[505] "Prince, this occurred to me: 'I recall that while my father the Sakyan was engaged in his work, I was seated in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, and, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states (akusalā dhammā), I entered upon and dwelt in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought (vitakka-vicāra), with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. Could this be the path to awakening (bodhi)?' Then, Prince, following upon that memory, there arose in me the consciousness: 'This indeed is the path to awakening.'
Then, Prince, this occurred to me: 'Why, then, am I afraid of that pleasure — a pleasure that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states?' Then, Prince, this occurred to me: 'I am not afraid of that pleasure — a pleasure that is apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states.'
Then, Prince, this occurred to me: 'It is not easy to attain that pleasure with a body that has reached such extreme emaciation. Suppose I were to eat solid food — boiled rice and porridge.' So, Prince, I ate solid food — boiled rice and porridge.
Now at that time, Prince, the bhikkhus of the group of five were attending upon me, thinking: 'Whatever Dhamma the ascetic Gotama attains, that he will announce to us.' But when, Prince, I ate solid food — boiled rice and porridge — those bhikkhus of the group of five became disillusioned with me and departed, thinking: 'The ascetic Gotama lives in abundance; he has strayed from the striving and reverted to abundance.'
Then, Prince, having eaten solid food and regained strength, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … I entered upon and dwelt in the first jhāna. With the subsiding of applied thought and sustained thought … the second jhāna … the third jhāna … I entered upon and dwelt in the fourth jhāna."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.