AN9.36 — Jhānasutta
First I say that depending on the first jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs; second I say that depending on the second jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs; third I say that depending on the third jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs; fourth I say that depending on the fourth jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs; depending on the base of infinite space I say that the destruction of the taints occurs; depending on the base of infinite consciousness I say that the destruction of the taints occurs; depending on the base of nothingness I say that the destruction of the taints occurs; depending on the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception I say that the destruction of the taints occurs; depending on the cessation of perception and feeling I say that the destruction of the taints occurs.
First I say that depending on the first jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs, thus it has been said. Why was this said?
Here a disciple, having secluded himself from sensual pleasures... enters and dwells in the first jhāna.
Whatever there is in that state of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those phenomena as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, not-self.
He turns his mind away from those phenomena.
Having turned his mind away from those phenomena, he directs his mind towards the deathless element: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.
Standing upon that, he attains the destruction of the taints.
If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then because of that dhamma-delight and dhamma-joy, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.
Just as an archer or an archer's apprentice, having made a heap of grass or clay, practices shooting from a distance; after some time he becomes a long-distance shooter, one who pierces large targets; similarly a disciple, having secluded himself from sensual pleasures... enters and dwells in the first jhāna.
Whatever there is in that state of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those phenomena as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, not-self.
He turns his mind away from those phenomena.
Having turned his mind away from those phenomena, he directs his mind towards the deathless element: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.
Standing upon that, he attains the destruction of the taints.
If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then because of that dhamma-delight and dhamma-joy, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.
First I say that depending on the first jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs, thus it has been said, and this is why it was said.
Second depending on the second jhāna...
third depending on the third jhāna... fourth I say that depending on the fourth jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs, thus it has been said. Why was this said?
Here a disciple, having abandoned pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither-painful-nor-pleasant and includes the purity of mindfulness due to equanimity.
Whatever there is in that state of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those phenomena as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, not-self.
He turns his mind away from those phenomena.
Having turned his mind away from those phenomena, he directs his mind towards the deathless element: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.
Standing upon that, he attains the destruction of the taints.
If he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then because of that dhamma-delight and dhamma-joy, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.
Just as an archer or an archer's apprentice, having made a heap of grass or clay, practices shooting from a distance; after some time he becomes a long-distance shooter, one who pierces large targets; similarly a disciple, having abandoned pleasure and pain... enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.
Whatever there is in that state of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness... he does not return from that world.
Fourth I say that depending on the fourth jhāna, the destruction of the taints occurs,
Disciples, based on the attainment of cessation, I declare the end of the taints. This is what has been said, and it is said based on this. Disciples, based on the base of infinite space, I declare the end of the taints, thus it has been said. Why has this been said?
Here a disciple, having completely transcended the perception of form, with the disappearance of resistance-perceptions, not paying attention to diversity-perceptions, thinking infinite is space, enters and dwells in the base of infinite space.
Whatever there is in that state of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those phenomena as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena.
Having turned his mind away from those phenomena, he directs his mind to the deathless element: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.
Standing there, he reaches the end of the taints. If he does not reach the end of the taints, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.
Just as whether it is an archer or an archer's apprentice who, having made a shaft or a clay pellet, shoots long distances and pierces great masses; similarly a disciple, having completely transcended the perception of form... becomes one due to reappear spontaneously and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.
Disciples, based on the base of infinite space, I declare the end of the taints, thus it has been said, and it is said based on this. Disciples, based on the base of infinite consciousness... based on the base of nothingness, I declare the end of the taints, thus it has been said. Why has this been said?
Here a disciple, having completely transcended the base of infinite consciousness, thinking there is nothing, enters and dwells in the base of nothingness.
Whatever there is in that state of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those phenomena as impermanent, suffering, a disease, a boil, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena.
Having turned his mind away from those phenomena, he directs his mind to the deathless element: This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.
Standing there, he reaches the end of the taints. If he does not reach the end of the taints, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. Based on the base of nothingness, I declare the end of the taints, thus it has been said, and it is said based on this.
Thus as far as the attainment of perception goes, so far can knowing be penetrated. And these two bases the attainment of neither-perception-nor-non-perception and the cessation of perception and feeling, should be declared by those skilled in attainments and skilled in emerging from them, as rightly explained.