Saṃyutta Nikāya
Nidānavaggo
Dhātusaṃyuttaṃ
Dutiyavaggo
Sattadhātusuttaṃ
At Sāvatthi.
'These seven, almsmen, aspects. Which seven?
The aspect of light, the aspect of attractiveness, the aspect of endless air as base, the aspect of endless cognition as base, the aspect of objectlessness as base, the aspect of neither perception nor no perception as base, the aspect of cessation of perception of the felt. OK these, almsmen, are seven aspects.'
So said, a certain almsman said this to the exalted one:
'And this what is, venerable, the aspect of light, and what is the aspect of attractiveness, and what is aspect of endless air as base and what is the aspect of endless cognition as base, and what is the aspect of objectlessness as base, and what is the aspect of neither perception nor no perception as base, and what is the aspect of cessation of perception of the felt, OK now these, venerable, the aspects, depending on what are they to be fathomed?'
'This what is, almsmen, the aspect of light, this aspect is fathomed depending on darkness. This what is, almsman, the aspect of attractiveness, this aspect is fathomed depending on unattractiveness. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of endless air, this aspect is fathomed depending on form. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of endless cognition as base, this aspect is fathomed depending on endless air as base. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of objectlessness, this aspect is fathomed depending on endless cognition as base. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of neither perception nor no perception, this aspect is fathomed depending on objectlessness as base. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of cessation of perception of the felt, this aspect is fathomed depending on cessation.'
'And this what is, venerable, the aspect of light, and what is the aspect of attractiveness, and what is the aspect of endless air as base and what is the aspect of endless cognition as base, and what is the aspect of objectlessness as base, and what is the aspect of neither perception nor no perception as base, and what is the aspect of cessation of perception of the felt, OK now these, venerable, the aspects, how is the engagement to be reached?'
'And this what is, almsman, the aspect of light, and what is the aspect of attractiveness, and what is the aspect of endless air as base, and what is the aspect of endless cognition as base, and what is the aspect of objectlessness as base, these aspects are to be reached through engagement with perception. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of neither perception nor no perception as base, this aspect is to be reached through engagement with the little remaining inclination. This what is, almsmen, the aspect of cessation of perception of the felt, this aspect is to be reached through engagement with cessation.'