11.
The Discourse on the Spiritual
279.
"There is, monks, carnal rapture, there is spiritual rapture, there is rapture more spiritual than the spiritual;
there is carnal happiness, there is spiritual happiness, there is happiness more spiritual than the spiritual;
there is carnal equanimity, there is spiritual equanimity, there is equanimity more spiritual than the spiritual;
there is carnal deliverance, there is spiritual deliverance, there is deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual.
And what, monks, is carnal rapture?
These are the five types of sensual pleasure, monks.
Which five?
Visible forms cognisable by the eye that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing, etc.
Tangibles cognisable by the body that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing.
These, monks, are the five types of sensual pleasure.
Whatever rapture arises dependent on these five types of sensual pleasure, monks, this is called, monks, carnal rapture.
"And what, monks, is spiritual rapture? Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. With the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and dwells in the second meditative absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of concentration. This is called, monks, spiritual rapture.
"And what, monks, is rapture more spiritual than the spiritual? Whatever rapture arises for a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions when reviewing the mind liberated from lust, when reviewing the mind liberated from hate, when reviewing the mind liberated from delusion, monks, this is called, monks, rapture more spiritual than the spiritual.
"And what, monks, is carnal happiness? These are the five types of sensual pleasure, monks. Which five? Visible forms cognisable by the eye that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing, etc. Tangibles cognisable by the body that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing. These, monks, are the five types of sensual pleasure. Whatever happiness and pleasure arises dependent on these five types of sensual pleasure, monks, this is called, monks, carnal happiness.
"And what, monks, is spiritual happiness? Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. With the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and dwells in the second meditative absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of concentration. With the fading away of rapture, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware, and experiences bliss with the body - that which the noble ones declare: 'He who is equanimous and mindful dwells in bliss' - he enters upon and dwells in the third meditative absorption. This is called, monks, spiritual happiness.
"And what, monks, is spiritual happiness that is more spiritual? Whatever happiness and pleasure arises for a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions when reviewing the mind liberated from lust, when reviewing the mind liberated from hate, when reviewing the mind liberated from delusion, this is called, monks, spiritual happiness that is more spiritual.
"And what, monks, is carnal equanimity? These are the five types of sensual pleasure, monks. Which five? Visible forms cognisable by the eye that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing, etc. Tangibles cognisable by the body that are desirable, pleasing, agreeable, lovely, sensually arousing, and enticing. These, monks, are the five types of sensual pleasure. Whatever equanimity arises dependent on these five types of sensual pleasure, this is called, monks, carnal equanimity.
"And what, monks, is spiritual equanimity? Here, monks, with the abandoning of bliss and pain, and with the prior disappearance of pleasure and displeasure, a monk enters upon and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither-pain-nor-bliss and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This is called, monks, spiritual equanimity.
"And what, monks, is spiritual equanimity that is more spiritual? Whatever equanimity arises for a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions when reviewing the mind liberated from lust, when reviewing the mind liberated from hate, when reviewing the mind liberated from delusion, this is called, monks, spiritual equanimity that is more spiritual.
"And what, monks, is carnal deliverance? Deliverance connected with fine-material-sphere existence is carnal deliverance.
"And what, monks, is spiritual deliverance? Deliverance connected with immaterial-sphere existence is spiritual deliverance.
"And what, monks, is spiritual deliverance that is more spiritual? Whatever deliverance arises for a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions when reviewing the mind liberated from lust, when reviewing the mind liberated from hate, when reviewing the mind liberated from delusion, this is called, monks, spiritual deliverance that is more spiritual." The eleventh.