Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

hávaná). Often also the 4 immaterial spheres (arúpáyatana) are called absorptions of the immaterial sphere(arúpa-jjhána or arúpávacara-jjhána). The stereotype text, often met with in the Suttas, runs as follows:(1) "Detached from sensual objects, o monks, detached from unwholesome consciousness,attached with thought-conception (vitakka) and discursive thinking (vicára), born of detachment(vivekaja) and filled with rapture (píti) and joy (sukha) he enters the first absorption.(2) "After the subsiding of thought-conception and discursive thinking, and by gaining innertranquillity and oneness of mind, he enters into a state free from thought-conception anddiscursive thinking, the second absorption, which is born of concentration (samádhi), and filledwith rapture (píti) and joy (sukha).(3) "After the fading away of rapture he dwells in equanimity, mindful, clearly conscious; and heexperiences in his person that feeling of which the Noble Ones say, 'Happy lives the man ofequanimity and attentive mind'; thus he enters the 3rd absorption.(4) "After having given up pleasure and pain, and through the disappearance of previous joy andgrief, he enters into a state beyond pleasure and pain, into the 4th absorption, which is purifiedby equanimity (upekkhá) and mindfulness.(5) "Through the total overcoming of the perceptions of matter, however, and through thevanishing of sense-reactions and the non-attention to the perceptions of variety, with the idea,'Boundless is space', he reaches the sphere of boundless space (ákásánañcáyatana) and abidestherein.["By 'perceptions of matter' (rúpa-saññá) are meant the absorptions of the fine-material sphere,as well as those objects themselves . . . " (Vis.M. X, 1)."By 'perceptions of sense-reactions' (patigha-saññá) are meant those perceptions that have arisendue to the impact of sense-organs (eye, etc.) and the sense-objects (visible objects, etc.). Theyare a name for the perception of visible objects, as it is said (Jhána-Vibh . ): 'What are here theperceptions of sense-reactions? They are the perceptions of visible objects, sounds, etc.' - Surely,they do no longer exist even for one who has entered the 1st absorption, etc., for at such a timethe five-sense consciousness is no longer functioning. Nevertheless, this is to be understood ashaving been said in praise of this immaterial absorption, in order to incite the striving for it"(Vis.M. X, 16)."Perceptions of variety (ñánatta-saññá) are the perceptions that arise in various fields, or thevarious perceptions" (ib.). Hereby, according to Vis.M. X, 20, are meant the multiformperceptions outside the absorptions.](6) "Through the total overcoming of the sphere of boundless space, and with the idea'Boundless is consciousness', he reaches the sphere of boundless consciousness(viññánañcáyatana) and abides therein.(7) "Through the total overcoming of the sphere of boundless consciousness, and with the idea'Nothing is there', he reaches the sphere of nothingness (ákiñcaññáyatana) and abides therein.(8) "Through the total overcoming of the sphere of nothingness he reaches the sphere ofneither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññá-n'asaññáyatana) and abides therein.""Thus the 1st absorption is free from 5 things (i.e. the hindrances, nívarana, q.v.), and 5 things are present(i.e. the factors of absorption; jhánanga). Whenever the monk enters the 1st absorption, there have vanishedsensuous desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and scruples, doubts; and there are present:thought-conception (vitakka), discursive thinking (vicára) rapture (píti), joy (sukha), and concentration(samádhi). In the 2nd absorption there are present: rapture, joy and concentration; in the 3rd: joy and