[845] Therein, which is the Tathāgata's knowledge (ñāṇa), as it really is (yathābhūta), of the defilement (saṅkilesa), the cleansing (vodāna), and the emergence (vuṭṭhāna) in regard to the jhānas, liberations (vimokkha), concentrations (samādhi), and attainments (samāpatti)?
"Meditator" (jhāyī): there are four meditators. There is a certain meditator who regards what is really success (sampatti) as failure (vipatti); there is a certain meditator who regards what is really failure as success; there is a certain meditator who regards what is really success as success; there is a certain meditator who regards what is really failure as failure. These are the four meditators.
There are another four meditators: there is a certain meditator who attains slowly and emerges quickly; there is a certain meditator who attains quickly and emerges slowly; there is a certain meditator who attains slowly and emerges slowly; there is a certain meditator who attains quickly and emerges quickly. These are the four meditators.
There are another four meditators: there is a certain meditator who is skilled in concentration regarding concentration but not skilled in attainment regarding concentration; there is a certain meditator who is skilled in attainment regarding concentration but not skilled in concentration regarding concentration; there is a certain meditator who is both skilled in concentration regarding concentration and skilled in attainment regarding concentration; there is a certain meditator who is neither skilled in concentration regarding concentration nor skilled in attainment regarding concentration. These are the four meditators.
"Jhāna": there are four jhānas: the first jhāna, the second jhāna, the third jhāna, the fourth jhāna.
"Liberation": there are eight liberations. Possessing form, one sees forms: this is the first liberation. Not percipient of form internally, one sees forms externally: this is the second liberation. One is resolved only upon the beautiful (subha): this is the third liberation. With the complete transcending of perceptions of form (rūpa-saññā), with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement (paṭigha-saññā), with non-attention to perceptions of diversity (nānatta-saññā), aware that "space is infinite," one enters upon and dwells in the sphere of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana): this is the fourth liberation. Having completely transcended the sphere of the infinity of space, aware that "consciousness is infinite," one enters upon and dwells in the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana): this is the fifth liberation. Having completely transcended the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, aware that "there is nothing," one enters upon and dwells in the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana): this is the sixth liberation. Having completely transcended the sphere of nothingness, one enters upon and dwells in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana): this is the seventh liberation. Having completely transcended the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, one enters upon and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha): this is the eighth liberation.
"Concentration": there are three concentrations: concentration accompanied by thought (vitakka) and examination (vicāra); concentration without thought and with examination only; concentration without thought and without examination.
"Attainment": there are nine attainments of successive dwellings (anupubbavihāra-samāpatti): the attainment of the first jhāna, the attainment of the second jhāna, the attainment of the third jhāna, the attainment of the fourth jhāna, the attainment of the sphere of the infinity of space, the attainment of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling.
"Defilement": a phenomenon (dhamma) partaking of decline (hānabhāgiya).
"Cleansing": a phenomenon partaking of distinction (visesabhāgiya).
"Emergence": cleansing, too, is emergence; emerging from this or that concentration, too, is emergence.
The wisdom (paññā) therein, the understanding, … non-delusion, investigation of dhammas, right view (sammādiṭṭhi) — this is the Tathāgata's knowledge, as it really is, of the defilement, the cleansing, and the emergence in regard to the jhānas, liberations, concentrations, and attainments.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.