TheFour Jhānas connected with Formless Existence (cattāri arūpajjhānāni)2.1.3.1. Cattāri arūpajhānāni soḷasakkhattukāni

1. The Sphere of Unbounded Space (ākāsānañcā-yatanaṃ)Katame dhammā kusalā? Which are the states that are good?Yasmiṁ samaye arūpūpapattiyā maggaṁ bhāveti sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ākāsānañcāyatanasaññāsahagataṁ sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati upekkhāsahagataṁ, tasmiṁ samaye phasso hoti …pe… avikkhepo hoti …pe… When, that he may attain to the Formless heavens, he cultivates the way [thereto], and so, by passing wholly beyond all consciousness of form, by the dying out of the consciousness of sensory reaction, by turning the attentionfrom any consciousness of the manifold, he enters into and abides in that rapt meditation which is accompanied by the consciousness of a sphere of unbounded space—even the Fourth Jhāna, to gain which all sense of ease has been put away, and all sense of ill has been put away, and there has been a dying out of the gladness and sorrow he was wont to feel—(the rapt meditation)which is imbued with indifference, and where no ease is felt nor any ill, but only the perfect purity that comes of mindfulness and indifference—then the contact, etc. …[cf.§ 165]the balance that arises, these … are states that are good.ime dhammā kusalā.

[cf.§ 165]Katame dhammā kusalā? 2. The Sphere of Infinite Consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ)Yasmiṁ samaye arūpūpapattiyā maggaṁ bhāveti sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma viññāṇañcāyatanasaññāsahagataṁ sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati upekkhāsahagataṁ, tasmiṁ samaye phasso hoti …pe… avikkhepo hoti …pe… Which are the states that are good?ime dhammā kusalā.

When, that he may attain to the Formless heavens, he cultivates the way [thereto], and, having passed wholly beyond the sphere of boundless space, enters into and abides in that rapt meditation which is accompanied by the consciousness of a sphere of infinite consciousness—even the Fourth Jhāna, to gain which all sense of ease has been put away, etc.Katame dhammā kusalā? [Continue as in previous section.]Yasmiṁ samaye arūpūpapattiyā maggaṁ bhāveti sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ākiñcaññāyatanasaññāsahagataṁ sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati upekkhāsahagataṁ, tasmiṁ samaye phasso hoti …pe… avikkhepo hoti …pe… 3. The Sphere of Nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ)ime dhammā kusalā.

Which are the states that are good?Katame dhammā kusalā? When, that he may attain to the Formless heavens, he cultivates the way thereto, and, having passed wholly beyond the sphere of infinite consciousness, enters into and abides in that rapt meditation which is accompanied by the consciousness of a sphere of nothingness—even the FourthJhāna, to gain which all sense of ease has been put away, etc.Yasmiṁ samaye arūpūpapattiyā maggaṁ bhāveti sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññāsahagataṁ sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati upekkhāsahagataṁ, tasmiṁ samaye phasso hoti …pe… avikkhepo hoti …pe… [Continue as in§ 265.]ime dhammā kusalā.

4. The Sphere of neither Perception nor Non-perception (neva-saññā-nāsaññāyatanaṃ)Cattāri arūpajhānāni soḷasakkhattukāni.
Which are the states that are good?Arūpāvacarakusalaṁ.