How differs Death and Ceasing of
Perception and Feeling?
Venerable
Mahakotthita once asked Venerable
Sariputta:
Friend,
what is the difference between a dead body and a Bhikkhu,
who has attained the state of cessation of perception and feeling?
Venerable Sariputta then answered:
Friend, in a dead
body all bodily activity is stilled, and has
all ceased.
All verbal activity is stilled, and has all
ceased.
all mental activity is stilled, and has all
ceased.
The metabolic life activity is exhausted. The heat has dissipated,
and the mental abilities have all broken up, and been destroyed.
In the Bhikkhu,
who has attained to the cessation of perception and feeling,
All bodily activity and breathing is
stilled, and has all ceased;
All verbal activity and all thinking is
stilled, and has all ceased;
All mental activity and all sensing is stilled, and has
completely ceased;
But the metabolic life activity is not exhausted. The heat has not dissipated.
Furthermost: The mental abilities have then become exceptionally
clear ... !
Friend, this is the difference between a dead body and a Bhikkhu,
who has
attained to the meditative state of cessation of perception and feeling...
More on the
profound attainment of stilled Cessation (Nirodha-samāpatti):
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/9_Stillings.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Ceasing.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anupubba_nirodha.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/nirodha_samaapatti.htm
Source: Majjhima Nikāya 43
:The Great Speech of Questions
and Answers.
For definitions of the Terms: See: The Minor Speech of
Questions and Answers.
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/ati_website/html/tipitaka/mn/mn.044.than.html
