SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 40 Connected Discourses with Moggallāna – Moggallānasaṁyutta > SN 40.3 A Question About the Third Absorption

Linked Discourses 40.3 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 40.3

1. By Moggallāna – 1. Moggallānavagga

SN 40.3 A Question About the Third Absorption – Tatiyajhānapañhāsutta

“They speak of this thing called the ‘third absorption’.

“‘Tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ, tatiyaṁ jhānan’ti vuccati.

What is the third absorption?

Katamaṁ nu kho tatiyaṁ jhānanti?

It occurred to me:

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi—

‘With the fading away of rapture, a bhikkhu enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, “Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.”

idha bhikkhu pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

This is called the third absorption.’

Idaṁ vuccati tatiyaṁ jhānanti.

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

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharāmi sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedemi. Yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

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

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, iminā vihārena viharato pītisahagatā 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 third absorption, brahmin! Settle your mind in the third absorption; unify your mind and immerse it in the third absorption.’

Mā, brāhmaṇa, tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ pamādo, tatiye jhāne cittaṁ saṇṭhapehi, tatiye jhāne cittaṁ ekodiṁ karohi, tatiye jhāne cittaṁ samādahā’ti.

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

So khvāhaṁ, āvuso, aparena samayena pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharāmi sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedemi, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.

So if anyone should be rightly called a disciple who attained to great direct knowledge with help from the Teacher, it’s me.”

Yañhi taṁ āvuso sammā vadamāno vadeyya …pe… mahābhiññataṁ patto”ti.