1… "Here, friends, while I was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in my mind thus: ‘It is said, "the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception." What now is the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception? ’

"Then, friends, it occurred to me: ‘Here, by completely transcending the base of nothingness, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception. This is called the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception.’

"Then, friends, by completely transcending the base of nothingness, I entered and dwelt in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception. While I dwelt therein perception and attention accompanied by the base of nothingness assailed me.

2"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 neither-perception-nor-nonperception. Steady your mind in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, unify your mind in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception, concentrate your mind in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception.’ Then, on a later occasion, by completely transcending the base of nothingness, I entered and dwelt in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception.

"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"‘Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanan’ti vuccati. Katamaṁ nu kho nevasaññānāsaññāyatananti?

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi: ‘idha bhikkhu sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja vihārati. Idaṁ vuccati nevasaññānāsaññāyatanan’ti.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena vihārato ākiñcaññāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

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

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

Aṭṭhamaṁ.