..续本文上一页nter the second jhana.
The second jhana has three factors. Ekaggata: Keep the mind with its one object, the breath, which is now more subtle and refined than before, leaving simply a feeling of piti, fullness of body and mind. The sensations of the body don”t clash with one another. The four properties — earth, water, fire, and wind — are properly balanced. The mind and body don”t interfere with each other, so both feel full and satisfied. The body feels pleasant (sukha) — solitary and quiet. The mind, too, feels pleasant and at ease — solitary and quiet. When you”re mindful, alert, and adept at doing this — entering, staying in place, and withdrawing — side-benefits will result. For example, knowledge of certain matters will arise either on its own or after you”ve posed a question in the mind. Doubts about certain issues will be put to rest. As the sense of bodily pleasure grows stronger, the sense of mental pleasure and ease grows stronger as well, and thus you can let go of the sense of fullness. Awareness at this point becomes refined and so can detect a subtle level of the breath that feels bright, open, soothing, and spacious. This enables you to go on to the third jhana.
The third jhana has two factors, pleasure and singleness of preoccupation. The pleasure you”ve been experiencing begins to waver in flashes as it reaches saturation point and begins to change. You thus become aware of another, subtler level of sensation, and so the mind shifts to a sense of openness and emptiness. The breath grows still, with no moving in or out, full in every part of the body. This allows you to let go of the sense of pleasure. The mind enters this stage through the power of mindfulness and alertness. Awareness is tranquil and still, bright in the present, steady and on its own. It lets go of the breath and is simply observant. The mind is still, with no shifting back and forth. Both breath and mind are independent. The mind can let down its burdens and cares. The heart is solitary and one, infused with mindfulness and alertness. When you reach this stage and stay with it properly, you”re practicing the fourth jhana.
The fourth jhana has two factors. Ekaggata: Your object becomes absolutely one. Upekkha: You can let go of all thoughts of past and future; the five Hindrances are completely cut away. The mind is solitary, clear, and radiant. The six properties — earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness — become radiant. The heart feels spacious and clear, thoroughly aware all around through the power of mindfulness and alertness. As mindfulness becomes tempered and strong, it turns into intuitive knowledge, enabling you to see the true nature of body and mind, sensations and mental acts, past, present, and future.
When this happens, if you aren”t skilled, you can become excited or upset. In other words, you may develop pubbenivasanussati-ñana, the ability to remember previous lives. If what you see is good, you may get engrossed, which will cause your mindfulness and alertness to weaken. If what you see is bad or displeasing, you may get upset or distressed, so intent on what you remember that your sense of the present is weakened.
Or you may develop cutupapata-ñana: The mind focuses on the affairs of other inpiduals, and you see them as they die and are reborn on differing levels. If you get carried away with what you see, your reference to the present will weaken. If you find this happening, you should take the mind in hand. If anything pleasing arises, hold back and keep mindfulness firm. Don”t let yourself fall into kamasukhallikanuyoga, contentment and delight. If anything bad or displeasing arises, hold back — because it can lead to attakilamathanuyoga, discontentment and distress. Draw the mind into the pr…
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