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Udāna 8.1 describes what appears to be a radically transcendent “dimension” — one beyond the elements, the formless attainments, and even beyond movement, time, and dualistic perception. It is characterized entirely by negation, culminating in the phrase: "just this is the end of stress/suffering."-

There is that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there, I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor staying; neither passing away nor arising: unestablished, unevolving, without support (mental object). This, just this, is the end of stress.

Have any advanced practitioners, past or present, claimed to have directly realized this dimension? If so:

  • How was the realization described? Was it marked by total cessation, a kind of knowing without content, or something altogether ineffable?

  • Was there awareness during the experience? Or did it resemble the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti), with no consciousness during and only retrospective insight after?

  • How was the transition into and out of this dimension understood? Did it feel like a gradual absorption, a sudden drop, or a shift beyond all experience?

  • Did practitioners interpret it as a momentary event or as the uncovering of a timeless truth? In other words, is this dimension entered, or is it recognized as always already the case?

  • What changed after the experience? Were there shifts in perception, identity, or sense of reality that aligned with the description of “no coming, no going” and “no this world or another world”?

I understand that language may fall short in describing such a realization, but I’m curious whether any teachings or testimonies exist that give practical or phenomenological insight into what this “dimension” might entail — and whether realization is framed as a momentary insight or an ongoing mode of liberation.

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  • Is this explaining the realm of nothingness? Commented Jun 29 at 21:23

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Part of the description in that sutta reminds me of this Zen story

The True Path

Just before Ninakawa passed away the Zen master Ikkyu visited him. "Shall I lead you on?" Ikkyu asked.

Ninakawa replied: "I came here alone and I go alone. What help could you be to me?"

Ikkyu answered: "If you think you really come and go, that is your delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and no going."

With his words, Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that Ninakawa smiled and passed away.

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The Pali word translated as "dimension" is "ayatana", which simply means a "sense object". For example, the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti) in the Pali Suttas is never called a "dimension" ("ayatana") - refer to MN 111. The cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha-samāpatti) is impermanent and thus not NIbbana, which is why it is "emerged from" - refer to MN 44. As for Nibbana, it is not transitioned into and out of, as Ud 8.1 says. All Ud 8.1 is saying is Nibbana is not those phenomena listed. To understand Ud 8.1, the technical terms used must be understood, in the manner they are unambiguously explained in other suttas. For example, SN 22.53 explains the meaning of "unestablished (appatiṭṭhaṁ), unevolving, without support (anārammaṇam)". As for what is translated as "unevolving" (appavattaṁ), this word appears not found elsewhere in the suttas (i.e., apart from Ud 8.1) attributed to the Buddha but is found in later texts. The principle later text in which appavattaṁ is found is the Paṭisambhidāmagga, which says appavattaṁ is to be directly known/experienced (appavattaṁ abhiññeyyaṁ). In summary, by using the term "dimension/ayatana", Ud 8.1 is saying Nibbana is something experienced by the mind (but is not the mind). In short, Ud 8.1 is simply saying Nibbana related to non-attachment rather than is related to any type of consciousness or perception.

Also, there are no advanced practitioners who claim direct realisation to lay people, because this is a transgression of the Vinaya. To be a Buddhist, one must believe the Buddha explained the Dhamma perfectly, therefore the needed explanations are found in the Pali Suttas.

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