sutta » sn » sn40 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 40.1

Paṭhamajhānapañhāsutta

A Question About the First Absorption

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi:
There Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the mendicants:

“āvuso bhikkhave”ti.
“Reverends, mendicants!”

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ.
“Reverend,” they replied.

Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:
Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

“Idha mayhaṁ, āvuso, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
“Just now, reverends, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:

‘paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ, paṭhamaṁ jhānan’ti vuccati.
‘They speak of this thing called the “first absorption”.

Katamaṁ nu kho paṭhamaṁ jhānanti?
What is the first absorption?’

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi:
It occurred to me:

‘idha bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
‘It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

Idaṁ vuccati paṭhamaṁ jhānan’ti.
This is called the first absorption.’

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.
And so … I was entering and remaining in the first absorption.

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato kāmasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.
While I was in that meditation, perception and focus accompanied by sensual pleasures beset me.

Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:
Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said,

‘moggallāna, moggallāna.
‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna!

Mā, brāhmaṇa, paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ pamādo, paṭhame jhāne cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, paṭhame jhāne cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi, paṭhame jhāne cittaṁ samādahā’ti.
Don’t neglect the first absorption, brahmin! Settle your mind in the first absorption; unify your mind and immerse it in the first absorption.’

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.
And so, after some time … I entered and remained in the first absorption.

Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:
So if anyone should be rightly called

‘satthārānuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’ti, mamaṁ taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:
a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”

‘satthārānuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.