1At Sāvatthī.

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:

2“Good sir, do you understand liberation, emancipation, and seclusion for sentient beings?”

3“I do, sir.”

4“But how is it that you understand liberation, emancipation, and seclusion for sentient beings?”

5“With the ending of relish for rebirth,
the finishing of perception and consciousness,
and the cessation and stilling of feelings:
that, sir, is how I understand liberation,
emancipation, and seclusion for sentient beings.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

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: 

2"Jānāsi no tvaṁ, mārisa, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan"ti?

3"Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, āvuso, sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan"ti.

4"Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, jānāsi sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan"ti?

5"Nandībhavaparikkhayā,
Saññāviññāṇasaṅkhayā;
Vedanānaṁ nirodhā upasamā,
Evaṁ khvāhaṁ āvuso jānāmi;
Sattānaṁ nimokkhaṁ pamokkhaṁ vivekan"ti.