Method 1: The Eight Wholenesses

1. The Earth Wholeness

(a) The Fourfold System of Jhāna (catukkanayo).

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna (the first rapt meditation), wherein conception works and thought discursive, which is born of solitude, and full of joy and ease—then the contact, the feeling … the grasp, the balance, which arise in him, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states that there are on that occasion—these are states that are good.

Continue as in the First Type of Thought relating to the sensuous universe, including the Summary and “Emptiness” divisions.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, suppressing the working of conception and of thought discursive, and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna (the second rapt meditation), which is self-evolved, born of concentration, full of joy and ease, in that, set free from the working of conception and of thought discursive, the mind grows calm and sure dwelling on high—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the thinking, the thought, the joy, the ease, the self-collectedness, the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom, ideation, happiness, and vitality, the right views, right endeavour, … the grasp, the balance that arises—these, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states that there are on that occasion—these are states that are good.

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is threefold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• the powers are seven,
• the causes are three,
• contact counts as a single factor,
• etc., etc.

Continue as in §58 et seq.

What on that occasion is the skandha of syntheses?

• Contact
• joy
• thinking
• self-collectedness
• the faculties of
• faith
• concentration
• energy
• wisdom
• mindfulness
• vitality
• right views
• right endeavour
• etc., etc

Continue as in §62 et seq.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and further, through the waning of all passion for joy, holds himself unbiassed, the while, mindful and self-possessed, he experiences in his sense-consciousness that ease whereof the Noble Ones declare: “He that is unbiassed and watchful dwelleth at ease”— and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the Third Jhāna—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the thinking, the thought, the ease, the self-collectedness, the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom, ideation, happiness and vitality, the right views, right endeavour, etc… . the grasp, the balance that arises—these, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states that there are on that occasion—these are states that are good.

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is twofold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• the powers are seven,
• the causes are three,
• contact counts as a single factor,
• etc., etc.

Continue as in §58.

What on that occasion is the skandha of syntheses?

• Contact,
• thinking,
• self-collectedness;
• the faculties of
• faith
• concentration
• energy
• wisdom
• mindfulness
• vitality
• right views
• right endeavour
• etc., etc

Continue as in §62.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, by the putting away of ease and by the putting away of ill, by the passing away of the happiness and of the misery he was wont to feel, he thus, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the Fourth Jhāna (the fourth rapt meditation) of that utter purity of mindfulness which comes of disinterestedness, where no ease is felt nor any ill—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the thinking, the thought, the disinterestedness, the self-collectedness, the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom, ideation, disinterestednessand vitality, the right views, the right endeavour, etc… .

Continue as in §163.

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is twofold,
• the Path is fourfold,
• the powers are seven,
• the causes are three,
• contact counts as a single factor,
  etc., etc.

Continue as in §58, etc.

What on that occasion is the skandha of syntheses?

Answer as in §164.

Here ends the Fourfold System of Jhāna.

(b) The Fivefold System of Jhāna (pancakanayo).

The First Jhāna.

Question and answer as in the fourfold course, §160.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna (the second rapt meditation) wherein is no working of conception, but only of thought discursive—which is born of concentration, and is full of joy and ease—then the contact, the feeling, the perception, the thinking, the thought, the discursive inquiry, the joy, the ease, the self-collectedness, etc… .

Continue as for the Second Jhāna in §161.

Summary

Now, on that occasion

• the skandhas are four,
• the spheres are two,
• the elements are two,
• the nutriments are three,
• the faculties are eight,
• the Jhāna is fourfold,
• the Path is fourfold,
  etc., etc.

Continue as in §58.

What on that occasion is the skandha of syntheses?

Contact, thinking, discursive thought, joy, etc… .

Continue as in §162.

The Third, Fourth and Fifth Jhānas.

These are identical in formulation with the Second, Third and Fourth Jhānas of the Fourfold System, Questions and answers as in §§161–166.

