Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
40. Moggallāna Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
40. Kindred Sayings about Moggallāna
Sutta 7
Ākiñcaññ'Āyatana Suttaṃ
'Nāhaṃ kvaci,|| kassaci kiñcanaṃ tasmiṃ,|| na ca mama kvaci,|| katthaci kiñcanaṃ n'atthi'|| ||
"I have no part in anything anywhere,
and herein for me
there is no attachment to anything."
— AN 4.185-Woodward.
Nothingness
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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ONCE the venerable Moggallāna the Great was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great
addressed the brethren, saving:
"Brethren."
"Yes, brother," replied those brethren
to the venerable Moggallāna the Great.
"Friends, when I was meditating alone here,
this consideration arose in me:
'They say "the realm of nothingness,
the realm of nothingness!"
Now what is the realm of nothingness?'
Then, friends, this occurred to me:
'Herein a brother,
passing utterly beyond the realm of infinite consciousness,
with the idea:
"There is nothing at all,"
enters on and abides in
the realm of nothingness.
This is called "the realm of nothingness."'
[184] So I, friends,
passing utterly beyond the realm of infinite consciousness,
with the idea:
'There is nothing at all,'
entered on and abode in
the realm of nothingness.
But when I had thus abode
(and had emerged from trance),
perception and work of mind
connected with the perception of the realm of infinite consciousness,
still continued.
Thereupon, friends, the Exalted One
by magic power
came to me and said:
'Moggallāna,
Moggallāna,
be not remiss in the realm of nothingness, brahmin!
Make steadfast thy mind in the realm of nothingness.
In the realm of nothingness make the mind one-pointed.
In the realm of nothingness compose the mind.'
So after that, friends,
passing utterly beyond the realm of infinite consciousness,
with the idea:
'There is nothing at all,'
entered on and abode in
the realm of nothingness.
Now, friends, if anyone would say rightly:
'Helped by the Master
the disciple won great super-knowledge,'
he would say of me:
'Helped by the Master
did the disciple win great super-knowledge.'"
