an9.34
There he addressed the mendicants:
Tatra kho āyasmā sāriputto bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Reverends, extinguishment is bliss!
“sukhamidaṁ, āvuso, nibbānaṁ.
Extinguishment is bliss!”
Sukhamidaṁ, āvuso, nibbānan”ti.When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to him,
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
“But Reverend Sāriputta, what’s blissful about it, since nothing is felt?”
“kiṁ panettha, āvuso sāriputta, sukhaṁ yadettha natthi vedayitan”ti?“The fact that nothing is felt is precisely what’s blissful about it.
“Etadeva khvettha, āvuso, sukhaṁ yadettha natthi vedayitaṁ.
an9.41
Then my mind became secure in the cessation of perception and feeling; it was confident, settled, and decided about it. I saw it as peaceful.
Tassa mayhaṁ, ānanda, saññāvedayitanirodhe cittaṁ pakkhandati pasīdati santiṭṭhati vimuccati etaṁ santanti passato.
Mn59
It’s possible that wanderers of other religions might say,
Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, ānanda, vijjati yaṁ aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
‘The ascetic Gotama spoke of the cessation of perception and feeling, and he includes it in happiness.
‘saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samaṇo gotamo āha; tañca sukhasmiṁ paññapeti.
What’s up with that?’
Tayidaṁ kiṁsu, tayidaṁ kathaṁsū’ti?When wanderers of other religions say this, you should say to them,
Evaṁvādino, ānanda, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā:
‘Reverends, when the Buddha describes what’s included in happiness, he’s not just referring to pleasant feeling.
‘na kho, āvuso, bhagavā sukhaṁyeva vedanaṁ sandhāya sukhasmiṁ paññapeti;
The Realized One describes pleasure as included in happiness wherever it is found, and in whatever context.’”
api ca, āvuso, yattha yattha sukhaṁ upalabbhati yahiṁ yahiṁ taṁ taṁ tathāgato sukhasmiṁ paññapetī’”ti.
Sn41.6
“What’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a mendicant who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling?”
“yvāyaṁ, bhante, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, imesaṁ kiṁ nānākaraṇan”ti?“When someone dies, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled; their vitality is spent; their warmth is dissipated; and their faculties have disintegrated.
“Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato tassa kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu parikkhīṇo, usmā vūpasantā, indriyāni viparibhinnāni.
When a mendicant has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, their physical, verbal, and mental processes have ceased and stilled. But their vitality is not spent; their warmth is not dissipated; and their faculties are very clear.
Yo ca khvāyaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, tassapi kāyasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, vacīsaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, cittasaṅkhāro niruddho paṭippassaddho, āyu aparikkhīṇo, usmā avūpasantā, indriyāni vippasannāni.
That’s the difference between someone who has passed away and a mendicant who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling.”
Yvāyaṁ, gahapati, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṁ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno, idaṁ nesaṁ nānākaraṇan”ti.
No mind in cessation of perception and feeling, yet described as happy, peaceful.