“Reverend, they speak of ‘a safe place’. “‘Khemaṁ, kheman’ti, āvuso, vuccati. In what way did the Buddha speak of a safe place?” Kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, khemaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā”ti?

“First, take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and remains in the first absorption. “Idhāvuso, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. To this extent the Buddha spoke of a safe place in a qualified sense. … Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, khemaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā pariyāyena …pe….

Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end. Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. To this extent the Buddha spoke of a safe place in a definitive sense.” Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, khemaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā nippariyāyenā”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.