At Sāvatthī.
Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:
“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright. What meditation were you practicing today?”
“Reverend, with the fading away of rapture, I entered and remained in the third absorption, where I meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ But it didn’t occur to me: ‘I am entering the third absorption’ or ‘I have entered the third absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the third absorption’.”
“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it didn’t occur to you: ‘I am entering the third absorption’ or ‘I have entered the third absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the third absorption’.”