English
And here, although one-pointedness of mind is not specified in this reading "with initial application and sustained application," it is indeed a factor, as it is said in the Vibhanga, "Jhāna is initial application, sustained application, joy, happiness, and one-pointedness of mind." Having shown the attainment of the first jhāna in this way, now, after making the first jhāna, which has been attained immediately after that, mastered with the five masteries consisting of adverting, attaining, emerging, determining, and reviewing, and rising from that, seeing the fault in it because of its proximity to the hindrances and because of its association with the disturbance of gross initial and sustained application, abandoning attachment, and repeatedly attending to that same meditation subject for the sake of abandoning the gross factors such as initial application and for the sake of gaining the subtle factors such as joy, the second jhāna arises, and to show the supramundane jhāna that is its basis in terms of the individual, he said, "With the subsiding of initial and sustained application," and so on. There, "subsiding" means transcending, it means the non-appearance at the moment of the second jhāna. "Inwardly" means born in oneself, it means produced in one's own being. "Serenity" means jhāna is also serenity because of the association with serenity, which is faith, just like a blue cloth because of the association with the blue color. "Unification" here means... Because it is not overcome by initial and sustained thought, it arises as one, foremost, best: one-pointedness, concentration. He cultivates that, develops that: the second absorption, one-pointedness. But this one-pointedness is of the mind, not of a being, not of a life, therefore this is said to be "one-pointedness of mind." But surely this confidence is also in the first absorption, and this concentration is called one-pointedness, so why is it said thus only here? It is said – in this absorption, confidence and concentration are strong due to the absence of the disturbance of initial and sustained thought, therefore it is said thus only here. "Without initial thought, without sustained thought" because they are abandoned by cultivation, there is no initial thought or sustained thought in this, or for it, initial thought or sustained thought, not like the third absorption and so on, nor like eye-consciousness and so on, because of having attained absence, therefore this statement "with the stilling of initial and sustained thought" should be seen as a causal statement. "Born of concentration" born from the concentration of the first absorption, or from the concentration associated with it, this alone is said to be "born of concentration" to describe the excellence of the mind due to the absence of the disturbance of initial thought and so on. "Having attained, he dwells" means having attained the second absorption that is thus devoid of two factors, endowed with three factors, and possessed of three kinds of goodness and so on, he lives in the manner described above. Having thus shown the attainment of the second absorption, now, after that, for one who has attained the second absorption, having made it mastered in the manner described above, and seeing fault in it because of the proximity of initial and sustained thought as enemies, and because of its association with coarse factors of joy, having abandoned attachment, and repeatedly attending to that same object for the abandonment of those coarse factors and the acquisition of the remaining subtle factors, the third absorption arises, and also the supramundane that is its basis, to show that, he said "with the fading away of joy" and so on. There, fading away is fading, transcendence, therefore, "with the fading away." The "and" combines the stilling of initial and sustained thought: "with the fading away of joy, and with the stilling of initial and sustained thought." This is said to indicate the path of its arising, and to describe its excellence. "He dwells equanimous." Here, "upekkhā" means looking with equanimity, seeing without bias, a state of balance there. Because the third jhāna possessor is endowed with that clear, strong state, the foundation for detachment from joy, he is called "upekkhako," the equanimous one. But this equanimity becomes fully manifest only here, with the absence of disturbance from vitakka, etc., not in the first jhāna, etc. "Mindful and clearly comprehending" is spoken with reference to a person, meaning both mindfulness and clear comprehension. And this happiness, accompanied by joy, stands by the power of mindfulness and clear comprehension. Then, like a calf pulled away by the strength of a rope, joy does not approach the cow. And in this exceedingly sweet happiness, yogis do not become attached, not otherwise. This also should be understood as being stated here to show this special meaning. And regarding "experiences