At Sāvatthi.
There the Blessed One said:
“Bhikkhus, there are these four jhānas. What four?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures and |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| mental states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is |accompanied by reflection::with thinking [savitakka]| and |examination::with investigation, evaluation [savicāra]|, |born from seclusion::secluded from the defilements [vivekaja]|, and is |filled with joyful pleasure::imbued with joy and happiness, with delight and ease, sometimes experienced as an intense joy or pleasure, rapture [pītisukha]|.
With the |settling::calming, conciliation, subsiding [vūpasama]| of reflection and examination, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which is characterized by internal |tranquility::calming, settling, confidence [sampasādana]| and |unification::singleness, integration [ekodibhāva]| of mind, is without reflection and examination, |born from collectedness::born from a stable mind [samādhija]|, and is filled with joyful pleasure.
With the fading away of joyful pleasure, he dwells in a |state of equanimity::mental poised, mentally balanced, equanimous, non-reactive, disregarding [upekkhaka]|, |mindful and fully aware::attentive and completely comprehending [sata + sampajāna]|, experiencing |ease::comfort, contentedness, happiness, pleasure [sukha]| with the body. He enters and dwells in the third jhāna, which the noble ones describe as, ‘one who dwells equanimous, mindful, and at ease.’
With the abandoning of ease and |discontentment::discomfort, unpleasantness, something unsatisfactory, stress [dukkha]|, and with the settling down of |joy and sorrow::craving and aversion, pleasure and displeasure, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, gladness and dejection, positive state of mind and negative state of mind [somanassadomanassa]|, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is characterized by purification of |mindfulness::clear comprehension and full awareness of body, felt experiences, mind, and mental qualities [sati]| through |equanimity::mental poise, mental balance, equipoise, non-reactivity, composure [upekkhā]|, experiencing a feeling which is neither-painful-nor-pleasant.
These, bhikkhus, are the four jhānas.
Just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, so too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four jhānas slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four jhānas slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures and unwholesome mental states, with reflection and |examination::of thoughts|, born of seclusion, filled with joyful pleasure, enters and dwells in the first jhāna.
With the subsiding of reflection and |examination::of thoughts|, experiencing internal tranquility and unification of mind, devoid of reflection and examination, born of collectedness and filled with joyful pleasure, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna.
With the fading away of joyful pleasure, he dwells equanimous and mindful, fully aware, and experiences physical pleasure, which the Noble Ones describe as ‘one who dwells happily, equanimous and mindful.’ Thus, he enters and dwells in the third jhāna.
With the abandoning of |ease::contentment, happiness, pleasant abiding [sukha]| and |suffering::discontentment, stress|, and with the previous disappearance of joy and sorrow, experiencing neither-painful-nor-pleasant sensation, and with the purity of equanimity and mindfulness, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.
Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four jhānas slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.”