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 consciousness, the base of the infinity of consciousness." What now is the base of the infinity of consciousness?’ sn.iv.267

"Then, friends, it occurred to me: ‘Here, by completely transcending the base of the infinity of space, aware that "consciousness is infinite," a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the base of the infinity of consciousness. This is called the base of the infinity of consciousness.’

"Then, friends, by completely transcending the base of the infinity of space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of consciousness. While I dwelt therein perception and attention accompanied by the base of the infinity of space 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 consciousness. Steady your mind in the base of the infinity of consciousness, unify your mind in the base of the infinity of consciousness, concentrate your mind in the base of the infinity of consciousness.’ Then, on a later occasion, by completely transcending the base of the infinity of space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ I entered and dwelt in the base of the infinity of consciousness.

"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"‘Viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ, viññāṇañcāyatanan’ti vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho viññāṇañcāyatananti?

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi: ‘idha bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma anantaṁ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Idaṁ vuccati viññāṇañcāyatanan’ti.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma anantaṁ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena vihārato ākāsānañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

2Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca: ‘moggallāna, moggallāna. Mā, brāhmaṇa, viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ pamādo, viññāṇañcāyatane cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, viññāṇañcāyatane cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi, viññāṇañcāyatane cittaṁ samādahā’ti. So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma anantaṁ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.

Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya … pe … mahābhiññataṁ patto"ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.