Human Development
Dwelling in the fourth jhana
Description:
Emerging from the third jhana, and reviewing the jhana factors with mindfulness and full awareness, bliss or mental joy seem gross. Again bringing the subject of meditation to mind, the purpose being to abandon the gross factor and obtain the peaceful factors, and knowing that the fourth jhana will arise, the process of appearance of absorption occurs. Pleasure and pain, joy and grief are abandoned without remainder. Having abandoned the factor of bliss, there are two factors to the fourth jhana: equanimity or indifference of feeling and unification or collectedness of mind. Free from all opposites, there is pure and absolute awareness and complete calmness.Like the first three jhanas, it is said to be good in three ways: beginning (purification of the way), which is [access]; middle (intensification of equanimity), which is [absorption]; end (satisfaction), which is [reviewing]. It also has ten characteristics. Again, through practice, the meditator acquires mastery in the fourth jhana through the habits of: adverting to the jhana; attaining the jhana; resolving and steadying the duration of the jhana; emerging from the jhana; reviewing the jhana.