THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTH; THE EIGHTFOLD NOBLE PATHS, & THE JHANAS

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taking the path of least resistance,

moving along the flow of variants
maintaining positive views & attitude
lowering the level of importance
free from favouring & opposing, dependence relationship comparing, &
judging
no retreating, but alow rooms for mistakes.

~ ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful

~ having overcome covetousness and grief concerning the world
~ independently dwell, cling to nothing in the world
~ contemplating origination & dissolution factors.

quite secluded from sensuality

secluded from unskillful (mental) qualities [or states]
enters & remains in the first jhana
rapture & happiness born of seclusion
accompanied by thinking & examining.

With the stilling of thinking & examining

he enters & remains in the second jhana
rapture & happiness born of concentration
unification of awareness free from thinking & examining
internal tranquility.

With the fading of rapture

he remains in equanimity,
mindful
clearly aware
and physically sensitive of pleasure.
He enters & remains in the third jhana,
of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a
pleasurable abiding.'

With the abandoning of pleasure & pain

as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress
he enters & remains in the fourth jhana
purity of equanimity & mindfulness
neither pleasure nor pain.
Katamo ca bhikkhave samma-samadhi?

And what is right concentration?

Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu vivicc'eva kamehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi, sa-

vitakkam sa-vicaram vivekajam-piti-sukham pathamam jhanam upasampajja
viharati.

Here, monks, a monk quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from

unskillful (mental) qualities, with thinking, with examining, born-of-seclusion -
rapture - happiness first jhana enters & dwells.

Vitakka-vicaranam vupasama, ajjhattam sampasadanam cetaso ekodi-

bhavam avitakkam avicaram, samadhijam-piti-sukham dutiyam jhanam
upasampajja viharati.

Thinking & examining cease, [yielding to] inward serenity having the
purpose of onepointedness; no thinking, no examining, born-of-concentration
- rapture - happiness second jhana enters & dwells.

Pitiya ca viraga, upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajano, sukhaca kayena

patisamvedeti, yan-tam ariya acikkhanti upekkhako satima sukha-vihariti,
tatiyam jhanam upasampajja viharati.

Rapture fading away, equanimity [he] remains in, mindful with clear
awareness, pleasure physically sensitive [to], of which Noble Ones declare
"Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding," third jhana enters &
dwells.

Sukhassa ca pahana dukkhassa ca pahana, pubbe va somanassa-

domanassanam atthangama, adukkham-asukham upekkha-sati-parisuddhim,
catuttham jhanam upasampajja viharati.

Pleasure is abandoned, pain is abandoned, as previously joy & grief were

abandoned; no pain, no pleasure, equanimity-mindfulness-purity fourth jhana
enters & dwells.

Ayam vuccati bhikkhave samma-samadhiti.

This is called, monks, right concentration.

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And what, monks, is right concentration?

There is the case where a monk -- quite secluded from sensuality, secluded
from unskillful (mental) qualities -- enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture
& happiness born of seclusion, accompanied by thinking & examining.

With the stilling of thinking & examining, he enters & remains in the second
jhana: rapture & happiness born of concentration, unification of awareness
free from thinking & examining -- internal tranquility.

With the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful & clearly aware,
and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters & remains in the third jhana,
of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a
pleasurable abiding.'

With the abandoning of pleasure & pain -- as with the earlier disappearance
of elation & distress -- he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of
equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.

This, monks, is called right concentration.

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