9. The Four Formless Attainments (ARV9)

Herein, monastics, what are the four formless attainments?

Here, monastics, a monastic, having completely transcended perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of (sensory) impact, not attending to perceptions of variety, (understanding): ‘This is endless space’, abides in the sphere of endless space.

Having completely transcended the sphere of endless space, (understanding): ‘This is endless consciousness,’ he abides in the sphere of endless consciousness.

Having completely transcended the sphere of endless consciousness, (understanding): ‘This is nothing,’ he abides in the sphere of nothingness.

Having completely transcended the sphere of nothingness, he abides in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

These, monastics, are said to be the four formless attainments.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, 2016

Based on the edition by Prof. N. H. Samtani in The Arthaviniścaya-sūtra & its commentary (Nibandhana) (Patna, 1971), updated to include the corrections he printed in that work on pp. 180–181, most of which were also printed in his translation of the same, Gathering the Meanings (Berkeley, 2002), on pp. 309–310.

Original translation with comments to be found at http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.