration of mind that in earth he is not percipient of earth … (as above) … nor is he percipient of this world or a world beyond—but yet he is percipient?”

“Yes, friend Ananda, he can attain to such a concentration of mind.”

“But how, friend Sariputta, can a monk attain to such a concentration of mind?”

“Once, friend Ananda, I lived here in Savatthi, in the Dark Forest. There I attained to such a concentration of mind that in earth I was not percipient of earth … (as above) … nor was I percipient of this world or a world beyond—and yet I was percipient.”

“But what was the Venerable Sariputta percipient of on that occasion?”

“’Nibbana is cessation of becoming, Nibbana is cessation of becoming’—one such perception arose in me and another such perception ceased. Just as, friend Ananda, from a fire of faggots one flame arises and another flame ceases, even so, ’Nibbana is cessation of becoming, Nibbana is cessation of becoming’—one such perception arose in me and another such perception ceased. On that occasion, friend, I perceived that Nibbana is the cessation of becoming.”