At one time Venerable Kāmabhū was staying near Macchikāsaṇḍa in the Wild Mango Grove. Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā kāmabhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharati ambāṭakavane. Then Citta the householder went up to Venerable Kāmabhū, sat down to one side, and said to him: Atha kho citto gahapati yenāyasmā kāmabhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho citto gahapati āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, how many processes are there?” “kati nu kho, bhante, saṅkhārā”ti?

“Householder, there are three processes. “Tayo kho, gahapati, saṅkhārā—The physical process, the verbal process, and the mental process.” kāyasaṅkhāro, vacīsaṅkhāro, cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” Citta approved and agreed with what Kāmabhū said. Then he asked another question: “Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato kāmabhussa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, what is the physical process? What’s the verbal process? What’s the mental process?” “katamo pana, bhante, kāyasaṅkhāro, katamo vacīsaṅkhāro, katamo cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“Breathing is a physical process. Placing the mind and keeping it connected are a verbal process. Perception and feeling are a mental process.” “Assāsapassāsā kho, gahapati, kāyasaṅkhāro, vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, why is breathing a physical process? Why are placing the mind and keeping it connected a verbal process? Why are perception and feeling a mental process?” “kasmā pana, bhante, assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro, kasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro, kasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“Breathing is physical. It’s tied up with the body, that’s why breathing is a physical process. “Assāsapassāsā kho, gahapati, kāyikā. Ete dhammā kāyappaṭibaddhā, tasmā assāsapassāsā kāyasaṅkhāro. First you place the mind and keep it connected, then you break into speech. That’s why placing the mind and keeping it connected are a verbal process. Pubbe kho, gahapati, vitakketvā vicāretvā pacchā vācaṁ bhindati, tasmā vitakkavicārā vacīsaṅkhāro. Perception and feeling are mental. They’re tied up with the mind, that’s why perception and feeling are a mental process.” Saññā ca vedanā ca cetasikā. Ete dhammā cittappaṭibaddhā, tasmā saññā ca vedanā ca cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?” “kathaṁ pana, bhante, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpatti hotī”ti?

“A mendicant who is entering such an attainment does not think: “Na kho, gahapati, saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti: ‘I will enter the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling.’ ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjissan’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno’ti vā. Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.” Atha khvassa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, which cease first for a mendicant who is entering the cessation of perception and feeling: the physical, verbal, or mental process?” “saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ nirujjhanti, yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“The verbal process ceases first, then physical, then mental.” “Saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjantassa kho, gahapati, bhikkhuno vacīsaṅkhāro paṭhamaṁ nirujjhati, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato cittasaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“What’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a mendicant who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling?” “yvāyaṁ, bhante, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, imesaṁ kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti?

“When someone dies, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled; their vitality is spent; their warmth is dissipated; and their faculties have disintegrated. “Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato tassa kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu parikkhīṇo, usmā vūpasantā, indriyāni viparibhinnāni. When a mendicant has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled. But their vitality is not spent; their warmth is not dissipated; and their faculties are very clear. Yo ca khvāyaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, tassapi kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu aparikkhīṇo, usmā avūpasantā, indriyāni vippasannāni. That’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a mendicant who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.” Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, idaṁ nesaṁ nānākaraṇan”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, how does someone emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling?” “kathaṁ pana, bhante, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṁ hotī”ti?

“A mendicant who is emerging from such an attainment does not think: “Na kho, gahapati, saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti: ‘I will emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling.’ ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahissan’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhito’ti vā. Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.” Atha khvassa pubbeva tathā cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ hoti, yaṁ taṁ tathattāya upanetī”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu, bhante …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, which arise first for a mendicant who is emerging from the cessation of perception and feeling: the physical, verbal, or mental process?” “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno katame dhammā paṭhamaṁ uppajjanti, yadi vā kāyasaṅkhāro, yadi vā vacīsaṅkhāro, yadi vā cittasaṅkhāro”ti?

“The mental process arises first, then physical, then verbal.” “Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhahantassa, gahapati, bhikkhuno cittasaṅkhāro paṭhamaṁ uppajjati, tato kāyasaṅkhāro, tato vacīsaṅkhāro”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, when a mendicant has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, how many kinds of contact do they experience?” “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ pana, bhante, bhikkhuṁ kati phassā phusanti”?

“They experience three kinds of contact: “Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ kho, gahapati, bhikkhuṁ tayo phassā phusanti—emptiness, signless, and undirected contacts.” suññato phasso, animitto phasso, appaṇihito phasso”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” he asked another question: “Sādhu …pe… uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, when a mendicant has emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, what does their mind slant, slope, and incline to?” “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa pana, bhante, bhikkhuno kiṁninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti, kiṁpoṇaṁ, kiṁpabbhāran”ti?

“Their mind slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion.” “Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitassa kho, gahapati, bhikkhuno vivekaninnaṁ cittaṁ hoti vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāran”ti.

Saying “Good, sir,” Citta approved and agreed with what Kāmabhū said. Then he asked another question: “Sādhu, bhante”ti kho citto gahapati āyasmato kāmabhussa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā āyasmantaṁ kāmabhuṁ uttariṁ pañhaṁ apucchi:

“But sir, how many things are helpful for attaining the cessation of perception and feeling?” “saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā pana, bhante, kati dhammā bahūpakārā”ti?

“Well, householder, you’ve finally asked what you should have asked first! “Addhā kho tvaṁ, gahapati, yaṁ paṭhamaṁ pucchitabbaṁ taṁ pucchasi. Nevertheless, I will answer you. Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi. Two things are helpful for attaining the cessation of perception and feeling: Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā kho, gahapati, dve dhammā bahūpakārā—serenity and discernment.” samatho ca vipassanā cā”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.