8 deliverances

Last updated Feb 11, 2023 Edit Source

1. Experiencing forms on one’s own body, one visualizes internal forms, as if they were external, (e.g. an organ, bone, tooth, or nail). This is the first deliverance. 2. Experiencing external forms one perfectly visualizes these forms, as if they right in front of one. (e.g. a pond, a mountain, or a galaxy). This is the second deliverance. 3. Experiencing any form, one visualizes these as perfect images and thus fixed and assured thinks: This is exquisitely beautiful! This is the third deliverance. 4. Through the complete transcendence of experience of any form, with the passing away and silencing of all sensory reaction, without giving any attention to any experience of any diversity, detail or any difference whatsoever, solely aware that space is infinite and endless,one enters and dwells immersed in this subtle sphere of infinite space. This is the fourth deliverance. 5. By the transcendence of this infinitude of space, just singly aware that consciousness itself is infinite, one enters and dwells all immersed in that formless non-spatial sphere of the infinitude of consciousness. This is the fifth deliverance. 6. By wholly transcending this sphere of the infinite consciousness, only aware of that there is nothing, one enters and dwells immersed in this empty absent void of nothingness. This is the sixth deliverance. 7. By thoroughly transcending this open vacuity of void nothingness, one enters, and dwells immersed in the refined and paradoxical sphere of inert, inanimate, and stilled neitherperception-nor-non-perception. This is the seventh deliverance. 8. By leaving all behind, and transcending even this placid sphere of neither-perception-nornon-perception, one approaches and reaches the ultimate ceasing of all sensed experience, all perception and feeling. This is the eighth deliverance. These are the eight kinds of mental deliverance.