What does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to in SN 47.8?

SN 47.8 (Pali here) is translated as such: > *Bhikkhus, suppose a foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: > sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.* > > *That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master, > or he reached for this one, or he took a lot of this one, or he spoke > in praise of this one; or the sour curry pleased my master today, or > he reached for the sour one, or he took a lot of the sour one, or he > spoke in praise of the sour one; or the bitter curry … or the pungent > curry … or the sweet curry … or the sharp curry … or the mild curry … > or the salty curry … or the bland curry pleased my master … or he > spoke in praise of the bland one.’* > *That foolish, incompetent, unskilful cook does not gain gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that foolish, > incompetent, unskilful cook does not pick up the sign of his own > master’s preference.* > > *So too, bhikkhus, here some foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly > comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in > regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the > body, his mind does not become concentrated, his corruptions are not > abandoned, he does not pick up that sign. He dwells contemplating > feelings in feelings … mind in mind … phenomena in phenomena, ardent, > clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and > displeasure in regard to the world. While he dwells contemplating > phenomena in phenomena, his mind does not become concentrated, his > corruptions are not abandoned, he does not pick up that sign.* > > *That foolish, incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not gain pleasant dwellings in this very life, nor does he gain mindfulness and > clear comprehension. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that foolish, > incompetent, unskilful bhikkhu does not pick up the sign of his own > mind.* ____________________________________________________________ > > *Suppose, bhikkhus, a wise, competent, skilful cook were to present a king or a royal minister with various kinds of curries: sour, bitter, > pungent, sweet, sharp, mild, salty, bland.* > > *That wise, competent, skilful cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference: ‘Today this curry pleased my master … or he spoke > in praise of the bland one.’* > > *That wise, competent, skilful cook gains gifts of clothing, wages, and bonuses. For what reason? Because that wise, competent, skilful > cook picks up the sign of his own master’s preference.* > > *So too, bhikkhus, here some wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, > mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the > world. While he dwells contemplating the body in the body, his mind > becomes concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that > sign. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings … mind in mind … > phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having > removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he > dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena, his mind becomes > concentrated, his corruptions are abandoned, he picks up that sign.* > > *That wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu gains pleasant dwellings in this very life, and he gains mindfulness and clear comprehension. For > what reason? Because, bhikkhus, that wise, competent, skilful bhikkhu > picks up the sign of his own mind.”* What specific thing does the word 'nimitta' ('sign') refer to above in SN 47.8?