SN34 Linked Discourses on Absorption

The Chapter on Absorption

The Chapter on Absorption

SN34.1 Entering Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in entering it. One meditator is not skilled in immersion but is skilled in entering it. One meditator is skilled neither in immersion nor in entering it. One meditator is skilled both in immersion and in entering it. Of these, the meditator skilled in immersion and in entering it is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the four. From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these. In the same way, the meditator skilled in immersion and entering it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four.”

SN34.2 Remaining in Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in remaining in it. One meditator is skilled in remaining in immersion but is not skilled in immersion. One meditator is skilled neither in immersion nor in remaining in it. One meditator is skilled both in immersion and in remaining in it. Of these, the meditator skilled in immersion and in remaining in it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four. From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these. In the same way, the meditator skilled in immersion and remaining in it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four.”

SN34.3 Emerging From Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in emerging from it. …”

SN34.4 Gladdening for Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in positivity for immersion. …”

SN34.5 Supports For Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in the supports for immersion. …”

SN34.6 Territory of Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in the territory of immersion. …”

SN34.7 Projecting the Mind Purified by Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in projecting the mind purified by immersion. …”

SN34.8 Carefulness in Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in practicing carefully for it. …”

SN34.9 Persistence in Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. …”

SN34.10 Conducive to Immersion

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. …”

SN34.11 Entering and Remaining

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in remaining in it. …”

SN34.12 Entering and Emerging

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in emerging from it. …”

SN34.13 Entering and Gladdening

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in positivity for immersion. …”

SN34.14 Entering and Supports

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in the supports for it. …”

SN34.15 Entering and Territory

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in the territory of immersion. …”

SN34.16 Entering and Projecting

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in projecting the mind purified by immersion. …”

SN34.17 Entering and Carefulness

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in practicing carefully for it. …”

SN34.18 Entering and Persistence

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. …”

SN34.19 Entering and What’s Conducive

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in entering immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. …”

SN34.20-27 Eight on Remaining and Emergence, Etc.

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in remaining in immersion but not in emerging from it. …” (These eight discourses should be told in full as the previous set.)

SN34.28-34 Seven on Emergence and Gladdening, Etc.

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in emerging from immersion but not in positivity for immersion. …” (These seven discourses should be told in full as the previous set.)

SN34.35-40 Six on Gladdening and Support, Etc.

At Sāvatthī. “One meditator is skilled in positivity for immersion but not in the supports for immersion. …” (These six discourses should be told in full as the previous set.)

SN34.41-45 Five on Support and Territory, Etc.

At Sāvatthī. “One meditator is skilled in the supports for immersion but not in the territory of immersion. …” (These five discourses should be told in full as the previous set.)

SN34.46-49

At Sāvatthī. “One meditator is skilled in the territory of immersion but not in projecting the mind purified by immersion. …” “One meditator is skilled in the territory of immersion but not in practicing carefully for it. …” (These four discourses should be told in full as the previous set.) “One meditator is skilled in the territory of immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. …” “One meditator is skilled in the territory of immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. …”

SN34.50-52

At Sāvatthī. “One meditator is skilled in projecting the mind purified by immersion but not in practicing carefully for it. …” “One meditator is skilled in projecting the mind purified by immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. …” “One meditator is skilled in projecting the mind purified by immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. …”

SN34.53-54

At Sāvatthī. “One meditator is skilled in practicing carefully for immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. …” “One meditator is skilled in practicing carefully for immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. …”

SN34.55 Persistence and What’s Conducive

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are these four meditators. What four? One meditator is skilled in practicing persistently for immersion but not in doing what’s conducive to it. One meditator is skilled in doing what’s conducive to immersion but not in practicing persistently for it. One meditator is skilled neither in practicing persistently for immersion nor in doing what’s conducive to it. One meditator is skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it. Of these, the meditator skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four. From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these. In the same way, the meditator skilled both in practicing persistently for immersion and in doing what’s conducive to it is the foremost, best, leading, highest, and finest of the four.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. (All should be told in full as per the fifty-fifth discourse.)

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The Linked Discourses on Absorption are complete.

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The Book of the Aggregates is finished.