1… "Here, friends, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus: ‘It is said, "the base of the infinity of space, the base of the infinity of space." What now is the base of the infinity of space?’

"Then, friends, it occurred to me: ‘Here, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with nonattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that "space is infinite," a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the base of the infinity of space. This is called the base of the infinity of space.’

"Then, friends, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of forms … I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of space. While I dwelt therein perception and attention accompanied by forms assailed me.

"Then, friends, the Blessed One came to me by means of spiritual power and said this: ‘Moggallana, Moggallana, do not be negligent, brahmin, regarding the base of the infinity of space. Steady your mind in the base of the infinity of space, unify your mind in the base of the infinity of space, concentrate your mind in the base of the infinity of space.’ Then, on a later occasion, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with nonattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite, ’ I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of space.

"If, friends, one speaking rightly could say of anyone: ‘He is a disciple who attained to greatness of direct knowledge with the assistance of the Teacher,’ it is of me that one could rightly say this."

1"‘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 vihārati. Idaṁ vuccati ākāsānañcāyatanan’ti.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena vihārato rūpasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

2Atha 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.

Pañcamaṁ.