Sir Lal: “There is also a sutta, which describes Ven. Moggalana took off to “look for the end of the world.” He got lost on the way, and the Buddha had to rescue him. I don’t remember the name of that sutta.”
He was trying to travel through an absorption into an arupa One of infinite space. These are the sources I found, sir. The first source comes from forum that I found. I don’t know if the translations are good.
- This story occurs in chapter 40 (kindred sayings about Ven. Moggallana) of the Salayatana-vagga, which is the fourth book of the Samyutta-nikaya (book of kindred sayings).
The relevant passage (section 5, entitled ‘Space’) can be summed up as follows:
(Then I thought, friends) : “They say, ‘The realm of infinite space, the realm of infinite space.’ Now, what is the realm of infinite space?’
Then, friends, this occurred to me: Herein a brother, passing utterly beyond the perception of objects, by the coming to an end of the perception of resistance, by not attending to the perception of diversity, with the idea of “infinite is space,” enters on and abides in the realm of infinite space. This is called “ the realm of infinite space.”
So I, friends, passing utterly beyond the perception of objects . . . entered on and abode in the realm of infinite space.
But when I had thus abode (and had emerged from trance), perception and work of mind, connected with the perception of objects, still continued.
Thereupon, friends, the Exalted One by magic power came to me and said: “Moggallana, Moggallana, be not remiss in the realm of infinite space, brahmin ! **Make steadfast the mind, make the mind one-pointed, compose the mind in the realm of infinite space.”
So after that, friends, passing utterly beyond objects . . . I entered on and abode in the realm of infinite space.
Now, friends, if any would rightly say: “Helped by the Master the disciple won great super-knowledge,” of me would he rightly say: “Helped by the Master did the disciple win great super-knowledge.”’
- The other source is from Sutta Central:A Question About the Dimension of Infinite Space