Jhanacittas - An abiding in comfort

In the 'Lesser Discourse in Gosiriga' (Middle Length Sayings I, No. 31) we read that the Buddha came to see Anuruddha, Nandiya and Kimbila when they were staying in the Gosinga sal-wood. The Buddha asked them about their life in the forest. They could attain all stages of rūpa-jhāna and arūpa- jhāna and they could 'abide' in them for as long as they liked. The Buddha

said: 

 

'It is good, Anuruddha, it is good.

But did you, Anuruddha,

by passing quite beyond this abiding,

by allaying this abiding,

reach another state of further-men,

an excellent knowledge and vision befitting the ariyans,

an abiding in comfort?'

 

'How could this not be, Lord?

Here we, Lord, for as long as we like,

by passing quite beyond the plane of neither perception-nor-non-perception,

entering on the stopping of perception and feeling, abide in it,

and having seen through intuitive wisdom,

our cankers come to be utterly destroyed.

By passing quite beyond that abiding, Lord,

by allaying that abiding,

another state of further-men,

an excellent knowledge and vision befitting the ariyans,

an abiding in comfort is reached.

But we, Lord, do not behold another abiding in comfort that is higher

or more excellent than this abiding in comfort,'

 

'It is good, Anuruddha, it is good.

There is no other abiding in comfort that is higher

or more excellent than this abiding in comfort.'