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Liberations

Vimokkhasutta

Eight meditative liberations, based on the vision of forms and the attainment of the formless.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.66Numbered Discourses 8.66
  • 0.27. Bhūmicālavagga7. Earthquakes

0.3VimokkhasuttaLiberations

1.1“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, vimokkhā.“Mendicants, there are these eight liberations.1.2Katame aṭṭha?What eight?1.3Rūpī rūpāni passati.Having physical form, they see forms.1.4Ayaṁ paṭhamo vimokkho.This is the first liberation.

2.1Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī, bahiddhā rūpāni passati.Not perceiving form internally, they see forms externally.2.2Ayaṁ dutiyo vimokkho.This is the second liberation.

3.1Subhanteva adhimutto hoti.They’re focused only on beauty.3.2Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho.This is the third liberation.

4.1Sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space.4.2Ayaṁ catuttho vimokkho.This is the fourth liberation.

5.1Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness.5.2Ayaṁ pañcamo vimokkho.This is the fifth liberation.

6.1Sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness.6.2Ayaṁ chaṭṭho vimokkho.This is the sixth liberation.

7.1Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.7.2Ayaṁ sattamo vimokkho.This is the seventh liberation.

8.1Sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati.Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling.8.2Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo vimokkho.This is the eighth liberation.

8.3Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha vimokkhā”ti.These are the eight liberations.”

8.4Chaṭṭhaṁ.