SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 40 Connected Discourses with Moggallāna – Moggallānasaṁyutta > SN 40.1 A Question About the First Absorption

Linked Discourses 40.1 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 40.1

1. By Moggallāna – 1. Moggallānavagga

SN 40.1 A Question About the First Absorption – Paṭhamajhānapañhāsutta

At one time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

There Venerable Mahāmoggallāna addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Reverends, bhikkhū!”

“āvuso bhikkhave”ti.

“Reverend,” they replied.

“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosuṁ.

Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

Āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:

“Just now, reverends, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:

“Idha mayhaṁ, āvuso, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

‘They speak of this thing called the “first absorption”.

‘paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ, paṭhamaṁ jhānan’ti vuccati.

What is the first absorption?’

Katamaṁ nu kho paṭhamaṁ jhānanti?

It occurred to me:

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi:

‘It’s when a bhikkhu, 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.

‘idha bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

This is called the first absorption.’

Idaṁ vuccati paṭhamaṁ jhānan’ti.

And so … I was entering and remaining in the first absorption.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

While I was in that meditation, perceptions and attentions accompanied by sensual pleasures beset me.

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato kāmasahagatā saññāmanasikārā samudācaranti.

Then the Buddha came up to me with his psychic power and said,

Atha kho maṁ, āvuso, bhagavā iddhiyā upasaṅkamitvā etadavoca:

‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna!

‘moggallāna, moggallāna.

Don’t neglect the first absorption, brahmin! Settle your mind in the first absorption; unify your mind and immerse it in the first absorption.’

Mā, brāhmaṇa, paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ pamādo, paṭhame jhāne cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, paṭhame jhāne cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi, paṭhame jhāne cittaṁ samādahā’ti.

And so, after some time … I entered and remained in the first absorption.

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.

So if anyone should be rightly called

Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”

‘satthārānuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’ti, mamaṁ taṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

‘satthārānuggahito sāvako mahābhiññataṁ patto’”ti.