The Distinction Between the Instructed Noble Disciple with Formless Attainments and the Uninstructed Worldling

Monks, there are these three kinds of persons found existing in the world.

What three?

(1) Here, Monks, with the complete overcoming of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non‑attention to perceptions of diversity, [perceiving] ‘space is infinite,’ some person enters and resides in the base of the infinity of space.

He enjoys it, motivated towards it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often resides in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings of the base of the infinity of space.

The life span of the heavenly beings of the base of the infinity of space is 20,000 eons. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those heavenly beings, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of afflicted spirits. But The Perfectly Enlightened One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those heavenly beings, he attains Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment) in that very same state of existence.

This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed Noble Disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.

(2) Again, by completely overcoming the base of the infinity of space, [perceiving] ‘consciousness is infinite,’ someone here enters and resides in the base of the infinity of consciousness.

He enjoys it, motivated towards it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often resides in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings of the base of the infinity of consciousness.

The life span of the heavenly beings of the base of the infinity of consciousness is 40,000 eons. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those heavenly beings, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of afflicted spirits. But The Perfectly Enlightened One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those heavenly beings, he attains Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment) in that very same state of existence.

This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed Noble Disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.

(3) Again, Monks, by completely overcoming the base of the infinity of consciousness [perceiving] ‘there is nothing,’ some person here enters and resides in the base of nothingness.

He enjoys it, motivated towards it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often resides in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings of the base of nothingness.

The life span of the heavenly beings of the base of nothingness is 60,000 eons. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those heavenly beings, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the realm of afflicted spirits. But The Perfectly Enlightened One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those heavenly beings, he attains Final Nibbāna (Final Enlightenment) in that very same state of existence.

This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed Noble Disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.

These, Monks, are the three kinds of persons found existing in the world.

(Reference: AN 3.116)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares guidance very similar to previous Chapters in this book related to the attainments of “the base of the infinity of space”, “the base of the infinity of consciousness”, and “the base of nothingness”.

Detailed explanation of these attainments is available in this same book series found in Chapter 13 of the book “Breathing Mindfulness Meditation” (Volume 7).