Saṁyutta Nikāya 53: Jhānasaṁyutta

Connected Discourses on the Jhānas

I. GANGES REPETITION SERIES

1-12. The River Ganges—Eastward, Etc.

1At Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One said this:

2“Bhikkhus, there are these four jhānas. What four? Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. With the subsiding of thought and examination, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and examination, and has rapture and happiness born of concentration. With the fading away as well of rapture, he dwells equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, he experiences happiness with the body; he enters and dwells in the third jhāna of which the noble ones declare: ‘He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and displeasure, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and includes the purification of mindfulness by equanimity. These are the four jhānas.288 The formula for the four jhānas is analysed at Vibh 244-61 and in Vism chap. 4.

3“Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, so too a bhikkhu [308] who develops and cultivates the four jhānas slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.

4“And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four jhānas slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna? Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna … the second jhāna … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna.

5“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four jhānas slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.”

(The remaining suttas of this vagga are to be similarly elaborated parallel to 45:92-102.)

6Six about slanting to the east
And six about slanting to the ocean.
These two sixes make up twelve:
Thus the subchapter is recited.

II. DILIGENCE

13-22. The Tathāgata, Etc.

(To be elaborated by way of the jhānas parallel to 45:139-48.)

1Tathāgata, footprint, roof peak,
Roots, heartwood, jasmine,
Monarch, the moon and sun,
Together with the cloth as tenth.

III. STRENUOUS DEEDS

23-34. Strenuous, Etc.

1(To be elaborated parallel to 45:149-60.) [309]

2Strenuous, seeds, and nāgas,
The tree, the pot, the spike,
The sky, and two on clouds,
The ship, guest house, and river.

IV. SEARCHES

35-44. Searches, Etc.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:161-70.)

1Searches, discriminations, taints,
Kinds of existence, threefold suffering,
Barrenness, stains, and troubles,
Feelings, craving, and thirst.

V. FLOODS

45-53. Floods, Etc.

(To be elaborated parallel to 45:171-79.)

54. Higher Fetters

1“Bhikkhus, there are these five higher fetters. What five? Lust for form, lust for the formless, conceit, restlessness, ignorance. These are the five higher fetters. The four jhānas are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.

2“What four? Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna … the second jhāna … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna. [310]

3“These four jhānas are to be developed for direct knowledge of these five higher fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”

4Floods, bonds, kinds of clinging,
Knots, and underlying tendencies,
Cords of sensual pleasure, hindrances,
Aggregates, fetters lower and higher.

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