Here ends] the Fivefold System of Jhāna.

(c) The Four Modes of Progress (catasso patipada).

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being painful and intuition sluggish—then the contact … the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

… [or] when … he … so enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being painful, but intuition quick …

… [or] when … he … so enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being easy, but intuition sluggish …

… [or] when … he … so enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … progress being easy and intuition quick—then the contact, etc… . the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

These four combinations are repeated in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhānas on the Fourfold System, and of the 2nd to the 5th on the Fivefold System.

[Here end] the Four Modes of Progress.

(d) The Four Objects of Thought

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna (the first rapt meditation), wherein conception works and thought discursive, which is born of solitude, and is full of joy and ease, but which is limited, and has a limited object of thought—then the contact … the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

… [or] when … the First Jhāna … is limited, but has an object of thought capable of infinite extension …

… [or] when … the First Jhāna … is capable of infinite extension, but has a limited object of thought …

… [or] when … the First Jhāna … is capable of infinite extension, and has an object of thought capable of infinite extension—then the contact, etc… . the balance that arises, these … are states that are good.

These four combinations are repeated in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhānas on the Fourfold System, and of the 1st to the 5th Jhānas on the Fivefold System.

Here end the Four Objects of Thought.

(e) = (c) and (d) The Sixteenfold Combination (solasakkhattukaṃ).

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the first Jhāna …

These sixteen combinations are repeated in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhānas on the Fourfold System, and of the 1st to the 5th Jhānas on the Fivefold System,

Here ends the Fourfold System of Jhāna.

2. The Remaining Seven Wholenesses which may also be developed in sixteenfold combination

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, and so, by the wholeness of

• water …
• fire …
• air …
• blue-black …
• yellow …
• red …
• white …

enters into and abides in the First Jhāna … then the contact, etc., that arises—these … are states that are good.

Here ends the Fourfold System of Jhāna.

Method 2: The Stations of Mastery (abhibhayatanani).

1. “Forms as Limited”

(a and b) Fourfold and Fivefold Jhāna.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects to be limited, gets the mastery over them with the thought “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, etc… . then the contact, etc., that arises—these … are states that are good.

Repeat in the case of the 2nd to the 4ih Jhāna on the Fourfold System, and of the 2nd to the 5th Jhāna on the Fivefold System.

(c) The Four Modes of Progress.

Repeat the four combinations of progress as painful or easy, and of intuition as sluggish or quick set out in §§176–180, substituting for “earth-wholeness” the Mastery formula just stated.

(d) The Two Objects of Thought.

Repeat, substituting for “earth-wholeness” the Mastery -formula of §181, where the Jhāna “is limited, and has a limited object of thought”, and §183, where the Jhāna “is capable of infinite extension, but has a limited object of thought”.

(e) = (c) and (d) The Eightfold Combination (atthakkhattukaṃ).

Repeat, with the same substitution, §§186, 188, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, and 200 of the Sixteenfold Combination.

Repeat these eight combinations in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

2. “Forms as limited and as beautiful or ugly”

(a) and (b)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects to be limited, and to be beautiful or ugly, gets the mastery over them with the thought, “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, etc… . then the contact, etc., that arises—these … are states that are good.

Repeat in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas,

Develop in eightfold combination.

3. “Forms as infinite”

(a) and (b)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects to be infinite, gets the mastery over them with the thoughts “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, etc.

Continue as in §204.

Repeat in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

(c) The Four Modes of Progress.

Repeat §§206–210, substituting “infinite” for “limited”.

(d) The Two Objects of Thought.

Repeat, with the same substitution as in (c), §§211–213.

(e) = (c) and (d) The Eightfold Combination.

Develop, with the same substitution as in (c) and (d), after the manner of §§187, 189, and so on to §201.

