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an9.36 · Jhānasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.36

The Numerical Discourses 9.36

4. Mahāvagga
  1. The Great Chapter
Jhānasutta

Jhāna

“Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

“Relying on the first jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

dutiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the second jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

tatiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the third jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the fourth jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

viññāṇañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the dimension of infinite viññāṇa [viññāṇañcāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the dimension of nothingness [ākiñcaññāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

nevasaññānāsaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi;

relying on the dimension of neither saññā nor non-saññā [nevasaññānāsaññāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas;

saññāvedayitanirodhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi.

relying on the cessation of saññā and what is felt [saññāvedayitanirodha], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas.

‘Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

‘Relying on the first jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’ so it was said.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

And in reference to what was this said?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

Whatever there is in it of form [rūpa], vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāras, and viññāṇa, he contemplates those dhammas as impermanent [aniccato], as dukkha, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self [anattato].

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

He turns his citta away from those dhammas.

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

Having turned his citta away from those dhammas, he directs his citta to the deathless element:

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime: the settling [samatho] of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.’

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

Standing there, he attains the destruction of the āsavas.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

If he does not attain the destruction of the āsavas, then, through that very desire for dhamma and that delight in dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one spontaneously reborn, one who is fully quenched there, not liable to return from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso vā issāsantevāsī vā tiṇapurisarūpake vā mattikāpuñje vā yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā;

Suppose, bhikkhus, an archer or an archer’s apprentice, having practiced on a straw man or a heap of clay, later becomes a long-distance shooter, a lightning marksman, and a splitter of a great mass;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

so too, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

Whatever there is in it of form [rūpa], vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāras, and viññāṇa, he contemplates those dhammas as impermanent [aniccato], as dukkha, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self [anattato].

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

He turns his citta away from those dhammas.

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

Having turned his citta away from those dhammas, he directs his citta to the deathless element:

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime: the settling [samatho] of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.’

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

Standing there, he attains the destruction of the āsavas.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

If he does not attain the destruction of the āsavas, then, through that very desire for dhamma and that delight in dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one spontaneously reborn, one who is fully quenched there, not liable to return from that world.

‘Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti,

‘Relying on the first jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the *āsavas,’

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

what was said thus was said in reference to this.

Dutiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya …pe…

Relying on the second jhāna, bhikkhus …

tatiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya …pe…

relying on the third jhāna, bhikkhus …

‘catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

‘Relying on the fourth jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’ so it was said.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

And in reference to what was this said?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of sukha and the abandoning of dukkha, and with the previous disappearance of joy and dejection, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither dukkha nor sukha, and is purity of sati through upekkhā.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

Whatever there is in it of form [rūpa], vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāras, and viññāṇa, he contemplates those dhammas as impermanent [aniccato], as dukkha, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self [anattato].

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

He turns his citta away from those dhammas.

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

Having turned his citta away from those dhammas, he directs his citta to the deathless element:

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime: the settling [samatho] of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.’

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

Standing there, he attains the destruction of the āsavas.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

If he does not attain the destruction of the āsavas, then, through that very desire for dhamma and that delight in dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one spontaneously reborn, one who is fully quenched there, not liable to return from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso vā issāsantevāsī vā tiṇapurisarūpake vā mattikāpuñje vā yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā;

Suppose, bhikkhus, an archer or an archer’s apprentice, having practiced on a straw man or a heap of clay, later becomes a long-distance shooter, a lightning marksman, and a splitter of a great mass;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

so too, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of sukha … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.

So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ …pe…

Whatever there is in it of form [rūpa], vedanā …

anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

not liable to return from that world.

‘Catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘Relying on the fourth jhāna, bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’ what was said thus was said in reference to this.

‘Ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

‘Relying on the dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’ so it was said.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

And in reference to what was this said?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, bhikkhus, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form [rūpasaññānaṁ], with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, thinking ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana].

So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

Whatever there is in it of vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāras, and viññāṇa, he contemplates those dhammas as impermanent [aniccato], as dukkha, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self [anattato].

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

He turns his citta away from those dhammas.

