The Third Jhāna

153. And at this point, “With the fading away of happiness as well he dwells in equanimity, and mindful and fully aware, he feels bliss with his body; he enters upon and dwells in the third jhāna, on account of which the Noble Ones announce: ‘He dwells in bliss who has equanimity and is mindful’ (Vibh 245), and so he has attained the third jhāna, which abandons one factor, possesses two factors, is good in three ways, possesses ten characteristics, and is of the earth kasiṇa.

154 Herein, with the fading away of happiness as well (pītiyā ca virāgā): fading away is distaste for, or surmounting of, happiness of the kind already described. But the words “as well” (ca) between the two [words pītiyā and virāgā] have the meaning of a conjunction;^[1] they conjoin [to them] either the word “stilling” or the expression “the stilling of applied and sustained thought” [in the description of the second jhāna]. Herein, when taken as conjoining “stilling” the construction to be understood is “with the fading away and, what is more, with the stilling, of happiness.” With this construction “fading away” has the meaning of distaste;so the meaning can be regarded as “with distaste for, and with the stilling of, happiness.” But when taken as conjoining the words “stilling of applied and sustained thought,” then the construction to be understood is “with the fading of happiness and, further, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought.” With this construction “fading away” has the meaning of surmounting; so this meaning can be regarded as “with the surmounting of happiness and with the stilling of applied and sustained thought.”

155. Of course, applied and sustained thought have already been stilled in the second jhāna, too. However, this is said in order to show the path to this third jhāna and in order to recommend it. For when “with the stilling of applied and sustained thought” is said, it is declared that the path to this jhāna is necessarily by the stilling of applied and sustained thought. And just as, although mistaken view of individuality, etc., are not abandoned in the attaining of the third noble path [but in the first], yet when it is recommended by describing their abandonment thus, “With the abandoning of the five lower fetters” (A I 232), [160] then it awakens eagerness in those trying to attain that third noble path—so too, when the stilling of applied and sustained thought is mentioned, though they are not actually stilled here [but in the second], this is a recommendation. Hence the meaning expressed is this: “With the surmounting of happiness and with the stilling of applied and sustained thought.”

156. He dwells in equanimity: it watches [things] as they arise (UPApattito IKKHATI), thus it is equanimity (upekkhā—or onlooking); it sees fairly, sees without partiality (a-pakkha-patita), is the meaning. A possessor of the third jhāna is said to “dwell in equanimity” since he possesses equanimity that is clear, abundant and sound.

Equanimity is of ten kinds; six-factored equanimity, equanimity as a divine abiding, equanimity as an enlightenment factor, equanimity of energy, equanimity about formations, equanimity as a feeling, equanimity about insight, equanimity as specific neutrality, equanimity of jhāna and equanimity of purification.

157. Herein, six factored equanimity is a name for the equanimity in one whose cankers are destroyed. It is the mode of non-abandonment of the natural state of purity when desirable or undesirable objects of the six kinds come into focus in the six doors described thus: “Here a bhikkhu whose cankers are destroyed is neither glad nor sad on seeing a visible object with the eye: he dwells in equanimity, mindful and fully aware” (A III 279).

158. Equanimity as a divine abiding is a name for equanimity consisting in the mode of neutrality towards beings described thus: “He dwells intent upon one quarter with his heart endued with equanimity” (D I 251).

159. Equanimity as an enlightenment factor is a name for equanimity consisting in the mode of neutrality in conascent states described thus: “He develops the equanimity enlightenment factor depending on relinquishment” (M I 11).

160. Equanimity of energy is a name for the equanimity otherwise known as neither over-strenuous nor over-lax energy described thus: “From time to time he brings to mind the sign of equanimity” (A I 257).

161. Equanimity about formations is a name for equanimity consisting in neutrality about apprehending reflexion and composure regarding the hindrances, etc., described thus: “How many kinds of equanimity about formations arise through concentration? How many kinds of equanimity about formations arise through insight? Eight kinds of equanimity about formations arise through concentration. Ten kinds of equanimity about formations arise through insight”^[2] (Paṭis I 64). [161]

162. Equanimity as a feeling is a name for the equanimity known as neitherpain-nor-pleasure described thus: “On the occasion on which a sense-sphere profitable consciousness has arisen accompanied by equanimity” (Dhs §156).

163. Equanimity about insight is a name for equanimity consisting in neutrality about investigation described thus: “What exists, what has become, that he abandons, and he obtains equanimity” (M II 264–65, A IV 70f).

