[732] Therein, which is the first jhāna?
Here a bhikkhu, on the occasion when he develops the path for rebirth in the form plane (rūpūpapatti): quite secluded from sensual pleasures … he enters upon and dwells in the first jhāna, with the earth kasiṇa (paṭhavīkasiṇa) — on that occasion there is contact (phassa) … there is non-distraction (avikkhepa). These phenomena (dhammā) are wholesome (kusalā).
As the result (vipāka) of that same wholesome kamma of the form sphere (rūpāvacara), because it has been done, because it has been accumulated: quite secluded from sensual pleasures … he enters upon and dwells in the first jhāna, with the earth kasiṇa — on that occasion there is jhāna with five factors: applied thought (vitakka), sustained thought (vicāra), rapture (pīti), pleasure (sukha), and one-pointedness of mind (cittassa ekaggatā). This is called the first jhāna. The remaining phenomena are associated with the jhāna.
Therein, which is the second jhāna?
Here a bhikkhu, on the occasion when he develops the path for rebirth in the form plane: with the subsiding of applied thought and sustained thought … he enters upon and dwells in the second jhāna, with the earth kasiṇa — on that occasion there is contact … there is non-distraction. These phenomena are wholesome.
As the result of that same wholesome kamma of the form sphere, because it has been done, because it has been accumulated: with the subsiding of applied thought and sustained thought … the second jhāna … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna … the first jhāna … he enters upon and dwells in the fifth jhāna, with the earth kasiṇa — on that occasion there is jhāna with two factors: equanimity (upekkhā) and one-pointedness of mind. This is called the fifth jhāna. The remaining phenomena are associated with the jhāna. …
Here a bhikkhu, on the occasion when he develops the path for rebirth in the formless plane (arūpūpapatti): by completely surmounting the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) — [that which is] accompanied by perception (saññā) of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) — with the abandoning of pleasure … he enters upon and dwells in the fourth jhāna — on that occasion there is contact … there is non-distraction. These phenomena are wholesome.
As the result of that same wholesome kamma of the formless sphere (arūpāvacara), because it has been done, because it has been accumulated: by completely surmounting the sphere of nothingness — [that which is] accompanied by perception of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception — with the abandoning of pleasure … he enters upon and dwells in the fourth jhāna — on that occasion there is jhāna with two factors: equanimity and one-pointedness of mind. This is called the fourth jhāna. The remaining phenomena are associated with the jhāna.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.