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showing that he attained this unsurpassed state of pre-eminence through practice, he spoke thus: Therein, "My energy, brahmin, was aroused," means, brahmin, I did not attain this unsurpassed state of pre-eminence through idleness, forgetfulness, agitated body, or distracted mind. Rather, for its attainment, my energy was aroused. Seated at the Bodhi-mandala, I aroused energy endowed with four factors. It means it was sustained, not slackly maintained. And because it was aroused, it was not sluggish. Not only energy, but mindfulness was also present to me, facing the object. And because it was present, it was not forgotten. "The body was calm, not agitated," means my body was also calm by way of the calmness of body and mind. Therein, since when the mental body is calm, the physical body is also calm, it is said "the body was calm" without distinguishing between mental body and physical body. "Not agitated" means that because it was calm, it was not agitated, meaning it was free from distress. "The mind was concentrated, one-pointed," means my mind was well-placed, well-established, as if fixed; and because it was concentrated, it was one-pointed, unmoving, unwavering. Thus far, the preliminary practice for jhāna has been described. Description of the First Jhāna Now, showing the special attainment, beginning with the first jhāna attained through this practice and culminating in the three knowledges, he begins by saying, "So I..." Therein, regarding "detached from sensual pleasures, detached from unwholesome states," etc., although "What are sensual pleasures there? Desire is sensual pleasure, lust is sensual pleasure, desirous lust is sensual pleasure; intention is sensual pleasure, lust is sensual pleasure, intentional lust is sensual pleasure – these are called sensual pleasures. What are unwholesome states there? Sensual desire... doubt – these are called unwholesome states. Thus, one is detached, completely detached, from these sensual pleasures and these unwholesome states. Therefore it is said – 'detached from sensual pleasures, detached from unwholesome states...'" in the manner of "having separated" and so on (Vibha. 564), the meaning is stated in the Vibhaṅga itself. Even so, since it is not clearly evident without the commentary's method, we will explain it according to the commentary's method. That is to say – "having separated from sensual pleasures" means having separated from sensual pleasures, having been without them, having withdrawn. And this particle "eva" (even, only) here should be understood as having the meaning of restriction. And because it has the meaning of restriction, it indicates that even those sensual pleasures which are not present at the time of attaining and dwelling in the first jhāna are opponents of that first jhāna, and that its attainment is only through the abandonment of sensual pleasures. How? When restriction is made thus: "having separated only from sensual pleasures," this becomes clear. Surely, sensual pleasures are opponents of this jhāna; when they are present, this jhāna does not arise, just as a lamp does not arise when there is darkness. And its attainment is only through their abandonment, just as the far shore is attained by abandoning the near shore. Therefore, it makes a restriction. Here it might be asked – "Why is this stated only in the first phrase and not in the second phrase? Could one attain and dwell in jhāna even without separating from unwholesome states?" This should not be seen in that way. For it is stated in the first phrase because of its escape from them. For this jhāna is an escape from sensual pleasures themselves, because it transcends the sense-sphere and is an opponent of sensual passion. As it is said – "This is the escape from sensual pleasures, namely renunciation" (Itivu. 72). But in the second phrase also, just as the particle "eva" is brought in and stated in "Here, monks, is the first recluse; here, the second recluse" (M.N. 1.139), so it should be stated. For it is not possible to attain and dwell in jhāna without separating from other unwholesome states, namely the hindrances. Therefore, it should be seen in both phrases as "having separated only from sensual pleasures, having separated only from unwholesome states." And in both phrases, although all kinds of separation, such as separation by way of substitution and physical separation, are included by the common word "viviccā" (having separated), nevertheless, physical separation, mental separation, and three kinds of seclusion are to be seen here. By the word "from sensual pleasures" those material sensual pleasures which are described in the exposition as "what are the desirable forms that are objects of sensual pleasure?" and so on, and those defilement-sensual pleasures which are described in the same place and in the Vibhaṅga as "desire is sensual pleasure" and so on, all of these are to be understood as included. Thus, "having