[28] "Bhikkhus, I will teach the development (bhāvanā) of noble five-factored right concentration (sammāsamādhi). Listen to it. … And what, bhikkhus, is the development of noble five-factored right concentration? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … enters and dwells in the first jhāna. He drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with the rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Just as, bhikkhus, a skilled bath attendant or a bath attendant's apprentice, having heaped bath-powder into a bronze dish, would knead it, sprinkling it again and again with water, so that this ball of bath-powder, taken up by moisture, encompassed by moisture, is pervaded by moisture inside and out, yet does not ooze — even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. This, bhikkhus, is the first development of noble five-factored right concentration.
Again, bhikkhus, with the subsiding of thought and examination … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna. He drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of concentration (samādhi), so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the rapture and pleasure born of concentration. Just as, bhikkhus, there might be a lake whose waters well up from below: it would have no inlet for water from the eastern direction, no inlet for water from the western direction, no inlet for water from the northern direction, no inlet for water from the southern direction, and the sky would not from time to time send down proper showers upon it; yet a current of cool water, welling up from that lake, would drench, steep, fill, and pervade that very lake with cool water, so that there would be no part of the whole lake unpervaded by cool water — even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of concentration, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the rapture and pleasure born of concentration. This, bhikkhus, is the second development of noble five-factored right concentration.
Again, bhikkhus, with the fading away of rapture … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the third jhāna. He drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the pleasure divested of rapture. Just as, bhikkhus, in a pond of blue lotuses, or a pond of red lotuses, or a pond of white lotuses, some blue lotuses, red lotuses, or white lotuses, born in the water, grown up in the water, not rising above the water, thrive nourished from within it; and from their tips to their roots they are drenched, steeped, filled, and pervaded with cool water, so that there would be no part of all those blue lotuses, red lotuses, or white lotuses unpervaded by cool water — even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu drenches, steeps, fills, and pervades this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the pleasure divested of rapture. This, bhikkhus, is the third development of noble five-factored right concentration.
Again, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of pleasure and the abandoning of pain … a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. He sits pervading this very body with a pure, bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the pure, bright mind. Just as, bhikkhus, a man might sit covered from the head down with a white cloth, so that there would be no part of his whole body unpervaded by the white cloth — even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu sits pervading this very body with a pure, bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body that is unpervaded by the pure, bright mind. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth development of noble five-factored right concentration.
Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu's reviewing sign (paccavekkhaṇā-nimitta) is well grasped, well attended to, well sustained, well penetrated by wisdom. Just as, bhikkhus, one person might review another — one standing might review one sitting, or one sitting might review one lying down — even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu's reviewing sign is well grasped, well attended to, well sustained, well penetrated by wisdom. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth development of noble five-factored right concentration.
When, bhikkhus, noble five-factored right concentration has been developed and cultivated by a bhikkhu in this way, then, to whatever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge (abhiññā) he inclines his mind (citta) for realization by direct knowledge, he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. Just as, bhikkhus, if a water jug were set upon a stand, full of water right up to the brim so that crows could drink from it, and a strong man were to tip it in any direction whatever — would water come out?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Even so, bhikkhus, when noble five-factored right concentration has been developed and cultivated by a bhikkhu in this way, then, to whatever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for realization by direct knowledge, he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. Just as, bhikkhus, if on a level tract of ground there were a four-sided pond, contained by embankments, full of water right up to the brim so that crows could drink from it, and a strong man were to loosen the embankment on any side whatever — would water come out?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Even so, bhikkhus, when noble five-factored right concentration has been developed and cultivated by a bhikkhu in this way, then, to whatever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for realization by direct knowledge, he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. Just as, bhikkhus, if on level ground at a crossroads a chariot harnessed to thoroughbreds were standing with the goad laid ready, and a skilled trainer, a charioteer of horses to be tamed, having mounted it, taking the reins in his left hand and the goad in his right hand, might drive out and drive back wherever and however he wishes — even so, bhikkhus, when noble five-factored right concentration has been developed and cultivated by a bhikkhu in this way, then, to whatever dhamma realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for realization by direct knowledge, he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis.
If he wishes: 'May I wield the various kinds of spiritual power (iddhi): having been one, may I become many … may I exercise mastery with the body even as far as the Brahmā world' — he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. If he wishes: '… with the divine ear element, purified … both far and near' — he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. If he wishes: 'May I understand the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with my own mind: may I understand a mind with lust as a mind with lust … a mind not liberated as a mind not liberated' — he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. If he wishes: 'May I recollect my manifold past abodes, that is: one birth (jāti), two births … thus with their aspects and particulars may I recollect my manifold past abodes' — he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. If he wishes: '… with the divine eye, purified, surpassing the human … may I understand beings as faring according to their kamma' — he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis. If he wishes: 'With the destruction of the taints (āsava), may I realize for myself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, dwell in it' — he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, whenever there is a suitable basis."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.