7. Bhūmicālavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.66

Numbered Discourses 8.66

7. Bhūmicālavagga

7. Earthquakes

Vimokkhasutta

Liberations

“Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, vimokkhā.

“Mendicants, there are these eight liberations.

Katame aṭṭha?

What eight?

Rūpī rūpāni passati.

Having physical form, they see forms.

Ayaṁ paṭhamo vimokkho.

This is the first liberation.

Ajjhattaṁ arūpasaññī, bahiddhā rūpāni passati.

Not perceiving form internally, they see forms externally.

Ayaṁ dutiyo vimokkho.

This is the second liberation.

Subhanteva adhimutto hoti.

They’re focused only on beauty.

Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho.

This is the third liberation.

Sabbaso 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.

Ayaṁ catuttho vimokkho.

This is the fourth liberation.

Sabbaso 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.

Ayaṁ pañcamo vimokkho.

This is the fifth liberation.

Sabbaso 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.

Ayaṁ chaṭṭho vimokkho.

This is the sixth liberation.

Sabbaso 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.

Ayaṁ sattamo vimokkho.

This is the seventh liberation.

Sabbaso 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.

Ayaṁ aṭṭhamo vimokkho.

This is the eighth liberation.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha vimokkhā”ti.

These are the eight liberations.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.