Repeat these eight combinations in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

4. “Forms as infinite and as beautiful or ugly”

(a) and (b)

Repeat §223, substituting ‘infinite’ for ‘limited’. Repeat in the case of each of the remaining Jhānas.

Develop in eightfold combination.

5. “Forms as blue-black”, etc.

(a)

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of any part of his corporeal self, but seeing external objects which are blue-black, blue-black in colour, blue-black in visible expanse, blue-black in luminousness, gets the mastery over them with the thought, “I know, I see!” and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, etc.

Continue as in §204.

6–8. “Forms as yellow”, etc.

Repeat §246, substituting for “blue-black, blue-black in colour”, etc., “yellow,” “red”, and “white” successively.

Develop these Stations of Mastery in the Sixteenfold Combination.

Method 3: The Three First Deliverances (tini vimokkhani).

1.

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, conscious of his bodily form, sees bodily forms, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, etc… . then the contact, etc., which arises, these … are states that are good.

2.

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, unconscious of his corporeal self, sees external bodily forms, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, etc.

Continue as in preceding section.

3.

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, with the thought, “How fair it is!” aloof from sensuous appetites, etc.

Continue as in the first Deliverance.

These three Deliverances may also be developed in Sixteenfold Combination.

Method 4: The Four Jhānas of the Sublime Abodes

1. Love

(a) Fourfold Jhāna.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna (the first rapt meditation), wherein conception works and thought discursive, which is born of solitude, is full of joy and ease, and is accompanied by Love—then the contact, etc… . ? continue as in §1… the balance that arises—these … are states that are good.

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, suppressing the working of conception and of thought discursive, and so, by earthgazing, enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna (the second rapt meditation), which is self -evolved, born of concentration, is full of joy and ease, in that, set free … the mind grows calm and sure, dwelling on high—and which is accompanied by Love—then the contact, etc.

Continue as in the foregoing,

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and further, through the waning of all passion for joy, holds himself unbiassed, the while, mindful and self-possessed, he experiences in his sense-consciousness that ease whereof the Noble Ones declare:

“He that is unbiassed and watchful dwelleth at ease”

— and so, by earth-wholeness, enters into and abides in the Third Jhāna, which is accompanied by Love—then, etc,

Continue as in the foregoing.

(b) Fivefold Jhāna.

Repeat question and answers in §§167, 168, 170, 172, adding in each answer, as in the foregoing section, “and which is accompanied by Love”.

2. Pity

Repeat question and answers in the preceding sections (a) and (b), but substituting in each case “and which is accompanied by Pity” for the clause on Love.

3. Sympathy

Repeat question and anstvers in the preceding two sections, but substituting in each case “and which is accompanied by Sympathy” for the clause on Pity.

4. Disinterestedness

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and, by the putting away of ease and by the putting away of ill, by the passing away of the happiness and of the misery he was wont to feel, he thus, by earth -gazing, enters into and abides in the Fourth Jhāna (the fourth rapt meditation) of that utter purity of mindfulness which comes of disinterestedness, where no ease is felt nor any ill, and which is accompanied by Disinterestedness—then the contact, etc.

Continue as in §165.

The Four Jhānas of the Sublime Abodes may be developed in Sixteen Combinations.

Method 5: The Jhāna of Foul Things

Which are the states that are good?

When, that he may attain to the heavens of Form, he cultivates the way thereto, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, wherein, etc… .

• and which is accompanied by the idea of a bloated corpse …
• [or] of a discoloured corpse …
• [or] of a festering corpse …
• [or] of a corpse with cracked skin …
• [or] of a corpse gnawn and mangled …
• [or] of a corpse cut to pieces …
• [or] of a corpse mutilated and cut in pieces …
• [or] of a bloody corpse …
• [or] of a corpse infested with worms …
• [or] of a skeleton …

then the contact … the balance which arises—these … are states that are good.

The Jhāna of Foul Things may be developed in Sixteen Combinations.

Here ends the Chapter on Good in relation to the Universe of Form.