164. Equanimity as specific neutrality is a name for equanimity consisting in the equal efficiency of conascent states; it is contained among the “or-whatever states” beginning with zeal (XIV.133; Dhs-a 132).

165. Equanimity of jhāna is a name for equanimity producing impartiality towards even the highest bliss described thus: “He dwells in equanimity” (Vibh 245).

166. Purifying equanimity is a name for equanimity purified of all opposition, and so consisting in uninterestedness in stilling opposition described thus: “The fourth jhāna, which … has mindfulness purified by equanimity” (Vibh 245).

167. Herein, six-factored equanimity, equanimity as a divine abiding, equanimity as an enlightenment factor, equanimity as specific neutrality, equanimity of jhāna and purifying equanimity are one in meaning, that is, equanimity as specific neutrality. Their difference, however, is one of position,^[3] like the difference in a single being as a boy, a youth, an adult, a general, a king, and so on. Therefore of these it should be understood that equanimity as an enlightenment factor, etc., are not found where there is six-factored equanimity; or that six-factored equanimity, etc., are not found where there is equanimity as an enlightenment factor.

And just as these have one meaning, so also equanimity about formations and equanimity about insight have one meaning too; for they are simply understanding classed in these two ways according to function.

168. Just as, when a man has seen a snake go into his house in the evening and has hunted for it with a forked stick, and then when he has seen it lying in the grain store and has looked to discover whether it is actually a snake or not, and then by seeing three marks^[4] has no more doubt, and so there is neutrality in him about further investigating whether or not it is a snake, [162] so too, when a man has begun insight, and he sees with insight knowledge the three characteristics, then there is neutrality in him about further investigating the impermanence, etc., of formations, and that neutrality is called equanimity about insight.

169. But just as, when the man has caught hold of the snake securely with the forked stick and thinks, “How shall I get rid of the snake without hurting it or getting bitten by it?” then as he is seeking only the way to get rid of it, there is neutrality in him about the catching hold of it, so too, when a man, through seeking the three characteristics, sees the three kinds of becoming as if burning, then there is neutrality in him about catching hold of formations, and that neutrality is called equanimity about formations.

170. So when equanimity about insight is established, equanimity about formations is established too. But it is divided into two in this way according to function, in other words, according to neutrality about investigating and about catching hold.

Equanimity of energy and equanimity as feeling are different both from each other and from the rest.

171. So, of these kinds of equanimity, it is equanimity of jhāna that is intended here. That has the characteristic of neutrality. Its function is to be unconcerned. It is manifested as uninterestedness. Its proximate cause is the fading away of happiness.

Here it may be said: Is this not simply equanimity as specific neutrality in the meaning? And that exists in the first and second jhānas as well; so this clause, “He dwells in equanimity,” ought to be stated of those also. Why is it not?—[It may be replied:] Because its function is unevident there since it is overshadowed by applied thought and the rest. But it appears here with a quite evident function, with head erect, as it were, because it is not overshadowed by applied thought and sustained thought and happiness. That is why it is stated here.

The commentary on the meaning of the clause “He dwells in equanimity” is thus completed in all its aspects.

172. Now, as to mindful and fully aware: here, he remembers (sarati), thus he is mindful (sata). He has full awareness (sampajānāti), thus he is fully aware (sampajāna). This is mindfulness and full awareness stated as personal attributes. Herein, mindfulness has the characteristic of remembering. Its function is not to forget. It is manifested as guarding. Full awareness has the characteristic of non-confusion. Its function is to investigate (judge). It is manifested as scrutiny.

173. Herein, although this mindfulness and this full awareness exist in the earlier jhānas as well—for one who is forgetful and not fully aware does not attain even access, let alone absorption—yet, because of the [comparative] grossness of those jhānas, the mind’s going is easy [there], like that of a man on [level] ground, and so the functions of mindfulness and full awareness are not evident in them. [163] But it is only stated here because the subtlety of this jhāna, which is due to the abandoning of the gross factors, requires that the mind’s going always includes the functions of mindfulness and full awareness, like that of a man on a razor’s edge.

174. What is more, just as a calf that follows a cow returns to the cow when taken away from her if not prevented, so too, when this third jhāna is led away from happiness, it would return to happiness if not prevented by mindfulness and full awareness, and would rejoin happiness. And besides, beings are greedy for bliss, and this kind of bliss is exceedingly sweet since there is none greater. But here there is non-greed for the bliss owing to the influence of the mindfulness and full awareness, not for any other reason. And so it should also be understood that it is stated only here in order to emphasize this meaning too.

