“Eko ahaṁ Sakka mahantam-oghaṁ, icc-āyasmā Upasīvo,
“Alone, Sakyan, with nothing to depend on, said venerable Upasīva,

anissito no visahāmi tārituṁ.
I am not able to cross over the great flood.

Ārammaṇaṁ brūhi Samantacakkhu,
Please tell me of a support, All-Seeing Visionary,

yaṁ nissito ogham-imaṁ tareyyaṁ.” [94 (1069) 6-1]
depending on which I can cross over this flood.”The great flood of existence.

 

“Ākiñcaññaṁ pekkhamāno satīmā, Upasīvā ti Bhagavā,
“Looking to nothingness, and being mindful, Upasīva, said the Fortunate One,

n' atthī ti nissāya tarassu oghaṁ.
depending on nothing, cross over the flood.Paraphrase: having developed the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ), emerging and gaining insight into impermanence, cross over the flood.

Kāme pahāya virato kathāhi,
Having given up sense pleasures, abstaining from talk,

taṇhakkhayaṁ nattamahābhipassa.” [95 (1070) 6-2]
day and night you must look for the end of suffering.”

 

“Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, icc-āyasmā Upasīvo,
“He who is passionless regarding all sense pleasures, said venerable Upasīva,

ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitva-m-aññaṁ,
who is depending on nothingness, having given up all else,

saññāvimokkhe parame 'dhimutto -
intent on the highest freedom which still has perception -

tiṭṭhe nu so tattha anānuyāyi?” [96 (1071) 6-3]
will he remain there without going away?”He is asking about the state of the Non-Returner (Anāgāmī) in the Ākiñcaññāyatana Brahmāloka. The next higher state (nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ) cannot be said to have perception or no perception.

 

“Sabbesu kāmesu yo vīta-rāgo, Upasīvā ti Bhagavā,
“He who is passionless regarding all sense pleasures, Upasīva, said the Fortunate One,

ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitva-m-aññaṁ,
who is depending on nothingness, having given up all else,

saññāvimokkhe parame 'dhimutto -
intent on the highest freedom which still has perception -

tiṭṭheyya so tattha anānuyāyi.” [97 (1072) 6-4]
he will remain there without going away.”It means he will not return to this world.

 

“Tiṭṭhe ce so tattha anānuyāyi,
“If he remains there without going away

pūgam-pi vassānaṁ Samantacakkhu,
for a great number of years, All-Seeing Visionary,

tatth' eva so sītisiyā vimutto,
will he become cool and free right there,

cavetha viññāṇaṁ tathāvidhassa?” [98 (1073) 6-5]
or will the consciousness of such a one fall away?”The discussion now turns to the one who has attained Arahatta.

 

“Accī yathā vātavegena khittā, Upasīvā ti Bhagavā,
“As a flame overthrown by the force of the wind, Upasīva, said the Fortunate One,

atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ,
goes to rest and can no longer be discerned,

evaṁ Munī nāmakāyā vimutto
just so the Sage free from the mental body

atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ.” [99 (1074) 6-6]
goes to rest and can no longer be discerned.”

 

“Atthaṁgato so uda vā sŏ n' atthi? icc-āyasmā Upasīvo,
“The one who has come to rest, is he then nothing? said venerable Upasīva,

Udāhu ve sassatiyā arogo?
or is he actually eternally healthy?Upasīva is still thinking in terms of annihilation (uccheda) or eternal life (sassata). The Buddha points out that the truth is outside of conditioned reality.

Taṁ me Munī sādhu viyākarohi,
Please explain this to me, O Sage,

tathā hi te vidito esa Dhammo.” [100 (1075) 6-7]
for this Teaching has been understood by you.”

 

“Atthaṁgatassa na pamāṇam-atthi, Upasīvā ti Bhagavā,
“There is no measure of the one who has come to rest, Upasīva, said the Fortunate One,

yena naṁ vajju' taṁ tassa n' atthi,
there is nothing by which they can speak of him,

sabbesu dhammesu samūhatesu,
when everything has been completely removed,

samūhatā vādapathā pi sabbe” ti. [101 (1076) 6-8]
all the pathways for speech are also completely removed.”