Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.32 4.

Lakkhaṇa Sutta

Devadūtavagga Ānandasutta Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then, the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, and after approaching, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Siyā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu, bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu; yañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja viharato ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na honti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja vihareyyā”ti?

While sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, is it possible for a disciple to attain such a state of concentration where in this conscious body there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride, and externally, in all signs, there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride; and while dwelling having attained the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride, and he would dwell having attained that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom?

“Siyā, ānanda, bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu, bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu; yañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja viharato ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na honti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja vihareyyā”ti. “Yathā kathaṁ pana, bhante, siyā bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu, bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu; yañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja viharato ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na honti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja vihareyyā”ti? “Idhānanda, bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

It is possible, Ānanda, for a disciple to attain such a state of concentration where in this conscious body there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride, and externally, in all signs, there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride; and while dwelling having attained the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride, and he would dwell having attained that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom.

But how, Venerable Sir, is it possible for a disciple to attain such a state of concentration where in this conscious body there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride, and externally, in all signs, there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride; and while dwelling having attained the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, there would be no underlying tendencies of conceit, possessiveness, or pride, and he would dwell having attained that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom?

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, siyā bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu, bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā nāssu; yañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja viharato ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na honti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja vihareyyāti. Idañca pana metaṁ, ānanda, sandhāya bhāsitaṁ pārāyane puṇṇakapañhe: ‘Saṅkhāya lokasmiṁ paroparāni, Yassiñjitaṁ natthi kuhiñci loke; Santo vidhūmo anīgho nirāso, Atāri so jātijaranti brūmī’”ti. Dutiyaṁ.

The Blessed One then explained how a disciple can attain such a state of concentration: Here, Ānanda, a disciple considers thus: This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.

The Blessed One continued, explaining that this was spoken in reference to the question of Puṇṇaka in the Pārāyana: Having known the world with its various aspects, for whom there is no clinging anywhere in the world; peaceful, without smoke, free from distress, without longing, he has crossed over birth and aging, I declare.