175. Now, as to the clause he feels bliss with his body: here, although in one actually possessed of the third jhāna there is no concern about feeling bliss, nevertheless he would feel the bliss associated with his mental body, and after emerging from the jhāna he would also feel bliss since his material body would have been affected by the exceedingly superior matter originated by that bliss associated with the mental body.^[5] It is in order to point to this meaning that the words “he feels bliss with his body” are said.

176. Now, as to the clause, that … on account of which the Noble Ones announce: He dwells in bliss who has equanimity and is mindful: here it is the jhāna, on account of which as cause, on account of which as reason, the Noble Ones, that is to say, the Enlightened Ones, etc., “announce, teach, declare, establish, reveal, expound, explain, clarify” (Vibh 259) that person who possesses the third jhāna—they praise, is what is intended. Why? Because “he dwells in bliss who has equanimity and is mindful. He enters upon and dwells in that third jhāna” (taṃ … tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati) is how the construction should be understood here. But why do they praise him thus? Because he is worthy of praise.

177. For this man is worthy of praise since he has equanimity towards the third jhāna though it possesses exceedingly sweet bliss and has reached the perfection of bliss, and he is not drawn towards it by a liking for the bliss, and he is mindful with the mindfulness established in order to prevent the arising of happiness, and he feels with his mental body the undefiled bliss beloved of Noble Ones, cultivated by Noble Ones. Because he is worthy of praise in this way, it should be understood, Noble Ones praise him with the words, “He dwells in bliss who has equanimity and is mindful,” thus declaring the special qualities that are worthy of praise.

[164] Third: it is the third in the numerical series; and it is third because it is entered upon third.

178. Then it was said, which abandons one factor, possesses two factors (§153): here the abandoning of the one factor should be understood as the abandoning of happiness. But that is abandoned only at the moment of absorption, as applied thought and sustained thought are at that of the second jhāna; hence it is called its factor of abandoning.

179. The possession of the two factors should be understood as the arising of the two, namely, bliss and unification. So when it is said in the Vibhaṅga, “‘Jhāna’: equanimity, mindfulness, full awareness, bliss, unification of mind” (Vibh 260), this is said figuratively in order to show that jhāna with its equipment. But, excepting the equanimity and mindfulness and full awareness, this jhāna has literally only two factors qua factors that have attained to the characteristic of lighting (see §119), according as it is said, “What is the jhāna of two factors on that occasion? It is bliss and unification of mind” (Vibh 264).

The rest is as in the case of the first jhāna.

180. Once this has been obtained in this way, and once he has mastery in the five ways already described, then on emerging from the now familiar third jhāna, he can regard the flaws in it thus: “This attainment is threatened by the nearness of happiness; ‘Whatever there is in it of mental concern about bliss proclaims its grossness’ (D I 37; see Ch. IX, n. 20), and its factors are weakened by the grossness of the bliss so expressed.” He can bring the fourth jhāna to mind as quieter and so end his attachment to the third jhāna and set about doing what is needed for attaining the fourth.

181. When he has emerged from the third jhāna, the bliss, in other words, the mental joy, appears gross to him as he reviews the jhāna factors with mindfulness and full awareness, while the equanimity as feeling and the unification of mind appear peaceful. Then, as he brings that same sign to mind as “earth, earth” again and again with the purpose of abandoning the gross factor and obtaining the peaceful factors, [knowing] “now the fourth jhāna will arise,” there arises in him mind-door adverting with that same earth kasiṇa as its object, interrupting the life-continuum. After that either four or five impulsions impel on that same object, [165] the last one of which is an impulsion of the fine-material sphere belonging to the fourth jhāna. The rest are of the kinds already stated (§74).

182. But there is this difference: blissful (pleasant) feeling is not a condition, as repetition condition, for neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, and [the preliminary work] must be aroused in the case of the fourth jhāna with neitherpainful-nor-pleasant feeling; consequently these [consciousnesses of the preliminary work] are associated with neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, and here happiness vanishes simply owing to their association with equanimity.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sampiṇḍana—“conjunction”: gram. term for the word ca (and). This meaning not given in PED. Cf. M-a I 40.

[2]:

The “eight kinds” are those connected with the eight jhānas, the “ten kinds” those connected with the four paths, the four fruitions, the void liberation, and the signless liberation.

[3]:

Avatthā—“position, occasion.” Not in PED; see CPD.

[4]:

Sovatthika-ttaya—”three marks;” cf. XXI.49.

[5]:

For consciousness-originated materiality see XX.30 ff.