Sphere of infinite consciousness

viññāṇañcāyatana

Serenity (samatha) Going deeper Stage 6 of 8

The sphere of infinite consciousness (a formless attainment).

On the path: 6 · Mindfulness and immersion — How does the mind become present, steady and penetrating? Satipaṭṭhāna, mindfulness of breathing, the factors of awakening, samādhi, the absorptions, serenity and insight. → to this stage in the learning path

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Appears in

What Nibbāna is not Nibbāna (part 3)

Across all traditions

Passages where viññāṇañcāyatana occurs literally — in the original, and, where a German translation of the same lines exists, in German.

Tipiṭaka · sn6.15 · German

Saññāvedayitanirodhā vuṭṭhahitvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākiñcaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Viññāṇañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākāsānañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā samanantaraṁ bhagavā parinibbāyi.

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Tipiṭaka · s4 · Pāli

337 . ‘‘‘Viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ, viññāṇañcāyatana’nti vuccati. Katamaṃ nu kho viññāṇañcāyatananti? Tassa mayhaṃ, āvuso, etadahosi – ‘idha bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma anantaṃ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati. Idaṃ vuccati viññāṇañcāyatana’nti. So khvāhaṃ, āvuso, sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma anantaṃ viññāṇanti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharāmi . Tassa mayhaṃ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato ākāsānañcāyatanasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.
Pāli commentaries · Visuddhimaggo (Paṭhamo bhāgo) · Pāli

284 . Idhāpi sabbaso ti idaṃ vuttanayameva. Viññāṇañcāyatana nti etthāpi ca pubbe vuttanayeneva jhānampi viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ ārammaṇampi. Ārammaṇampi hi purimanayeneva viññāṇañcañca taṃ dutiyassa āruppajjhānassa ārammaṇattā devānaṃ devāyatanaṃ viya adhiṭṭhānaṭṭhena āyatanañcāti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ . Tathā viññāṇañcañca taṃ tasseva jhānassa sañjātihetuttā ‘‘kambojā assānaṃ āyatana’’ntiādīni viya sañjātidesaṭṭhena āyatanañcātipi viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ .
Tipiṭaka · lpm3 · Pāli

361 . Tadanudhamma nti tassa arūpāvacarassa kusalassa anurūpadhammaṃ, yāya paṭipadāya tassa adhigamo hoti, tassa pubbabhāgapaṭipadanti attho. Tenāha ‘‘rūpāvacarajjhāna’’ nti. Taggahaṇā ti tassa gahaṇena tassā paṭipattiyā paṭipajjamānena. Ito uttari nti ‘‘viññāṇañcāyatana’’ntiādīsu.
Pāli commentaries · mūlapaṇṇāsa-aṭṭhakathā · Pāli

bbhūmikā cattāro kusalavipākakiriyā khandhā| te ca tatrūpapannāyeva daṭṭhabbā bhavaparicchedakathā ayanti katvā| esa nayo viññāṇañcāyatanā dīsu| atthayojanā pana catūsupi etesu vāresu abhibhūvāre vuttanayeneva veditabbā| mānamaññanā cettha pajāpativāre vuttanayenāpi yujjati|

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