1.
The Discourse on the Development of Concentration
41.
"There are, monks, these four developments of concentration.
What are the four?
There is, monks, a development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to pleasant abiding in the present life;
there is, monks, a development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to the attainment of knowledge and vision;
there is, monks, a development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to mindfulness and full awareness;
there is, monks, a development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to the elimination of mental corruptions.
"And what, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to pleasant abiding in the present life? Here, monks, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. This, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to pleasant abiding in the present life.
"And what, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to the attainment of knowledge and vision? Here, monks, a monk attends to the perception of light, determines the perception of day - as by day so by night, as by night so by day. Thus with an open mind, unobstructed, he develops a mind of luminosity. This, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to the attainment of knowledge and vision.
"And what, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to mindfulness and full awareness? Here, monks, for a monk feelings arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known; perceptions arise as known... etc. applied thoughts arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known. This, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to mindfulness and full awareness.
"And what, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to the elimination of mental corruptions? Here, monks, a monk dwells observing the rise and fall in the five aggregates of clinging - 'Such is matter, such is the origin of matter, such is the passing away of matter; such is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the passing away of feeling; such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the passing away of perception; such are activities, such is the origin of activities, such is the passing away of activities; such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness.' This, monks, is the development of concentration that, when developed and cultivated, leads to the elimination of mental corruptions. These, monks, are the four developments of concentration. And this was said by me, monks, with reference to this, in the Pārāyana, in Puṇṇaka's Question -
For whom there is no perturbation anywhere in the world;
Peaceful, smokeless, free from trouble, desireless,
He has crossed over birth and ageing, I say." The first.