English
According to their suitability, the Teacher divided the second jhāna, which has four factors, as without initial thought, with sustained thought only. For some, sustained thought arose as gross, while rapture, happiness, and one-pointedness of mind were subtle. According to their suitability, he divided the third jhāna, which has three factors. For some, rapture arose as gross, while happiness and one-pointedness of mind were subtle. According to their suitability, he divided the fourth jhāna, which has two factors. For some, happiness arose as gross, while equanimity and one-pointedness of mind were subtle. According to their suitability, he divided the fifth jhāna, which has two factors. This, indeed, is "the inclinations of individuals." But that element of the Dhamma, due to the thorough understanding of which, one attains the elegance of the teaching, is well understood by the Tathāgata. Therefore, being skilled in the methods of teaching, due to the greatness of knowledge, the teaching... The Teacher, skilled in exposition, directs the teaching as he wishes, according to the aspect he takes up. Thus, here he divides the first jhāna into five factors, the second jhāna into four factors, being only without initial application, with sustained application alone. He divides the third jhāna into three factors, the fourth jhāna into two factors, and the fifth jhāna also into two factors. This is called ‘skill in exposition.’ Moreover, of the three kinds of concentration taught by the Blessed One in the discourse, "There are these three kinds of concentration, monks: concentration with initial and sustained application, concentration with only sustained application, and concentration without initial and sustained application" (D. III, 305), the lower, concentration with initial and sustained application, and concentration without initial and sustained application, are shown divided, but that with only sustained application is not shown. It should be understood that this fivefold method is undertaken to show that too. In the description of the second jhāna, only the initial application is abandoned from among contact and so on. In the section on the divisions, "the jhāna is fourfold, the path is fourfold," this alone is the difference. The rest is all like the first jhāna. And what are the second, third, and fourth in the fourfold method, those are here the third, fourth, and fifth. This method should be understood as for showing the order of their attainment. It is said that a certain minister's son came from the countryside to the city to attend upon the king. Having seen the king only one day, he ruined all his wealth with addiction to drink. Having made him completely drunk and senseless for that one day, they covered him with a worn-out mat and carried him out of the tavern. Seeing him lying asleep on a heap of rubbish, a reader of physiognomy, having determined, 'This man will be a refuge for the great multitude, he should be cared for,' bathed him with clay, dressed him in a pair of coarse cloths, then bathed him again with scented water, covered him with a pair of fine linen cloths, brought him up to a mansion, fed him with fine food, and instructed the attendants, "Care for him thus." Having arranged it, he departed. Then they lifted him onto the couch. To prevent him from going to the drinking house, four men held him down, one at each of his hands and feet. One massaged his feet. One took a palm fan and fanned him. One sat playing the lute and singing. Having rested and recovered from his weariness by lying down, he awoke after a short nap, unable to bear the pressure on his hands and feet. "Who is squeezing my hands and feet? Go away!" he rebuked them. At his single word, they departed. Then, having taken another short nap, he awoke, unable to bear the foot massage. "Who is massaging my feet? Go away!" he said. He too departed at his single word. Again, having taken a short nap, he awoke, unable to bear the breeze from the palm fan, like a gust of wind. "Who is this? Let him go away!" he said. He too departed at his single word. Again, having taken another short nap, he awoke, unable to bear the sound of singing and music, like a pain in his ear, and rebuked the lute player. He too departed at his single word. Thus, gradually relieved of weariness, pressure, massage, the disturbance of the breeze, and the annoyance of singing and music, he slept comfortably, awoke, and went to the king. The king gave him great power. He became a refuge for the people. Here, the minister's son, ruined by addiction to drink, should be seen as the clansman ruined by many addictions, living at home. The Tathāgata is like the man who reads omens. The conclusion of that man, "This one will be a refuge for the people, he deserves care," is like the Tathāgata's conclusion, "This clansman will be a refuge for the people, he deserves ordination." Then, the minister's son being bathed with mud is