2.1.2. Good in Relation to the Universe of Form

Methods for inducing Jhāna

1. The Eight Artifices (aṭṭhakasiṇaṃ)

1. The Earth Artifice (paṭhavīkasiṇaṃ)

(a) The Fourfold System of Jhāna (catukkanayo)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna (the first rapt meditation), wherein is thinking applied and sustained, which is born of solitude, and full of zest and ease—then the contact, the feeling … the grasp, the balance, which arise in him, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states that there are on that occasion—these are states that are good.

[Continue as in the First Type of Thought relating to the sensuous universe, including the Summary and “Emptiness” divisions.]

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], suppressing the working of applied and sustained thinking, and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna (the second rapt meditation), which is self-evolved, born of concentration, full of zest and ease, in that, set free from the working of applied and sustained thinking, the mind grows calm and sure, dwelling on high—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the volition, the thought, the joy, the ease, the self-collectedness, the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, insight, mind, happiness, and life, the right views, right endeavour, … the grasp, the balance that arises—these, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states that there are on that occasion—these are states that are good.

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is threefold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• the powers are seven,
• the causes are three,
• contact counts as a single factor,
• etc., etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs58">§ 58 et seq.]

What on that occasion is the skandha of synergies?

• Contact,
• volition,
• zest,
• self-collectedness;

the faculties of

• faith,
• energy,
• mindfulness,
• concentration,
• insight,
• life;

• right views,
• right endeavour,
• etc., etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs62">§ 62 et seq.]

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and further, through the waning of all passion for zest, holds himself indifferent, the while, mindful and self-aware, he experiences in his sense-consciousness that ease whereof the Noble Ones declare: “He that is indifferent and watchful dwelleth at ease”—and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Third Jhāna—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the volition, the thought, the ease, the self-collectedness, the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, insight, mind, happiness, and life, the right views, right endeavour, etc. … the grasp, the balance that arises—these, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states that there are on that occasion—these are states that are good.

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is twofold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• the powers are seven,
• the causes are three,
• contact counts as a single factor,
• etc., etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs58">§ 58.]

What on that occasion is the skandha of synergies?

• Contact,
• volition,
• self-collectedness;

the faculties of

• faith,
• energy,
• mindfulness,
• concentration,
• insight,
• life,

• right views,
• right endeavour,
• etc., etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs62">§ 62.]

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and, by the putting away of ease and by the putting away of ill, by the passing away of (any) gladness or sorrow he was feeling, he thus, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Fourth Jhāna (the fourth rapt meditation) of that utter purity of mindfulness which comes of indifference, where no ease is felt nor any ill—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the volition, the thought, the indifference, the self-collectedness, the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, insight, mind, indifference, and life, the right views, the right endeavour, etc. …

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs163">§ 163.]

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is twofold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• the powers are seven,
• the causes are three,
• contact counts as a single factor,
• etc., etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs58">§ 58, etc.]

What on that occasion is the skandha of synergies?

Answer as in <a href="#pts-cs164">§ 164.

[Here ends] the Fourfold System of Jhāna.

(b) The Fivefold System of Jhāna (pañcakanayo)

The First Jhāna. Question and answer as in the fourfold course, <a href="#pts-cs160">§ 160.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna (the second rapt meditation) wherein is no application of mind, but only of sustained thinking—which is born of concentration, and is full of zest and ease—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the volition, the thought, the sustained thinking, the zest, the ease, the self-collectedness, etc. …

[Continue as for the Second Jhāna in <a href="#pts-cs161">§ 161.]

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is fourfold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• etc., etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs58">§ 58.]

What on that occasion is the skandha of synergies?

Contact, volition, sustained thinking, zest, etc. …

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs162">§ 162.]

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Jhānas.

[These are identical in formulation with the Second, Third, and Fourth Jhānas of the Fourfold System. Questions and answers as in <a href="#pts-cs161">§§ 161–<a href="#pts-cs166">166.]

[Here ends] the Fivefold System of Jhāna.

(c) The Four Modes of Progress (catasso paṭipadā)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being painful and intuition sluggish—then the contact … the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

… [or] when … he … so enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being painful, but intuition quick …

… [or] when … he … so enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being easy, but intuition sluggish …

… [or] when … he … so enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being easy and intuition quick—then the contact, etc … the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

These four combinations are repeated in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhānas on the Fourfold System, and of the 2nd to the 5th on the Fivefold System.

