He Abandons His Austerities

"I thought: I recall once, when my father the Sakyan was working, and I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose apple tree, then -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities -- I entered and remained in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. Could that be the path to Awakening? Then, following on that memory, came the realization: That is the path to Awakening. I thought: So why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities? I thought: I am no longer afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities, but it is not easy to achieve that pleasure with a body so extremely emaciated. Suppose I were to take some solid food: some rice and porridge. So I took some solid food: some rice and porridge. Now five monks had been attending on me, thinking, If Gotama, our contemplative, achieves some higher state, he will tell us. But when they saw me taking some solid food -- some rice and porridge -- they were disgusted and left me, thinking, Gotama the contemplative is living luxuriously. He has abandoned his exertion and is backsliding into abundance.

"So when I had taken solid food and regained strength, then -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, I entered and remained in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain. With the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, I entered and remained in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation -- internal assurance. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain. With the fading of rapture I remained in equanimity, mindful and alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. I entered and remained in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain. With the abandoning of pleasure and pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress -- I entered and remained in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain."

[MN 36]