Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XIII: Bhaya Vagga
Sutta 123
Jhāna Suttaṃ
Mental Absorption (1)
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Proofed against and modified in accordance with the revised edition at dhammatalks.org
For free distribution only.
[1][pts] "Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.
Which four?"
There is the case where an individual,
quite secluded from from sensuality,
secluded from from unskillful qualities,
enters and remains in the first jhāna:
rapture and pleasure born from seclusion,
accompanied by directed thought and evaluation.
He savors that,
longs for that,
finds satisfaction through that.
Staying there — fixed on that,
dwelling there often,
not falling away from that
— then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the devas of Brahma's retinue.
The devas of Brahma's retinue, monks,
have a life-span of an eon.
A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
goes to hell,
to the animal womb,
to the state of the hungry ghosts.
But a disciple of the Blessed One,
having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
is unbound right in that state of being.
This, monks, is the difference,
this the distinction,
this the distinguishing factor,
between an educated disciple of the noble ones
and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person,
when there is a destination, a reappearing.
■
"Again, there is the case where an individual,
with the stilling of directed thoughts and evaluations,
enters and remains in the second jhāna:
rapture and pleasure born of composure,
unification of awareness
free from directed thought and evaluation
— internal assurance.
He savors that,
longs for that,
finds satisfaction through that.
Staying there — fixed on that,
dwelling there often,
not falling away from that
— then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Abhassara [Radiant] devas.[1]
The Abhassara devas, monks,
have a life-span of two eons.
A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
goes to hell,
to the animal womb,
to the state of the hungry ghosts.
But a disciple of the Blessed One,
having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
is unbound right in that state of being.
This, monks, is the difference,
this the distinction,
this the distinguishing factor,
between an educated disciple of the noble ones
and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person,
when there is a destination, a reappearing.
■
"Again, there is the case where an individual,
with the fading of rapture,
remains equanimous, mindful, and alert,
and senses pleasure with the body,
and enters and remains in the third jhāna,
of which the Noble Ones declare,
'Equanimous and mindful,
he has a pleasant abiding.'
He savors that,
longs for that,
finds satisfaction through that.
Staying there — fixed on that,
dwelling there often,
not falling away from that
— then when he dies
he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakinha [Beautiful Black] devas.
The Subhakinha devas, monks,
have a life-span of four eons.
A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
goes to hell,
to the animal womb,
to the state of the hungry ghosts.
But a disciple of the Blessed One,
having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
is unbound right in that state of being.
This, monks, is the difference,
this the distinction,
this the distinguishing factor,
between an educated disciple of the noble ones
and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person,
when there is a destination, a reappearing.
■
"Again, there is the case
where an individual,
with the abandoning of pleasure and pain
— as with the earlier disappearance
of elation and distress —
enters and remains in the fourth jhāna:
purity of equanimity and mindfulness,
neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
He savors that,
longs for that,
finds satisfaction through that.
Staying there — fixed on that,
dwelling there often,
not falling away from that
— then when he dies
he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala [Sky-fruit] devas.
The Vehapphala devas, monks,
have a life-span of 500 eons.
A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
goes to hell,
to the animal womb,
to the state of the hungry ghosts.
But a disciple of the Blessed One,
having stayed there,
having used up all the life-span of those devas,
is unbound right in that state of being.
This, monks, is the difference,
this the distinction,
this the distinguishing factor,
between an educated disciple of the noble ones
and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person,
when there is a destination, a reappearing.
"These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world."
[1] The Abhassara, Subhakinha, and Vehapphala devas are all Brahmās on the level of form.
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