[Here end] the Four Modes of Progress.

(d) The Four Objects of Thought (cattāri āramaṇāni)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and so, aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna (the first rapt meditation), wherein is application and sustaining of thought, which is born of solitude, and is full of zest and ease, but which is limited, and has a limited object of thought—then the contact … the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

… [or] when … the First Jhāna … is limited, but has an object of thought capable of infinite extension …

… [or] when … the First Jhāna … is capable of infinite extension, but has a limited object of thought …

… [or] when … the First Jhāna … is capable of infinite extension, and has an object of thought capable of infinite extension—then the contact, etc. … the balance that arises, these … are states that are good.

These four combinations are repeated in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhānas on the Fourfold System, and of the 1st to the 5th Jhānas on the Fivefold System.

[Here end] the Four Objects of Thought.

(e) = (c) and (d) The Sixteenfold Combination (soḷasakkhat-tukaṃ)

Which are the states that are good?

These sixteen combinations are repeated in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhānas on the Fourfold System, and of the 1st to the 5th Jhānas on the Fivefold System.

[Here ends] the Sixteenfold Combination.

2. The Remaining Seven Artifices which may also be developed in sixteenfold combination (aṭṭhakasiṇaṃ soḷasakkhattukaṃ)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by the artifice of

• water …
• fire …
• air …
• blue-black …
• yellow …
• red …
• white …

enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … then the contact, etc., that arises—these … are states that are good.

[Here ends] the Sixteenfold Combination in the case of the seven remaining artifices for induction.

2. The Stations of Mastery (abhibhāyatanāni)

1. “Forms as Limited” (rūpāni parittāni)

(a) and (b) Fourfold and Fivefold Jhāna

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects to be limited, gets the mastery over them with the thought “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, etc. … then the contact, etc., that arises—these … are states that are good.

[Repeat in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhāna on the Fourfold System, and of the 2nd to the 5th Jhāna on the Fivefold System.]

(c) The Four Modes of Progress

Repeat the four combinations of “progress” as “painful” or “easy”, and of “intuition” as “sluggish” or “quick” set out in <a href="#pts-cs176">§§ 176–<a href="#pts-cs180">180, substituting for “earth-gazing” the Mastery-formula just stated.

(d) The Two Objects of Thought

Repeat, substituting for “earth-gazing” the Mastery-formula, <a href="#pts-cs181">§ 181, where the Jhāna “is limited, and has a limited object of thought”, and <a href="#pts-cs183">§ 183, where the Jhāna “is capable of infinite extension, but has a limited object of thought”.

(e) = (c) and (d) The Eightfold Combination (aṭṭhakkhattukaṃ)

Repeat, with the same substitution, <a href="#pts-cs186">§§ 186, <a href="#pts-cs188">188, <a href="#pts-cs190">190, <a href="#pts-cs192">192, <a href="#pts-cs194">194, <a href="#pts-cs196">196, <a href="#pts-cs198">198 and <a href="#pts-cs200">200 of the Sixteenfold Combination.

Repeat these eight combinations in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

2. “Forms as Limited and as Beautiful or Ugly” (rūpāni parittāni suvaṇṇa-dubbaṇṇāni)

(a) and (b)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects to be limited, and to be beautiful or ugly, gets the mastery over them with the thought, “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, etc. … then the contact, etc., that arises—these … are states that are good.

Repeat in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

Develop in eightfold combination.

3. “Forms as Infinite” (rūpāni appamāṇāni)

(a) and (b)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects to be infinite, gets the mastery over them with the thought, “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous desires, etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs204">§ 204.]

Repeat in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

(c) The Four Modes of Progress

Repeat <a href="#pts-cs206">§§ 206–<a href="#pts-cs210">210, substituting “infinite” for “limited”.

(d) The Two Objects of Thought

Repeat, with the same substitution as in (c), <a href="#pts-cs211">§§ 211–<a href="#pts-cs213">213.

(e) = (c) and (d) The Eightfold Combination

Develop, with the same substitution as in (c) and (d),after the manner of <a href="#pts-cs187">§§ 187, <a href="#pts-cs189">189, and so on to <a href="#pts-cs201">§ 201.

