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Saṃyutta Nikāya · Discourse 40.7

A Question About the Dimension of Nothingness

Ākiñcaññāyatanapañhāsutta — Moggallānavagga

Setting
Not restated; continues directly as Moggallāna's own account from SN 40.1's own setting
Speakers
Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressing the mendicants
Form
The identical template, applied to the third formless dimension
Length
<1 minute to read
Northern parallel
A rough counterpart may exist in the Chinese Saṃyukta-āgama (T99), though this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆ — the pattern now well confirmed across two formless dimensions

Why this discourse

The dimension of nothingness — going entirely beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware only that “there is nothing at all” — is disturbed by leftover perceptions of the dimension of infinite consciousness itself, the immediately preceding attainment. This is the second consecutive discourse where the residue is itself a formless dimension, confirming the pattern SN 40.6 first demonstrated.

Reading guide

The same logic, one step further along

Infinite consciousness is exactly the attainment this dimension itself goes beyond, and exactly what disturbs Moggallāna while dwelling in it — the residue pattern now confirmed across two consecutive formless dimensions, not a one-off feature of SN 40.6 alone.

Key terms

ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ — “the dimension of nothingness” — defined by going entirely beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness
viññāṇañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā — “perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of infinite consciousness” — the residue disturbing Moggallāna, the second consecutive formless dimension to serve this role
natthi kiñci — “there is nothing at all” — the awareness this dimension is defined by
mā... pamādo — “don't neglect” — the opening of the Buddha's own fixed exhortation, unchanged since SN 40.1
sattamaṁ — “seventh” — this discourse's own untranslated closing ordinal

The text

The complete discourse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1“They speak of this thing called the ‘dimension of nothingness’. What is the dimension of nothingness? It occurred to me: ‘It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that “there is nothing at all”, enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. This is called the dimension of nothingness.’ And so … I was entering and remaining in the dimension of nothingness. While I was in that meditation, perception and focus accompanied by the dimension of infinite consciousness beset me.

§2Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said, ‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna! Don’t neglect the dimension of nothingness, brahmin! Settle your mind in the dimension of nothingness; unify your mind and immerse it in the dimension of nothingness.’ And so, after some time … I entered and remained in the dimension of nothingness. So if anyone should be rightly called a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”

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Self-check quiz

2 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.

Question 1 of 2
What residue disturbs Moggallāna in the dimension of nothingness?
Correct: A. The second consecutive discourse confirming a formless dimension itself as the residue.
Question 2 of 2
What does this discourse confirm about the pattern first seen at SN 40.6?
Correct: A. Two consecutive discourses with a preceding formless dimension as the named residue.
Answered 0 of 2 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousSN 40.6 · A Question About the Dimension of Infinite Consciousness