Nothingness

1. At one time venerable Mahamoggallana was living in the monastery offered by Anathapindika in Jeta's grove in Savatthi.

2. “Venerable Mahamoggallana addressed the monks from there: “Friends, monks!”

Those monks responded pleasantly.

3. “Friends, this thought and thought process arose to me in my seclusion; it is said the sphere of nothingness. What is the sphere of nothingness?

4. “Friends, then it occurred to me, the monk overcoming all the sphere of consciousness with there is nothing attains to the sphere of nothingness.

5. “Friends, then I overcame all the sphere of consciousness, with there is nothing attained to the sphere of nothingness. When abiding in the sphere of nothingness, perceptions related to the sphere of consciousness assailed me.

6. “Then the Blessed One approached me by psychic power and said: `Moggallana, Noble Man! Do not be negligent! Establish, concentrate and bring the mind to one point in the sphere of nothingness.'

7. “Friends, in the meantime I overcame all the sphere of consciousness with there is nothing attained to the sphere of nothingness

8. “Friends, saying it correctly, I am the disciple, who attained great wisdom, with the compassionate help of the Teacher.”