Repeat these eight combinations in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

4. “Forms as Infinite and as Beautiful or Ugly” (rūpāni appamāṇāni suvaṇṇa-dubbaṇṇāni)

(a) and (b)

Repeat <a href="#pts-cs223">§ 223, substituting “infinite” for “limited”.

Repeat in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

Develop in eightfold combination.

5. “Forms as Indigo”, etc. (rūpāni nīlāni)

(a)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects which are indigo, indigo in colour, indigo in visible expanse, indigo in luminousness, gets the mastery over them with the thought, “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous desires, etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs204">§ 204.]

6–8. “Forms as yellow”, etc. (rūpāni pītāni)

Repeat, <a href="#pts-cs246">§ 246 substituting for “indigo, indigo in colour”, etc., “yellow”, “red”, and “white” successively.

Develop these Stations of Mastery in the Sixteenfold Combination.

3. The Three First Deliverances (tīṇi vimokkhāni)

1. The First Deliverance

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, conscious of his bodily form, sees bodily forms, and so, aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, etc. … then the contact, etc., which arises, these … are states that are good.

2. The Second Deliverance

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of his corporeal self, sees external bodily forms, and so, aloof from sensuous desires, etc.

[Continue as in preceding section.]

3. The Third Deliverance

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, with the thought, “How fair it is!” aloof from sensuous desires, etc.

[Continue as in the first Deliverance.]

These three Deliverances may also be developed in Sixteenfold Combination.

4. The Four Jhānas of the Divine States (cattāri brahmavihārajhānāni)

1. Love (mettā)

(a) Fourfold Jhāna

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and so, aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna (the first rapt meditation), wherein conception works and thought discursive, which is born of solitude, is full of joy and ease, and is accompanied by Love—then the contact, etc. … [? continue as in <a href="#pts-cs1">§ 1] … the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, suppressing the working of conception and of thought discursive, and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna (the second rapt meditation), which is self-evolved, born of concentration, is full of joy and ease, in that, set free … the mind grows calm and sure, dwelling on high—and which is accompanied by Love—then the contact, etc.

[Continue as in the foregoing.]

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way [thereto], and further, through the waning of all passion for zest, holds himself indifferent, the while mindful and self-aware, he experiences in his sense-consciousness that ease whereof the Noble Ones declare: “He that is unbiassed and watchful dwelleth at ease”—and so, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Third Jhāna, which is accompanied by Love—then, etc.

[Continue as in the foregoing.]

(b) Fivefold Jhāna

Repeat question and answers in <a href="#pts-cs167">§§ 167, <a href="#pts-cs168">168, <a href="#pts-cs170">170, <a href="#pts-cs172">172, adding in each answer, as in the foregoing section, “and which is accompanied by Love”.

2. Pity (karūṇā)

Repeat question and answers in the preceding sections (a) and (b), but substituting in each case “and which is accompanied by Pity” for the clause on Love.

3. Sympathy (muditā)

Repeat question and answers in the preceding two sections, but substituting in each case “and which is accompanied by Sympathy” for the clause on Pity.

4. Equanimity (upekkhā)

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, by the putting away of ease and by the putting away of ill, by the passing away of the gladness and of the sorrow he was feeling, he thus, by earth-gazing, enters into and abides in the Fourth Jhāna (the fourth rapt meditation) of that utter purity of mind fullness which comes of equanimity, where no ease is felt nor any ill, and which is accompanied by Equanimity—then the contact, etc.

[Continue as in <a href="#pts-cs165">§ 165.]

The Four Jhānas of the Divine States may be developed in Sixteen Combinations.

5. The Jhāna of Foul Things (asubha-jhānaṃ)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and so, aloof from sensuous desires, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, wherein, etc. … and which is accompanied by the idea of a bloated corpse …

• [or] of a discoloured corpse …
• [or] of a festering corpse …
• [or] of a corpse with cracked skin …
• [or] of a corpse gnawn and mangled …
• [or] of a corpse cut to pieces …
• [or] of a corpse mutilated and cut in pieces …
• [or] of a bloody corpse …
• [or] of a corpse infested with worms …
• [or] of a skeleton …

then the contact … the balance which arises—these … are states that are good.

The Jhāna of Foul Things may be developed in Sixteen Combinations.