AN 4.123 Jhana Sutta

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AN 4.123 Jhana Sutta : Mental Absorption/Trance State (1)
"Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

"There is the case where an individual, withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana/trance state: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & discernment. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the devas(angels) of Brahma's retinue. The devas(angels) of Brahma's retinue, monks, have a life-span of an eon. A run-of-the-mill(worldly) person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Lord Buddha, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill(worldly) person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the stilling of directed thoughts & discernments, enters & remains in the second jhana/trance state: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & discernment — internal assurance. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Abhassara(1) devas(angels).(2) The Abhassara devas(angels), monks, have a life-span of two eons. A run-of-the-mill(worldly) person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Lord Buddha, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill(worldly) person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana/trance state, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakinha(3) devas(angels). The Subhakinha devas(angels), monks, have a life-span of four eons. A run-of-the-mill(worldly) person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Lord Buddha, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill(worldly) person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress/pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana/trance state: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala(4) devas(angels). The Vehapphala devas(angels), monks, have a life-span of 500 eons. A run-of-the-mill(worldly) person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Lord Buddha, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas(angels), is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill(worldly) person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

"These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world."

Notes:

1.Lit., Radiant.

2.The Abhassara, Subhakinha, and Vehapphala devas(angels) are all Brahmas on the level of form.

3.Lit., Beautiful Black.

4.Lit., Sky-fruit.