[365] "Good, good, Anuruddha! But while dwelling thus diligent, ardent, and resolute, have you attained any superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge (ñāṇa) and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, we enter and abide in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought (vitakka) and examination (vicāra), with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. This, venerable sir, is a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that we have attained while dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding, is there another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that you have attained?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the stilling of thought and examination, we enter and abide in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without thought and without examination, and has rapture and happiness born of concentration (samādhi). This, venerable sir, is another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, attained for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding, is there another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that you have attained?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the fading away of rapture, we abide in equanimity, and, mindful and clearly comprehending, we experience happiness with the body; we enter and abide in the third jhāna, on account of which the noble ones declare: 'Equanimous and mindful, he abides in happiness.' This, venerable sir, is another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, attained for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding, is there another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that you have attained?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and grief, we enter and abide in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and has purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This, venerable sir, is another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, attained for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding, is there another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that you have attained?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with non-attention to perceptions of sensory impact, [perceiving] 'space is infinite,' we enter and abide in the base of the infinity of space. This, venerable sir, is another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, attained for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding, is there another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that you have attained?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the complete surmounting of the base of the infinity of space, [perceiving] 'consciousness is infinite,' we enter and abide in the base of the infinity of consciousness … With the complete surmounting of the base of the infinity of consciousness, [perceiving] 'there is nothing at all,' we enter and abide in the base of nothingness … With the complete surmounting of the base of nothingness, we enter and abide in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This, venerable sir, is another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, attained for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! But for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding, is there another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, that you have attained?"
"How could it not be so, venerable sir? Here, venerable sir, whenever we wish, with the complete surmounting of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, we enter and abide in the cessation of perception and feeling (vedanā); and, having seen with wisdom, our taints (āsava) are utterly destroyed. This, venerable sir, is another superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, a comfortable abiding, attained for the surmounting of that abiding, for the allaying of that abiding. And, venerable sir, we do not see any other comfortable abiding higher or more sublime than this comfortable abiding."
"Good, good, Anuruddha! There is no other comfortable abiding higher or more sublime than this comfortable abiding."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.