At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him, Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Good fellow, do you know the liberation, emancipation, and seclusion of sentient beings?” “Jānāsi no tvaṁ, mārisa, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti?

“I do, good sir.” “Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti.

“But how is it that you know the liberation, emancipation, and seclusion of sentient beings?” “Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, jānāsi sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti?

“Due to the ending of relish for rebirth; “Nandībhavaparikkhayā, due to the finishing of perception and consciousness; Saññāviññāṇasaṅkhayā; due to the cessation and stilling of feelings—Vedanānaṁ nirodhā upasamā, that, good sir, is how I know the liberation, Evaṁ khvāhaṁ āvuso jānāmi; emancipation, and seclusion of sentient beings.” Sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan”ti.