[237] Bhikkhus, I will teach these nine attainments of successive dwellings (anupubbavihārasamāpatti); listen to it. … And what, bhikkhus, are the nine attainments of successive dwellings?
Where sensual pleasures (kāma) cease, and those who dwell having again and again brought sensual pleasures to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where do sensual pleasures cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought sensual pleasures to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought (vitakka) and examination (vicāra), with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. Here sensual pleasures cease, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought sensual pleasures to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where thought and examination cease, and those who dwell having again and again brought thought and examination to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where do thought and examination cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought thought and examination to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, with the subsiding of thought and examination, a bhikkhu … enters and dwells in the second jhāna. Here thought and examination cease, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought thought and examination to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where rapture ceases, and those who dwell having again and again brought rapture to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where does rapture cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought rapture to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, with the fading away of rapture, a bhikkhu … enters and dwells in the third jhāna. Here rapture ceases, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought rapture to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where the pleasure connected with equanimity (upekkhāsukha) ceases, and those who dwell having again and again brought the pleasure connected with equanimity to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where does the pleasure connected with equanimity cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought the pleasure connected with equanimity to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, with the abandoning of pleasure, a bhikkhu … enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. Here the pleasure connected with equanimity ceases, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought the pleasure connected with equanimity to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where perceptions of form (rūpasaññā) cease, and those who dwell having again and again brought perceptions of form to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where do perceptions of form cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought perceptions of form to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the passing away of perceptions of impingement (paṭighasaññā), with non-attention to perceptions of diversity (nānattasaññā), [aware that] 'space is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the sphere of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana). Here perceptions of form cease, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought perceptions of form to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space ceases, and those who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where does the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, having completely surmounted the sphere of the infinity of space, [aware that] 'consciousness is infinite,' a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana). Here the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space ceases, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of the infinity of space to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where the perception of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness ceases, and those who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where does the perception of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, having completely surmounted the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, [aware that] 'there is nothing,' a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana). Here the perception of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness ceases, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where the perception of the sphere of nothingness ceases, and those who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of nothingness to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where does the perception of the sphere of nothingness cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of nothingness to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, having completely surmounted the sphere of nothingness, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana). Here the perception of the sphere of nothingness ceases, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of nothingness to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
Where the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception ceases, and those who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception to cessation — surely, I say, those venerable ones are hungerless, quenched, crossed over, and gone beyond in that respect. Should anyone speak thus: "Where does the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception cease? And who are they that dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception to cessation? I do not know this; I do not see this" — he should be told thus: "Here, friend, having completely surmounted the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha). Here the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception ceases, and those are they who dwell having again and again brought the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception to cessation." Surely, bhikkhus, one who is not deceitful and not fraudulent should delight in and approve of that statement, saying "Good!"; having delighted in and approved of that statement, saying "Good!", paying homage with joined palms, he should attend upon them.
These, bhikkhus, are the nine attainments of successive dwellings.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.