The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [416]
7. “Again, bhikkhus, a noble disciple, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, considers thus: ‘This is void of a self or of what belongs to a self.’1015 When he practises in this way and frequently abides thus, his mind acquires confidence in this base. Once there is full confidence, he either attains to the base of nothingness now or else he resolves [upon it] with wisdom. On the dissolution of the body, after death, it is possible that the evolving consciousness may pass on [to rebirth] in the base of nothingness. This, bhikkhus, is declared to be the second way directed to the base of nothingness.
8. “Again, bhikkhus, a noble disciple considers thus: ‘I am not anything belonging to anyone anywhere, [264] nor is there anything belonging to me in anyone anywhere.’1016 When he practises in this way and frequently abides thus, his mind acquires confidence in this base. Once there is full confidence, he either attains to the base of nothingness now or else he resolves [upon it] with wisdom. On the dissolution of the body, after death, it is possible that the evolving consciousness may pass on [to rebirth] in the base of nothingness. This, bhikkhus, is declared to be the third way directed to the base of nothingness.
(THE BASE OF NEITHER-PERCEPTION-NOR-NON-PERCEPTION)
9. “Again, bhikkhus, a noble disciple considers thus: ‘Sensual pleasures here and now and sensual pleasures in lives to come, sensual perceptions here and now and sensual perceptions in lives to come, material forms here and now and material forms in lives to come, perceptions of forms here and now and perceptions of forms in lives to come, perceptions of the imperturbable, and perceptions of the base of nothingness—all are perceptions. Where these perceptions cease without remainder, that is the peaceful, that is the sublime, namely, the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. ’ When he practises in this way and frequently abides thus, his mind acquires confidence in this base. Once there is full confidence, he either attains to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception now or else he resolves [upon it] with wisdom. On the dissolution of the body, after death, it is possible that the evolving consciousness may pass on [to rebirth] in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This, bhikkhus, is declared to be the way directed to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.”
(NIBBĀNA)
10. When this was said, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, here a bhikkhu is practising thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine; it will not be, and it will not be mine. What exists, what has come to be, that I am abandoning.’ Thus he obtains equanimity.1017 Venerable sir, does such a bhikkhu attain Nibbāna?”
“One bhikkhu here, Ānanda, might attain Nibbāna, another bhikkhu here might not attain Nibbāna.”
“What is the cause and reason, venerable sir, why one bhikkhu here might attain Nibbāna, while another bhikkhu here might not attain Nibbāna?”
“Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is practising thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine; it will not be, and it will not be mine. What exists, [265] what has come to be, that I am abandoning.’ Thus he obtains equanimity. He delights in that equanimity, welcomes it, and remains holding to it. As he does so, his consciousness becomes dependent on it and clings to it. A bhikkhu with clinging, Ānanda, does not attain Nibb̄na.”1018
11. “But, venerable sir, when that bhikkhu clings, what does he cling to?”
“To the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, Ānanda.”
“When that bhikkhu clings, venerable sir, it seems he clings to the best [object