The Fivefold Reckoning of Jhāna

198. When, however, he is developing fivefold jhāna, then, on emerging from the now familiar first jhāna, he can regard the flaws in it in this way: “This attainment is threatened by the nearness of the hindrances, and its factors are weakened by the grossness of applied thought.” [169] He can bring the second jhāna to mind as quieter and so end his attachment to the first jhāna and set about doing what is needed for attaining the second.

199. Now, he emerges from the first jhāna mindfully and fully aware;and only applied thought appears gross to him as he reviews the jhāna factors, while the sustained thought, etc., 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, the second jhāna arises in him in the way already described.

Its factor of abandoning is applied thought only. The four beginning with sustained thought are the factors that it possesses. The rest is as already stated.

200. When 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 second jhāna he can regard the flaws in it in this way: “This attainment is threatened by the nearness of applied thought, and its factors are weakened by the grossness of sustained thought.” He can bring the third jhāna to mind as quieter and so end his attachment to the second jhāna and set about doing what is needed for attaining the third.

201. Now, he emerges from the second jhāna mindfully and fully aware;only sustained thought appears gross to him as he reviews the jhāna factors, while happiness, etc., 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, the third jhāna arises in him in the way already described.

Its factor of abandoning is sustained thought only. The three beginning with happiness, as in the second jhāna in the fourfold reckoning, are the factors that it possesses. The rest is as already stated.

202. So that which is the second in the fourfold reckoning becomes the second and third in the fivefold reckoning by being divided into two. And those which are the third and fourth in the former reckoning become the fourth and fifth in this reckoning. The first remains the first in each case.

The fourth chapter called “The Description of the Earth Kasiṇa” in the Treatise on the Development of Concentration in the Path of Purification composed for the purpose of gladdening good people.