English
He develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of exertion. "The four jhānas. Here, friends, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and pleasure. With the calming of initial and sustained application, with the internal assurance of the mind... entering and abiding in the second jhāna, which is born of concentration, without initial application and sustained application, with rapture and pleasure, unborn of initial and sustained application. With the fading of rapture, he dwells equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending, and experiences pleasure with the body, that which the noble ones declare: ‘He dwells in pleasure, equanimous and mindful.’ Thus he enters and abides in the third jhāna. With the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the disappearance of former joy and sorrow, he enters and abides in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. 307. “There are four developments of concentration. There is, friends, a development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life. There is, friends, a development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and vision. There is, friends, a development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension. There is, friends, a development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to the destruction of the taints. “And what, friends, is the development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life? Here, friends, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, with initial application… …he enters and abides in the fourth jhāna. This, friends, is the development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life. “And what, friends, is the development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and vision? Here, friends, a monk attends to the perception of light, he fixes his mind on the perception of day, as it is by day, so it is by night, as it is by night, so it is by day. Thus, with an open and unclouded mind, he cultivates a mind full of radiance. This, friends, is the development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and vision. “And what, friends, is the development of concentration, cultivated and made much of, that leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension? Here, friends, a monk Known, feelings arise, known, they persist, known, they pass away. Known, perceptions arise, known, they persist, known, they pass away. Known, thoughts arise, known, they persist, known, they pass away. This, friends, is the development of concentration, developed and cultivated, leading to mindfulness and clear comprehension. And what, friends, is the development of concentration, developed and cultivated, leading to the destruction of the taints? Here, friends, a monk dwells observing the rise and fall in the five aggregates of clinging. Thus is form, thus is the origin of form, thus is the passing away of form. Thus are feelings... thus are perceptions... thus are volitional formations... thus is consciousness, thus is the origin of consciousness, thus is the passing away of consciousness. This, friends, is the development of concentration, developed and cultivated, leading to the destruction of the taints. 308. Four immeasurables. Here, friends, a monk dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness. So too the second. So too the third. So too the fourth. Thus above, below, around, everywhere, in every way, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. He dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with compassion... So too with a mind imbued with appreciative joy... So too with a mind imbued with equanimity, pervading one direction. So too the second. So too the third. So too the fourth. Thus above, below, around, everywhere, in every way, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. Four formless attainments. Here, friends, a monk, by completely surmounting perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, thinking, 'Space is infinite,' enters and dwells in the sphere of infinite space. By completely surmounting the sphere of infinite space, thinking, 'Consciousness is infinite,' enters and dwells in the sphere of infinite consciousness. entering and dwelling in the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking, "infinite consciousness." Completely transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, entering and dwelling in the sphere of nothingness, thinking, "there is nothing at all." Completely transcending the sphere of nothingness, entering and dwelling in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Four supports. Here, friends, a monk reflects on one thing and uses it, reflects on one thing and endures it, reflects on one thing and avoids it, reflects on one thing and dispels it. 309. Four noble lineages. Here, friends, a monk is content with any kind of robe, and speaks in praise of contentment with any kind of robe, and does not, for the sake of robes, engage in an unsuitable quest; not having obtained a robe, he is not agitated, having obtained a robe, he uses it unattached, uninfatuated, unabsorbed, seeing its danger, with wisdom of escape; and with that contentment with any kind of robe, he neither exalts himself nor disparages others. Whoever there is skillful, not lazy, fully aware, mindful, this, friends, is called – 'a monk established in the ancient, foremost noble lineage'. Furthermore, friends, a monk is content with any kind of almsfood, and speaks in praise of contentment with any kind of almsfood, and does not, for the sake of almsfood, engage in an unsuitable quest; not having obtained almsfood, he is not agitated, having obtained almsfood, he uses it unattached, uninfatuated, unabsorbed, seeing its danger, with wisdom of escape; and with that contentment with any kind of almsfood, he neither exalts himself nor disparages others. Whoever there is skillful, not lazy, fully aware, mindful, this, friends, is called – 'a monk established in the ancient, foremost noble lineage'. Furthermore, friends, a monk is content with any kind of lodging, and speaks in praise of contentment with any kind of lodging, and does not, for the sake of lodging, engage in an unsuitable quest; not having obtained lodging, he is not agitated, having obtained lodging, he unattached, uninfatuated, unabsorbed, seeing the danger, wise in escape, he partakes; and with that contentment with any kind of robes and almsfood, he neither exalts himself nor disparages others. Whoever is skillful there, not lazy, fully aware, mindful, this, friends, is called— ‘a monk standing in the ancient, foremost, noble lineage.’ Again, friends, a monk delights in abandoning, is devoted to abandoning, delights in development, is devoted to development; and with that delight in abandoning, devotion to abandoning, delight in development, devotion to development, he neither exalts himself nor disparages others. Whoever is skillful there, not lazy, fully aware, mindful, this, friends, is called— ‘a monk standing in the ancient, foremost, noble lineage.’ 310. Four right efforts. The effort of restraint, the effort of abandoning, the effort of development, the effort of protection. And what, friends, is the effort of restraint? Here, friends, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is not a perceiver of its general appearance, nor of its specific features. Because of which, if he were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might flow in upon him, for its restraint he practices, he guards the eye-faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye-faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear… having smelled an odor with the nose… having tasted a flavor with the tongue… having touched a tangible with the body… having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not a perceiver of its general appearance, nor of its specific features. Because of which, if he were to dwell with the mind-faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might flow in upon him, for its restraint he practices, he guards the mind-faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the mind-faculty. This, friends, is called the effort of restraint. And what, friends, is the effort of abandoning? Here, friends, a monk does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensual desire, he abandons it, he dispels it, he puts an end to it, he makes it disappear. An arisen thought of ill-will… ...and so on... an arisen thought of harm... any arisen evil unwholesome states he does not tolerate, he abandons, he dispels, he makes an end of, he brings to annihilation. This, friend, is called the exertion of abandoning. And what, friend, is the exertion of development? Here, friend, a monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. He develops the enlightenment factor of investigation of states... He develops the enlightenment factor of energy... He develops the enlightenment factor of rapture... He develops the enlightenment factor of tranquility...