If I’m understanding correctly, this sounds unlike other suttas which claim exotic realms beyond this world so it surprises and intrigues me. Does anyone know what sutta this might refer to?
In Theravada ‘worlds’ refers to all conditioned realms of the thirty one planes. Nibbana is unconditioned, and is conceptually known by distinguishing it from conditioned experience. That is the first task of insight, and any Buddhist practice such as pondering this sutta, is classed as turning the mind towards it:
" There is, monks, an unborn[1] — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there would not be the case that escape from the born — become — made — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, escape from the born — become — made — fabricated is discerned.[2]"
—Udana 8.3
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