5: Praticing Meditation – 322 

 

dwelt realizing this doctrine of his?” Udaka replied that his father did so to the 
extent of the absorption on the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. 

Then it occurred to the Bodhisatta: “Not only did Udaka’s father, Rāma the 
master, possess faith firm enough to attain the absorption on the sphere of 
neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I, too, have such faith leading to that 
absorption. Not only did he possess energy, mindfulness, concentration, and 
wisdom strong enough to reach the absorption on the sphere of neither-
perception-nor-non-perception, I, too, have such energy, mindfulness, 
concentration and wisdom to get there. 

Udaka’s father, Rāma the master, said that he had personally realized the eight 
mundane absorption attainments up to the absorption on the sphere of neither-
perception-nor-non-perception with the super knowledges (

abhiññā

) and dwelt 

blissfully therein. It would be good if I, too, were to strive to realize, like him, 
the eight mundane absorption attainments.” With this intent, he strenuously 
practised the preliminary duties (

kasiṇa-parikamma

), and within two or three 

days, he himself realized, like Udaka’s father, Rāma the master, the eight 
mundane absorption attainments up to the absorption on the sphere of neither-
perception-nor-non-perception

 

and dwelt blissfully therein. 

Then the Bodhisatta went again to the sect-leader Udaka and said: “Friend, did 
your father, Rāma the master, say that through this much of the practice, he had, 
by himself, realized with the super knowledges the eight mundane absorptions 
and dwelt blissfully therein?” When Udaka replied in the affirmative, the 
Bodhisatta informed him thus: “Friend, through this much of practice, I, too, 
have, by myself, realized with the super knowledges the eight mundane 
absorptions up to the absorption on the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-
perception and dwelt blissfully therein.” Thereupon, as befitting a noble person 
free from the mental impurity of envy and selfishness, Udaka the sect-leader, 
like Āḷāra the leader of the previous sect, spoke joyful words of altruism thus: 
“We have seen with our own eyes a fellow recluse and spiritual companion of 
sharp intelligence like you. It is a great gain for us, friend!” 

Udaka Offers Him Leadership 

Not only had the sect-leader Udaka spoken congratulatory words, as has been 
said above, as befitting one who was free from the mental impurity of envy and 
selfishness, he went further, saying: “Superb man, what my father, Rāma the