(THE BASE OF NOTHINGNESS)
6. "Again, bhikkhus, a noble disciple considers thus:1014 '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, and perceptions of the imperturbable - all are perceptions.
Where these perceptions cease without remainder, that is the
peaceful, that is the sub- lime, namely, the base of nothingness.'
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 decides upon
[perfecting] wisdom. On the dissolution of the body, after death, it
is possi- ble that this consciousness of his, leading [to rebirth],
may pass on [to rebirth] in the base of nothingness. This, bhikkhus,
is declared to be the first way directed to the base of nothingness.
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 decides upon [perfecting] wisdom. On the
dissolution of the body, after death, it is possible that this
consciousness of his, leading [to rebirth], 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 any- thing
belonging to me in anyone anywhere.'1016 When he prac- tises 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 decides upon [perfecting] wisdom. On the
dissolution of the body, after death, it is possible that this
consciousness of his, leading [to rebirth], 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 imper- turbable, and perceptions of
the base of nothingness - all are per- ceptions. 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 decides upon
[perfecting] wisdom. On the dissolution of the body, after death, it
is possible that this consciousness of his, leading [to rebirth], 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."