The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [265]
19. “Now, Udāyin, the pleasure and joy that arise dependent on these five cords of sensual pleasure are called sensual pleasure—a filthy pleasure, a coarse pleasure, an ignoble pleasure. I say of this kind of pleasure that it should not be pursued, that it should not be developed, that it should not be cultivated, that it should be feared.
20. “Here, Udāyin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna…With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…With the fading away as well of rapture…he enters upon and abides in the third jhāna…With the abandoning of pleasure and pain…he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna…
21. “This is called the bliss of renunciation, the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of enlightenment.678 I say of this kind of pleasure that it should be pursued, that it should be developed, that it should be cultivated, that it should not be feared.
22. “Here, Udāyin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna…Now this, I say, belongs to the perturbable. 679 And what therein belongs to the perturbable? The applied thought and sustained thought that have not ceased therein, that is what belongs to the perturbable.
23. “Here, Udāyin, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…Now this, I say, also belongs to the perturbable. And what therein belongs to the perturbable? The rapture and pleasure that have not ceased therein, that is what belongs to the perturbable.
24. “Here, Udāyin, with the fading away as well of rapture…a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the third jhāna…Now this, I say, also belongs to the perturbable. And what therein belongs to the perturbable? [455] The pleasure of equanimity that has not ceased therein, that is what belongs to the perturbable.
25. “Here, Udāyin, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain…a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna… Now this, I say, belongs to the imperturbable.
26. “Here, Udāyin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna…That, I say, is not enough.680 Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it?
27. “Here, Udāyin, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it?
28. “Here, Udāyin, with the fading away as well of rapture…a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the third jhāna…That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it?
29. “Here, Udāyin, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain…a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna… That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it?
30. “Here, Udāyin, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite space. That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it, I say; surmount it, I say. And what surmounts it?
31. “Here, Udāyin, by completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite consciousness. That surmounts it. But that too, I say, is not enough. Abandon it,