secluded himself from sensual pleasures" means having secluded himself even from material sensual pleasures. Thereby, physical seclusion is stated. "Having secluded himself from unwholesome states" means having secluded himself from defilement-sensual pleasures or from all unwholesome states. Thereby, mental seclusion is stated. By the former, the renunciation of the happiness of material sensual pleasures is made clear by the statement of seclusion from material sensual pleasures. By the latter, the embrace of the happiness of renunciation is made clear by the statement of seclusion from defilement-sensual pleasures. Thus, by the statement of seclusion from material sensual pleasures and defilement-sensual pleasures, by the former, the abandonment of the objects of defilement, and by the latter, the abandonment of defilement itself; by the former, the renunciation of the cause of greediness, and by the latter, of foolishness; and by the former, purity of practice, and by the latter, the cultivation of aspiration is made clear. This is to be understood. This is the method regarding the side of material sensual pleasures among the sensual pleasures mentioned here as "from sensual pleasures." On the side of defilement-sensual pleasures, however, sensual desire itself, which has many distinctions such as "desire" and "lust," is intended as "sensual pleasure." Although it is included in unwholesome states, it is stated separately in the Vibhaṅga as an opponent to jhāna, in the manner "what is sensual desire that is sensual pleasure?" and so on. Or, it is stated in the first phrase because it is a defilement-sensual pleasure, and in the second phrase because it is included in unwholesome states. And because of its many distinctions, it is said "from sensual pleasures" and not "from sensual pleasure." Even though other states are also unwholesome, in the Vibhaṅga (Vibha. 564) only the hindrances are mentioned in the manner "what are the unwholesome states? Sensual desire," and so on, because they are seen as the opposing factors to the jhāna factors above. For the hindrances are opponents to the jhāna factors, and the jhāna factors themselves are their counter- are opponents, destroyers, it is said. Thus, it is said in the Petaka: "Concentration is the opponent of sensual desire, Joy is the opponent of ill-will, Initial application is the opponent of sloth and torpor, Happiness is the opponent of restlessness and remorse, Sustained application is the opponent of doubt." Thus, here, by "secluded from sensual pleasures," the suppression-seclusion of sensual desire is stated. By "secluded from unwholesome states," that of all five hindrances. By taking what is not yet taken, the first refers to sensual desire, the second to the remaining hindrances. Similarly, the first refers to the greed related to the five strands of sensual pleasure, which are aspects of the three unwholesome roots; the second refers to hatred and delusion related to objects of irritation and so on. Or, among states like floods, the first refers to the flood of sensuality, the yoke of sensuality, the canker of sensuality, the clinging to sensuality, the bodily fetter of covetousness, the fetter of sensual passion; the second refers to the remaining floods, yokes, cankers, clingings, fetters, and bonds. The first refers to craving and its associated states, the second to ignorance and its associated states. Furthermore, the first refers to the eight consciousnesses associated with greed, the second refers to the suppression-seclusion of the remaining four unwholesome consciousnesses. This should be understood. This is the elucidation of the meaning in "secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states." Having thus shown the abandoning factor of the first jhāna, now, showing the accompanying factor, it begins with "with initial application, with sustained application." There, "vitakkanaṃ vitakko" means initial application, it is said to be "ūhanaṃ" (lifting up). This has the characteristic of directing the mind onto the object, its function is to strike and repeatedly strike. Thus, it is said: "By it, the meditator makes the object struck by initial application, repeatedly struck by initial application." Its manifestation is bringing the mind to the object. "Vicaraṇaṃ vicāro" means sustained application, it is said to be "anusañcaraṇaṃ" (roaming about). This has the characteristic of mulling over the object, its function is to keep the co-arisen states engaged there, its manifestation is keeping the mind continuously connected. Although they are sometimes inseparable, due to their grossness, the sound of a bell striking This is the mind's first striking, thinking. In a subtle sense, like an echo, a continuous pondering is investigation. Here, thinking is the mind's spreading out, its agitated state. Like the flapping of a bird's wings, wanting to fly into the sky. Or like a bee whose mind is attached to scent, falling towards a lotus.