[41] Bhikkhus, there are these four developments of concentration (samādhibhāvanā). What four? There is, bhikkhus, a development of concentration (samādhi) which, when developed and cultivated, leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life. There is, bhikkhus, a development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to the obtaining of knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassana). There is, bhikkhus, a development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension. There is, bhikkhus, a development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints (āsava).
And what, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life? 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 (pīti) and pleasure 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 (citta), is without thought and without examination, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. With the fading away of rapture, he dwells equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, he experiences pleasure with the body; he enters and dwells in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare: "He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells in pleasure." With the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and grief, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant and includes the purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life.
And what, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to the obtaining of knowledge and vision? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu attends to the perception of light; he resolves upon the perception of day: as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. Thus, with a mind that is secluded and unenveloped, he develops a mind imbued with luminosity. This, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to the obtaining of knowledge and vision.
And what, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension? Here, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu, feelings (vedanā) are known as they arise, known as they persist, known as they pass away; perceptions are known ...; thoughts are known as they arise, known as they persist, known as they pass away. This, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension.
And what, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating arising and passing away in the five aggregates subject to clinging: "Such is form, such the origin of form, such the passing away of form; such is feeling, such the origin of feeling, such the passing away of feeling; such is perception, such the origin of perception, such the passing away of perception; such are volitional formations, such the origin of volitional formations, such the passing away of volitional formations; such is consciousness, such the origin of consciousness, such the passing away of consciousness." This, bhikkhus, is the development of concentration which, when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints.
These, bhikkhus, are the four developments of concentration.
And it was with reference to this, bhikkhus, that I spoke in the Pārāyana, in the Question of Puṇṇa:
Having comprehended the high and the low in the world,
one for whom there is no perturbation anywhere in the world—
peaceful, smokeless, untroubled, wishless—
he, I declare, has crossed over birth and aging.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.