like the clansman's obtaining ordination. Then, dressing him in coarse cloth is like dressing him in the garment of virtue consisting of the ten precepts. Again, bathing him with scented water is like this one being bathed with the restraint of the Pātimokkha. The bathing with scented water, Like that, the covering with fine linen, So too, the covering with the linen Of the perfection of purity of virtue, as described. The raising of him, covered in linen, to the palace, Like that, the raising of him, covered in the linen of virtue's purity, To the palace of the cultivation of concentration. Then, the eating of delicious food, Like that, the partaking of the nectar of the Dhamma, Such as mindfulness and clear comprehension, Which are helpful to concentration. Then, the attendants placing him, having eaten, on the bed, Like that, the placing of him on the bed of absorption, With the attentions of initial thought and so on. Then, the four men pressing his hands and feet, To prevent him from going to the drinking house, Like that, the initial thought of renunciation, Pressing the mind on the object, To prevent it from going towards sensual perceptions. The man massaging his feet, Like that, the sustained thought, Causing the mind to immerse in the object. The one providing the fan's breeze, Like that, the joy giving coolness to the mind. The musician pleasing his ear, Like that, the happiness pleasing the mind. His weariness gone by approaching the bed, And a little sleep coming upon him, Like that, the weariness of the hindrances gone By relying on access concentration, And the approaching of the first absorption. Then, when he has slept and awakened, The annoyance at the pressing of his hands and feet, And the scolding of those pressing his hands and feet, And their departure, and again a little sleep coming upon him, Like that, when he has arisen from the first absorption, The annoyance at the initial thought pressing the mind, And the seeing of the fault in initial thought, And with the abandoning of initial thought, Again the approaching of the second absorption, Which has only sustained thought. Then, when he has repeatedly slept and awakened, The annoyance, in the manner described, At the massaging of his feet and so on, And the scolding, in order, of those massaging his feet and so on, And the departure of each of those, And again a little sleep repeatedly coming upon him, Like that, when he has repeatedly arisen from the second absorption and so on, The annoyance at the faults described, Of sustained thought and so on, and the Seeing faults in the objects of examination, And repeatedly abandoning each of them, Approaching a jhana devoid of initial and sustained thought, Devoid of joy, with gladness abandoned. Just as the attainment of sovereignty Befalls a king rising from his bed and approaching, So too, the attainment of arahantship Befalls one rising from the fifth jhana, Approaching insight and the path. Just as the inevitability of many people Is for one who has attained sovereignty, So too, the inevitability of many Should be understood for one who has attained arahantship. For to this extent, It is called an unsurpassed field of merit. The Pentad Method is concluded. Thus far, the Ninefold Purification, Divided into the Tetrad and Pentad Methods, has been explained. But in essence, since the Tetrad Method Is included in the Pentad Method, It should be understood as simply the Five Jhanas. The Tetrad of Practices 176-180. Now, since this jhana Is accomplished by a gradual practice, Therefore, to show the variety of practices, "Which qualities are wholesome?" etc., is begun again. There, "practice is painful" means painful practice. "Knowledge is slow" means slow knowledge. Thus, "painful practice" or "slow knowledge" Or "earth kasina" are all names for the jhana itself. The same method applies in "painful practice, quick knowledge," etc. There, from the initial application of the mind Until the arising of the access concentration Of that particular jhana, The jhana-cultivation that occurs is called "practice." But from the access concentration until absorption, The wisdom that occurs is called "knowledge." Now, that practice is painful for some, Difficult and unpleasant to cultivate Due to the density of the arising Of opposing qualities such as the hindrances. For others, it is pleasant due to the absence of these. Knowledge, too, is slow for some, Weak, not quickly arising. For others, it is quick, Not weak, quickly arising. Therefore, one who initially suppresses the defilements With difficulty, effort, and exertion, struggling to suppress them, For him, the practice is called painful. But one who suppresses... One dwelling in defilements, with slow adaptation, attains the limbs with difficulty, his is called slow insight. One who attains the limbs quickly, his is called quick insight. One who suppresses defilements, easily, without toil, his is called pleasant practice.