happiness with the body," although the third jhāna possessor has no enjoyment of experiencing happiness, even so, since the very refined happiness is associated with his mind-body, and his body is pervaded by the very refined form arising from that happiness, such that even after rising from the jhāna, he might experience physical happiness, therefore, showing this meaning, he said, "experiences happiness with the body." "Yaṃ tantiādīsu yanti" means because, yaṃ, the cause of jhāna. "Tanti" means that person possessing the third jhāna, the noble ones, such as Buddhas, declare and praise, saying, "Equanimous, mindful, dwelling in happiness." Thus, having attained and abiding in the third jhāna, which is devoid of one factor, endowed with two factors, and possessed of threefold goodness, etc., is the meaning. But the jhāna that is stated in the Vibhanga as "jhāna is equanimity, mindfulness, clear comprehension, happiness, and one-pointedness of mind," that is stated by way of explanation to show the jhāna with its requisites. But in terms of the characteristics of contemplation, happiness, and one-pointedness of mind, this should be understood as only twofold. As it was said, "Jhāna is twofold," etc. Having thus shown the attainment of the third jhāna, now, immediately after that, Having made that third absorption, which he has mastered, the basis, and having risen from it, seeing the fault in the way described there, and having exhausted craving, for the abandonment of coarse happiness factors, and for the attainment of the remaining peaceful factors, namely equanimity and one-pointedness, focusing on that same object, the fourth absorption arises, and the supramundane absorption that supports it. To show this from the perspective of the individual, he said, "With the abandoning of pleasure." Therein, "With the abandoning of pleasure, and with the abandoning of pain," means with the abandoning of physical pleasure and pain. "Formerly," means that it was formerly, not at the moment of the fourth absorption. "The disappearance of joy and sorrow," means with the abandoning of mental pleasure and pain formerly. When does this abandonment occur? At the access moment of the four absorptions. For pain and sorrow, and pleasure and joy, are abandoned respectively at the access moment of the first to fourth absorptions. If so, why is it said that "Quite secluded… he attains and abides in the first absorption, and the painful feeling that arises here ceases without remainder… he attains and abides in the fourth absorption, and the joyful feeling that arises here ceases without remainder" and thus cessation is mentioned only in the absorptions? Because the cessation is mentioned in its most complete form. For the cessation that occurs at the access moments is indeed cessation, but not complete cessation; that occurs only at the moments of absorption. Therefore, the term "without remainder" is used in each case. However, these feelings, though abandoned there, are brought together here for the sake of the subtle characteristic of neither-pain-nor-pleasure, to distinguish pleasure from pain and the like, to describe the qualities of this absorption, and to show its conditions. As he said, "There are, friend, four conditions for the attainment of the liberation of mind that is neither-pain-nor-pleasure. Here, friend, a bhikkhu, with the abandoning of pleasure," and so on. "Purity of mindfulness due to equanimity" means generated by equanimity, which is the state of being in the middle. Purity through mindfulness. For that is purity through non-affliction. And not only here is mindfulness pure through equanimity, but also all associated mental states, but this teaching is given with mindfulness as the head. He dwells having attained, thus having abandoned one factor, possessed of two factors, endowed with the threefold excellence, etc., he lives with a mode of life corresponding to the fourth jhāna, this is the meaning. Having shown the four rūpāvacara and lokuttara jhānas in this way, now, showing the arūpāvacara jhāna, firstly, for one who has attained the fourth rūpāvacara jhāna in this way, for the overcoming of the seen danger in the form of the body, in terms of taking up sticks, etc., and diseases such as eye ailments, having produced the fourth jhāna in one of the nine kasiṇas that are without the ākāsa-kasiṇa, and because the image of the kasiṇa, which is the object of that, is an image of the form of the body, just as one fleeing in fear of a snake following in the forest takes a rope, palm leaf, etc., as an image of a snake, wishing to overcome it, having mastered that jhāna in five ways, and having arisen from that, seeing the fault in that, because of the object being a repulsive image of form, and because it is the opponent of nearby joy, having exhausted attachment, because there is no overcoming of the limbs, having overcome the object, thinking of the ākāsānañcāyatana as peaceful,