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

Having turned his citta away from those dhammas, he directs his citta to the deathless element:

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime: the settling [samatho] of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.’

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

Standing there, he attains the destruction of the āsavas.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

If he does not attain the destruction of the āsavas, then, through that very desire for dhamma and that delight in dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one spontaneously reborn, one who is fully quenched there, not liable to return from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso vā issāsantevāsī vā tiṇapurisarūpake vā mattikāpuñje vā yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā;

Suppose, bhikkhus, an archer or an archer’s apprentice, having practiced on a straw man or a heap of clay, later becomes a long-distance shooter, a lightning marksman, and a splitter of a great mass;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

so too, bhikkhus, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form [rūpasaññānaṁ], with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, thinking ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana].

So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ …pe…

Whatever there is in it of vedanā, saññā …

anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

not liable to return from that world.

‘Ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti,

‘Relying on the dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

what was said thus was said in reference to this.

‘Viññāṇañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya …pe…

‘Relying on the dimension of infinite viññāṇa [viññāṇañcāyatana], bhikkhus …

ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ.

relying on the dimension of nothingness [ākiñcaññāyatana], bhikkhus, I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’ so it was said.

Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

And in reference to what was this said?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

Here, bhikkhus, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite viññāṇa [viññāṇañcāyatana], thinking ‘there is nothing,’ a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the dimension of nothingness [ākiñcaññāyatana].

So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

Whatever there is in it of vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāras, and viññāṇa, he contemplates those dhammas as impermanent [aniccato], as dukkha, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self [anattato].

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

He turns his citta away from those dhammas.

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

Having turned his citta away from those dhammas, he directs his citta to the deathless element:

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime: the settling [samatho] of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.’

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

Standing there, he attains the destruction of the āsavas.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

If he does not attain the destruction of the āsavas, then, through that very desire for dhamma and that delight in dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one spontaneously reborn, one who is fully quenched there, not liable to return from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso vā issāsantevāsī vā tiṇapurisarūpake vā mattikāpuñje vā yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā;

Suppose, bhikkhus, an archer or an archer’s apprentice, having practiced on a straw man or a heap of clay, later becomes a long-distance shooter, a lightning marksman, and a splitter of a great mass;

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

so too, bhikkhus, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite viññāṇa [viññāṇañcāyatana], thinking ‘there is nothing,’ a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the dimension of nothingness [ākiñcaññāyatana].

So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati.

Whatever there is in it of vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāras, and viññāṇa, he contemplates those dhammas as impermanent [aniccato], as dukkha, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self [anattato].

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti.

He turns his citta away from those dhammas.

So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati:

Having turned his citta away from those dhammas, he directs his citta to the deathless element:

‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime: the settling [samatho] of all saṅkhāras, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of taṇhā, fading away, cessation, nibbāna.’

So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti.

Standing there, he attains the destruction of the āsavas.

No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

If he does not attain the destruction of the āsavas, then, through that very desire for dhamma and that delight in dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one spontaneously reborn, one who is fully quenched there, not liable to return from that world.

‘Ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti,

‘Relying on the dimension of nothingness [ākiñcaññāyatana], I say there is the destruction of the āsavas,’

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

what was said thus was said in reference to this.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, yāvatā saññāsamāpatti tāvatā aññāpaṭivedho.

Thus, bhikkhus, as far as there are attainments with saññā, to that extent there is penetration to final knowledge.

Yāni ca kho imāni, bhikkhave, nissāya dve āyatanāni—

But as for these two dimensions [āyatanāni], bhikkhus, on which one relies—

nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasamāpatti ca saññāvedayitanirodho ca, jhāyīhete, bhikkhave, samāpattikusalehi samāpattivuṭṭhānakusalehi samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā sammā akkhātabbānīti vadāmī”ti.

the attainment of the dimension of neither saññā nor non-saññā [nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasamāpatti] and the cessation of saññā and what is felt [saññāvedayitanirodha]—I say that these should be rightly explained by meditating [jhāyīhi] bhikkhus skilled in attainments and skilled in emerging from attainments, after they have entered them and emerged from them.”

Pañcamaṁ.

The fifth.