Bhikkhu Bodhi: This passage shows the arahant's abiding in the
Nibbana element with a residue remaining (of the factors of
conditioned existence, sa-upadisesa nibbanadhatu). Though he
continues to experience feelings, he is free from lust towards
pleasant feeling, from aversion towards painful feeling, and from
ignorance about neutral feeling.
MN 141:
22. “He understands thus: ‘If I were to direct this equanimity,
so purified and bright, to the base of infinite space and to
develop my mind accordingly, this would be conditioned. If I were
to direct this equanimity, so purified and bright, to the base of
infinite consciousness… to the base of nothingness…to the base of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception and to develop my mind
accordingly, this would be conditioned.’ He does not form any
condition or generate any volition tending towards either being or
non-being. Since he does not form any condition or generate any
volition tending towards either being or non-being, he does not
cling to anything in this world. When he does not cling, he is not
agitated. When he is not agitated, he personally attains Nibbāna.
He understands thus: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been
lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming
to any state of being.’
23. “If he feels a pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘It is
impermanent; there is no holding to it; there is no delight in it.’
If he feels a painful feeling, he understands: ‘It is impermanent;
there is no holding to it; there is no delight in it.’ If he feels
a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands: ‘It is
impermanent; there is no holding to it; there is no delight in
it.’
24. “If he feels a pleasant feeling, he feels it detached; if he
feels a painful feeling, he feels it detached; if he feels a
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he feels it detached. When he
feels a feeling terminating with the body, he understands: ‘I feel
a feeling terminating with the body.’ When he feels a feeling
terminating with life, he understands: ‘I feel a feeling
terminating with life.’ He understands: ‘On the dissolution of the
body, with the ending of life, all that is felt, not being
delighted in, will become cool right here.’ Bhikkhu, just as an
oil-lamp burns in dependence on oil and a wick, and when the oil
and wick are used up, if it does not get any more fuel, it is
extinguished from lack of fuel; so too when he feels a feeling
terminating with the body…a feeling terminating with life, he
understands: ‘I
feel a feeling terminating with life.’ He understands: ‘On the
dissolution of the body, with the ending of life, all that is felt,
not being delighted in, will become cool right
here.’
25. “Therefore a bhikkhu possessing [this wisdom] possesses the
supreme foundation of wisdom. For this, bhikkhu, is the supreme
noble wisdom, namely, the knowledge of the destruction of all
suffering.
26. “His deliverance, being founded upon truth, is unshakeable.
For that is false, bhikkhu, which has a deceptive nature, and that
is true which has an undeceptive nature – Nibbāna. Therefore a
bhikkhu possessing [this truth] possesses the supreme foundation of
truth. For this, bhikkhu, is the supreme noble truth, namely,
Nibbāna, which has a undeceptive nature.
27. “Formerly, when he was ignorant, he undertook and accepted
acquisitions; now he has abandoned them, cut them off at the root,
made them like a palm stump, done away with them so that they are
no longer subject to future arising. Therefore a bhikkhu possessing
[this relinquishment] possesses the supreme foundation of
relinquishment. For this, bhikkhu, is the supreme noble
relinquishment, namely, the relinquishing of all acquisitions.
