The Related Suttas Collection 40.9

1. By Moggallāna

A Question About the Signless

“They speak of this thing called the ‘signless samādhi of the mind’. What is the signless samādhi of the mind? It occurred to me: ‘It’s when a bhikkhu, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless samādhi of the mind. This is called the signless samādhi of the mind.’

And so … I was entering and remaining in the signless samādhi of the mind. While I was in that meditation, my consciousness followed after signs.

Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said, ‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna! Don’t neglect the signless samādhi of the mind, brahmin! Settle your mind in the signless samādhi of the mind; unify your mind and immerse it in the signless samādhi of the mind.’

And so, after some time … I entered and remained in the signless samādhi of the mind.

So if anyone should be rightly called a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”